This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Morning Session of the April 1999 Conference.
Sister Carol B. Thomas gave a good talk about the temple. Speaking of which, isn't it great how we can go to the temple normally again? I like the system we have at our temple now, where you can make an appointment, but you don't have to. Sometimes I really only have one free hour in my week and it's helpful to be able to plan ahead and know I can go then. But other times I unexpectedly have a free afternoon and want to go without planning first! Sister Thomas quoted a warning given by the president of the Logan Temple that "Satan and his followers will whisper in the ears of the people persuading them not to go to the Temple," which is kind of an alarming image, but if Satan's going to do that, I like that we can thwart him by changing our tactics from time to time!
Sister Thomas also talked about how the temple provides balance in our lives and said,
After returning home, we have an increased sense of well-being; the influence of the Spirit can shield us from the frustrations of the world.
I like that (even though I feel like sometimes when I come home from the temple I am more impatient with the "frustrations of the world" because the contrast is so great!), and I also liked the quote she shared from John A. Widstoe:
At the most unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to [us], as a revelation, the solution of the problems that vex [our lives]. … It is a place where revelations may be expected.”
I think that's true. There have been stretches of time where I have felt revelation flow nearly every time I've gone to the temple (though there have also been stretches of time where I haven't…but at least I know it's possible!) and I love that there's somewhere we can go where the spirit can speak so clearly.
True, sometimes coming home to the reality after the temple is rather a shock to my system 😄 but I like to hope there’s some type of “well being” that settles in after the initial adjustment. Truly though, this is a good reminder for me. That warning about Satan is frightening. With all my reliable babysitters gone (except for Penny—who may as well be gone with her blasted school play demanding her till 6:30 every single day), and Mike’s constant gone-ness, I haven’t even really TRIED to aren’t going to the temple the past while. And I don’t like considering that Satan is probably quite pleased whispering that surely there’s no possible way to go right now! And there’s no doubt that even when I don’t receive answers right at the temple, I often receive them more easily when I have been going regularly!
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