Friday, August 12, 2011

Honorable Release

The Denver Temple closes tomorrow for a six-week renovation. Today was my last day to work as an ordinance worker. I have been given an honorable release from my time of service in the temple. My new priority is mommy, and I could not have given up being an ordinance worker for anything less worthwhile. It will likely be 20 or more years before I can return to that service opportunity, as the church asks that women with children still at home devote their full-time efforts to motherhood.
It is a strange sort of loss to be finished with my time as an ordinance worker in the temple. I was able to serve for three and a half years in the Atlanta Temple and about eight months in the Denver Temple. I consider that time a precious gift. Some of my most beautiful life experiences took place there. I know that I became more of a devoted woman of God by spending regular time in the temple. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and especially in the temple, we refer to one another as brother and sister. The women that I served with in both Atlanta and Denver truly feel like my sisters in the full sense of the word. My bond of friendship, kinship, and understanding with the sisters in the temple is both difficult to explain and hard to forget.
How grateful I am for this unique chapter in my life.

3 comments:

Ruth said...

I'm sad for you that it's over (even though I'm writing this while utterly exhausted after two long--but wonderful--days serving in the Boston temple). But I can't be too sad because of what lies ahead. :) And then before you know it a couple of decades will be over and you'll be a cute older lady back at the temple.

Jane said...

We have GOT to talk more - how many things do I not know about you? Congratulations and how much fun was that job?!

Phat Fiddle said...

Well done, thou (ridiculously) good (looking) and faithful wife :)