Kansas City Temple Dedication from our point of view

We've been here since before it was announced in October of 2008.  We had been here almost 2 years and I was thinking there was no way I was still going to be living here when the temple was finished.  I had not yet begun to feel like this was home or even someplace I wanted to live for more than a few years.  Well we've been here and watched the temple being built from the announcement to the dedication.

Over the last year Kendall and I have driven past the temple almost everyday on the way to preschool (which is only about a mile from the temple)  We also now attend our Sunday meetings in the meeting house right next door to the temple.  We see it 5-6 times a week if not more often.  Especially since it is only about 5-6 miles from our house and you can see it from the freeway on our way to just about anywhere from our house. 

When the temple was finished and it was time for the open house we took the kids.  They got to stay up late and go.  It was beautiful and I learned a lot.  During the Open House we had to attend our meetings back at our "old" building in Platte City.  We missed the short drive and being so close to the temple each week, and started counting how many times we still had before we could go back.

We were able to get tickets to the dedication.  Zach was nervous he might miss it because he had to work Saturday into Sunday.  He was supposed to be done by 8 so that we could be to the dedication by 11, but at 10:30 rolled around he was still busy working.  I left an ironed white shirt and his ticket to the dedication and a white hanky on the bed for him and hoped he'd make it.

The boys and I dropped Kendall off at a friends house and headed over to the Liberty Stake Center right next to the temple.  When the boys realized we didn't get to actually be in the temple they chose to be in the next closest place.  I was surprised at how not crowded this stake center was.  Even only 15 or so minutes before it started and barely the chapel was full, just starting into the over flow.  Zach made it with just over 10 minutes to spare.  As we were waiting for it to start an usher approached us and asked how many are with you?  Zach's reply 4.  He then told us there was room for us in the temple if we wanted to get up and go over there right then,  (Mind you we had only about 5-10 min before it was going to start) .  We walked quickly with about 4 other people over to the temple where they placed "booties" over our shoes and ushered us in with just a minute or two to spare.  We sat in one of the "overflow" rooms but we were in the temple.  It was an experience I hope to never forget.  And I hope that my boys never forget it either.  Many of the talks focused on the history of this area and what a blessing to finally have a temple here. 

I will forever be thankful to be raising my children in the shadow of the temple.  Where they can see it and be reminded of what we stand for every day.

I love to see the temple.