I was reading the October issue of the Ensign magazine, on page 45 it talks about preparing physically to go to the temple. We've talked about temples many times with our kids for Family Home Evening... taking special trips to the temple grounds with them, talked all about what we do inside temples and its purpose, and how to live worthy to prepare themselves. But I'm not sure we've talked about preparing physically.
So the girls have been asking me what FHE was about since they got home from school and I just kept telling them it was a surprise. About 8 o'clock Brandon was home from work and we told the girls to go in the living room and sit on the couch to wait for us. We could hear them giggling and peeking around the corner down the hall to our bedroom door. I announced we were ready and to go sit down... they ran and sat down. Brandon and I walked into the living room holding hands and dressed all in white from head to toe. We were in our temple clothes. Brandon wore his white shirt, white tie, white pants and socks, and his white temple slippers. I took my jewelry off (all but my wedding ring) and had on my white long sleeve dress, white nylons, and my white temple slippers. (Like the couple pictured on page 45 in the Ensign) The girls eyes were wide and mouths slightly opened when they saw us. Then they were smiling. We asked them if they knew what clothes we were wearing and they said they did... it was our temple clothes. We explained that these are the clothes we wore when we were sealed as husband and wife on our wedding day, and they are the clothes we wear every time we go to the temple. They had never seen anyone dressed in temple clothes before, because we change into these clothes in dressing rooms once we're inside the temple. We also told them that the white is symbolic of purity, and that everyone is dressed all in white in the temple and all are equal in the eyes of the Lord.
So the girls have been asking me what FHE was about since they got home from school and I just kept telling them it was a surprise. About 8 o'clock Brandon was home from work and we told the girls to go in the living room and sit on the couch to wait for us. We could hear them giggling and peeking around the corner down the hall to our bedroom door. I announced we were ready and to go sit down... they ran and sat down. Brandon and I walked into the living room holding hands and dressed all in white from head to toe. We were in our temple clothes. Brandon wore his white shirt, white tie, white pants and socks, and his white temple slippers. I took my jewelry off (all but my wedding ring) and had on my white long sleeve dress, white nylons, and my white temple slippers. (Like the couple pictured on page 45 in the Ensign) The girls eyes were wide and mouths slightly opened when they saw us. Then they were smiling. We asked them if they knew what clothes we were wearing and they said they did... it was our temple clothes. We explained that these are the clothes we wore when we were sealed as husband and wife on our wedding day, and they are the clothes we wear every time we go to the temple. They had never seen anyone dressed in temple clothes before, because we change into these clothes in dressing rooms once we're inside the temple. We also told them that the white is symbolic of purity, and that everyone is dressed all in white in the temple and all are equal in the eyes of the Lord.
We wanted to do something that would leave a lasting impression on their minds and get them excited to go there someday. They watched us closely as we taught them, and Kalyssa made the comment, "I can't wait to go to the temple!" Baylee had her eyes fixed on me I noticed. I could tell it impressed her mind. Then Abbee gave the closing prayer, and said to "please bless us that we can go to the temple someday" ...and she's hard to get through to sometimes. It was a special night for us and being dressed in our temple clothes brought a special spirit to our FHE that night. One that I hope they never forget. :)
Oct 12, 2010
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