"No building is more sacred than a dedicated temple of God; only in them can the precious bonds of family- immortality be extended for all eternity."
~President Henry B. Eyring (September 17, 2011)
I remember as if it was yesterday when my family and I heard back in October of 2008 that a temple in Philadelphia would be built. We had just moved to New Jersey two months prior to the announcement. I was excited and shocked. Shocked because I never thought Philadelphia would have a temple this soon. Shocked because we had just moved here and mentioned how much I missed being ten minutes away from the temples. In the year 2013...all that will change.
Yesterday my family and I witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony of the Philadelphia Temple via satellite from our stake center. It was my first groundbreaking ceremony to witness and my husband's second. My kiddos were all excited especially my eldest daughter to have witnessed this wonderful moment. As we were watching the groundbreaking ceremony my husband mentioned having flashbacks of when he attended the Jordan River ceremony in Utah... he was nine years old.
It was so wonderful to see the Mayor, our Stake Presidency, Elder Jay E. Jensen from the Quorum of the Seventy take part of the ceremony, and to hear President Henry B. Eyring give the dedicatory prayer. It was a joyful moment in Philadelphia history in which a lot of the members have been waiting for. It'll be so nice to drive 20 minutes to the Philadelphia temple. Still...I don't think we'll stop attending the D.C. temple, Boston, or any other surrounding temples on the east coast. We love them too much, and we can't just attend one.
The Philadelphia temple will accommodate a total of eight stakes surrounding the Pennsylvania, South Jersey, Delaware, and parts of Maryland areas. I'm sure most of the members won't miss the two and a half hour drive (or more) to attend the D.C. temple! This is truly a gift from God and a blessing for us all.
It is inside this building that I can be able to escape from the things of the world, and the hustle and bustle that occurs in my daily life. Inside this building, I will not feel rushed. Inside this building I will see peaceful and friendly faces. It'll be inside this temple where I will be able to feel the spirit of my Heavenly Father and thank Him for all the things that He has blessed me with. It'll be inside this building where I can pray for my family, my neighbors, my friends, and anyone that I know who is need of a prayer. Inside this temple I'll be reminded of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us in order for us to learn and grow spiritually here on this earth; and it is because of the temple that I know that as long as my family and I remain worthy and strive to live a Christ like life...my family and I will be together forever and ever.
It truly was a magical moment for our family, and this day will be etched in our minds forever.
**Click HERE to learn more about temples.
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