I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons. When possible on Sundays, I discuss some things related to my faith and what I believe. With respect to your own beliefs, I hope this gives you a chance to get to know me and my religion a little better. For previous installments, click here.
Serving in the temple usually means participating in worship and religious instruction through certain rites and ordinances that can only be performed in the temple, whether for ourselves or for the dead. By doing work for the dead via proxy, we simply offer the completed ordinances to those who have passed on and it us up to them to accept it or not. Blake and I try to attend and serve in the temple once a month, and it's been tradition for me, and now us, to go on the day after Thanksgiving. Sadly, I was sick this week, so we postponed this year's trip until Saturday, which was still wonderful.
Serving in the temple usually means participating in worship and religious instruction through certain rites and ordinances that can only be performed in the temple, whether for ourselves or for the dead. By doing work for the dead via proxy, we simply offer the completed ordinances to those who have passed on and it us up to them to accept it or not. Blake and I try to attend and serve in the temple once a month, and it's been tradition for me, and now us, to go on the day after Thanksgiving. Sadly, I was sick this week, so we postponed this year's trip until Saturday, which was still wonderful.
We also got to go again today, but for a different purpose. This evening was the annual Christmas devotional for temple workers and officiators and their families and I was privileged to sing in the choir - Mormon Choir of Washington, DC. This is my sixth season with this choir and the temple devotional is always one of my favorite annual events.
We meet in the assembly room on the seventh floor, which is modeled after the Kirtland Temple. Speakers are chosen from the temple presidency and their wives as well as other church authorities. It's always a beautiful meeting and a rare honor to sing in the temple, which is usually a much more quiet place.
I am grateful for the temple and the lovely way I get to kick off the Christmas season. This week, the choir will be participating in the lighting ceremonies for the Christmas lights on the temple grounds. Next week, on Saturday evening, we'll be singing our annual Christmas concert, which is open to the public. If you're in the area, you should come! If you are in the area and can't make it that night, there are events every night throughout December. You can find out more at dctemplelights.lds.org.
How do you kick off your holiday season?
 |
| Some of the lights out this year! Please pardon the fuzz. |
3 comments:
It's been such a weird week of transitions for me that my plans got derailed. I'm trying to get them back on track by attempting to get into Savior of the World on standby tonight. If that fails, I'll head to Festival of Trees via Temple Square and treat myself to a fancy hot chocolate on the way home. I find that the Temple Square lights really start the holidays for me.
How cool is that for you to be singing in the temple? :o)
What an amazing opportunity and great way to start the holidays.
I think you could say we start them off the day before Thanksgiving with our BBQ and then it just goes from there.
Post a Comment