In my grandmother's journal she says,
1913 We attended Church in a rented hall at 10th and Grand Avenue. It held all the members in Southern California, not a large congregation.
In 1956 I was 10 years old. I remember the anticipation of going to view the Los Angeles Temple. We walked from room to room in a single file line with booties to protect the carpet. I was thrilled to see the beatuiful interior of the building with the painted walls and all the fine furnishings. I knew the couple ahead of us. He was the elders's quorum president and he was holding his wife's hand. I remember thinking how pretty she looked in the temple setting and I wondered if that might be me one day. Would I marry? have children? and walk hand in hand with my wife in the Temple?
A short time later on March 12 1956 the Los Angeles Temple was dedicated Tuesday afternoon was the Glendale Stake's day. My mother was 2 months pregnant and had a cold so she couldn't go but I went with my Father and uncle and aunt. I remember seeing President McKay in front of the sea of people. He looked the part of a prophet and offered the dedicatory prayer. I'm not sure why I was allowed to go to the dedication because I was only 10.
Eighteen years later I met and was sealed to Suzanne in the same Temple. During the following twenty years we often went to the temple and Suzanne bore us 6 children.
In 1994 She passed away from cancer. In 1995 I met Deborah and we were sealed in the same temple on April 22. I love seeing my beautiful wife in the temple. Recently through some miscalculation I was able to sit with her for the whole session.
We love the temple. Over the years I've come to realized that it's important to go to the temple but more important that the temple get's inside us. May we reap the benefits of the Temple.
Recently in the Mount Timpenogus Temple a temple worker said, "We love our temple." May that be true of all of us.