Manti Temple Trip

We were able to hit another temple this weekend. Manti! Lori is a bit attached to this temple because she went to Snow College for 2 1/2 years and was able to attend the temple frequently to do baptisms. We chose this weekend because it was the Manti Pageant as well. The Scholes were nice enough to let us stay with them. He was Lori's institute teacher and then the LD Singers director with Lori as well. He is awesome and his wife is fabulous and we had such a good time with them! They even watched Hyrum so that we could go to the temple and do a session together this time. Even though Lori had a little cold, it was a great weekend vacation.

We went and saw the Manti Pageant Friday night. We put Hyrum to bed at the Scholes and they were there in case he woke up so that we could go worry free. This was Marc's first time. We both loved the lighting and the weather. We forgot our camera on Friday night so we took a picture this picture on Saturday morning. We didn't sit in these seats but instead opted for a blanket, pillows and cuddling on a patch of grass. It was very romantic and a lot of fun!


Lori posing after the session.

Lori's Thoughts about the Temple:
This was such a wonderful session. For being at 7:00 in the morning, I was surprisingly alert and loved all of the peaceful feelings that surrounded me. This temple rivals the Salt Lake temple in elegance. It is so beautiful. Plus I love live sessions. They are my favorite. And to be there with Marc is always an added bonus. During this session I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for the gospel. Where would I be without it? I don't want to know. This was a wonderful temple trip!


Yes, Marc is a stud.

Here is a picture of us with The Scholes! They were so nice and let us stay at their home! We love them both.

Marc's Thoughts on the Temple:
One of the last live temple’s in the church. It was magnificent to move from room to room and try and follow the direction of the temple. The layout of this temple is a giant maze. The Creation room was painted with vivid murals depicting the 6 days. The front of the room had a large doorway in its center covered in curtains. Steps lead up to this opening. The Garden room was vivid with lots of pastels and large strokes and colors on the walls. The front of the room had two shade structures that hid us from seeing what went on behind. Stairs lead out of the Creation room and into a high ceilinged room that had a large man painted on the front. The man appeared to be of American Indian decent. The murals on the walls depicted periods of man’s history. The terrestrial room is the most phenomenal room of all! It has the best blue curtains high ceilings and lots of open space. Two fluted, Corinthian, columns support the ceiling in the center. The celestial room is simple in design with an ornate ceiling and comfortable chairs. The part I disliked about this temple was the hard wooden benches we sat on throughout the session. They were painted white and were pretty just not comfortable.

Aren't we the cutest couple ever!

Ogden Temple Trip

Our mom Patty was kind enough to watch Hyrum for us on Wednesday night so that we could go do a session at the Ogden Temple. It was so awesome! Here are some pics and thoughts about it!



Marc's Thoughts on the Ogden Temple:

This temple and the Provo temple are considered the most symbolically correct temples by many church scholars. It is a temple rich in simplicity. Much of what happens in the session deals with progression and this temple helps to reinforce that point with its architecture; Moving from the outside walls in and from the ground floor up until reaching the center celestial room. It was nice to finally do a session with Lori. The celestial room reminds me a lot of the South Jordan temple with weaving lines of metal in the glass and a large central chandelier.



Lori's Thoughts on the Ogden Temple:

Upon entering this temple, I felt a wave of dejavu because it looks and feels so much like the Provo temple. I felt like I was in the MTC again. Fun memories! Except my companion is now eternal! I am one lucky girl! It was so nice to actually be in the session with Marc. After going to the temple with him weekly for so many years, I have missed doing so as often now that Hyrum is here. We usually take turns now which is fine but it was wonderful to be with him tonight. Throughout the entire session I just had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Gratitude for the gospel, for temples, for families, for the experiences I have had, for the people who have been in my life, for the blessings in my life, etc. The communication I felt with the Lord was so powerful tonight. I am so grateful for temples! They truly are a safe haven and a place to commune with our Heavenly Father!


We couldn't find anyone to take our picture in front of the sign.

Vernal Temple Trip!

We left on Friday afternoon and it took about 3ish hours. Hyrum did pretty good and slept for an hour of so but got really sick of the car after he woke up. I ended up hopping in the back to feed him and entertain him but we survived and arrived in Vernal around 5:30pm. We stayed in the dinosaur Best Western Inn. We put Hyrum down for his nap and went swimming in the hot tub which was literally right next door. It was the best hot tub room we had ever been in. After the hot tub, I went to get us Cafe Rio and frosty's while Marc stayed with Hyrum. Hyrum struggled to go to sleep because he wasn't in his own crib in his room so we all stayed up pretty late and when Hyrum finally fell asleep, Marc and I watched a movie. Then Marc woke up early to go to the temple first. Then Marc came back and I went to the temple while he packed up and then he and Hyrum came to pick me up. It was such a fun trip!

Marc's thoughts on the Vernal Temple:

This is a smaller temple. It is supposedly twice as big as some of the smallest temples built in the church. The design is unusual for the church. It is almost castle like with its big stones. The temple geometry is rectangular in design with progression through the temple following on the outside corridors with most of the endowment activities are in the central core. The third floor of the temple houses the sealing rooms and the second floor the telestial, terrestrial, and celestial room. A very simple celestial room, no broad windows or central chandelier. The room is simple in design with a large painting of Christ coming through the clouds. The neatest part of the celestial room is the entrance after the veil that has a wall made of etched glass with leaves. There was only one transition from the telestial room to the terrestrial room. It was beautiful as all temples are.

Lori's thoughts on the Vernal Temple:

The Vernal Temple is very unique because it has brown brick on the outside and has a lot of wood on the inside. It of course is beautiful. The session was wonderful and full of the spirit. My heart breaks thinking about those who can't go to the temple. It is such a place of peace and wonder. The Celestial room is magnificent in it's simplicity. When you walk in there is a etched glass wall of branches and leaves. And there is also a huge picture of Christ descending from heaven. There are a few chandeliers with beautiful little glass cups around each light. It is fabulous and I always feel a renewed sense of who I am and what my purpose is when I enter the celestial room. I know the temple is truly the house of God and love being there!

Here are the Pictures from our trip:

Here is our hotel


Hyrum seizing the day, crawling around after being in the car for so long!


He is one fast crawler!


Our room - Not very clean covered with Hyrum's toys, cereal, etc.


Hyrum playing around. The door back there is the bathroom where Hyrum slept in his pack-n-play.



Here we are standing in the rain getting our family picture together.


Daddy and Hyrum in the rain!


Mommy and Hyrum in the rain!


Me waiting for my boys to come and get me from the temple.


On the drive back, we stopped at Granny's Drive Inn in Heber where I remember going to get shakes when we would go camping.


Hyrum couldn't have the ice cream because of his dairy allergy so he settle for mango's...


And a long ice cream spoon. Yummy! It was such a fun trip!