I was extremely happy to walk into the Fort Collins temple endowment room for the first time in 18 months today. A friend’s son was getting his endowments as he prepares for his mission, and the friends invited me and my wife to attend. It was glorious.
If you have not been in a while, there are some significant changes in the endowment. Again. Over the last five or so years it seems like the endowment ceremony changes every year or so. I will not get into specifics about this sacred ceremony, but suffice to say that the endowment is shorter but still very powerful.
Most people were not wearing masks, but we were asked to social distance, and there were hand sanitizers everywhere. At most temples, if you want to participate you must make a reservation, which can be done on-line. I really hope the latest overreaction to the inevitable mutation of the virus will not close the temples again. I don’t want to wait another 18 months for the next temple trip.
I’ve been with two youth groups doing baptisms the past few months. I’m working on a friend’s genealogy for her. She has health issues and has asked me to take her names to the temple for her. I’m thrilled to do these names for her and am praying they don’t shut down again, too!
Our local temple is booked through the end of October for endowments – I got a slot at 6:30 in the morning mid-August the day it was possible to book appointments. But the initiatory and sealing ordinances are fairly open, so I’ve gone three times for those since it reopened back in July.
I was prepared to wear a mask if it meant I could return to the house of the Lord, but 90% of patrons and workers weren’t wearing them, so I haven’t either.
Our family has a huge backlog of temple work to do, so we’re hoping the temple opens without a need for appointments soon . . .