Miracles of Working in the Temple

Ron and Lyn Larsen have been workers at the Cardston Temple for six months.  In that time they have seen many miracles as they have come to learn and love this new calling.

Lyn always expected to one day work at the temple.  She remembers as a teenager baby sitting her bedridden great-grandmother every Wednesday evening so that her grandparents could attend the temple.  They were happy to serve in the temple – and their grand daughter (Lyn) felt that.

Even though the Larsens have attended the temple for years, there was a big learning curve when they became temple workers.  A great deal of work behind the scenes happens so that the temple experience is serene for the patrons.  The 1026 volunteers at the Cardston temple are organized into shifts.  Each shift has two coordinators who give out the assignments for that day.  In time all new temple workers are expected / hope to do all of the assignments.  Most temple workers come once a week.  Some come two days a week every other week (ie Thurs & Friday every second week.)

The following are notes and observations the Larsens’ have gleaned in their three month as beginners at the temple.

-Approach everything you do with dignity.  (Application for outside the temple too)

-There is prayer meeting every day.  The prayer is often that they perform their duty with correctness and love.  The emphasis is always on doing everything with love.

-Prayer roll is a special thing.

-Sister Larsen has only the use of one arm.  Every ordinance worker is expected to learn every task.  She asked once “Can I do all these things with only one arm?”  The reply was “There is nothing you can’t do.”

-Temple workers become very close to those on their shift. Their joys are your joys, their tragedies are your tragedies.

-Miracles occur daily at the temple.  Some temple workers with serious health conditions come and do their assignments without fail.  It was as if the medical condition did not exist.  Medically some of the workers should be sick in bed, but they work their day long shift at the temple.  When they leave their assignment and the temple the medical condition returns.

-The workers are so kind and in tune with people’s feelings.  They want to make the temple experience good for all who attend.

-As a worker they are excited for the patrons that attend.  They rejoice with and for the new attendee, the couple to be sealed or the new bride.

Ron said “The Lord loves me enough to let me work at his temple.”

Lyn “Temple work is work. I leave the temple happily exhausted.”

Lyn: “There is a great deal of memorization involved in initiatory work, and mastery takes time. But the Lord has lovingly assisted me and taught me something of the significance of the ordinances, along with the accuracy of the wording. When I make eye contact with a patron and know that we are communicating, spirit to spirit, tears often flow and my voice trembles. But, the Saviour's love always abides and we experience it together, indeed, bask in it.”

Lyn: “Being a temple worker blesses every aspect of my life. As I look back on my early temple experiences and the high regard I had for the workers who served me, I am challenged to strive to become worthy of such regard.”