We Attended the Temple Again

We are trying to attend the Temple once a month. It is about an hour and a half away so it takes a little more planning than in Boise where we were 5 minutes from the temple. There is one Tuesday a month when we do not do service at the Pleasanton Retirement center so we typically attend the Temple on that day. We still do our walk in the morning and pack a lunch and then drive to the Kansas City Temple, we then need to get back in time to prepare the meal since Tuesday is the day we feed the missionaries. I am trying to do a better job of preparing to be taught as we attend the temple and I think it is working. On this last visit I came away with a better understanding of the need for each of us to received personal revelation. When you really think about it, the truths that we learn are all received through revelation. When we read the scriptures or listen to the prophets, it is still the Holy Ghost that bears witness to us. The Lord had provided us with temples to teach us through revelation those things we need to know to return to him. I did have a really good experience in the temple.

Attended the Kansas City Temple For The First Time

Kansas City Temple

Kansas City Temple

We attended the temple for the first time since coming out on our mission. The Kansas City Temple is beautiful and in a prominent place just like so many others. It was really good to be in the Temple again to feel of the Spirit that is present there and to be reminded of the covenants we have made. We did notice a fair number of Polynesians serving in the temple. I remember reading about a group of Samoans moving to Independence years ago. I did a little Google search and couldn’t find much, but did find the following.

This was from a “Studies in Mormon History” Journal:

In the 1960s and 1970s, Samoan Mormons started moving from California and Utah to Independence, Missouri. Mormons believe that Polynesians will have a special role in building the temple in Jackson County. There were almost 1,500 Samoans living in Independence by 1993. They maintain their cultural heritage by participating in many time-honored traditions and customs.

And this from a June 1979 Ensign article:

Several years ago, some Latter-day Saint families from Samoa and Tonga began emigrating to Independence for better employment and education opportunities. Several hundred Polynesians now are members of the Independence wards.

I believe one of the members of the Mission Presidency is Polynesian so they are a positive influence around Independence.