Thursday, August 19, 2004

Where are some of the most interesting places you’ve traveled to?

This is what I wrote for today's question. Do you want me to put my answers on here? If you think it's too much for the Blog, I'll understand.

I could write a book on this question. I know I won’t finish answering it today so I’ll write on it every day until I get it all done.
When I was 10 years old our family took one of our few vacations. We drove to Cardston Canada to be sealed in the temple. Our drive took us through Glacier National Park. The view was incredible. I remember the road along the cliff as we climbed through the mountains. Looking over the edge I could see the road we’d been on and the tiny cars as they climbed. I’m so glad that we drove east to west when we went back there this summer. It’s much less frightening. I remember when we saw a bear sitting in the middle of the highway. Larry said that it came up to the car and tried to stick its nose in. He leaned away and rolled up the window. I don’t remember that so he must have been in the other car at that time. Dad took a picture of an animal on a wall that none of us could recognize. Years later I figured out that it was a marmot. The scenery in the mountains was truly awe inspiring both when I was 10 and when I was 55. I remember approaching Cardston from the south you could see the temple way off in the distance, with the mountains behind it. This summer when we came in from the north you couldn’t really see it until you were almost there. It seemed a lot further from the mountains when I was little. I guess it’s partly because I had never been onto the prairie. I’d never been anywhere where the mountains weren't close and very visible. Seeing them from far away was strange to me. When we got to Cardston we took two or three rooms in the motel there. It was late in the afternoon and was very hot. We went to a swimming hole at the river and played in the water so we could cool off. The highlight of the trip, of course, was being in the temple. I remember going to the nursery and reading books and having to be quiet for a very long time. Then changing into white clothes and finally we walked up the stairs and into a beautiful room where our parents and Larry and Max were waiting for us. We crowded around the altar and were sealed to our parents all at once. They had never had so many children sealed at one time. After the sealing, by President Ursenbach, we were asked if would like some time alone for a special family prayer. We were shown to a small room, I think it was an office, and had a special prayer. I remember being a little afraid to open my eyes during the prayer because I wasn’t sure I wanted to see the angels that I knew were there. I’m sure my sister Carol was there, as well as others. When we went to the Cardston Temple this summer one of the counselors showed us a couple of the sealing rooms. I would like to go there with Max because he would probably remember which one it was. Also, at church in Calgary there was a man there with the last name of Ursenbach. I asked his relationship and he said that his grandfather had been the President of the Cardston Temple. My dad was truly impressed with him. He must have been for me to remember the name 45 years later.

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