My name is Michelle. I’m a Mormon Woman, and I love our temples.

I first started going to the temple regularly after I was married.  My husband and I lived only five minutes away from the temple, and we went about once a month. It was easy to go, and we enjoyed spending the time together and being in the House of the Lord.

I got pregnant about nine months after we got married and I was terribly sick for my whole pregnancy. I rarely, if ever went anywhere other than work and church because I was so sick.  The temple was an “extra” and I fell out of the habit of going.

After my daughter, Ellie, was born,  I still couldn’t get back in the habit of attending the temple; I was  too afraid to leave my new baby for 2 hours at a time, I worried about the issues with nursing, and leaving her with a babysitter.

For a couple years, I had been having a pretty serious conflict with one member of my family.  I always considered myself optimistic, but found that I just wasn’t in a good place.  I kept feeling like this should be happiest time of my life, but I wasn’t happy.  I was consumed with feelings of anger towards this one particular person.

Time passed while my baby was tiny. I still read scriptures and prayed regularly, but I knew I needed to get back into the habit of attending the temple.

For me, the temple is a time to be by myself – away from distractions, and to feel peace. It’s a good reminder of the things that I believe in, and what my goals on earth are. Being in the temple reminds me of the person I want to become.  I feel inspired inside the temple.

Two years after the last time I had attended, my cousin was going to the temple for the first time and wanted me to go with her. I was so excited for her, and thrilled to attend with her! When my cousin had to postpone her special day by one day, I was so sad.  It made the experience of being in the temple together even better when we went the next day.

I remember clearly: the day we could finally get to the temple was a Thursday. I dropped off my baby, put a church CD on to listen in the car, and started feeling the Spirit strongly – couldn’t wait to get there!

The temple that I attend is on a steep hill, and I had to drive up that hill to get to the parking lot.  As I was driving, the song “Come, Come Ye Saints” started playing.  As soon as the temple came into my view, the chorus to the song started playing, and I heard the words Come, Come Ye Saints, like I was being personally invited to come to the temple.

I knew that I was supposed to be where I was right at that moment. I was so excited that I finally made it back after two years.  It is so easy to get out of the habit of doing what we’re supposed to do.

Attending the temple more regularly again has really helped me with not feeling anger. I feel peace from being there. My increased attendance hasn’t solved all my family issues, but it has helped me in the sense that it has taken my mind off of the negative. I’m not consumed with the problem. I’ve learned to deal with it, and learned where to turn for peace.

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