Me too. That is a special place for some of us Bronsons. And of course I got to visit a little with Emily on the day I received the endowment.
I'm not a very big fan of this particular blog, but a few weeks ago there was an essay that touched on the feeling that the DC temple once had, and how that is changing a little bit with the advent of more, smaller temples. See here: http://www.millennialstar.org/2008/10/06/the-changing-role-of-temples/. I thought it perfectly described some of what I experienced on my first and subsequent visits. I wonder what it is like to go there now.
From a broader perspective, I am missing the East Coast in general this week! I think it is the Fall weather, and with it the approach of Halloween, the Phillies in the World Series, and the preeminence of Federal politics (which thankfully will be over next week, if we're lucky). I'm glad you guys are enjoying the area and that I can experience it vicariously through you.
Emily, I actually did see Alan's sister on Saturday. I thought I recognized her but couldn't place it until she overheard me explaining to another sister that I had recently moved from Wisconsin, and we had one of those "small world in the church" moments. I hope you guys are well; tell Alan hi for me.
Mike, this was my first time to the DC temple, so I never experienced it the way the writer of that post reminisces about. But it was packed--the parking lot was absolutely full, with cars parked in all kinds of creative places. I can imagine how it would be very cool to see people from all up and down the coast and have overnight sessions, etc. And as far as the points he makes are concerned, I can't say I have strong disagreements with the idea that a temple in Philadelphia doesn't make a ton of sense as one naively looks at the map or that there are qualitative differences in the experience of attending a temple serving half of a continent versus one serving a handful of stakes.
But I can't say I care much for the tone of the post (I'm not a fan of the bloggernacle in general), and I don't think the points raised are very important. I understand your comment to be a simple affirmation of the difference the post notes, and that's not what I'm taking issue with.
My own frame of reference is, of course, the Chicago temple. They generally only have one session per hour (gasp!) and also got rid of the cafeteria that I remember visiting as a youth. But Carrie and I can still never go there without running into someone we know but haven't seen for a long time. In my parents' neck of the woods, there were a lot of changes to stake and ward/branch boundaries that meant many people who were my primary teachers or parents of the kids I grew up going to church with are no longer in the same unit as my parents, so I experience a lot of nostalgia when I run into them at the temple. And it's uplifting to see these same people still striving in their simple ways all these years later to live the gospel and endure--in the active sense that Elder Maxwell often described--to the end.
My point in bringing this all up is that I think the part of the temple experience that is more external to the ordinances themselves is very dependent on one's own personal history and interpersonal connections. For the recent convert attending the temple for the first time or the family being sealed with their young children, I don't think it matters too much where the other patrons have driven from.
I had a nice time on Saturday, but I was a bit more rushed than I normally would like. So I look forward in future visits to be able to take more time to reflect and picture my parents there almost 33 years ago and recognize all the blessings that have come into my life because of covenants that were made there that day.
5 comments:
Nat and Carrie:
Me too. That is a special place for some of us Bronsons. And of course I got to visit a little with Emily on the day I received the endowment.
I'm not a very big fan of this particular blog, but a few weeks ago there was an essay that touched on the feeling that the DC temple once had, and how that is changing a little bit with the advent of more, smaller temples. See here: http://www.millennialstar.org/2008/10/06/the-changing-role-of-temples/. I thought it perfectly described some of what I experienced on my first and subsequent visits. I wonder what it is like to go there now.
From a broader perspective, I am missing the East Coast in general this week! I think it is the Fall weather, and with it the approach of Halloween, the Phillies in the World Series, and the preeminence of Federal politics (which thankfully will be over next week, if we're lucky). I'm glad you guys are enjoying the area and that I can experience it vicariously through you.
Nice pictures, Carrie. My sister-in-law (Alan's little sister) works at the DC temple every Saturday. Maybe you guys will run into her!
Emily, I actually did see Alan's sister on Saturday. I thought I recognized her but couldn't place it until she overheard me explaining to another sister that I had recently moved from Wisconsin, and we had one of those "small world in the church" moments. I hope you guys are well; tell Alan hi for me.
Mike, this was my first time to the DC temple, so I never experienced it the way the writer of that post reminisces about. But it was packed--the parking lot was absolutely full, with cars parked in all kinds of creative places. I can imagine how it would be very cool to see people from all up and down the coast and have overnight sessions, etc. And as far as the points he makes are concerned, I can't say I have strong disagreements with the idea that a temple in Philadelphia doesn't make a ton of sense as one naively looks at the map or that there are qualitative differences in the experience of attending a temple serving half of a continent versus one serving a handful of stakes.
But I can't say I care much for the tone of the post (I'm not a fan of the bloggernacle in general), and I don't think the points raised are very important. I understand your comment to be a simple affirmation of the difference the post notes, and that's not what I'm taking issue with.
My own frame of reference is, of course, the Chicago temple. They generally only have one session per hour (gasp!) and also got rid of the cafeteria that I remember visiting as a youth. But Carrie and I can still never go there without running into someone we know but haven't seen for a long time. In my parents' neck of the woods, there were a lot of changes to stake and ward/branch boundaries that meant many people who were my primary teachers or parents of the kids I grew up going to church with are no longer in the same unit as my parents, so I experience a lot of nostalgia when I run into them at the temple. And it's uplifting to see these same people still striving in their simple ways all these years later to live the gospel and endure--in the active sense that Elder Maxwell often described--to the end.
My point in bringing this all up is that I think the part of the temple experience that is more external to the ordinances themselves is very dependent on one's own personal history and interpersonal connections. For the recent convert attending the temple for the first time or the family being sealed with their young children, I don't think it matters too much where the other patrons have driven from.
I had a nice time on Saturday, but I was a bit more rushed than I normally would like. So I look forward in future visits to be able to take more time to reflect and picture my parents there almost 33 years ago and recognize all the blessings that have come into my life because of covenants that were made there that day.
This is my Temple! I love these pictures!
Pretty. I've never been to the DC temple and totally want to go.
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