Today I was given the opportunity to serve at the Draper Temple Open House. Please forgive me, those of you who have been on the tour as I have many friends who aren't in Utah and others who haven't been on the tour.
For the open house, guests are asked to park at one of 4 parking lots located at churches near the Temple. From here guests watch a 12 minute video about Temples, then ride a bus to the Temple. Once there they go through a silent tour. Along the route are many ushers placed to smile and guide you along. Then there is a meeting house where people can grab a cookie, water and ask questions. After they board a bus and return to the meeting house where their car is parked.
So today I was able to be an usher on the bus ride to and from the Temple. Not only did I get to stand outside with a colored placard, mine was
red, I was to read a pre-written speech specific to the Draper Temple. The PA system on the bus did not work so I had to stand about 1/3 of the way back on the bus and speak in my outside voice while trying to balance myself as the bus went around corners.
Let me tell you some of the things I learned, was reminded of today in case you missed them while on your tour.
- The exterior stone was imported from China
- The interior stone is limestone imported from France
- The dark wood is African Cherry imported from the West Coast of Africa
- Ground breaking was Aug 8th 2006 - it took 2 years and 5 months to complete the temple
- The acreage of the Temple site, including the parking lot and meeting house next door is 11.9 acres
- Moroni is made from fiberglass with gold leafing done by 2 local artists
- The windows were pieced together by hand by local artists
- Moroni is 13 feet 8 inches tall
- The rooms were hand painted by local artists
A few additional things not written into my speech that I know are...the building where many of the windows were made, such as the etched glass, burnt down just after I think it was 38 of them were finished. Only one was damaged. The main theme for the painting, carpet and upholstery is the Sego Lily, the Utah state flower. It is painted into the trim of many of the rooms and is the design on the upholstery. It is etched into the windows and pieces of glass throughout the building and it also cut into the carpet of the Celestial Room.
The Draper Temple holds the largest
sealing room in the world. It regularly holds 65 chairs...I counted them. The next largest is set for 45, of course there is room for a few more chairs in both and standing room as well.
What can I say, I am in love with the building. (And yes, the photo in this blog was taken by me.)
Kenize is the one with the goofy looking smile on his face just over the left shoulder of Toux.
Yeah don't even get me started about that one!
She was all over dancing with all the songs.
Then she had some issues with the manager, Little Jimmy, and she had to have a duel with him to put him in his place. We have a fun Sunday night!
Cook chicken in the crock pot. I cooked mine on high for about 3 hours. This was totally frozen chicken. Add about 1/4 of a package of cream cheese, some water, (about half to 3/4 cup) and some taco seasoning. I know the cream cheese sounds odd but trust me.
I recommend making a lot less than what you think you can eat cause it gets big fast. Put the chicken on top of the chips. 
Then add shredded cheese so it will melt over the chicken.
Eat Up!
This is the lovely view we have every day as we come around the corner of our apartment building. Up there in the centerish area is the new Draper Temple. The tennis courts in this photo are our first choice for playing as they are directly across the street from our home to give you an idea of how close we are to the park. This coming Tuesday, March 10th, I get the opportunity to be an usher inside the Temple during the afternoon. What a wonderful opportunity I have due to our living in this stake. I am excited for the blessings from this and for the Spirit I am sure to feel while being there.
Two days ago I was making a tasty breakfast of fried potatoes. I left them on the stove, came into the computer room/Jeff Gordon bedroom to check my emails. Rick said, are you watching those? I said yes! I came back in and realized that they were burning. Enough so that they set off the smoke detector! I am so lucky that I have such a wonderful husband...he LAUGHED! Then he opened the windows and got the ceiling fan going to clear things out. Not only that, he wanted to eat the potatoes. I decided, well only one side on some of them are burnt so why not. The were still mighty tasty if you ask me and apparently they were to Rick too because he polished them off.
Rick has had so many wonderful opportunities during these past 6 weeks while working for The Church. Just yesterday he was standing in the hall and Dallin H Oaks walked past and said hi. Last night he was invited to be an escort to the First Presidency from the Church Office Building tunnel up through the elevators in the Joseph Smith Building. This means he is there to make sure that all traffic is stopped for them and to run the elevator. He is able to turn it off so it does not stop on any floors for anyone else. It becomes a private elevator. Then once they and their wives are all ready to eat, along with any other family members they might bring along, Rick gets to join them. This is all in a private room on the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Building. I can't wait for him to get home tonight to tell me all fun adventures from tonight!
