Phoenix Temple Open House

Brady and I had the wonderful experience of being able to serve on the committee of the Phoenix Temple Open House. Once the whole experience was done the Church Historian asked us if we would share our experience with them so they could add it to the records. This is what I shared. A fair warning, it is really long but worth reading :)

Eight years ago, I was  nine months pregnant with my fourth child and only two days from my due date when my husband, Brady lost his job. To say I was devastated is an understatement. I didn't know what we would do or where the money would come from. It was overwhelming and a trial I wouldn't wish for anyone. At the time I thought, why is this happening to me? I keep the commandments, go to church, pay my tithing and I'm doing the best that I know how. Why in the world would Heavenly Father give me such an overwhelming trial NOW of all times?

I look back at that time in my life and still feel the weight of the worry I endured but am eternally grateful for that push that Heavenly Father gave us. Recently, as the preparations for the Open House, Cultural Celebration and Dedication of the new Phoenix Temple were going on around us, the excitement for the whole event was starting to creep into me and my family. Brady and I were asked to be Shift Coordinators for the Open House. That meant we would be responsible for a 4 hour shift every Tuesday and Friday for the duration of the Open House - about 3 and a half weeks. We were to be over 14 supervisors in 7 different areas and over about 150 volunteers that would be different each shift. There would be lots of training meetings and many, many hours of serving involved.

We were a few weeks into our training when I realized we NEVER would have been able to be a part of this wonderful experience if Brady had still be in the same job he had eight years ago. Heavenly Father knew we needed a great big push to get us out of our comfort zone of a regular paying job and to start our own business where we can set our own hours and our effort directly effects our pay. I know that there are many blessings that have come from Brady working from home but being able to serve at the Open House was an obvious and direct blessing. I know that Heavenly Father does have a plan for us each individually. And we just need to have faith in His total understanding of that plan. Sometimes something may appear as a huge mistake may really be the biggest blessing of your life!

So with those feelings in my heart I embarked on my two month mission to serve the Lord in the Phoenix Temple Open House. Brady and I started out with weekly training meetings to teach us what each volunteer is to do as they come to fulfill their assignment. We arranged our 7 sets of supervisors and began training them in their duties and responsibilities. Everyone felt overwhelmed and not quite up to the task. We talked individually with each supervisor to reassure them and make sure they knew all they needed to fulfill their responsibilities. But even with all those meetings and talking it all out, when the first day came, we were all nervous.

The first tour came Friday October 3rd, 2014 with a special tour for all the contractors that had something to do with the construction. Brady and I arrived at our scheduled time ready to help. This tour was to be a bit different than the regular tours and we were prepared for that but it ended up even crazier than we had imagined. There was a big rush of contractors that came that morning. They came to the chapel to watch the video that explains why we build temples and then they were taken across the parking lot to the temple. 

I knew that good friends of ours were coming that day and as I stood at my post at the back door of the meeting house I kept my eye out for them. Since it was a more open and free style tour with the contractors, when I saw my friends I went with them on their tour to be a "personal tour guide" for them. Since it was my first time actually IN the Phoenix Temple, I'm not quite sure how great of a guide I was but it was a wonderful experience to share may beliefs with good friends. I was able to share our belief in the Savior and His plan of happiness for us and how the temple is integral to that plan. I told them about families and how they can be eternal. I shared how we can connect our ancestors to us and make that chain of eternal families for generations after generations. What a blessing it was for me to articulate my testimony to our long time friends.

After our tour I was re-posted to stand in the 2nd Ordinance room and protect the curtain of the veil from being yanked open and closed. Liked I mentioned earlier, the contractor tour was a free form tour allowing the contractors to show their families what they had worked on. So there wasn't the traditional tour with a tour guide leading the tour down a designated path. With the free form style and LOTS of guests some areas seemed to get a bit out of control, thus the need for me to watch the veil.

 From my new post I was able to have the opportunity to visit with many of the contractors and hear lots of fun stories of the construction. I heard from some drywall workers and how they had to rework the drywall many times to make it perfectly flat since the walls are flat without any texture to hide the seams and nail holes.

I also heard from one of the men that worked the marble and terra cotta work that went into all the columns, counters and baseboards. He told of how difficult it was to make the columns in the 2nd ordinance room because usually on a project they make a pattern for a column then just repeat that pattern for each column but that for this project each column was different and had to have its own pattern made. He shared how they had to redo the columns in front of the veil more than once and were worried they wouldn't get it right in time for the Open House.

This same stone worker told how he was there when the man who did all the many, many pounds of gold leafing throughout the temple was on a scaffolding gold leafing the ceiling and needed to be moved to the next section. When they moved his scaffold it got caught in an electrical outlet in the floor and he fell off and broke his leg.

I was also told of how difficult it was to place the huge stained glass windows in both the ordinance room and the celestial room. How they were so much heavier than they had anticipated. But it all worked out in the end and are so incredibly beautiful now.

It was fun to be a "fly on the wall" while watching  the contractors show their families each of their parts to make such a beautiful building. You could tell some were LDS as they explained the different parts. But it really didn't matter what religion they were, all seemed awed at how incredible it was once it was completed.

The next week was designated as "special tours" for press, local political and religious leaders and neighbors to the temple. Brady and I were able to help on our shift for that as well. These tours were closer to the traditional tour, they did have tour guides and they did follow the designated path. I was able to go on a few of these tours as a "follower"- basically the caboose. Since there weren't too many people at one time, the groups were much smaller than at usual times and the guide was able to talk and share information as we went along. It gave me the opportunity to see the tour from the eyes of a guest and really appreciate the beauty of each detail of the temple. I was amazed at the questions some of the guests had and how insightful they were. It was a fun experience to have a different perspective on the process.

After a few days of "special tours" on Friday Oct. 10th the official start of the public Open House began. Since our shift was Tuesday and Fridays we were able to work the very first day. Since we had had the opportunity to work the contractor and special torus we had an idea of what to expect that first day. As expected, things didn't exactly go smoothly. Our training of the volunteers was a bit chaotic and it took a while for everyone to get the hang of their jobs but by the end of the shift we were all experts! Unfortunately, come Tuesday, our next shift, we had a whole new set of 150 volunteers to start the whole process over again! Luckily, our supervisors got better and better with training each shift so the process got into a bit of a rhythm.

 I was completely amazed by all the wonderful people that we got to work with on a regular basis. Our supervisors were all amazing and even though I was a bit nervous because it took a few times to explain things to them for me to feel confident that they "got it", once they did it, they really got it! They were all so committed to being there every time, even early most times. And were so willing to help in any way we needed them. Covering for when we were low in volunteer numbers or being flexible in where we need them to help for the day. I truly came to love each and every one of them.

We also had a handful of what were called "core ushers". They are people that can help out on some kind of a regular basis. These were people from all backgrounds and situations. Many retired people, a handful of stay at home moms that could help out while the kids were at school but a few were people that just wanted to help so they took time off of work and were there doing whatever we asked of them. In our daily training at the start of each shift, Brother Lloyd would mention how the pioneers would give up a day a week to help build the temple in their day and all we are asked to do is give up a few hours to usher people at the Open House. I thought of all those people I knew who just kept coming to volunteer and using all their vacation days to do it. I knew they were being blessed immensely because of it. I was grateful to be a part of their sacrifice.

 As the open house progressed I really began to enjoy the whole atmosphere of the experience. Another thing that was mentioned in our training meeting at least once was how we should look each guest in the eye and welcome them to the temple. We should truly see each person as who they are, a child of God. I really took that thought to heart and even when I was busy with the logistics of keeping things running smoothly I tried to really see each person as they walked by me. To genuinely welcome them and tell them how grateful I was for them coming. Usually I didn't get too much time to really talk to the guests because of my responsibilities but the second or two I had as I was welcoming them made all the difference if I made that extra effort. I truly did start seeing them with and open heart and began to love each guest and wanted with all my heart for them to feel the spirit as they visited the house of the Lord. I no longer saw the crosses on their necks or tattoos on their arms but I saw their eyes and their smiles and could have hugged each guest if I could.

A neat by product of being right at the start of the tour experience was most of my time I got the opportunity to see families or friends connect up after clearly not seeing each other for a long while. the wonderful hugs and smiles were infectious. Even the volunteers working would often see someone they haven't seen in years. Brady and I were able to see his cousins and aunt, one even from New York, that we hadn't seen in a long time. It was even just by chance, they didn't know we would be there and we just happened to be right at the right place at the right time! Happy coincidences happened all the time. So we quickly realized they weren't coincidences.

Is it possible to fall in love with a building? Because I'm pretty sure I have. Just driving into the parking lot each shift my heart would start to beat a little faster and my smile would just appear. Having the opportunity to be in all parts of the temple, seeing not just the amazing architecture and art work but to serve with SO many people who are just happy to help wherever  they are needed I came to truly love the temple. I know it wasn't officially dedicated to do the work of the Lord at that point but the Spirit was so obviously there in abundance it was hard NOT to feel it every time I walked in the door.

 Often times, as the person in charge, I would need to rush to take care of a situation and would find myself hurrying down an empty hallway in the temple getting someone from one spot to another and I found myself pausing for just the briefest of moments to breathe and realize where I was. The quiet spirit confirmed that my job there was so much more than dealing with "issues" that needed dealing with but my job was enabling the flow and function of the open house to be smooth and calm so as to invite the Spirit that was so obviously already there to fill each guest as they quietly moved through the temple. It gave me the perspective I needed to truly enjoy my work and my service I was giving.

On our last day of the Open House I found myself sad that it was ending. It was such a rewarding experience I didn't want it to end. I realized that it didn't have to end. I just needed to wait the few weeks until it was dedicated and open to to do the "real" work it was created for. I committed to return as soon as possible and continue to serve often. I love the Phoenix Arizona Temple and the amazing blessings it has to offer not only to those that receive the work but those that do the work it provides. I know that I can continue to serve and bless many, many people that have come before me. I can love them and hope they accept my work for them just as I loved each guest that I welcomed to the Open House. I know that I can have the opportunity to look each each one of them in the eye when I have crossed the veil to the other side and this time I can even hug each one and express my love to them and how grateful I was to serve them by doing their work for them. I imagine it will be similar to the Open House experience with long lost friends and family rushing to hug and be with each other again as well.

How eternally grateful I am to have had the opportunity to serve the Lord in such a special and unique way. I am grateful for the growth in my testimony and the strengthening of that testimony in many areas. It just made me anxious to find ever new and more ways to serve!