YOU DID IT!

You brought the very best of yourselves.
You sacrificed your time & talents.
You GAVE.

We came UP to the Mountain of the Lord together...but it's not over.
This is just the beginning of our journey to the temple and to the Savior.

Will you continue on that journey?

(Leave your commitment here. Tell us how you've felt about this experience. Make your voice heard!)

WE LOVE YOU!

It's HERE! It's HERE!

We had an AMAZING night last night with the Draper Temple District.
The Spirit was absolutely there....not just the kind of spirit that you feel in your heart...but the kind you feel in the air.

THANK YOU to all of you who brought the best of yourselves last night.

Oquirrh Mountain...now it's YOUR turn.

WE.
CAN'T.
WAIT!

Don't stop your climb!

KAMI

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said, “We are faced with a choice. We can trust in our own strength, or we can journey to higher ground and come unto Christ.”

Three months ago everyone in this building was given a choice. This celebration asked each of us to sacrifice our time and our talents for this one night. It is humbling for me to look out at all of you and realize that despite the inconvenience the rehearsals may have been to you, you made the choice to participate and join in on an opportunity to draw closer to the Savior.

For the past few weeks I have been thinking about what it means to "Come Up to the Mountain". The main question I always end up asking myself is how am I supposed to get myself up to the Mountain?

My experiences with mountains haven’t always been positive. A few years ago I had the opportunity to draw closer to nature and hike Mount Timpanogas. Nature and I are acquaintances but I have never had a desire to get to up close and personal let alone go on a 12 hour hike. I did nothing to prepare before hand. The only time I really appreciated the beauty surrounding me was when I looked at the pictures afterwards. I got to the top, had reached my goal and couldn’t wait to get back to the bottom and my comfort zone.

During the Draper Temple Open House the full-time missionaries stopped by my house and wondered if there was anyone I knew who I could share the gospel with. For the past few months I had been having promptings to talk to my cousin who is not a member of our church. I mentioned this to the Elders, and told them that I was afraid to talk to him because I didn’t want to make our cousinship uncomfortable. Elder Kemmer then told me something that has had a lasting impact. He said, “There is no growth in our comfort zones.”

I hope we aren’t thinking of Friday night as I thought of Mount Timpangos. I wanted it to be over before it even started. Friday night will be a night when we all get out of our comfort zones, because trust me it’s not comfortable standing in front of 10,000 people. I promise you that whatever you put into this performance you will get out of it. A testimony rarely comes through one grand experience. A testimony comes from a combination of the little experiences. If you want it to grow, you have to do the work. You have to put forth a sincere effort.

After this weekend this celebration will be over, and you won’t hear the words "Come Up to the Mountain” as often. I ask all of you not to stop your climb though! Keep moving forward. If the climb gets difficult, lean on the Savior. [You] can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [you]. (Philippians 4:13).

The climb will only get easier as we draw closer to Christ.

What does heaven see in YOU?

KELSIE

These last couple of weeks have been just crazy for me as I am sure they have been for you!! You know, though, Heavenly Father knows when you are having hard times and I could totally tell in my case.

I heard this song not too long ago that seriously helped me. I have heard it before, but it hadn't hit me as strongly as it did then. It's titled "What Heaven Sees in You" (by Doug and Sherry Marks Walker). I would like to share the first verse with you:

Sent to this earth, you were saved through the ages for this day and time, Child of great worth, child of promise daughter of the divine. Pure and holy in a little white dress, you were held in a circle and you were blessed. And the Father looked down and the angels surrounded that place. They knew the truth, all that you could do. And you will too if you have eyes to see what heaven sees in you.

Those words touched me deeply as I hope they do you. We are here at this time on earth for a reason. We have a duty to fulfill.

A scripture that really helps me understand what I can do to fulfill this duty is found in Mosiah 2:34. It says, "Ye are eternally indebted to your Heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are."

We must give our whole lives to him to be able to repay just part of what He has given us!! I hope that when you have hard times, you can read the words from the song, "What Heaven Sees In You" and realize that Heavenly Father knows what you can be. He can help you realize more of what you can do to better your life as well as others. Heavenly Father loves US!! Of this I am absolutely positive. If you doubt anything about the gospel, ASK! He will help you find the answer. I know this church is true and that we have been blessed greatly with this opportunity for us to participate in a temple celebration. WE MUST BE SPECIAL!!I love you all even if I don't know you individually because I know you are God's children.

Have a fun time at this celebration. Don't take it for granted.

Text Message!

Here's the message we sent out today!

"And I, God, saw everything that I made, and, behold, all things which I had made were very good." (Moses 2:31) This includes YOU and this celebration is for HIM!

It's THIS WEEK! Let's give it everything we've got.

What about YOU?

So, we've been sharing what preparing for the Celebration has been doing for all of us.

But, what about you?

Tell us:
1.) What you've liked about the rehearsals
2.) How you feel about the temple
3.) What you've done for the "What Will I Give" project
or
4.) How you hope your life is different after May 29 & 30

We want to hear about YOUR experience!

Keep Climbing!

KAMI

I have recently been thinking about what it means to "Come Up to the Mountain". The main question I have asked myself is how am I supposed to get myself up to the Mountain?

Think about climbing an actual mountain. To start climbing you have to have all the right tools, good hiking shoes, plenty of water and you have to be on the right path. Sure you don’t have to have any of these tools to climb the mountain, but somewhere during the climb you will suffer the consequences of not having them. Your feet will blister, which will slow the pace of the ascent. If you don’t provide yourself with consistent water stops you will eventually get dehydrated, and if you don’t stay on the trail leading to the top, the chances of you getting lost are greater.

Our daily lives can be compared to this.

Every day we need to begin our climb with the right tools.

Begin your day on the right path: Say your prayers, read your scriptures.

Put on a good pair of hiking boots: Surround yourself with the things that won’t delay your climb. Avoid the temptations the Adversary puts on the trail. They will only weaken you.

I think the most important thing to remember when you are making your climb is to rehydrate your testimony frequently. A testimony rarely comes through one grand experience. We aren’t all as lucky as Joseph Smith was. A testimony comes from a combination of the little experiences. If you want it to grow, you have to do the work. You have to put forth a sincere effort.

Take advantage of the water stops, they will help revive you. Take advantage of this upcoming water stop. The Temple Celebrations on the 29th and 30th are a great way to freshen up your testimony and help strengthen it.

In a few weeks this whole celebration will be over, and you will stop hearing "Come Up to the Mountain" as often. I ask all of you not to stop your climb though! Keep moving forward. If the climb is getting difficult, lean on the Savior. [You] can do all things through Christ which stengtheneth [you]. (Philippians 4:13).

The climb gets easier as we draw closer to Christ.
So keep climbing and COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN!!