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!!

Text Message!

Here's the message that went out today (and by the way...can you believe the Celebration is in TWO WEEKS???)

"There is something about a temple dedication which prompts a reevaluation of one's own performance and a sincere desire to do even better." (President Monson)

Have a great week!

True Happiness

CAMERON

This gospel is truly great news.

As President Uchtdorf said in his General Conference talk, "[Jesus Christ] gave us His gospel, a pearl beyond price, the grand key of knowledge that, once understood and applied, unlocks a life of happiness, peace and fulfillment."

So, what exactly do I do to obtain this happiness?

First of all, lasting happiness will not come after a mere few hours of labor. As it says in Doctrine & Covenants 14:7, we must endure to the end to obtain eternal life. Along with holding out to the end, you must keep the commandments nad do all the "Sunday School answers" regularly.

And King Benjamin gave us great counsel in Mosiah 2:41. "I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness..."

I know that if we remain faithful and endure to the end, that we CAN receive never-ending happiness.

STAY STRONG.

Hard runs. Good runs.

KELSIE

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to run a half marathon with my Young Women's President. Let me say, it was an amazing experience.

To train for this race, I had to run a lot. It was difficult.

A few weeks before the race, she said something that struck me hard. She said, "I am so glad that we have hard runs so that we can better enjoy the good runs."

It reminded me of a scripture in 2 Nephi 2:13: "If ye say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness."

To me that says that we must have challenges and trials to be able to truly be grateful for the blessings and the good times we enjoy. And I testify we need to have trials to be grateful for the blessings. I also know that if we endure our trials well, we will be even more blessed.

The hard runs are worth it.

Overwhelmed?

TOMMY

Now a days, our lives can be so stressful. Especially new when many of you are busy getting ready for college, trying out for a dance or athletic team next year, finishing up the school year, and attending the Temple Celebration rehearsals.

I, like many of you, have been overwhelmed with so many stresses recently. I'm sure I'm no thte only one that has fallen to my knees pleading for help, strength, and comfort. I have felt like blanket after blanket of enormous tasks have been thrown upon me during this time.

But, after all of our tears fall, the Lord begins to send blessings to comfort us. My good friend Stephan shared a scripture with me recently. It says, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Guys, the Lord is helping us and carrying us through these hard things. President Monson shared stories of many people talking with the late President Hinckley about many problems they were feelings. They said that they were overwhelmed with the load they must carry. To many of these men, President Hinckley's reply was, "Things will work out."

AND THEY WILL!

Be strong.
Wait upont the Lord.
Go to the temple for escape.
Get lost in your scriptures.

"Things will work out."

Text Message!

Here's the message that went out today:

The Lord doeth that which is good among the children of men...and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness (2 Ne 26:33) Come & partake!

(thanks for making time for all the Conference Center rehearsals last week! Did you get your "gift give away" card?)

Be more kind

RONI

I recently went to a fast food restaurant with a friend to get some dinner. Working there was a girl I'd known in middle school. This girl was constantly made fun of and didn't have that many friends. Looking back, I remembered that I too had made fun of her.

After ordering my food, I asked her if she remembered me and she did. I then apologized for the mean things I had done in middle school. She told me about how much she hated it there and she ended up leaving because she couldn't handle it anymore.

I learned a huge lesson from this experience.

I strive to be kind to all of those around me because I know how hard life can be. You never know what that person is going through and what can push them over the edge. I encourage all of us to be more kind to everyone and befriend those who are often alone. The feeling you will have is amazing!

BE MORE KIND!

Make it fun!

KEVIN

I am human.

Not every week I'm jumping for joy to go to the Temple Celebration rehearsals. I often have friends, sports, and school in the way. However, I know that I can choose my attitude once I get there. The attitude I must always choose, and challenge you to choose, is to be happy and cheerful. I can promise if you slap a permanent smile on your face during the rehearsal, your happiness will all come natural.

What I like to do while at rehearsals is make things funs while dancing. Believe me, there is a variety of ways to do that. As 2 Nephis 10:23 says, "Therefore cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves--to choose the way of [boredom at rehearsal] or the way of [absolute fun at rehearsal]." (Hey, look it up!)

My challenge to you is to make rehearsal fun and enjoyable. I promise if you do this, you will find yourself looking forward to it all.

Why a mountain?

McKAY

In my opinion, the theme of a mountain is perfect because a mountain can represent so many things!

Personally, I like it because the mountains are what I call "perfect places". You can use the mountains for any purpose. Lots of people go camping and fishing because they enjoy it. Some people go to the mountains to get away from their daily life. I go to the mountains to snowboard. But also, because of a feeling I get while I'm there. It is honestly the best feeling in the world for me. There is an excitement and sense of fear for the slopes. But at the same time, a huge respect. I also get the feeling of calming and comfort in the snow. When you sit in the trees and look around, it's beautiful. Indescribable.

Thinking about it, I realized that the temple is just like the mountains.

People go because they enjoy it. They go to run away from life. They go for the feelings they get while there. When we go, we think of the Savior and realize His power, His creations, and His sacrifice. Wehn we go to the temple, we we just sit down and look around, we see how beautiful it is. How indescribable it is.

Go get just one!

NATHAN

Our rehearsals have been extremely fun and very uplifting and spiritual. The choir director in my stake told us last week that we had about 50% of our youth participating. We need those youth. We want all of those youth there, singing or dancing, so they can feel the spirit.

I had the opportunity to speak at three firesides and my stake conference in March. This was a very humbling and very uplifting opportunity for me. I was scared to death at my first fireside. I wasn't exactly sure what I said or how it impacted the youth there but I hope it helped those youth feel the need and desire to participate in this celebration.

In Psalms 149:1-5, it tells us of how we can rejoice in the name of the Lord by singing his praises and dancing. This is exactly what we're doing in this celebration and we need to participate and invite others to come.

In Deuteronomy 33:2, it tells of tens of thousands of Saints gathered with Moses, whom the Lord loved and praised.

All of you who have already joined, go out and invite all to come up to the mountain. If every single person reading this post brought just one friedn who hasn't been coming, the numbers in practices would increase by exponential numbers.

Senior Ball or Celebration?

ASHLEY

This is for everyone out there who has something on their Celebration performance date and are having a hard time choosing what to do.

I was in the same situation.

I have Senior Ball the same day! Senior Ball was the only dance I really even cared about going to my whole high school time. It was a tough choice. For THREE YEARS I've been excited for Senior Ball. Our seminary tried to get the school to change the date so none of us would have to make that decision. Unfortunately, it didn't work out nad we weren't able to change it. So, this left me having to make a choice.

I have got such a great love and testimony of this gospel that there is no way that there is anything more important than this celebration. And I pray for all you guys who are in the same situation that I was in. Make sure you are at the Temple Celebration. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

So, come join all of our fun and come celebrate the wonderful temples that our Lord has given us. I know that the decision is hard to make but you have the Lord on your side. Do not be afraid to ask Him for help on the decision. He is there to help you and He wants to.

COME UP...to the Celebration!

It's all about attitude!

HEATHER

It's truly awesome to see how fast the time is flying until our Celebration! Firesides are being held, text messages are being sent out, and it appears we are getting quite a few hits on the blog. AND rehearsals are happening all the time!

I haven't been involved in a performed dance for five years and I can feel it all coming back...the confusion over a new step, the frustration at the slow pace we're learning, the excitement as you stare down at that costume made just for you...and the nervous pit in your stomach as that little inner voice pipes up and tells you that yes, you will be performing this in front of thousands.

I remember Trek. I wanted to be there but some seemed to be forced by parents, pressured by peers, or just making it a lot more miserable than the 90 degree sun really was (okay, the heat wasn't that grea, but it did rain a lot).

My point is, no matter how you found yourself in this dance or choir rehearsal, it is you and your attitude that determine how you are going to feel, and how well you are going to do. You're doing this to celebrate the Lord's temples and to come up to the mountain. So do it with a positive attitude, and you'll see how special & amazing it really is.

Text Message!

The text message we sent out today:

Just as the Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build, stone by stone, you are building a virtuous life step by step. (Sister Cook) COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN!

(This great quote comes from Sister Mary N. Cook, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency)

Don't lose faith!

SASHA

I love to go to the temple!

My family just got sealed in the temple about 5 years ago.

I remember going in there...all of the temple workers were so nice to all of us.

In the temple I remember my mom and dad kneeling around the alter. Everyone was there and I didn't really know what was going to happen. But, after the sealing, my dad put me in his arms and said, "Look in the mirror."

So, I did and I could see all of us go on and on forever.

It was the coolest feeling.

And that's why I'm so grateful for temples.
They hold a special place in my heart.

I have three sisters. I love them SO much. We all have our hard times but we get over it. And I don't know what I would do without my sisters and my mom & dad.

It took our family 11 years to finally get to the temple.

DON'T LOSE FAITH that you will never go to the temple with our family.

It takes time and God knows when the right time is.

He has a purpose for doing everything.

There were poeple that came to our house every Sunday to try and get us to come to church. And I want to thank all those who are trying to get others to church.

You are doing SUCH a good thing.

Temples are here for a reason.
God is there and He loves us and knows us by name!

Then come what may...

DAVID

The Temple Celebration's impact extends so much farther than the celebration itself. It represents the broad spectrum of gratitude we feel to be members of this church in this dispensation. With the edifying power that comes from the Temple, we are able to withstand more temptation and have a renewed desire to hold to the rod.

I was lucky enough to sit in one of the rooms at the Saturday afternoon session of the Draper Temple dedication. I loved the words of Elder Richard G. Scott. Much of his talk was refelcted upon in a later address at General Conference. However, the focus was on the temple work and obedience. What hit me most was the simple phrase "then come what may." When we are living the commandments, walking in the light, and practicing simple obedience and faith, "then come what may." We need not fear if we do what we know to be right (Psalm 27:1). It will be for our good and our benefit.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend my stake conference. In it the choir sang some of the Temple Dedication songs. The spirit filled the room when they began to sing the theme song of "Come to the Mountain". This song can be found on our temple celebration website. It helped remind me of the importance of regular temple attendance.

When we live obediently and attend the temple regularly "then come what may".

Text Message!

This week's text message:

Remember when you're having a hard day, you are in good company. "COME UNTO ME all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matt. 12:28

Can you believe it's FIVE WEEKS AWAY?
We know there is a lot going on.
Hang in there!

Praise His name!

BRACKEN

Over spring break we went to St. George and on Sunday went to church. Little did we know that we would get the opportunity to hear a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Quentin L. Cook, speak and shake his hand! He is a great man and carries a tremendous spirit with him. It was an experience I will have forever.

When we came home I got to go to rehearsals for the temple celebration choir. These rehearsals are a great strength to me. I look forward to them and when I go, the spirit I feel is strong.

There is a scriptures in D&C 25:12. I know you already got the text message with this scripture but I want to emphasize on the ending of the scripture, "...yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads." What a great promise!

If we go and sing (or dance) at these rehearsals you wll be blessed in one way or another. I know it is really heard sometimes to go with all the things we youth could be doing, but I promise you that if you get involved and show that you care about these new temples, you will gain much more than just blessings but a stronger testimony of Christ.

The songs we sing and the dances we do bring His spirit in the room like a big tidal wave! Believe it or not, there is a scripture in Psalms 149:3 that talked about dancing to praise His name. It says: "Let them praise his name in the dance; let them sing praises unto him..."

This is just what these songs are made for--to dance and praise His name through it.

I have set my goal that I will give time to go to the temple at least once a week. This is a hard thing for me to do but I know that this is what I am supposed to give for the Celebration. I hope you will COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN and findthe joy and blessings these temples bring!

Open Arms

KJ

I love the temples. I have had so many great experiences inside these holy buildings.

I had the opportunity to do baptisms in the St. George Temple. Upon entering the temple, I noticed that I was the only caucasion in the chapel, the rest of the faithful members were from the Navajo Ward in Arizona. They welcomed me with open arms and invited me to serve with them. The spirit there was the greatest I have ever felt and it strengthened my knowledge that this church truly is for everyone.

I look forward to turning in my mission papers in the coming weeks. I cannot wait to serve the Lord for the next two years. The Gospel is such a blessing in my life and I wish to share it with as many people as I can.

I am committing

KAELYN

I am so grateful for the temple in my life and the hope it provides me.

The temple is God's home on earth. He is there and you can feel it.

When the Draper Temple was having its open house, I was able to go with my ward. The feelings of peace and reverence kind of hits you like a wall when you walk through those doors. As I walked through the temple I was stunned at its beauty and the reverence of those attending. One feels the need to whisper as you walk through the halls. And I find it so much easier to hear the promptings of the spirit there, bearing witness that this is the place to be and whispering ways I can improve my life.

I don't know if you have ever felt this way, but I've realized especially lately how much I take all these temples near by for granted. So what will I give the Lord for this temple experience?

I am committing, from now until the temple celebration, to attend the temple once a week so that I can feel the spirit there more regularly and gain a stronger testimony of its importance to my salvation.

The time to prepare and learn these things is now.

If you have not yet committed to giving something to the Lord, I challenge you to do this with me. I promise if you enter the temple with an open heart, the Lord will bless you with His spirit and you will see His hand in your life.

Commit today to go a little higher.

Putting God first

SARA

About a month ago, my brother and I were on long drive home and after some time of casual conversation we started talking about the Gospel. We discussed the temptations that we have in our everyday lives and how difficult it is to muster the strength that is needed to withstand them.

He enviously described a man in his ward that reflects a goodness and light because of his righteousness and devotion to the Lord. I completely understood his admiration because I am constantly noticing these "spiritual giants" that are undeniably Christ-like in my own life.

A couple of weeks later during the Temple dedication I was sitting by a youth that was unenthusiastic and somewhat reluctant to be there. However, once the Prophet arose to speak, he sat up and attentively listened to the Prophet's words. Now his attentiveness may have just been out of respect but I believe it was because the Prophet carries this same spirit and light about him that even reaches out to those that may be hesitant about the Gospel.

It is inevitable that we will all have hardships and temptations in this life. Overcoming them is what makes us stronger and leads us on the path towards becoming these "spiritual giants". I can only imagine the light that Jesus emulated while He was on the earth. His spirit truly affected the masses because He dedicated His life to serving others and His Heavenly Father. Rather than being centered on what is important, our time and energy are constantly being consumed by earthly concerns. If our lives revolve around the Gospel and we work to reflect the light of Christ, the rest will fall into place.

President Ezra Taft Benson stated, "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities."

I have a testimony of this and I know that as we become closer to our Heavenly Father the meaningless confusion in our lives is put into perspective. I hope that we will all be able to put God first and participate in or attend the Temple Celebration because this is truly the Lord's work.

What I'm getting for what I'm giving

KAMI

A month ago, for the "What Will I Give?" project, I decided to give MORE time to my scriptures.

More time meant not just reading my scriptures to say I read a chapter, but to get something out of it--something I personally needed to read or something that would help me get through the next day.

About a week after I decided what I was going to give, I received the new Personal Progress section for the value "virtue". Normally for each Value Project you get to select your project from a list of suggested projects or you can make one up yourself. But, the Value Project for VIRTUE doesn't give you this freedom.

It says: "The Savior chose to live a virtuous life. Follow his admonition to 'learn of me' (D&C 19:23) by reading the entire Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Liken the scriptures to your life and circumstances. As you read, record your thoughts regularly in your journal."

After reading that, I decided to get out a blank journal I had and use it solely for this project.

It is amazing to me how in three weeks my love for the scriptures has increased. I love my scripture time! By actually trying to liken the scriptures to my own life, I have found comfort, hope, and strenth to deal with the trials I am facing.

I challenge everyone to find something you can give to the Lord.

You only have SIX MORE WEEKS until the Celebration.
What will YOU give?

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out for this week:


D&C 25:12 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart, yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me." Whether we dance or sing we will be blessed!



There's still time to sign up!!

Text MOUNTAIN to 83043
(and if you don't have a cell phone, just check here every Monday)

If you think you're too busy...

STEPHAN

As we go through our hectic and busy lives, it is hard to fit any more activities in our day. We may want to be with our friends or we have work or we just want to chill when we finally get a break.

Although all these things are important and good, there is something much greater that we all have the opportunity to participate in.

DID YOU KNOW that it was President Monson who asked us to put on this Celebration? Now, I don't always listen to my mom and dad when they ask me to do something...But, I would say that if the Prophet asks you to do something, then you do it because he is the Lord's mouthpiece.

Too many times I hear that "I'm too busy" or "I just don't want to." I can understand that it is hard to incorporate time into rehearsals and practices but in Doctrine & Covenants 64:33-34 it reads: "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing. For ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great. Behold the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days."

I promise that, althought it may be small and you may think it is insignificant, if we willingly participate in the Celebration, the Lord will bless us in many ways.

It can and WILL change our lives.

So, just do it!

Where we need to be

HEATHER

The temple is an amazing place to be.

Not long ago, I had an experience that helped me see why we need to COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN and how beneficial it is.

A good friend and myself had signed up for a Stake Temple day time together. The only time we could both take time for baptisms for the dead was in the morning...during school. And we had an unexpected blizzard (this is Utah, after all).

Being as she and I couldn't drive yet (some would argue that this is still the fact, in my case), my mom offered to give us a ride from the school to the Temple and back to school. Mom set out early to the school in the relentless flurries to ensure our safe and timely arrival at the temple. After making it to the school, and finally getting us out of class, it turned out that we were running behind (because of the blizzard!)

Mom drove carefully through the blinding storm to the Temple. Surprisingly, we were three minutes early! Thanking my still-puzzled Mom, my good friend and I hustled inside the temple.

At the sign-in desk stood a lady, looking desperate and a little confused as she discussed something with the clerk. She'd brought two more names than she could handle and was asking what she could do just as my friend and I walked up. The clerk turned to us with a kind smile and asked if we would mind taking care of these two names. I would have said "yes" anyway, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to do this; not for either the clerk or the woman, but for that person whose name was on the paper...that person waiting beyond. This is when I truly came to appreciate the miracle of baptisms for the dead.

The Temple is where we need to be....to bring the dead, as well as the living, unto Christ.

The Temple is my escape.

McKay

The temple is an amazing place. I have not been to that many, but the ones I have visited definitely have left an impression on my mind.

I love visiting the Salt Lake Temple. It's crazy for me to think how the pioneers built it. 40 years it took to build! I couldn't do it...especially knowing they had to haul down huge chunks of stone. It's amazing what people will do for what they believe in. They obviously knew what they were doing was good. I'm glad they stuck with it.

The outside of the Temple is always cool to look at, especially at night. It's just amazing. But the inside is even better. I love walking from outside, hearing the noises of the city, and then...

Silence.

The moment you step inside, the sounds of the world around disappear and all you notice is your own thoughts and a certain feeling that makes you smile. I love the feeling of peace. I call it my warm and fuzzy.

Life is crazy! Everyone needs a place to run to get away from it all.

Everyone needs a place to escape to and just relax and think.

Sometimes we need someone to talk to.

At the temple, someone is always there to help you.

Drop to your knees.

He will be there for you.

He is always there to talk.

The Temple is my escape.

The Temple is my solitude.

That's why I go.

Why do you go?

Get up & do something!

KELSIE

So, this coming Saturday, I'm running a half-marathon.

In preparing for this, I had to run a lot and it has been hard. I realized how much I needed Heavenly Father to help me with something like this or with grades or other things that really won't effect my spirituality. School for me is very stressful and by training for this half-marathon, I've realized how willing Heavenly Father is to help me with something this is important to me.

I know that Heavenly Father will always be there for us, but He wants us to do our best first. He wants us to give our all before He will jump in and rescue us. Like my friend Ben said in a talk he gave: "the Lord is never late; He helps us just when He needs to."

The Lord will come just when we feel like all is lost. He doesn't want us to suffer, but sometimes we have to learn to try our hardest before He will save us. We have to learn that we need Him, but we can't just sit on the couch and wait for Him to come; we have to get up and do something!

The world these days is full of temptations and before we walk out the door, we must arm ourselves with the armor of God. Let us be like His apostles. Let us reach our full potential. He will make up the part we can't; but we can't be idle.

Let's work to see miracles happen.

Who doesn't want life to be better?!

KEVIN

As I have pondered the question for weeks now: "What Will I Give?", I haven't felt anything dawning or groundbreaking sink into my heart.

However, that's is just it.

I'm going to give up the things that may seem harmless and innocent, such as unneeded run ins with my parents or casual gossip at school. It is all so easy to fall into because it is so natural. These things often to me seem all to normal and day to day life. Well, I am going to take it one day at a time, one situation at a time.

I think by accomplishing this goal I will see the bigger picture more clear and become a happier son of God.

It is my hope that after this Easter weekend we can all give something up to the Lord. He gave us everything and He just asks for a small part back. Let us all join the effort to show more gratitude to Jesus Christ. I know that if we do we will all be happier and with that we will be more Christlike and therefore...life will be just that much better!!

And who doesn't want life to be better?!

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out today:

Just 7 weeks until the Celebration! There's still time to get your friends involved. Find 1 new person to bring to rehearsals this week. TempleCelebration.com

We don't want ANYONE to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Contact your ward YM/YW leaders for rehearsal details...but bring a friend!

(We realize some of you don't have cellphones and we don't want you to feel left out! We'll post the text messages here every Monday morning...before the message goes out so you can always be included.)

Our Easter message to YOU

We hope today is a great day for you to focus on your family and focus on the Savior.

Let's make sure He never stands alone again.

Happy Easter everyone!

What are YOU doing?

TOMMY

We've been asked to sacrifice something we might love in order to better ourselves for the temple...to give up something as a "gift" to the Lord.

It could be anything you think would better your own life.

Me for example?
I'm going to give up PG-13 movies for the next 3 months.
Yes, I'm going to miss Transformers, but it is something that the Lord would be proud of me for doing.

And I challenge you to do the same.
Maybe you could try to get something out of seminary if you usually do homework in the back.
Try giving up 10 minutes every night to open and study the scriptures.
Don't play a certain video game or maybe try not gossiping with your friends.
Try to make every mutual activity for 3 months and see what happens.
Delete all music from your iPod that you would be ashamed of the Lord seeing on there.
There are SO many thing you can sacrifice to the Lord to show Him that you are ready for His Temple to come. Show Him how grateful you are for how He has blessed you.

Remember that you can lead by example. So, if you decide to take a challenge leave your comment here! We'd appreciate it!

It is my testimony that if we try to better ourselves and give something up for the Lord, He will bless us for our sacrifice and make us happier than we are were before. I have seen it happen for myself and know of how much the Lord loves me. I have no idea how He will bless you, but I promise you that you will be much happier.

Remember, Come UP to the Mountain of the Lord!

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out for this week:

Sunday President Monson said, "Your future is as bright as your faith." Let the Temple make your faith a little brighter. The celebration is in 8 weeks!

Can you believe it's only 8 weeks away?
What are YOU doing to get ready?

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out today:

"...Come unto Christ...and offer you whole souls as an offering unto him..." COME UP! Join the "What Will I Give" project at TempleCelebration.blogspot.com

So, tell us...what will YOU give?

(there's still time to join in on the texting! look over there on the right for details!)

Family Forever

RONI

Many people are blessed through our gorgeous temples. They allow us to do the work for the dead and enable us to be with our families FOREVER.

For me individually, I am so grateful and blessed to have the temple in my family's life because when I was almost thirteen years old when my father passed away. Fortunately, my parents had been sealed in the temple. So now I know that my family will be together in the afterlife and my dad will be waiting for us.

Our temples are AMAZING and bring about wonderful blessings for all to enjoy if you strive to live the gospel. I love temples so much and I'm longing to go there someday in order to be sealed to my husband and eventually my own family.

You never know what will happen, or when the ones you love will not longer be with you on this earth, but if we include the temple in our life we will be with our own family forever. I'm so grateful for this blessing and I hope you all understand how the temple can bless your life...like it's blessed mine.

I will never forget...

TOMMY

I don't know how many of you were able to experience the Draper Temple dedication, but for those that did, I'm positive that it is an experience you will not soon forget. Those beautiful white buildings set up on the hill where we can serve the Lord are the reason for this Temple Celebration!

I won't forget the feeling of seeing our beloved prophet in white and how humbly he asked the Lord to accept this house. I will never forget the Hosanna shout. While talking to my little sister she confessed that it seemed "interesting" but I pointed out that this is what the pioneers did when the Kirtland Temple was dedicated. It has been done ever since. That moment of praising God has only happened 119 times in history...and YOU were part of it! Billions of people around the globe were completely unaware that a celebration of the highest priority was taking place. It's my wish that they all experience it someday.

The words that the apostles and prophet said seemed like they were aimed directly towards me. They encouraged me to climb higher and "come up to the mountain of the Lord"...and better myself to that I may enter the Lord's house.

But, one event that I will never forget was when the entire congregation stood up and sang "The Spirit of GOd". To know that angels have visited the earth while this song was being sung made me shiver...but in a good way :). My life, like the rest of yours has been very complicated lately. Worrying about tests and school, my family and home, drama at school, and that one cute girl that I wish would say "hi" to me...but these seemingly big cares were washed away with the calm feeling of the spirit as we lifted our voices in "The Spirit of God". I thought for a minute of God's eternal plan, how I would one day live high above the clouds and always feel joy in my heart. How small my other worries were! My Heavenly Father blessed me right then and there and let me know that everything was okay. I remembered a quote: "It will be alright in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."

THIS is why we build temples! This is why we are making a big deal about this Celebration...too have this feeling of peace, love and joy! I can't wait to feel it again soon.

For those who were not able to attend the dedication, you are in luck! The new Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication is in a few months. I would encourage everyone to attend that they may feel what the Lord has to offer them.

I love this gospel, and I want wait to start the Lord's work in our new temples!

Come join us!

BRACKEN

Hello everyone out there!
Guess what?!?!

If you didn't already know, we are having a super sweet celebration for the Oquirrh Mountain & Draper Temples. And we are going to have so much fun at this Celebration!

I recently finished speaking at a fireside and we watched the dvd that was put together about this event. WOW! That's all I can say about it!

There's going to be singing and I just found out we will be having some native dancing going on...so that's festive, right?

GET INVOLVED IN THESE EVENTS! Each stake should be having rehearsals for singing & performance numbers soon (if you haven't started already). It's a once-in-a-lifetime chane to be a part of this Celebration! We have the chance to be involved in a satellite broadcast from the Conference Center. How cool is that?

I absolutely love the temple. Such peace and love can be felt there if you open yourself up to it. If you ever feel the stresses of life are too much, go to the temple and feel the peace and great joy that comes from the temple.

This is a great opportunity for EVERYONE, even if you are not of our faith, to come see the beautiful temples. Come join us!!! This Celebration will be a BLAST!

If you love the temples...or if you want to see what they are all about, this celebration is for YOU!

COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN...

We'll be waiting.

I'm giving time

CAMERON

I definitely do not go to the temple as often as I want to and that is what I will be doing to better my life for the "What Will I Give?" project. I think our time is one of the most precious gifts that we can give God.

When I go to the temple, I like to set aside a morning on a day off from school and get away from my busy life. I go inside and see all the smiling faces, and it immediately brings a happy feeling into my heart. I love going into the chapel that sets the mood and invites the Spirit as I begin the work of the Lord. I love waiting in the pews where I have the chance to sit and read the scriptures and receive personal revelation for my life. I love to sit and ponder while listening to the hymns being played in the background. I feel an overwhelming sense of peace.

When I come out of the temple, I feel like I have accomplished something--like I have blessed the lives of others as well as myself. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I have made a difference and helped move God's work forward.

As the time of the Celebration comes closer, I encourage each of you to visit the Temple of the Lord more frequently and participate in the Celebration to thank the Lord for the magnificent opportunity we have at this time.

Give your time and
COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out today:

The early Saints sacrificed time, talents & possessions to build the House of the Lord. With sacrifice comes great blessings. Ask yourself: What will I give?

There's still time to sign up!!
Text MOUNTAIN to 83043

(and if you don't have a cell phone, just check here every Monday)

DEDICATION

Did you participate in any of the Dedication Sessions for the Draper Temple?
Tell us about your experience...
What did you hear?
How did you feel?

What are you doing to COME UP to the Mountain of the Lord?

I love temples!

KELSIE
I love temples.

Just the other week I got to go to the Draper Temple AGAIN! It is sooooo beautiful. I think it is so cool how even the stones and wood are special; they help make the temple even more beautiful. That same day I got to do baptisms at the Jordan River Temple. I have never looked at the temple as I did that day. I felt the Spirit there so strongly about how great temples can really be and how important they really are in our lives.

Here in Utah we are so blessed that we have so many temples! Let's take advantage of that!

I actually made a goal for myself for the "What Will I Give?" project. I want to spend more time at the temple doing service. I am going to try to go at least once a week! And so far, so good!!

Going to the temple more has enlightened me and helped me feel the Holy Spirit so much more! I encourage everyone to continue contemplating your ideas for "What Will I Give?". It will help you in your lives. Of that I am SURE.

Keep being excited!
The Celebration is coming up fast!

What Will I Give?

The scriptures are full of examples of the Children of God making offerrings to the Lord as a symbol of their commitment to Him (including at temple dedications. See Ezra 6:16-17). Many Saints have offerred up their time, their talents, their money and their possessions to build temples in this last dispensation. For some, their offering has been to get themselver TO the temple...whether through spiritual preparation or very real sacrifices of time and money to travel to a temple this is still too far away.

It is a privilege to be living in a time and place where temples are so easily seen and so readily available. And though your time and talents and money might not be needed to build these particular temples, there is still an opportunity to COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD with YOUR unique offering.

Ask yourself: WHAT WILL I GIVE?

In addition to giving of your time and your talents in preparing for the Celebration Event, we invite all youth and their families, along with all adults involved in the Celebration, to participate in the WHAT WILL I GIVE? project!

You can choose to give anything that will show Him your commitment to "come up to the mountain"...perhaps a little bit better than you are today.

* Give more time in prayer or scripture study
* Give UP a habit that is keeping you from having the spirit with you
* Fast more frequently
* Participate in the temple more often
* Choose to spend more time in the Duty to God or Personal Progress programs

Whatever your offering, join the project!
Get your family & friend to join in too!
And share your offering here...

"Come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him..." (Omni 1:26)

SO...beginning now...until the Celebration Event...what will YOU give?

CINDY

Temples are important. They are the houses of the Lord!

We are so blessed to have so many of these houses of the Lord so close to us!

And with this great blessing that we have been given, it is our responsibility to take advantage of that and do the Lord's work. Go as often as you can to this incredible place.

Not everyone in the world is as blessed as we are to be able to go often.

This past summer I had the opportunity to go to Cambodia. When we went to Church there, it was testimony meeting. My dad bore his testimony on temples while someone translated for him. Afterwards, a lady came up to him and said she was going to take a trip to America to come to the temple but didn't know what to do and asked what she had to do to go. The people there are poor, yet she saved up all of her money to take one trip to the temple!

We need to take advantage of what we have been blessed with.

We need to go to the temple!

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out today:

And many people shall go and say, COME ye, let us go UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD...and He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths (Isaiah 2:3)

There's still time to sign up!!
Text MOUNTAIN to 83043

(and if you don't have a cell phone, just check here every Monday)

The Celebration and YOUR Testimony

TESSA

I'm so excited for our Temple Celebration!

It's going to be a huge testimony builder and definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And it'sa great way to share our faith with our friends and to grow in friendships and our love for the Lord.

Recently I was talking to my dad about the Atonement and how amazing this Gospel is. Our Heavenly Father has set up such an incredible system of justice & mercy. Our Savior truly suffered for our sins and felt our griefs and sorrows. Over the past few weeks I've realized that we can have access to all of this and so much more if we will just let him in. We can be wrapped in our Heavenly Father's love.
All we have to do is ASK.

I want to share my knowledge and testimony of the Gospel--the peace and security that comes through allowing Christ to be in our lives. I feel so strongly that our Temple Celebration is a way to do this!

I know sometimes sharing our testimony with our friends of other faiths doesn't feel like the best way to show our love of the Gospel...sometimes it's things like this where we can get them involved. I KNOW that everyone who participates will grow so much and will be blessed beyond measure.

SO, share your testimony AND help it to grow by being part of our Temple Celebration.

WHY the theme?

TOMMY

COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD?

Many of you may be wondering out of everything we possibly could've chosen, why did we choose this phrase as the theme?
Why do we use the "Mountain of the Lord" instead of the word "temple?"
And why don't we just say "Come to the Mountain?"
It's a fantastic theme, don't get me wrong; but why?

At first I wasn't sure, but after a little instruction, I see how important and deep these words really are.

Back in Old Testament times, before temples or even tabernacles, where did the prophets go for instruction?
Where was it that Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac?
Where did Moses see the burning bush?
Where did he receive the Ten Commandments?
Um...a mountain?
(Ding. Ding. Ding. CORRECT!)

Our prophets went up into the mountain to commune with God and learn things which He wanted His people to do. But, why a mountain?
Doesn't the Lord deserve the best possible place?
Doesn't He deserve a platform far above the others?

The mountain is significant because it represents going up and climbing higher to be with the Lord. And WE must go UP to the mountain! The phrase "Come Up" is signficant because it challenges us to better ourselves and reach the Lord's standards. We must prepare ourselves so that we may enter the Lord's "mountain".

My friends, the temples will be ready for His work very soon. I challenge all of us to better ourselves and go the extra mile and give our Savior everything we can when we enter into the temple.

I hope everyone is as excited as I am for a temple being built so close...
but I have to remember to go UP to it.

So, please...COME UP to the Mountain of the Lord!

We need YOU

ASHLEY
One of my favorite things to do is go to the temple. It's a great place to go and get away from all the evil that is out in the world. And it's the place that you know you are loved by your Heavenly Father. It's a good reminder of why I am here on earth and lets me know that I can make it through hard times.

I am really excited about this Temple Celebration. I was at our kick-off fireside and one of the speakers said something that really got me thinking about this Celebration. He said that the Lord has put a lot of work into one of His new houses and is excited about it and shouldn't ALL of us youth get out there and celebrate with him?

It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us to participate! A lot of people don't realize how big it really is but when you think about all the time that leaders are putting into this, it IS a big deal. And us as youth are the only once that can really make it happen. The leaders are there to teach us but they can't teach if there are not a lot of youth willing to participate.

Get the word out about this wonderful celebration!

It's going to be an experienc that you will remember for a lifetime and if you don't participate, it will be something you will regret in the future.

SO, all of you youth out there....
COME JOIN THE FUN!
We need YOU to make it all happen!

Let's show the Lord how excited and grateful we are for the two new temples being built right here by us!

Text Message!

This is the message we sent out today:

Only 81 days until the Celebration. We want to see EVERY one of you there! Gather your friends & invite them to "Come Up to the Mountain of the Lord".

There's still time to sign up for the text service!
Text MOUNTAIN to 83043

The best place in the world!

HEATHER

Can I just say how incredible it is that we have so many temples here so close to where we live?

Walking or driving...

out in the night...

seeing their glowing spires reaching into the sky...

They are so beautiful!

Just seeing them reminds me what we are here for, and that we are daughters and sons of Heavenly Father. It helps me to choose the right and strive to be a better person everyday. Being inside of the temple though? THAT is the strenthenging experience.

Something everyone says about their temple experience is how calm they felt, how peaceful it was inside. This is a place where your mind and heart can rest. A place where we are all equal, dressed in white. A place where we can feel the Spirit. Though we all have different ways of feeling it, the Spirit comes strongly when we are serving in the House of the Lord.

So, let's all try a little harder to attend the temple more often--to feel our Savior's love.

COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN!

We need to be a generation that frequently attends the temples surrounding us.

They don't cost to enter and with times like these, it's good to have a free activity that is so wonderful!

Some people do not have a temple recommend. But, just sitting there on the temple grounds, away from the world, is a tremendous relief to a sore heart. You can feel His love, just sitting there, looking at all the beautiful things our Father in Heaven has made for us.

I know the temple is the House of the Lord.

It's the best place in the world to be!

A celebration to remember

BRACKEN
Hello, everyone out there!
I'm in the Highland Stake and am so excited about the super sweet temples that have been built. I love the temple and the Oquirrh Mountain Temple will be less than 5 minutes away from my house. What a blessing! I can't wait!!

The temple means many things to me but most of all the temple means peace. It is one of the few places where you can have quiet time to think and unwind from all the stress and worries of this world. Whenever I go to the temple in a bad mood and sometimes (regrettably) unwillingly, I always come out a better person and a happier person.

About two years ago, my sister was sealed to her husband in the Salt Lake Temple. I will always remember their faces as they came out of the temple--just beaming from ear to ear. My sister and her husbadn are the best example to me for going to the temple. The go to the temple at least once a week and sometimes more. That is how I want to be someday because the temple is such a great place to be!

All the youth, no matter how old you are, BE EXCITED! We are lucky and fortunate to get two more temples with us. This celebration is going to be incredible. And this blog is not even brushing the surface with all the ways we are spreading the word. Texting, wristbands, poster, the list goes on. (Stay tuned for more info.)

COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN!
CELEBRATE!
Let's make this a celebration to remember.

Sign up today!

KAMI

We wanted to find a way to communicate with all the youth in the two temple districts.

We have a website (still under construction). And this blog.

But, we thought, there HAS to be a better way to reach them.

Hmmmm....

What small device do they all have access to and are constantly checking 24/7?

Ah, the cell phone!

What better way is there to contact you than by texts!
We know the majority of you have one, so....

Pick it up.

And text MOUNTAIN to 83043.

Here's the scoop:
Every Monday starting March 9th - June 1st you will get a text.

Now, you are probably wondering what will be in this text?

We thought we would start your week off right by sending you and uplifting, spiritual thought that will help you get through the week...something you can read to give you strength to help you COME UP TO THE MOUNTAIN!

Oh, and for those of you who don't have cell phones or don't get texts but would still like these weekly quotes, you will be able to find them here...every Monday.

SIGN UP TODAY!

(and as a sidenote, don't worry...after June 1st, your number will be erased from the database and you won't hear from us...or anyone else...again.)

Welcome to the the Temple Youth Celebration!

NATHAN

The Temple Celebration is an amazing opportunity for all of us to participate in celebrating the dedication of two new temples.

It's your temple.
It's my temple.
And it is the temple all of our friends as well.

We need to be a "temple going" generation and this Celebration will give everybody a good kick-off to becoming that generation. I know that if all of us "come up to the mountain" and go to the temple, our lives will be blessed in more ways than we can imagine!

This Celebration is so exciting because everybody can participate. This is literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us.

Maybe singing or dancing doesn't sound like the most exciting thing to some of you, and I'm sure that some of you don't think you are good at singing or dancing. Maybe it doesn't seem "manly" enough to you guys or fun enough for some of you girls. I know that sometimes I feel the exact same way. And I'm not just saying that because I want you to sing and dance. It's because I know how participating creates a completely new spiritual experience.

You will have a blast as you go to rehearsals, as you receive the texts we are sending out, as you feel your life being uplifted and see your friend participating. You will make new friends and you will strengthen relationships with the old ones.

This is the Lord's plan!
This is what it's all about!
He wants all of us to be at the temple with our friends and family, and this Celebration is His way of getting us all there.

So, I don't want to sound too preachy, but I don't want to make this sound like a just big party either. You will have fun if you really participate with a good and happy attitude. And you will feel the spirit if you let it into your life the next three months. I encourage all of you to participate in any way you can and invite all your friends (those coming to church and those not) to participate as well.

I am so happy that you have decided to "come up to the mountain of the Lord".

(If you have any comments or questions for us, please feel free to leave them here!)