Today, Chloe and I had an appointment for an endowment
session at 10:15 at the Layton temple. I have been struggling to get good sleep
and set my alarm for 9 AM so we could arrive by 9:45. Nine times out of ten, if
I have plans or an appointment, I can wake up anytime and go. If I don’t have
any schedule to keep to, I am more than happy to turn off my morning alarm and
go back to sleep. I set my alarm but had a little elf come to visit me at 8:30
and then again at 8:45. I don’t know what I said to this sweet morning fairy,
but I meant shoo, shoo!
I finally woke up and quickly got dressed and ready to leave
by the time we had said the night before. I was breathing a little heavily and
she kept looking at me across the Jeep. “Are you okay Mom?” It was already
so hot, and my eyes were already itchy and watering, crazy hay fever. She
offered to drop me off at the entrance and she parked. We met inside but
separated so I could use the elevator.
In the women’s dressing room, I get a little flustered as I
am the slowest changer in the world. I am anxious because what if someone is
waiting to get into this stall for their locker. I always try to rush so that
Chloe isn’t waiting on me because she knows I need her help with the back of my
dress and my slippers. I don’t want to be left behind and yet I don’t know
exactly where I am supposed to go. This Layton temple is different and new to
us. The dressing room sister directed me to a stall, and I got flustered and
couldn’t spit out that I needed the handicap stall, so I have enough room. So,
I started sweating but muscled through. I emerged almost completely dressed
with my slippers in my hand, waiting for my sweet daughter, my temple
buddy, trying to calm my nerves. While waiting I almost asked three or four
ladies walking by to assist me with my slippers, but I lost my nerve. And still
no Chloe. I figured she went to the chapel to wait for me. Another elevator
ride to another floor and I was huffing and puffing while plodding to, fingers
crossed, where I was supposed to be. A different sister noticed my red face and
instructed me to turn around and took me directly to the endowment room so that
I could catch my breath. Again, I could have asked her to #1 help me with my
slippers and #2 let her know my daughter would be joining me. But neither of
those things happened. But I did continue to sweat as I tried to calm my
breathing and heart rate, slipping my slippers into my envelope.
Eventually, the room started to fill up but there was no
Chloe. I got up, kind of hunched up so no one would notice my stocking feet and
let them know. They said they would go and check the chapel but there wasn’t
anyone there.
In the meantime, Chloe had gotten worried that I was still
in the dressing room and was instructed to go and look for me. She figured
she’d find my crying in my stall waiting to be rescued but didn’t know which
aisle I was directed to. She asked a temple worker if she knew which aisle I
was assigned and when asked what she looks like, Chloe responded with, “She has
red hair, a navy-blue dress and she was probably smiling”. She knew exactly who
I was from that description!
The temple workers were holding our session for another
couple who hadn’t found each other. Someone asked Chloe if she was waiting for
her husband and she laughed to herself and thought,” I wish!” In the
end, just a few moments passed, and the brother and Chloe made
it. The sweet sister who sat directly behind me noticed my buttons
undone on the back of my dress and fastened them for me. Also, when I pulled
open my envelope, I saw my slippers, which Chloe giggled and placed on my
feet.
As we left the beautiful rooms and made our way down to the
dressing room, Chloe rode the elevator with me, for safety ;) We started to
remove our ceremonial clothing when I realized I didn’t have my locker key.
More sweat, more anxiety, more drama! I knew I was in aisle C but
not which stall I was supposed to be in. The one that I thought might have been
mine was occupied so I waited. I happened to mention to the temple worker
nearby that I had misplaced my locker key and she pulled one out of her pocket saying
this might be for you then.
Chloe’s stall was also occupied, but while I was still
waiting for my turn, she slipped in and changed back into her dress. She came
to check on me just as the other sister was vacating my stall and we tried the
key and blessings were answered it was my key! She helped me remove
my slippers and long white compression socks. She undid the buttons on the back
of my dress. Then she told me she would be waiting for me at the entrance and
to take my time and meet her there. Which I did.
We asked a woman to take a photo of us and chatted with her
for a minute. She and her husband are new service missionary leaders and Chloe
could just feel their awesome missionary goodness radiating from
them! This same woman was waiting with me at the curb while we
waited for our rides. She asked me how long my daughter had been home. I was a
little surprised but said since April. This surprised her a little and said
that she figured she would have just gotten home because her post-missionary
glow was still so strong. I chuckled and said that is just how she is!
Once we got into the Jeep, with the air conditioner pumping,
we headed to Chili’s for some much-needed sustenance. It was at this time that
Chloe told me her side of the story and the drama of losing her
mother. When she said the bit about me smiling, I was more surprised
than I should have been. I would have thought my identifier was the really
obese woman struggling physically with every step she took. I felt humbled to
be loved by this amazing daughter of God. She sees me, she knows me, and she loves
me unconditionally. She is always willing and prepared to help and assist me
even when it should be my job to do that for her.
I try to do everything I can to ease my anxiety in preparing
for the temple. I finally found white socks that won’t fall down due to my
ginormous calves. I plan to wear my long dress and put the socks on before
leaving. I’ve actually sat on the floor of a stall in a temple, struggling to
get my socks on. I always try to have my family names and their cards printed
beforehand or plan to have extra time to have them printed in the temple
office. I double-check that I have the necessities in my temple bag; recommend,
chapstick, gum, mints, hankies, etc.
Other than my temple recommend, none of these things truly
matter. The work I am doing for my ancestors is of great worth. The assistance
I get from Chloe, or any other temple companion is not a big deal and I have
been overjoyed to help another sister in the temple to pay it forward.
I didn’t fully realize that people aren’t always smiling
when I cross their paths. I just assumed they had already been smiling but
Chloe thinks that it is just because I am always sharing my beautiful smile
with others, that it brings a little joy into their day. And that, you might
have guessed it, brought a smile to my face!
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