What God Can Do

 I have never been to the Provo Tabernacle.  It is a building used for conferences, seminary graduations, concerts and other civic and church events.  It was built by the Mormon pioneers who settled there.  In fact, General Conference was held there.  Clare recalls having her Stake Conference there when she lived in Provo.

Five years ago in the middle of the night, a fire started, completely gutting the facility.  Much of the community was devastated.  

With all those flames, I can't imagine that there was anything left.  But actually there was.

 There was a set of scriptures that survived the fire with just a little charring on the edges.  The pulpit was also left completely in tact.

 But really is was a burned out shell of a building.

President Monson announced a few months later that it would be rebuilt and turned into the second temple in Provo.  They would call it the Provo City Center Temple.  

After an engineering feat, it is finally finished and Pat, Erin and I had the opportunity to tour the facility.  

 There is a floral pattern throughout.  There is much stained glass both interior and exterior.  The rich dark wood is so rich and beautiful.  Upon entering these exterior doors, a person walks up to the 

recommend desk.  I love the Savior standing there with His sheep!

 I don't know if I recall seeing a baptismal font on the backs of dark oxen. 

 What bride wouldn't want to spend a little time in this room?

 The largest sealing room.  I believe it holds 48 people plus the witnesses and the couple.  I will have the opportunity to witness a sealing here in October.

 The Celestial room.

 I am not all that impressed with the exterior of the building, but the grounds are beautiful!  The interior is absolutely stunning!  I look forward to going back.

 As we attended church with Erin on Sunday, the bishop stated that he had been to the open house and witnessed all the beauty there. 

He then said something that will stay with me.  He said if the Lord can take a burned out Tabernacle and turn it into a beautiful temple, imagine what He can do with us! 

At times in our lives we struggle and we don't make good decisions.  In effect, we burn to the ground because of ourselves.  Other times, the circumstances and actions of others burn us down.  Only the Savior has the ability, because of His atonement, to build us into what He knows we can become.

In seminary on Friday, we talked about Solomon's temple and how important it was to get it built with the best materials available.  I showed the above photos to the youth and was pleasantly surprised with their reactions.  None of them have ever been to a temple dedication or open house.  At least that they can recall.  This was as close as they've come.  

I invited them to always to worthy to enter those sacred doors.  If they aren't worthy, to get themselves there.  Their temple recommend will be their most prized possession ever.  

I didn't know this lesson would turn out this way.  I never felt impressed to go further into the prepared material.  Just stay with them in our virtual temple.

Each of us has been given a tabernacle for our spirits.  

God is in control and He can take that tabernacle and create a beautiful temple for our spirits if we will allow Him to do so.  

I want to live in a temple!