Cedar City Utah Temple

When the kids and I moved to Cedar City 3 years ago I found myself falling in love with this quiet and beautiful place.  It has been such a blessing in our family to have our home here.  I have joked over the last three years that Cedar City needs two things to make it the perfect place to live.  Number one on that list, as should be the number one on any list, is to have a Temple.  The second, and as much as I love a good Costco dog it is a distant second, is a Costco.  Those are really the only two reasons I go to St. George.  Well, in coming years Costco will be the only reason I have to go to St. George accept that we are opening a Little Brick House down there.  This morning in General Conference President Monson announced the building of two new temples.  I was nervous that there were only two but the first announced was Cedar City Utah.  I was so excited that I didn't even hear the second. I'll have to find that out.  That announcement put to rest the growing number of rumors that a temple was coming. 

When the announcement was made I experienced a feeling of joy I had never experienced previously.  I have never lived in an area that had a temple announced.  I had experienced joy when Reno was announced as it would mean so much for my dear friends in Carson City.  I lived in Vegas at the time and so it didn't immediately affect me.  Today was a bit different.  We were all excited to hear the announcement and since the announcement was made I have had little moments when I have pondered it and just felt wonderful joy.  It is that warm feeling inside that we all love so much when the Spirit speaks to us and confirms the truth of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, of a living Prophet on the earth and that the work of God is rolling forth. 

I was standing and doing dishes and thought about constructing of church buildings and hearing about those who would labor on them.  How they would work their regular jobs and then go and work on church buildings or other church related projects.  I felt a desire to get started, to hasten the work on the Cedar City Temple.  I know things are a little different today and that opportunity will likely not come exactly as it did for other saints.  Whatever we are asked to do relative to moving this work forward I stand at the ready.