Angels Among Us

We had the great privilege of going to the temple four days this week. One can always find angels at the temple, and the Memphis Tennessee Temple is no exception. 

On Tuesday several of the large family that was baptized went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. The group included some of the grandchildren, and the youngest of the three daughters. She's the one who just had the preemie baby. She was so excited to go with the kids. When she got there, both missionaries that baptized the family were there as a surprise. Neither are serving in the city of Memphis now so it was a real treat for them both to be there. Everyone cried. I'm sure this is what Heaven will be like—every angel there so full of love for the Savior and each other. 

On Wednesday we served in the temple as ordinance workers. It was wonderful as usual. We will be gone next month, and I didn't get to say good-bye to one of the West Memphis workers. She only serves once a month, so our mission will be finished before she comes again. I was sad, but I phoned her and wished her well.

 

Friday we took the grandmother of the large family that was baptized to the temple. It was a beautiful afternoon, and we had a wonderful visit on the way there. When we got into the waiting room to sit and feel the Spirit, we began to whisper about her grandchildren. One of them (11-year-old boy) doesn't have church shoes. He wears his older cousin's (a girl) work shoes. Another one of  the boys (12-year-old) had to wear his grandmother's slacks to pass the Sacrament. We talked about going to Goodwill after a ward baptism that night to shop. 

Then we got up and walked around the temple grounds and admired the beauty and peacefulness of the place. When we got back to the front door, a blind lady who had been sitting in the waiting room, stopped us. "I didn't mean to eaves drop," she said. "But I'm blind so I hear things very well." She pushed a couple of bills into Grandmother's hands. "Let me help buy the boys' things."

Grandmother began to cry as she thanked her. "What an angel you are." 

We explained a little about the family—a grandmother, three daughters and eleven children.  We visited a few minutes and thanked her again. We took a few more pictures, and were about to leave.

Here came the blind lady again. "I just had to give you more money for all the other children," she said. This time she pressed a big bill into Grandmother's hand. 

Grandmother was crying before, but now she was really crying. "You are an angel. What a blessing," she kept saying. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

You see there really are angels among us.

On Saturday we took another of our recent converts to the temple. She has had a hip replacement, and has had trouble giving up her cigarettes. She wanted to be in the temple waiting room to help motivate her to quit. We again enjoyed the beauty of the moment and that sacred spot. Ward members, all dressed in white because of a wedding, were there to welcome us. More angels.

My little West Memphis worker (another angel) happened to come to the temple with her husband for a session so I got to give her an in-person hug. God provides even the smallest blessings just to let us know He's always there. "Daily miracles," as President Eying called them. Enriching our lives in so many ways that sometimes we don't stop to count them.

Angels surround the temple and bless our lives.