ADDITION TO OUR TEMPLE POST

Janna Rogers, temple worker

"And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it.

"Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God."

Doctrine and Covenants 97:15-16

Every time I sit at the front of a session and look out at the patrons, I realize that nobody is making these people come to the temple; they are here because they want to be here.  They qualify to be here.  They know where to come as they seek answers, comfort and inspiration.

More and more often we're getting these little mountain people (around 4 ft. tall, hair braided and down beyond their waist) who tell me they cannot read.  I always explain the name of the person for whom they are proxy, and make sure they know the two names they will use.  My hands seem to swallow theirs, so I have to be careful.  I always defer to them and treat them with the utmost respect.  Most of the men get the shortest pants the temple has and they still have to roll up the cuffs (or walk on them).  Frequently the ceremonial clothing is way too long for them and we have to jack it up somehow.  But they have made a great effort to come to the temple and we, likewise, will make a great effort to see that they are comfortable and have a good temple experience so they will feel the Spirit and have the desire to return as often as they can.  I realize, too, that this temple is still somewhat of a novelty for the older generation.  They take it seriously.  It was dedicated exactly 30 years ago.  The newer generation is simply growing up with the temple here, so it's easier to take for granted. The closest temple for many of the older generation would have been the Los Angeles Temple or maybe one in Central America.  They realize that to have a temple right here in Lima is a gift from God.  I don't doubt that many of them are the pure in heart as described in the scripture above.