Comments on: Poll – Top Things that Interfere with Regular Temple Attendance?

By: Martha

Martha — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:55:46 +0000

I have enjoyed reading the comments today, even though most are a few months old. I teach Gospel Doctrine and this week’s lesson is on coming to the House of the Lord.
I was inactive after high school for a few years and when I started to go back to Church, I felt as though I would never be worthy enough to go to the Temple again. I had gone as a youth and also had been sealed to my parents when I was a young child. For quite a few years, I felt like my situation was hopeless, and then through the diligence and patience of a wonderful Branch Pres., I was able to overcome challenges. Don’t let me forget, also a Priesthood blessing.
I love the temple and go as often as I can. I live 5 hours from the DC temple, which can be a real challenge to attend on account of the surrounding traffic. It is one of the most beautiful temples, however. (I’m biased )
The Raleigh temple in NC is less than 3 hours from me and so me and some of the other RS sisters go more frequently there. We definitely have to prepare to go because we have to make appointments to attend there, we cannot just show up like at some of the larger temples, and if we wait too long to prepare, the sessions are full.
I think the Lord understands especially the mothers of young children. That, to me, has to be the hardest time to find to go to the temple. But stay worthy, keep an active temple recommend, and one day, those children will be older and you will be able to manage your time a little better. Still not easy, but more doable.
I am so thankful for all the temples we have and still hope for one closer to where I live, but in order to have one built, I need to keep going and encourage others to do so. Good luck to everyone!

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:24:07 +0000

Well for me, I have a busy week. I work a 9 to 5 volunteer job for the Red Cross as a AmeriCorps VISTA worker. I know I am doing good work their and my first time at the Temple, as I went about three ago. I actually took a day off from work. Now it’s not that I don’t want to go, I do. But it’s just finding the time to go. I get home from work and the first thing I end up doing is falling asleep. My only free days are Saturdays and Sundays and it’s hard to find any time to do it. Although I know the Temple is calling me back as I had a really profound dream this morning about going.

By: Allison

Allison — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:01:27 +0000

Nursing babies is the hardest for me. I have had 9 children in 16 years so the temple has been hard to get to at times. I now take one of my older children with me and they stay in the foyer with the baby while I go through a session.

By: Diana Fischer

Diana Fischer — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:27:53 +0000

I think one important thing to remember is to not judge others. Everybody’s life is different, and really it comes down to individual circumstances. It’s like the widow and the mite. She gave what she could, as small as it was and in the Lord’s eyes, it was more than the rich that gave hundreds more than her. We have to look inside ourselves to know what we can do and where we can improve. It’s the spirit of the law. It’s not like Heavenly Father is going to say when we get to heaven, “Did you attend the temple at least X amount of times?” People with many small children will probably find it harder to attend as often as a retired couple with less dependents relying on them for daily needs. I believe that is why the apostles preach to just improve ourselves and make a better effort, not specific requirements. Anyway, just some thoughts!

By: dale

dale — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:47:43 +0000

As an excommunicated and divorced member, I do not have a temple recommend nor some body to go with. My testimony of temples is, however, undimmed. My father in law would ask young couples in the sealing room, if they would go to the temple as often as he did. Undaunted, many would commit, finally realizing that he was not asking them to spend their days in the temple as he did, but to go at every opportunity. Many retired couples, gather in their last days to live closeby the temple, so they can be regular attenders and workers. There is a time, for sure, but where is your heart?

You may not have a special experieince every time you go there, but you will have special experiences there. So you get to choose whether you have such experiences often or by the decade. If it takes 3 hours driving to get to the temple, then you slice your investment by doing two sessions instead of just one. If you want to do other work, they most often can accomodate. Temples brought my grandmother from her Swiss Alps and temples will bring her grandson back to it’s granite walls.

By: elizabeth

elizabeth — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:22:05 +0000

If doesn’t get on my calendar, I don’t go. I have to put it into the schedule months ahead. I work 3 days a week, so I try to go every other Friday AM after I take the kids to school. But the month it isn’t penciled in, it gets filled with other stuff. There is a temple in our city, so it isn’t like I’m driving for hours to get there.
I do think there are times in our lives when we are better able to go–like Pat, for example. My guess is when I’m not busy raising little kids, volunteering in classrooms weekly, etc, my time will be more discretionary to go more. My parents serve weekly in the temple–something they weren’t able to do when I was little b/c the temple was an overnight’s stay away.
I imagine it is harder when you have two schedules to work in. My husband isn’t a member so I’m just going on my own time, not needing to go when he can go, etc. Sometimes I go with women from my ward, but really, I prefer to just go by myself. I pay better attention.

By: Eunice Robertson

Eunice Robertson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:11:35 +0000

I live in KwaZulu Natal, here in South Africa. Our temple is in Johannesburg, a 6 hour drive away. We, as a ward, go to the temple once a year, and we look forward all year to that trip. There are not that many active members in our ward, yet almost every active member is on that bus when we leave to go. We have just come back from a very productive (as far as names carried and ordinances done) and spiritual trip, and are already looking forward to the next one. we are also looking forward to having a temple closer to us in the next few years. I must admit that when we have been to the temple sometimes, that I have noticed very low numbers of local people. What the problem is, I do not know.

By: Bryce Haymond

Bryce Haymond — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:55:26 +0000

That could have fallen under “transportation problems.” Thanks for taking the poll!

By: Bro. Jones

Bro. Jones — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:40:43 +0000

Checked “other”: traffic. Even though we’re only about 25 miles from the DC temple, on a good day that’s an hour one-way in traffic, and closer to two on a bad day. So 2-4 hours transit time, 3-4 hours temple time, plus 1 hour getting something to eat–that’s a full day right there. Just not possible to do on a weekeday.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:33:05 +0000

Stephanie, you are an inspiration! Well done for your consecration, that is such a good lesson you relate in putting the important things first! Thank you for sharing.