"Did you burn your nylons?"

I was reading in Isaiah this morning and thought about that question. (Bear with me, and I'll make the connection.) Funny question. Funnier that so many people are interested, but after 3 years in dresses, closed toed shoes and nylons, people have been asking. And while I didn't have an official-nylon-burning ceremony, it was wonderful to toss most of them into the trash and snug back into my jeans and t-shirts with absolutely no socks at all, my toes finally set free to get reacquainted with the carpet, grass, sidewalk and anywhere I want to wander. But I didn't get rid of all my nylons and still make occasion to wear them; most notably to the temple*.

At general conference, 5 new temples were announced. As always, it was thrilling, especially when the Tijuana temple was mentioned and there was a noticeable murmur of approval in the conference center congregation. Temples are coming closer to every people. I love that I can drop Jeffrey off at school and then be in the temple in 15 minutes. It's wonderful to go and see the parking lot full, the halls packed yet reverent. I just love that I can make the temple a regular part of my week. But with more and more temples, and more opportunities to be in them, I don't ever want that experience to become common.

In our world there are many people who hold nothing sacred and almost nothing is sacred to everyone. Temples are different. Temples are sacred for my people as are the things associated with them: our relationship with Christ, marriage, family, covenants with God. (To better understand our belief of temples, visit this link or just ask me.) Attending the temple represents the pinnacle of my worship of, dedication to, and love for Jesus Christ. It is the closest I come to Him. I want to feel the difference when I walk through that door-every time. And so, I want to make those occasions when I go 'holy', set apart, or in other words, sacred.

The beginning of this post started out light hearted enough, but it's turning into something else. And I don't want to be disrespectful with a topic so important to me and to many others by the associations I'm making.  I do want to point out that there are things I deliberately choose to do to help make preparing and going to the temple something special, something different. I wear my best Sunday clothes, including my nylons. It's not that I think everybody should do it or it's wrong to go if you don't have the 'right' clothes, but it's something for me. There are certainly other ways that I prepare myself to attend, but it's these types of conscious choices that help set the tone for me, that help me say to myself, this is not an ordinary thing you are about to do. This is extra-ordinary.  After all, it is the fulfillment of prophesy. And that is the connection back to Isaiah, who prophesied about temples in our day, or the mountain of the Lord, and standing in Holy places.

Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the ^alast days, that the ^bmountain of theLord’s ^chouse shall be ^destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all ^enations shall flow unto it.
3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ^ago up to the^bmountain of the Lord, to the ^chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will^dteach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of ^eZion shall go forth the ^flaw, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

(*or for a baptism or taking the sacrament-anywhere a sacred ordinance is being performed)