San Diego Temple With Audrey

A couple weeks ago, Audrey texted me and asked if I would join her in the temple as she takes out her endowments. What a wonderful invitation! Temples have been closed for over a year. Even now, the only way to enter is if you are going through for a live ordinance or, in my case, if you are invited to participate in a live endowment session or sealing. Many times over the last year I've been longing to enter the peaceful walls of the temple- to rest, to pray, to seek for answers, and feel the calming influence of the spirit. Tanner and I determined to do whatever it took to be there on Saturday night.

We got home from St. George around 12:30, had about a half an hour to change and get ready, and then a 2 hour drive down to San Diego. But we made it! And it was glorious.

We had the entire place to ourselves and it was so wonderful being there with people who we love and hold so dear to our hearts. 

5 years ago exactly, I asked Audrey to help my mom with the kids while Tanner and I served as "parents" up at Youth Conference. Ever since then, she has been an instrumental part of our family. She enabled Tanner and I to have date nights which strengthened our marriage. She babysat for free whenever we wanted to go to the temple. She easily babysat over night whenever Tanner and I wanted to get away for the weekend. And when I was bleeding and feeling like I was having a miscarriage, she came over and played with the kids, baked cookies, and had a dance party while I drove myself to the hospital. She distracted them enough that they didn't worry about me and I could do what needed to be done at the hospital and not worry about them.

Audrey has served our family with Christ like love and the fact that she is setting such a stellar example for them is paramount to me, as a mother. I am so thankful for her and so happy and proud of her!

I love the temple. I am so grateful that we were able to go inside and reflect on 17 years ago when I took out my endowments and was sealed to Tanner. How thankful I am for those covenants and blessings!

Kim Loudon, Tanner, Me, Paul, Jill, Bro Brown, Audrey, Kathy, her sister and daughter, Tori B. and Shelley (who, ironically, were our "kids" up at Youth Conference and are now returned/future missionaries)