Fukuoka Japan Nov. 11, 2014

Joyze (or actually currently Curtis Shamai) was able to attend the Japan Fukuoka Japan.

Here is her comments directly from her letter:
"Then Saturday we went to the TEMPLE! :):):):):):)
Man that trip came JUST in the right time. I really felt SO much better. I love the temple :) I have been thinking about how God has created the whole earth and has SO many children, and yet He cares about each of us individually. He listens to each prayer. Wow. thats a lot of love ya know! :) He really cares for each of us. I am so grateful for that knowledge. I really would be so lonely and so sad without prayer. I love prayer."

What a wonderful blessing for these missionaries, when they have a temple in their mission and are able to attend and feel the special spirit that the Temple brings.

Louisville Kentucky #76

Dedicated: Mar 19, 2000
By: Thomas S Monson

Jon & I had our first chance in September 2014, to go visit Justin and Camille Steven's family in Kentucky. One of the highlights for us (besides seeing them all of course) was to go to the Louisville Kentucky Temple together. It is so nice for them to have a Temple so close to them.

It was so nice that they were able to arrange their schedules that we could go and visit there together.

Beautiful place, wonderful people, special spirit!!

Mesa Arizona Temple #7

Dedicated: Oct 23, 1927
By: Heber J Grant

Temples Around the World!

It is amazing to see the growth of Temples going on around the world.

I was just doing a bit of figuring, when I was born there were only 12 Temples on the earth. The Mesa temple was one of them - I was really blessed to be born in the shadow of a Temple all of my life!  Reminds me of my Grandmother Susie Wade's wish that made them move from Texas to Mesa. She was known to say that she would rather live in a tent by the shade of a Temple that to live someplace where there was no temple. She felt strongly about the blessings that a Temple brings to our lives. I am so thankful to a grandmother who desired to live near one, to have it's constant influence in our lives.

Someone recently made the comment (can't remember who - sorry) that with each temple brings more of the light of the Lord to the world and enrages Satan because it lessens his hold on the hearts of men. What a wonderful moment when each temple is completed, dedicated and opened. May we always follow the light that the temples bring to our lives.

Going on with my life journey - I was blessed in 1974 to be able to help my Uncle Ray Ivie install the new audio/video technology into the Mesa Temple. I remember as a youth being able to wander through that special building. I also well remember every Easter Sunday was spent with significant time walking around the Temple grounds, usually after an early morning Sunrise Easter Pageant. How blessed I am to have many memories tied tightly to the Temple.

There were still only 17 temples around the world when I was married in the Mesa Temple. I am so glad to see there are now so many places and people that can be blessed to live by shade of a Temple. That they like myself can be filled with the light of the Lord, lighting their path to the temple and to their eternal home.

Here is a link to the church site of the temples around the world
Temples Around the World

As of the date of this writing there is now 144 operating temples in the world with another 26 under construction or announced. What an exciting time to live!

St. George Utah Temple #1

Dedicated o April 6, 1877
By: Daniel H Wells

Temple Goal - help please!!

Back in 1993 I set a goal, we took a trip to San Diego with our family and toured the San Diego Temple during the Open House. It was a trip I clearly remember and loved. I set a goal as I walked through that wonderful building and house of the Lord. I wanted to go and visit every Temple in the world. At that time in 1993 there were only 45 operating Temples so this goal seemed quite possible. (It had taken the church 116 year to open the past 45 operating temples from St George in April 1877 to San Diego in April 1993)


A few years later about 1996 or 1997 Jenelle and I were discussing Temples. She set the goal to visit all the Temples while I was reminded and reaffirmed my goal. At that time there were still only about 50 temples - still quite doable.  I even started a notebook/memory book to keep track of the temples we visited.  Then shortly thereafter came the famous temple announcement and challenge by President Hinckley to build and have 100 operating temples by 2000. A goal the church hit with 102 dedicated operating temples on Dec 17, 2000 with the Porto Alegre Brazil Temple.

Today (Nov 16, 2014) as I sat in the in the dedication of the Phoenix Temple. I was reminded of my goal - I still want to do it but I realize that I need to modify my goal a bit and call upon all of our posterity to help me. So now my goal is to have my posterity to help me visit all of the Temples of the World. I hope that as the Temple numbers grow that our posterity will also grow and help us to reach out to every temple!

This blog is my new way for us to document our progress.  Please help me!!!  Please take the time to visit every temple you have an opportunity to go to. Take pictures and add your memories to this blog to record our progress.