bobanddenisewanderlust

Sat.–Sun- Mon.- All quiet days at work. Busy, but not too busy.

Tuesday- We did our usual bills, I sent off another article, and went to Mahjongg. We went to lunch, then shopping. Arrived home at just before 2, took naps. and enjoyed the 80 degree weather!

Wednesday-  We left the motor home around 11 AM and drove to Gilbert AZ. Our destination was the new Mormon Temple. We had planned to go to the Red Lobster for lunch, but it took us to long to get there. So we quickly changed to In-n-Out burger, but the line was way too long, so we settled on Jimmy Johns subs. The subs were pretty good and they were fast. We arrived at the Temple and easily found a parking place. Below is the view of the front of the Temple. We stood in line and that continued for quite awhile. We had reservations for 1 PM.

The live moved along and we finally ended the building below. The volunteers herded us into various class rooms. They showed us a short movie on the building of the Temple and Mormons in Arizona.

Then we were herded along again to the Temple. We did not expect such long lines. Someone in line said they had over 500K reservations, and that did not count the walk ups. We were very lucky in getting a parking place, as many people had to walk a long distance to get into the line.

No pictures were allowed inside, but there are pictures on the internet if you are interested. 

In the 1860’s and 1870’s, members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made some of the first efforts to develop the barren deserts of southern Arizona. Later many Mormons who had settled in Mexico fled to the town of Gilbert during the Mexican Revolution. The Mormons initially held Sunday worship service in Gilbert Elementary School and in 1918 a congregation officially organized. A new chapel, the first in the town, was completed  in 1919. Ground was broken for this Temple in 2010. It is 85,000 sq. ft,. and the largest temple the Mormons have built in 17 years.. It is also the largest in Arizona.  The spire reaches 195 ft. and is the tallest building in Gilbert. The Gilbert Arizona Temple will be the 142nd operating temple of the Church worldwide.

The detailed outside features high quality concrete and stone accentuated with beautifully crafted art glass windows.  Inside there is a lot of marble and white carpeting.  The motif inside is of the native agave plan and is used throughout the Temple to signify the influence of one generation on another. The agave’s lower , older leaves create impressions on the upper leaves, just as ancestors’ legacies leave an impression on the generations to follow. The interlinked agave leaf patterns symbolize the external nature of marriage and family.

The tour started by volunteers putting surgical booties on our shoes. We went in the door and downstairs to the baptismal font. The marble font rests on the backs of twelve oxen symbolically representing the twelve tribes of Israel. We walked through the men’s changing room.. Everyone who enters the temple, after the consecration, must wear white, which symbolizes purity, cleanliness, and the setting aside of things of the world.

We also toured meeting rooms and the Celestial Room, which had the most beautiful  chandelier ( must have been Tiffany) that sparkles in the sunlight coming into the room . ( Glad I don’t have to clean it!!!).This room symbolizes life as eternal families. 

Once we finished the tour we raced back to the RV park. Bob had his orientation to the woodworking shop. At 5 we went to the ballroom for a dinner, cooked by Fat Freddie’s. It was beef stroganoff and was not the greatest food. We won’t do that again.

We returned and watched some of our Dexter DVD, season 8, the last season.

Thursday and Friday were quiet days at work. Bob used the wood working shop to make new tire ramps for the motor home. Our old ones have deteriorated. They don’t owe us anything, as they are 7 years old!

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