Temple Groundbreaking

We are so excited for the new temple in Saratoga Springs. Shantel and I really feel like it is a unique opportunity to help our kids become connected to the temple. We feel so grateful to have a temple built near our home. We just found out that we will be part of the Saratoga Springs temple district. We were invited to go to the temple groundbreaking broadcast at the church. Right before general conference we decided that we would go take a picture of where the temple will be built and go back every 6 months to check on the progress. We had a family home evening lesson and talked about the new temple and then headed out to the temple site (we hope!). It was very windy and cold, but we ran out for a quick picture. We are grateful for this opportunity.

A few weeks later was the broadcast of the groundbreaking. Shantel took Lydia and Lucy to the church to watch and had such a great experience. Lydia even made a book about the new temple while they were there. One thing that I think was so impactful for Shantel was living so close to the Manti temple and seeing it every day growing up. I hope that we can make the temple a keystone for our children as well.

Here is what Lydia had to say about the groundbreaking: "I made a book about the new temple."

Shantel posted her feelings on Instagram, and I'll copy it here: 

Lydia, Lucy, and I got to go to the new Saratoga Springs Temple groundbreaking (broadcast) this morning. One of the speakers spoke to my heart. He talked about how we may wish that we could build the temple with our hands, or be an integral part of the building process (making me think of the pioneers who labored with their might and sacrificed things like their treasured China to break up and put in the plaster to add to the majesty of the temple) but that our role is different now. He invited us to have a personal and spiritual groundbreaking in the soil of our hearts so that as this temple is being built, we can also be building ourselves a Temple Life. My thoughts travel to a story my Mother-in-law tells about the building of the Jordan River Temple. They were young and poor, barely making ends meet, but had decided that it was important to them for their children to take piano lessons. They had been saving a small amount each month(basically their only savings) for a piano. When the Jordan River Temple was being built, their Bishop called them in and asked them if they would donate a certain amount of money for the building of the temple. Exactly the amount that they had in their piano savings account. They faithfully gave that money knowing that they would not be able to buy a piano, but also giving with gratitude that they COULD give because without that savings they wouldn't have been able to. The Lord knew exactly the amount and what their sacrifice would be. Several years later, and still no piano, Sue's parents decided that they needed a a piano more than they did and they sacrificed their own instrument so that their grandchildren could have lessons. That Piano has now been passed to us and Lydia is learning to play on those very same keys. .
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Faith. A Temple. Building a life centered around Christ.
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Feeling excited to be in the temple district of this very special temple and even though we haven't been asked to sacrifice in the same way that others have, I'm feeling the need for a tiny shovel to start the groundbreaking in my heart.