We went to the temple this afternoon..........we have never lived this close to a temple in our whole lives except for the three years we were in Provo going to school............and here we are in Alabama!!!! Whoever would have thought!?!?!?!??? This was our first time inside one of the "small" temples.........it's beautiful. And while the building is a bit diminutive, the Spirit is not! I have always been afraid that it wouldn't feel like a temple.........but it does!! And I'm so thankful for that! And oh!!! so neat to be there with the missionaries!! We entered, and immediately to the right of the recommend desk is the baptistry......the font is there below ground level, but certainly not in a "basement". The sisters make an immediate "left" while the brothers can make a more leisurely left into the dressing rooms. I think there were 13 dressing stalls with two tall skinny lockers and four short skinny lockers--and one "shelf" along the wall where they had clothing for the missionaries who don't have their own. Two new name booths, but you go through the one to get to the other........three steps across the hall and you are in the ordinance room! I heard the Elders say yesterday "with the chairs" it will hold 48 people. We had about 43 people today........they took out the chairs on one side of the isle. There are two ordinance rooms.......like in Brigham City and Draper--I think......... Exit to the front and enter the terrestrial room.........through the veil in the front, then through a door into the celestial room. All very compact. Every inch used. Simply beautiful. And huge on Spirit. It was lovely!!! And 30 minutes away if there is light traffic. Wonderful!!!!!!

They came and took the fans out of "my" room this morning............it still smells horrible............ and there are a few books I don't feel we can give to investigators. I don't know what we are going to do with them. Maybe if some of the missionaries want them............. But I'm learning that you use only the best to represent the Church.......well, really, as a representative of the Lord you would want to use only the best.

I'll have some pictures on Thursday.........we get to have another session at the temple............