This was probably one of the coolest experiences of my life. We have a family in the ward that I have been working a lot with through service projects, visits, etc. that is really cool. They were foster parents to two sets of siblings and later went on to adopt all four children. Early in December, they were able to go to the temple to be sealed as an eternal family and I was lucky enough to be invited.
A couple of days before the sealing, I talked to them and they reminded me of the time and place and everything was ready to go. The day of, I got ready, took Jeremy up to Grandma's house, and drove down to the Bountiful temple for the sealing. The sealing was to take place at 1:00, and I arrived, as told, promptly at 12:30. The temple parking lot was packed that day, being a Saturday, and I was forced to park in one of the very furthest stalls from the doors. I got into the waiting room and found it completely empty! I thought for sure that there would be someone there that I recognized, so I asked one of the temple workers if they had already taken the guests inside. That's when it started to go downhill... They had no record of the Marbles being sealed that day, at that time, in that temple. After consulting with a few other temple workers, I was told to go down to the desk and ask them if it was perhaps taking place at another temple. I was so sure that it was Bountiful...
Knowing the Bishop was going to be there, I sent him a text asking where it was taking place while the woman at the desk looked into any other possible locations. Right at the same time my pocket vibrated with the Bishop's response, the woman said, "Um, it's in the Salt Lake temple. It doesn't start until 1:00 so you might make it, if you hurry..." It was 12:40. So I literally RAN down the length of the parking lot, jumped in the truck, and pulled out of the parking lot. It was then that I had this conflict in my mind: "Should I go? I won't make it. I tried, right? That's all that counts." vs. "You know where you're supposed to be today. You'll make it." So I took a right, and sped down Bountiful Boulevard.
I figured that this would be the best route, as there are only a couple of stop signs and no lights until getting on the freeway. I confess that I didn't come anywhere near the speed limit, but thankfully there were very few cars. As I came down the hill towards the light to get on the freeway, the miracles started happening. As I approached the red light, it turned green and I went straight through to Beck Street. Looking down the road, the light was red again... and immediately turned green just as I was about to apply the brakes to slow down. The same for the next light as well! So I'm now up by the capitol, in shock at the miracle of the green lights, when I see my next dilemma: where am I going to park? Being a Saturday, Temple Square was PACKED with people...
I hit yet another green light, and head down the road, passing car after car after car, all parking spots full. I was just giving up hope of making it, as it was now 12:55, and I was on the east side of the Conference Center about to reach North Temple, when there it was! An open parking spot was waiting for me, the second from the last, right next to North Temple, big enough for me to pull right in! I jumped out of the car, still in SHOCK, and hurried across the street to the temple. It's now around 12:59 when I reach an elderly man directing wedding guests. I told him where I was heading and he directed me towards the waiting room.
As I reached the room where guests remove their shoes, a woman was further directing guests and asked what sealing I was going to. When I told her the name "Marble" she told me to just leave my shoes in the hall, that she'd put them away for me, and to RUN! I didn't really feel comfortable running, so I walked quickly down the hall and into the waiting room, where the Bishop and his wife were sitting, looking at me with a mixture of shock, awe, and admiration. I had made it! I was several minutes late, but I'd made it none-the-less.
The sealing was so wonderful and it was such an honor to be there witnessing this family become united for eternity. After the sealing was complete, I went up to greet the family and told them briefly of my adventure. That's when the cherry was placed on top: I was late. I should have missed the sealing, even with all of my green lights and epic parking spot. The reason I'd made it? The family told me that the man performing the sealing had gotten a bloody nose at the last minute, pushing everything back 15 minutes.
I'm so glad I listened to my heart and was where I was supposed to be that day. Nothing short of miraculous events brought me to that sealing in time. Just goes to show that when we do our part, and everything in our power, the Lord makes up the difference and makes the impossible possible.
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