My visiting teachers came over, I still let them come and go myself because I like the people, and being NOM and not able to leave just yet, it is better than having them wonder why I won't let them come..so I put up with it for now.

Anyway, back on topic--our family has planned a rather long and expensive vacation that has been saved for, for quite some time. Everyone is excited about this. After discussing it while my visiting teachers were here--one had been there before and had quite a bit to tell me about it, the other asked if we'd be attending the temple while we were there. I assume because the monthly subject matter was about temples that is why she asked but I've heard of mormons who spend their vacations at various temples. Based on the sheer amount of money we've put into this, there is no way in hell I'd take one of our vacation days just to go to the temple even if we did have recommends. She then talked about a new temple going up in the area and how she has family there and now there is a temple there she will go visit her family. Really? You wouldn't just visit your family anyway? A temple has to be there? Anyway, my response to her was, depends on how busy we are (we are booked completely, every day).

Anyone else have any similar stories to add? Do you know families who go on vacation to temples? My dh said he knew a family that would drive from Louisiana to Texas and lock their kids in a hotel room so they could spend the day at the temple--and that was their family vacation every year.

A family from my ward was moving to Germany for a few months for the father's job. The mom got up in SM and talked about how she had been really excited about the family spending this time in Europe and she had started planning all the things they could do on the weekends to make the most of their time in Europe. Then she said she was reminded of her covenants and was now looking forward to all the time she would be spending at church. Even as a believer at the time, I thought it incredibly sad.

DH and one of his mission companions, when they returned from their mission, went to a session at every temple in Utah at that time. DH still thinks it was pretty cool.

I think sidelining the kids to spend the day in the temple is horrible. That family your DH knew has some serious problems with their priorities.

My dh is full of crazy Mormon stories, LOL, that's part of what has kept him from becoming an uber-TBM. :)

CA girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
...
> I think sidelining the kids to spend the day in
> the temple is horrible. That family your DH knew
> has some serious problems with their priorities.
********************************************************************
I'm wondering how old the kids are. Are they old enough
to be left alone in a hotel room?
That could be construed as child neglect!
People have gone to jail for less.

We had some friends who traveled the world, keeping count of all the temples they visited. Then they would show everyone their pictures. "This is the temple in Switzerland. This is the temple in England. This is the temple in Brazil."

Of course they had "funny" stories to accompany the pictures. "Someone accidentally took my coat in the Washington, DC temple because it looked just like hers. It was a miracle I got mine back." I wanted to poke my eyes out with a blunt stick when I had to see their pictures.

In some weird kind of way they were snooty about letting everyone know they have been to more temples than everyone else like there is some kind of competition. They thought everyone was so envious of their travels. What a waste of time and lost opportunity.

Nothing that bad, but years ago we went to California on vacation, me, TBM sister and Mom. We stayed with a relative in Long Beach, went to Disneyland, the beach, Universal Studios, Graham's Chinese Theater and then took a trip to San Diego and Tijuana. We saw Seaworld and a number of the Spanish Missions. The TBMs insisted we visit the San Diego Temple which is not that great and oohed and awed over it commenting on how special it was and how much better kept it was than the missions. We actually met some people there from our small Utah town who were doing their own oohing and awing. I was sooo bored.All the cool things to see and that is what they wanted to see.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2011 10:26PM by bona dea.

one movie theater to another to watch the same movie.
Heck with the new McTemples, even the decor is the same so why bother. Now with the old temples, just to view the interior architecture, i.e. Manti, SL, LA and such was worth the visit, but sitting in a small movie theater, like the ones they have in airports is kind of silly.

We just saw the outside and visitors center. What a waste.At least we didn't make a long trip just to see it, but I would still have preferred to see or do just about anything else.

I have since been to Rome a few times and it is one of my favorite cities. If I took these two with me, the Rome temple, built or not, would be on their list and if they had to choose between that and the Forum or Vatican, it wouldn't even be a contest.If the temple were finished, it would be more impressive than St Peters or anything else. Okaaaay?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2011 10:29PM by bona dea.

When we visited my husband's relative in Utah, years ago, we naturally took the opportunity of 'going through' the St George temple (more than once, IIRC) and the Salt Lake one.Both TBMs at the time, so it seemed a great thing to do.

And it was interesting. The St George temple patrons were mostly women in at least, their seventies. The live endowment in SL was astonishing with Adam and Eve and Satan played by doddery old folk.

Each time we went through my husband and I were asked to be the witness couple. In fact, in all our years of temple going we were asked to be the witness couple more often than not.

At least we also did lots of travelling so temple attendance wasn't the dominant part of the trip. The polygamists in the local Walmart were far more interesting than the church sites actually

Bona Dea - anything in Rome has got to be a better sight than an LDS temple. Any little side street will be a better experience, dont you think?

Absolutely. Our crumy hotel was probably a better experience as was the train station. LOL

I do know the Chicago Temple is closed for a summer break July 17-31. Other temples do this too. Someone mentioned to me on another forum that almost 25% of the temples are only open by appointment. That speaks volumes to me.

We were on vacation in Chicago at the time. I remember thinking, based on what my mom was saying, that my cousin was interested in the church and that maybe she would join. Lol she is agnostic too now. Her mom wouldn't have let her join in a million years.

We did a family vacation of genealogy. We drove through different towns, stopped at cemeteries, and stopped look through city records. We even bothered a lady in her home. Her home happened to be built on a very very small cemetery. Gotta do the genealogy so the temple work can be done.

My parents are those kind that would go visit the temple on vacation.

My current ward encompasses an extremely large international airport, and we have visitors every week who come during their flights lay-overs! Then they always talk about how they are so grateful that they were able to come take the sacrament while they are out of town... they would just feel so wrong going a week without it!

Do you have especially tasty bread?