Popular?

Middle school me would have had a hard time believing that one day I'd be one of the popular kids. However, here I am, and I'm part of that elite group in my new ward. Crazy!

I didn't really do anything special to be in the popular group. I just fit the mold: I'm young, I'm educated, I enjoy and have time to read books. I'm even a little bit sporty (ok, ok, all it is is that I run, and that's a newer thing. I'm going to write an update on that soon). Oh yeah. I also have young kids, just like all the other "popular" moms.

I actually feel kind of ridiculous talking about how popular I am.

Anyway, I'm one of those people. They are all nice, kind, and accepting people, but they are the "popular" group and many people in the ward have a hard time feeling like they fit in. Now that I'm in this situation, what am I to do about it?

First things first, let's start with what I have done. I've tried sitting with people in my ward who are not part of the popular group. I really enjoy their company, and they have so many unique talents and experiences. I'm actively trying to get to know everyone in my ward, not just the "popular" ones.

However, this isn't enough. The other "popular" people aren't following my lead. It's kind of funny, because a lot of them are shy or not very outgoing. I think they don't even realize that they're popular! For the situation to change, however, the other "popular" people need to get involved.

One of the things that made it hard for me to fit in when I was younger was that I unwittingly excluded myself from other people and their activities. We didn't share interests, so I thought that they weren't interested in doing things with me. What I didn't understand was that in order to be friends with someone different from you, sometimes you have to put some of your favorite interests on the back burner in order to foster your new friendship.

It's difficult for me to think of activities or conversation starters that don't involve children, books, or a limited amount of exercise. However, the fact of the matter is that there are millions upon millions of people in this world who don't have any interest in even one of those things. If I want to have a well-rounded worldview and include people from many walks of life in my circle of friends--regardless of where I know them from--then I need to learn to branch out, get out of my comfort zone, and take interest in their favorite interests.

Let's not be like Glinda :)

Quack, quack!

Too adorable to not share!

My son the duck :)

When I'm asked about LDS temples

Columbia, SC temple, where I was married

When I received my temple endowments, I was living with a friend who was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She and I also spent a lot of time with some wonderful non-denominational Christian friends who lived in a different unit in our apartment building. All three of our friends  were very passionate in their faith in Jesus Christ and lived accordingly. My roommate and our friends were very supportive of me: When I came back from the temple worthiness interviews with my branch president and my stake president, they asked how I did and if I passed. All were happy to find out that I had passed, even though I had assured them beforehand that I had no qualms about whether I would pass or not. They even got a card for me! I still have it and am filled with warm fuzzies every time I read it and the personal notes they wrote to me in it.

Understandably, my roommate and my other friends were curious about this new thing that I was experiencing, and asked me questions about the temple after I got my endowments. It was a new experience for me, and I wasn't sure how I could sum up my experiences or what was okay to share with them. The answer I gave them was unsatisfactory to me and unsatisfactory to them: "I can't really talk about it." I felt like I had let them down and hadn't given them any idea of how special the temple is. Ever since that time, I have thought about what I should have told them. This post is finally my answer to their questions. I have included links to official statements the Church has made about temples and I've also included some of my personal thoughts and feelings about temples.

I'd like to start with a video showing temples--outside and in--with a beautiful song about feelings experienced inside the temple, put together by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:

Mormon.org has a section on temples and temple work, too.

The FAQs they answer are these:

1. Can a husband and wife be together forever? Do Mormons believe that families will live together in heaven?
2. What are Mormon Temples used for?
3. What is the difference between attending church and the temple?
4. Why are only some Mormons allowed into temples? Is there something secret going on in Mormon Temples? What goes on in Mormon Temples?
5. Why do Mormons perform baptisms for the dead?

Now I'll explain some things that are special about the temple to me. First off, the principles taught in the temple are not new and are not secret. Before entering the temple, I had already learned all the doctrine taught in the temple during my regular church meetings and in my personal study. Both of these methods are open to anyone and everyone, members of the Church or not. On a related note, if I hadn't had the preparation of regular church worship and personal study, the temple would not be a special place to me, and the things taught therein would be empty of meaning.

Second, the temple is a place I make promises to God. I promise to obey his commandments, to devote myself to building up Christ's kingdom on the earth, and to be faithful. It is a wonderful reminder of our promises to God. When I was serving my mission, I cannot tell you how many times I saw members of the Church put their own wants and desires to the side in order to serve Jesus Christ. When I would comment on it or thank them for their service to me, they would just smile and say, "I've been to the temple," meaning that they had made promises in the temple to serve God and they took those promises seriously. Their actions proved their words.

Third, I *love* the feeling of peace that I have as soon as I walk on to temple grounds. I noticed this most at the Las Vegas temple. It was such a contrast from the loud billboards and dirty feeling of the city. The hustle and bustle of a large sprawling city completely disappeared on the temple grounds and in the temple. This was not just because the grounds were immaculate or that each temple is beautiful with lovely flowers and landscaping. Temples really are the house of the Lord, and He dwells there. I feel His presence when I am there. Going to the temple in Las Vegas felt like going home, which was a rich resource of comfort for me during difficult times on my mission.

Las Vegas temple

That is how I wish I had explained the temple to my friends. I hope they see this post and understand a little bit more about temples because of it. For everyone that reads this post, please feel free to share it with any of your friends that would appreciate it.

~Katie

Levi makes funny noises

Levi recently discovered how to make fun and interesting noises by interrupting the air flow from his mouth with his hand. He is SO cute. Observe:

PS the mess in the background is all from Levi. You'd be surprised at how quickly a kid can get a room that messy, if he has enough "toys"!