Instant gratification or eternal salvation?

June 26, 2009
One of my friends invited Pearl and I to go with her and some other friends to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house today followed by a picnic at her house. Minus the hour drive, I was really excited for a fun girl's outing that would hopefully give me some brownie points in terms of motherhood duties to teach my child about Jesus and Heavenly Father. Hmmm... the problem was I wasn't sure if Pearl knew what a temple was or how to explain what this special building was to her. Thank heavens she does know who Jesus is, well at least in pictures, so I must have done at least one thing right. I told her it was Jesus' house and that seemed to be a good enough explanation for her - that and the fact that I promised her there would be cookies at the end of the tour. I think it's the only reason she made it up and down all the stairs, past the "swimming pool with the cows" (baptismal font), through the "nursery room" (waiting room for children who are being sealed to their parents) and absolutely gorgeous hallways, up and down the elevators (we had two other kids in strollers), and by all the pictures of Jesus. Come cookie time, Pearl could hardly wait! She was so mad when I took it away in an ill-fated attempt to have our picture taken. We didn't get a single picture of the two of us both looking at the camera, eyes open, and smiling. Oh well, this one of Pearl eating her cookie is much cuter anyway!