What the temple means to Emily Burneson

April 6

"I remember an experience that I once had in a department store.  I had two children at the time, an infant and a toddler.  One moment my 3-year-old was by my side, and the next moment he was gone.  I couldn't find him anywhere.  My panic sent me frantically searching up and down the aisles.  I thought I had lost him.  Soon, with the help of other women in the store, Daniel was found hiding inside a circular rack of clothing.  Words cannot describe the complete despair that I felt when I thought that Daniel was gone; nor can I explain fully the joy that I felt when we were reunited.

The work done in temples reunites loved ones and allows them be together as part of an eternal family.  My husband and I have been sealed in the temple through the Holy Spirit of Promise, and our children have been added to our family as part of the covenant we made there.  If we remain faithful to those covenants, our children will not be lost.  They will be ours forever.  I could not imagine spending eternity without every member of my family.  The sealing power of the temple binds us together and allows us to achieve the highest degree of Celestial glory.

It is also in the temple that Heaven and Earth meet.  We are able to symbolically cross through the veil and enter a peaceful place that reminds me of home.  In the Celestial room of the temple, I feel close to my Father in Heaven.  I am able to pour out my soul in prayer and supplication and, with clarity, receive guidance and love from the Lord.  The troubles of the world are left outside.  In the temple, my sights are turned to the path back home to Heavenly Father and my life is better aligned with matters of eternity.

My love for the temple began at a young age.  I remember singing about the temple as a little girl and anxiously awaiting the day that I would enter the House of the Lord.  I remember my first temple trip to the Chicago, Illinois Temple.  The closeness that I felt to deceased loved ones penetrated my heart.  The most joyous moment of my life took place in the St. Louis Temple, where I was joined with my spouse for time and all eternity.  I want all the members of my family, my ancestry and my posterity alike, to have all the blessings of the temple."

(Photo credit to www.rockitimagery.com)

Thank you for sharing your beautiful testimony of what the temple means to you.

I would love to hear from more Temple Chasers.  Please send me your; What the Kansas City Temple means to me!

I'm waiting....

So is everyone else.

Long live Temple Chasing!

Happy Organization Day!

A glorious sunrise on the morning of the organization birthday of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Meeting in the Peter Whitmer home on 6 April 1830, a small group of believers formally organized the Church that had begun to grow based on the truths revealed to a young prophet."
Elder John K. Carmack

And look where we are today.....
A temple in Kansas City....

Like a Fire is Burning...

The Spirit of God, like a Fire is Burning...

The Latter-day Glory...

...begins to come forth.

Amen and Amen.

Finding Joy in the Sunset at the Temple

The month's of January and February can be long and dark in Missouri. Even as I type this post, the "snowstorm of the year" is beginning to unleash in Kansas City.
Finding joy during these circumstances can be difficult.

But beautiful pictures of a sunset on a January evening at the Kansas City Temple definitely cause us to feel joy in these frigid, and trying moments.

These are some of the most exquisite photos of the temple that I've seen.

"Men are, that they might have joy", declared Lehi.

Elder Richard G. Scott taught, "Men are that they might have joy", is a conditional statement:  "they might have joy." It is not conditional for the Lord.  His intent is that each of us finds joy.  It will not be conditional for you as you obey the commandments, have faith in the Master, and do the things that are necessary to have joy here on earth."

He added:  "Make a list of things you can do for happiness, such as":

*Ponder the scriptures to understand the plan of happiness.
*Pray with faith in Jesus Christ.
*Love and serve others.
*Receive the temple ordinances.  Return to bless others. (It's a sign Temple Chasers!!  Go to the Temple!!)
*Listen to the prophet and obey his counsel.
*Be grateful for what you have.
*Smile more.

Elder Scott has so much more to say concerning finding joy.   You can read it here.

I love the light of the sunset shining through the windows of the temple.

In an article in the Nov. 1989 Ensign, President Thomas S. Monson gave insightful analogies of windows and light.

He said, "Windows welcome light to our lives and bring joy to our souls."

To read more of how to "gaze at the beauty seen through the windows He opens, but also to pass through them to the priceless opportunities He provides to bless the lives of others"....go here.

I hope today's trip to the Kansas City Temple will help bring joy into your lives.

Keep on Temple Chasing...

Sighting?

No...the temple location has not been announced...and I'm sure it's not best to speculate. Hey...I'm not speculating...I'm actually out here trying to find the temple!

A storm chaser uses data, information, sightings, maps and all kinds of resources to capture that one opportunity that leads them to new discovery about the nature of storms, how to protect people and property, dramatic footage and new collections of useful data.

Acting on a "tip" (for investigational purposes, of course) last night, I ventured out today in beautiful fall weather to explore another area of the Shoal Creek Development that I had not previously seen...to chase the new temple. I went to the most southern tip, nestled in the corner between I435 and Shoal Creek Parkway. There is the most amazing piece of land, known in the development maps as the "commons". It has easy access to both I435 and Hwy 152 and it is in this corner that the first of the proposed "gates" have begun to be built with it's accompanying round-about. There is a bridge that runs over the Shoal Creek and the land is open and high enough to be seen for miles around.

Who knows...well, besides the First Presidency and the Lord, where the temple will end up being? Eventually my "chase" to find the temple lot will be over. I've been asked if that's all I want to know is... where the temple is? When you find the temple, will you give up chasing? Nope. I believe we should all be chasing the temple...always. Attending the temple should be one of our goals and we should never give up in the chase and search to find time to go, to keep our recommends current, to be prepared for whatever privileges and blessings we may be able to enjoy in one of the Lord's sacred Houses. I have been warned that there might not be a ground-breaking until spring which could very well mean we won't know where the temple will be located until then. It doesn't matter to me...I'm a Temple Chaser...and always will be.

Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Announced

On Saturday Oct. 4th at approx. 11:20 am, I heard the prophet as he announced 5 new temples to be built. As he read through the list I held my breath, almost knowing what he would say...a temple to be built in the "Greater Kansas City area". I erupted. I screamed for my family and I've been shaking ever since.
http://http//newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/church-continues-temple-building-throughout-the-world
Like many people in this area, I felt like my prayers have been answered. I have since felt a deep desire to be involved and have been praying that I might know what I could do show how grateful I am and how I could involve others. Yesterday we read on the church website, where the temple is to be built.

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/temple-announced-for-greater-kansas-city-area

Without giving specifics, the area known as Shoal Creek is a development about 3-5 miles east of my home.

"For the temple serving the greater Kansas City area, the site will be in Clay County, Missouri, on residential land within the Kansas City limits that is already being developed by the Church. The development is known as Shoal Creek."

As for now, we do not know the exact location and we will continue to wait patiently to see where it will be built and what it will look like. In no way, am I claiming to know the exact location yet and I will eagerly wait to know.

I decided to create this blog as a way for me to track, watch and share the progress of the temple. Since the announcement just a few days ago, it has become apparent that I would use the up the available memory of my personal blog rapidly and I came to the idea that my temple posts deserved their own forum.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This blog in no way is affiliated with the Church itself and I do not claim to be an official spokesperson for the Church either. I am not a president nor am I the boss...applesauce. I am a lowly early morning seminary teacher who is just passionate, enthusiastic and grateful that we will soon have a temple so close to home and want to share this experience for my own historical purposes as well as with my friends, family and anyone who else is interested. I needed an outlet for this overwhelming feeling and desire to be involved in the process of documenting the progress of this temple being built. I am by no means a computer genius, nor do I profess to know all about the world of blogging. I can assure you that I will make mistakes and begin apologizing now for my grammar and spelling. I am by no means, a literary genius. I'm sure there are many who are more qualified and could certainly do more justice to the journey I'm about to take. I will update as frequently as possible and will undoubtedly make changes to this blog as I learn more and progress with my mad blogging skills. My ultimate dream would be to assist in decorating the interior of a temple. I will be satisfied with being able to take my amateur photos and post them for my future posterity. Please feel free to leave comments. I realize this may open myself up for hostilities and will adjust the security of the blog as I feel needed.

I have always been drawn to the Shoal Creek area and frequently take drives there during the day to be inspired by great architecture and scenery. Since yesterday, I've been there twice and have taken many photos of portions of the development and it's surrounding areas. I've also researched online and found many useful maps and articles that will assist others in becoming familiar with this soon to be busy, busy area.

http://www.shoalcreekvalley.info/local.htm

http://www.shoalcreekvalleydev.com/commercial/

http://www.ingramsonline.com/November_2001/Feature4_Shoal%20creek/feat4_ShoalCreek.htm

What I can tell you, is what I know. The Shoal Creek Valley Development is beautiful and currently under construction in many areas. It is everything you would imagine a location of a temple to be. There are some residential subdivisions with beautiful homes, there is convenient shopping and yet still wide open spaces. Much of the land is covered in large bales of hay or grazing cattle.

There is even in fact, a hill where from the top you can see the skyline of downtown Kansas City as well as the far surrounding areas, including the RLDS or Community of Christ temple in Independence. It is truly a breathtaking view and unique to Kansas City where there aren't many high vistas from which to see far around. In this area of the world, we have people who actually monitor storms and tornadoes. They are called "storm chasers". I have dubbed myself a "temple chaser".