Brigham City Temple and Nursing

On October 3, 2009 Kim and I were watching General Conference when we were startled by the announcement that Brigham City, Utah would be the site of a brand-new temple! I’ll never forget the excitement that I felt when I heard that there was going to be temple built in our very own, beautiful city! Of course, at that time we didn’t know where in the city or exactly when it was going to be built. I was smack in the middle of finishing up my general education classes so that I could start
applying to nursing schools.

Fast forward to July, 2010. A general meeting was called in which it was announced that the groundbreaking for the temple would be on July 31 of that year and the anticipated completion date would be May or June of 2012. I was so excited when I realized that those dates corresponded perfectly with my nursing degree. By this time I had been accepted and knew that I was to start the nursing program in August of 2010. My graduation date would be May 2012. “How wonderful!” I thought, “I will be able to measure my school progress every day as I drive past the temple. I will be able to gauge how far I have come by watching the construction on the beautiful building!”

Each day for the last 19 months I have watched in anticipation as changes and progression were made on the temple. And now, the temple as well as my nursing school, is nearing completion. It has been a wonderful two years, albeit the hardest thing I have ever done! I have grown and learned so much! Who knew that my puny, little brain could hold so much information! I have studied

obscenely long hours and driven more miles that I would care to count. I have lost many hours of sleep due to clinical experiences and provided tons of services to senior citizens. I have witnessed the miracle of life as well as the miracles that occur at the end of life. I have formed friendships and bonds

that will always have a piece of my heart. I have found that I can do hard things!

And now, at the end of my nursing construction, I am ready to begin my new life as a nurse. I am ready to provide service, to care for others, to continue to learn and to grow. I am ready to enter the new temple here in my own city as it completes its own construction. I am so excited to have a temple so close that it is actually within walking distance! What a glorious journey we have had together, the new temple and I, and we are both very close to completing our goal to start our new lives, very different lives, but both lives of service.

I love to see the temple.

I’m going there someday

To feel the Holy Spirit,

To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty.

I’ll prepare myself while I am young;

This is my sacred duty.