Temple Weddings - Behind the Scenes

This last Saturday my family went through an endowment session at the Salt Lake Temple while I did baptisms, took pictures and waited for a long time in the waiting area (needless to say, a great place to wait). I happened to be sitting near where brides and grooms come and check their dresses and tuxes, and learned a lot about what happens behind the scenes. Observations:

• Brides. They all have such different moods. Some are flustered, but so happy to be there. Others are nervous, but try to act calm and collected. Some flit about from person to person asking questions and calling people to check if she left her slip in their apartment. Another was content to simply hold the groom's hand.


• Grooms. These were by far the funniest to watch. They have NO idea what to do with themselves. They usually come in carrying the bride's dress for her, set it on the table, and then just kinda stand there, sometimes wandering over to the drinking fountain, talking to mom and dad, or just looking on as the bride and her mother talk to the temple workers. There are a lot of people telling him what to do, and that may be part of the problem. There's the bride, the bride's mother, his own mother, and the temple workers. The moods of the grooms aren't quite as diverse. Most were just in a daze, but one was in a particularly foul mood because something had gone wrong. He refused to joke with the temple workers, and the bride was trying really hard to calm him down. That's a great start, kids. Nevertheless, everything works out in the end, and they are sent on their way to be sealed.

Life - Spring 2009

What a general and potentially ambiguous title: "Life". To justify such a horrific English major felony, I really just have a few thoughts about what's going on in my life right now and what I'm learning, but not enough about each to make separate posts about each while keeping the attention span of those reading. I think bullet points will suffice.

• As much as I like English more than Chemistry, all these final papers and projects are starting to get to me.
  
• It's too bad that the most valuable and helpful things are often learned at the very end of the semester rather than during the bulk of it.


• A few weeks of final activities really aren't that bad. Putting the best effort possible into studying for finals, writing final papers, creating final projects, and participating in final performances or gatherings really is worth putting some things on hold that don't require immediate attention.


• I really am obsessive about keeping a clean room.


• The ability to sing with the heart and having in-tune heart strings are very valuable skills.


• I want to learn to realize the value of things in my life as they are present, and not just after they're gone.


• The habit of writing in a journal may not come naturally, easily, or without the use of patience, but it is an incredibly beneficial and worthwhile activity and with practice can become natural.


• Service is simple, but may at times require a significant and inconvenient effort.


• The world is full of incredible people - not the least of which may read this blog.


• I wish there were words in the English language that carried a more deep and powerful connotation than the simple words "thank you" to express gratitude.


• I have a lot to learn about life, but I do know this: life is good.