The Paris Temple

The Paris Temple

March 4, 2018

    I got tricked again. When we got our call to the London Temple, here I am, a little old gal from Show Low, AZ expecting to go to the big city. Little did I know I would be living out in the countryside with a horse pasture across the street from the temple. And I love it.

     We drove by the Paris Temple this week when we were driving down the street in Versailles. Someone pointed it out to me and I almost missed it. It looks as if it is in a strip mall. But it looks beautiful in that strip mall. There is a big office building right next door and directly behind The Christus. It is one of the few temples that does not have a steeple with Angel Moroni on it. The main entry for patrons is on the back side off the main street. And guess where it is - in Versailles - at least forty-five minutes away from Paris. 

     We were able to do sealings and a session, The rooms are very "French" with beautiful stained glass windows reflective of Claude Monet's gardens full of lilies, cornflowers, lilacs, and hollyhocks. They are absolutely beautiful. Of course, I was most interested in the temple workers. There are five American couples that are there daily working with the French Saints. Our sealer was a Frenchman who was so apologetic of his English. He would read the ordinance in halting English until someone encouraged him to let it fly and do it in French. Those beautiful words flew out of his mouth. I have heard those words enough to get the jest and spirit of the sealings. 

     I am such a people watcher. I love to study all of us and make up stories in my mind about where we all came from and how we got where we are.....What inspired these French workers to live and love this church that was started in America so many years ago by a young uneducated farmboy? I think we all know what it is.....the Holy Ghost prompting good people throughout the world to look to the Savior and find His One True Church. 

     The morning we attended the temple, it was snowing and oh, so cold! It continued throughout our whole trip to feel like it was twenty below. Looking back, I believe that while we were in the temple was the last time I felt warm for four days. We left the temple to go to the Palace of Versailles. Now, that was a contrast. We paid something like twenty euros to get herded around like a bunch of cattle in a snowstorm from one end of the building to the next. So, I'd like to report I am now cultured. I can go home and talk with the best of world travelers that I saw King Whatshisname's bed. I will also report that there was No Sitting Down anywhere on those fancy chairs in the palace. And that takes me back to the Paris Temple. The first thing out of my mouth when we sat down in the waiting room was, "Oh, these chairs! They are so comfortable." The furniture in the Paris Temple was worth the trip. It was so lovely. Check it out if you ever get there. While you are at it, compare it to the king's furniture at the palace. His had real gold on it. There were ropes covering it so poor tired tourists wouldn't plop down on it for a respite. I'm telling you, I'll take the couch in the Paris Temple over any item in that fancy palace.

     "We are a temple building and a temple attending people".....Thomas S. Monson

I want to be included in this bunch. My girls at home, I pray for you and your families to be in this bunch also. Set times. Commit to that time. Drop it all and go to your temple. It offers the same blessings of the beautiful Paris Temple. We are such a blessed people to have temples dotting our earth. They spoke French in Paris. I didn't understand it but the Lord does. I know the Lord loves us all and because of that love, we can access the blessings of temples in our personal lives. Wherever we may be.

My Love,
Sister Seaman....aka Mom and Grams

PROPER ENGLISH WORDS:
......none to report this week. That is what happens when this girl spends her week in France. By the way, I know a couple of French words now. Bonjour and Merci.....