The Adventure that Never Was

For a long time, I have been an ardent admirer of a number of scrapbooking gurus. And more recently, as a regular blog reader, my list of cool women has grown. It features such names as Lisa Bearnson, Becky Higgins, Jessica Sprague, Nienie, and C Jane.

What do they all have in common?

Mormons, every one.

So although I find it kind of inexplicable and mysterious, I've come to associate Mormonism with smart, interesting, creative women. And I've done a bit of reading and research on the topic.

I was intrigued when I discovered last fall that British Columbia's first Mormon temple was being built in our area. According to what I've learned, a temple is a place that only active Mormons may enter (with a signed recommend that affirms they are worthy and up to date). Certain ordinances are carried out there, and there are even special clothes to wear.

Recently, there was a whole article in the newspaper, complete with photos of the ornate interior, all about the new temple and announcing TOURS FOR THE PUBLIC!

I was up for it! My only chance to see the inside of a Mormon temple!

Today was the day. The temple is being consecrated this Sunday, and after that, will forevermore be closed to me and my ilk. I rushed home after school, changed into some jeans (possibly a big mistake), and jumped back into the car. I enlisted Little Bear to accompany me, and we somehow acquired Lesley and her son, Elliot along the way.

We sat in traffic. It poured with rain. We suffered for this cause. It took almost an hour to get there.

But alas and alack, we were too late. Days too late. Tours ended on Saturday.

However, there was a U-Haul truck parked at the door, cars in the parking lot, and people going in and out. Maybe, just maybe, I could plead my case and get us in to take a look. I was not quite ready to throw in the towel.

We went as far as the entrance, where a group of people was going back and forth from the truck with chairs, making a big stack right in the doorway.

What is it about those Mormons? Why do they work in dress shirts and ties? We stuck out like a whole handful of sore thumbs in our jeans and casual... everything. Even the little boy helping out was wearing a tie!
But despite my expectations of extreme Mormon awesomeness, there was a distinct chill in the air. We stood there, waiting for one of this understandably busy group to ask us if we were looking for someone, or even why we weren't dressed properly, but to no avail. Silence and no eye contact was all we got. Finally, I picked a youngish man as he buzzed back and forth, and asked who we could talk to, but he said he didn't know. Didn't know? Hmmm... Even I could see the grey-haired man at the front desk just inside the door. Frowning harder than I thought a person could frown. Actually, I think he was a human pit bull for all the welcomeness that was oozing out of him (maybe it was our clothes). I attempted to squeeze around the chairs that were being unloaded in the doorway; maybe, just maybe I could charm the pit bull into letting us see something. I said, "If I could just get through here..." But all I could hear was a chilly silence, and nobody was moving anywhere for me.

I took a breath and asked the youngish man again, but he then said that he thought everything was being cleaned. He showed very little interest in my sad, sad story of missing my only opportunity ever to see the inside of a temple.

And that was that. What else could a girl do?

We took some pictures of the exterior. It's all covered in marble from Brazil, and there's a gold Angel Moroni (a kind of unfortunate name, I've always thought) on the tippy top of the spire.

I was really, really sad.

So we went for sushi. Eating always helps when one is sad.

And I was going to take a photo of the sushi for you to enjoy, as sushi is always quite artfully presented, except I forgot and we ate it all. Sorry.

One day, I'll have to go somewhere else in the world to see the inside of a temple. There must be another one opening some time. Sigh.