Time Slows for Important Work

Yesterday, Saturday, as soon as I woke up I really felt like I needed to go to the temple.

I slept a bit later than normal, so it was 8:45 when I woke.  Too late for the 9:00 session.  I wondered if I could make it to the 9:45.

I went through my morning routine of feeding the chickens, gathering the eggs, eating breakfast and getting dressed with hair and makeup.  I kept having little set-backs, like I couldn't find my lipstick which was in my purse instead of in my bag.  I would start to get anxious and feel rushed and then I would just remind myself that if I was meant to make the 9:45 session I would.  If not, then I would just sit and meditate and relax until the 10:30.
I looked at the clock when it was 9:30 and thought, "I've got to leave the house right now."  I started driving to the temple trying not to feel rushed.  I kept catching myself speeding up in the car and then I'd slow back down to the speed limit. 

I hit all the lights green and thought that maybe I really was going to make it to the earlier session.  I only had one more light left and then it was just a couple more blocks to the temple.  I could see that it was green as I came closer to it, but right at the critical juncture of decision, it turned yellow on me.  I calmed myself and stopped.  I didn't want to rush through a barely red light fearing that it would make me feel even more rushed and harried.  I thought, "well, I'm not going to make it now.  Might as well go slow" because I knew that the lights had to cycle through to 2 or 3 other traffic patterns before it would give me the green light.  I had barely stopped the car, though, when a minor miracle occurred. The light immediately turned green for me, even though there were a lot of cars waiting in the other lanes to go.  I drove up to the temple as slowly as I could, and still felt like I was on the verge of feeling rushed.  There were no close parking spots, so I had to park in the back half of the lot and walk the distance to the front door.

Inside the temple I was checked at the recommend desk and then walked back to the dressing room.  I thought I might still make it to the 9:45. I took my white dress and shoes out of my bag, locked my bag and street clothes into my locker, and then dressed into my whites as quickly as I could.  I sighed a little frustration sigh when I realized that I had only taken 1 stocking out of the bag.  I had to retrieve the key, open the locker, unzip my bag and find the stocking before relocking everything back up.  I then finished putting on my shoes and socks. 

I walked to the restroom, almost bumping into another woman who was walking the other way.  I knew it was because I was still hurrying.  Once again, I forced myself to slow down. As I came out of the restroom I heard one of the temple workers tell a couple of women that the 9:45 sessions was full.

I had kind of expected that to happen, so I wasn't surprised, but I was a little bit disappointed.  I decided right then just to really slow down for real (and quit kidding myself that I was already slowed down), and stopped to write a few names on the temple rolls.  As I was getting the name of the woman who I was going to do temple work for, the lady working there told me that the session was full, but I was welcome to go and wait for the next one. I told her that was a great idea.

I slowly walked up the long flight of stairs to the upper floor where the chapel was.  I was kind of surprised when I noticed the door to the ordinance room was still standing open.  A woman was standing in the hall as if she was waiting for me.  She asked me if I wanted to do a session.  I said yes, and she said they had one more seat.

I went in and sat down, they closed the door, and the session began.