J'adore le temple!

This morning I went to do baptisms in the Provo Temple. When I got there one of the workers asked me and the girl in front of me if we would do some family names. Of course, we readily agreed.

When I got to the font, I was a little confused at what I heard. The girls being baptized would say each name of the person they were proxying for, and the man baptizing them would repeat it after them. Par exemple:

Girl: "Marie,"
Man: "Marie,"
Girl: "Anne,"
Man: "Anne,"
Girl: "Delacruz."
Man: "Delacruz."

I couldn't see into the font from where I was sitting, so I thought the girls were just saying the names to help him pronounce them. But no, even easy names were said aloud by the girls. Then it dawned on me. He must be blind.

I started to get a little nervous. What if I didn't get easy names, and I had to spell them all out because I didn't know how to pronounce it? How embarrassing. Men have it harder than I thought...they're the ones that always have to figure out the names. What if the family names I was going to do were Russian or Czech or Estonian? Silly Jewel. This is the Lord's work. Everything will be fine. Everything will be okay.

We shifted down the seats, our turn approaching slowly but surely. At last, we got a view of the font. I would say the baptizer was in his 60s-70s. He was either almost completely or totally blind. Skinny, but strong for his age. Salt and pepper hair, but mostly salt. Radiant with the light of Christ. Some of the girls before us made some mistakes with the names, which eased our worries a little. Nobody is perfect. Still, I was a bit anxious. The girl in front of me was as well. Usually glasses are taken off to do the baptisms, but she wouldn't be able to see the screen if she took them off. One of the workers told her it was fine to wear them this time. It was minuscule, trifle things we were worried about, really.

Then, it was the girl-in-front-of-me's turn. As I was listening to the names she was saying, I heard a familiar ring to them. Yes, yes...they were French names! I took French for 5 1/4 years...if the names I would do were French as well, perhaps this wouldn't be too stressful after all!

Finally, my turn arrived. The baptizer welcomed me warmly, asked me a couple times to repeat my last name (what's new?) and we begun. I looked at the screen, and smiled. French! Tender mercy, right there. I was calm. The man started the prayer--he had it memorized. He paused for me to say each name and repeated them, finished the prayer, then under I went. When I came up, I blinked rapidly, chlorine burning my eyes as I peered at the next name, and the next. As they came, I could pronounce them, for the most part. I'm sure I made a couple mistakes, but the Lord knows who they are and will take care of them.

What a wonderful, beautiful gospel this is! Heavenly Father is truly always aware of us and our circumstances, and will provide the way for us to be successful in our efforts to serve, learn, and live. He WILL provide the way.

I need to do a lot less worrying in my life.

I love the temple. I love those dear French sisters I was baptized for. I love the old blind man for his example of never-ending service, no matter what ailments or inhibitions a person may have. I love my Father and my Brother, who are constantly watching over me and guiding me by Their hands every day.

So...

Come what may, and LOVE it!