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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

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30 / 30 books. 100% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

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My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

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52 / 50 books. 104% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

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51 / 52 books. 98% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

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37 / 40 books. 93% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

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25 / 25 cozies. 100% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

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5 / 26.2 miles (4th lap). 19% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

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49 / 100 books. 49% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

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98 / 109 books. 90% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

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137 / 165 books. 83% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

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88 / 100 names. 88% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

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32 / 80 skills. 40% done!
Friday, February 25, 2011

Mormon Mention: Heidi Ayarbe

In Heidi Ayarbe's YA novel Compromised, a teenage girl travels from Reno, Nevada to Boise, Idaho, in search of her aunt. She spends part of that time living on the streets of the city, sleeping in alleys, shelters, etc. Interestingly, given Idaho's large LDS population, Mormons are only mentioned once. Near the end of the story, Maya Sorenson tells her friend:

"'I've been to a synagogue, Luthern, and Methodist churches, even a Mormon temple. But they wouldn't let me in the temple, so I sat outside and looked at it,' I said" (427).

Since there are 134 LDS temples in the world (with 23 more on their way), you've most likely seen one before. Temples are beautiful buildings with unique architecture and lush, beautiful grounds. The insides are clean and serene, as befitting a house of the Lord. The walls are decorated with religious paintings, depicting scenes from the scriptures. Everything about temples - from the plants outside to the art inside - is designed to make it a peaceful, calming place to be. Even if you just spot a temple's spires from the freeway, you can tell that it's a special place.

Because Mormons believe the temples to be sacred buildings, only members of the church are allowed to enter. Even then, they must hold a "temple recommend," which signifies that they're worthy (meaning they abide by the laws of the church and are honest, morally clean, etc.). Those who meet the requirements are able to go to the temple whenever they please. Inside, members can be married for time and all eternity. They can also worship the Lord, make covenants with Him, learn more about the Gospel, and serve each other. Going to the temple is a spiritual experience, cleansing, peaceful and inspiring.

If you want to know more about the purpose of temples or just want to see more pictures like the one above (which is the Boise Temple), check out LDS Temples.org.

3 comments:

  1. Very nicely said, Susan! I think you expressed the temple's purpose clearly and sufficiently!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a great post. I don't go to the temple nearly enough, and recently thought my recommend was expired, which confirms that I don't use it enough (it wasn't).

    As far as your comment on my blog about scriptures, I think more of us do it than we even realize and isn't finding balance an ongoing search in our lives? No matter how much I read my scriptures, my mentality is that it's never enough, but I feel that if I've come away with something new learned or a peacefulness, then I've done what I should. It's still hard not to beat myself up over it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great blog, I hope you will visit mine and be a follower, I can use the help. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

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