Right time, surprisingly right place

Last Sunday, my parents stayed at our house on their way home from visiting Taryn in Southern Utah. The next day (March 31), after having lunch with them and sending them on their way North, I felt an urge to head into Provo to the DMV to register our new car. I had things going on the other days last week, and so it made sense to just go and take care of it.

We drove into the parking garage, and I read a sign that said public parking was on the first and sixth levels. None of the ones we saw in level 1 looked good, so I asked Michael if he wanted to go all the way to the top. He thought that sounded cool. We parked on the top level, took the elevator down, and headed into the county building. I immediately noticed a sign that said the DMV was in the other building. (It had been a couple of years since I'd visited the DMV). As we were heading to the other building, I had this feeling that I should move my car. I was worried I'd parked in a bad spot since the spots on Level 1 were labeled "PUBLIC" and I didn't see a label on that level. I tried to dismiss the feeling, but thinking it might be from the Lord, I headed back up to the top of the garage, loaded my kids, and drove the car all the way back down. We unloaded again, walked into the correct building, took a number, and WAITED.

I really don't like going to the DMV. Add two kids, and well, you can imagine how it went.

I was feeling a little frustrated by the time we walked out of there and headed to back to the car. We pulled out of the garage and started heading to Brian's work to pay him a visit. As I pulled out of the parking garage and headed to University Ave (one of the main streets in Provo), I noticed people gathered on both sides of the street. I was stopped at the light, getting ready to turn onto University. Right in front of me was the Provo Tabernacle that had burned a few years ago. Construction crews have been working on it, restoring it and renovating it to be a temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Clearly, something was happening at the temple today to draw the crowds. Then I noticed a gold statue of the Angel Moroni attached to a crane, standing on the ground in front of the temple. By then, the light was green.

I call Brian after turning onto University. "I think they're putting the Angel Moroni on the temple today," I told him. "I think I'm going to turn around and go watch." So, we turned around and found a place to park and watch. I was so excited. I have never seen this before. A statue of the Angel Moroni sits on the top of most of the temples. He holds a trumpet, representing his call to the world that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. There is a movie called "Legacy" that portrays events from the early history of our church. The opening scene shows a boy watching as the Angel Moroni was lifted by crane to the top of the Salt Lake Temple. After watching it go up, he runs excitedly to tell his grandma about it. I felt like that boy in Legacy. I kept thinking, "History is being made today! And I'm here to see it."

 After they placed Moroni, we once again headed to Brian's work. When we stopped at a light, I hurriedly took a picture of these kids with the new temple in the background, so I had proof that we were all there.

I tried to tell Michael how cool it was. He agreed, but I think he was more excited to see such a large crane being used.

When I reflected on this experience later that night, I realized that the Lord had carefully made sure I was there that day. I didn't know what was going on, and I wouldn't have known what I had missed by not being there. But, He knew what I didn't know, and He helped me be there. I hadn't planned on going to the DMV that day. And if I hadn't gone into the wrong building and then gone and moved the car, I would have completely missed it. I'm so glad He knows me so well and is so aware of me and my desires. He knows how much I love His temples, and how excited I've been about this new one. He is so good!

You can check out the news report here or read about it here.