baptisms

i went and did baptisms with mykle tonight at the provo temple. it was really crowded, it seemed to me. it was the first time i've ever been inside that temple; i've always admired the outside, because it looks like a fountain. mykle said he read somewhere that it's supposed to look like a pillar of fire. fire, water, either way, it's beautiful.

the fountains in front are so pretty. one of them the water would go very low, and then gradually shoot upwards about two feet higher, moving up and down as you watch it. i liked that.

i learned something new about myself tonight. when i went to the LA temple in california every week last fall/winter, i always HATED it when people would talk at the temple. it drove me crazy! i just wanted everyone to be completely silent, unless they were baptizing or confirming, anything else just killed the spirit for me. i was way tense.

mykle, as you know, likes to talk. so it should come as no surprise to me that he would talk in the temple. at first it bothered me, but after awhile, i began to relax. and i realized that really, there is nothing wrong with talking in the temple, as long as it is in a courteous whisper and the things you are saying draw the spirit closer to you. and i know you're thinking that i just changed my mind because it's mykle and mykle can do no wrong. but that's not true, because i got mad at him just tonight. i know he's not perfect, and i'm glad. perfection is intimidating. i liked talking to him in the temple, and having someone to hold my hand while we waited for our turn to get in the water. there was such a nice, peaceful feeling there, and it's lingered with me even after we left.

the provo temple is so beautiful. they have this massive portrait of jesus and john the baptist in the water as you descend the steps to the baptismal font. that's one of my favorite paintings of christ. my favorite part tonight was when we got into the water, and i looked up and saw these enormous mirrors all up and down the wall in front of us and the wall behind us, and i could see me standing there with mykle holding my wrist, going on forever into infinity. blurry, but beautiful. (i had my glasses off)

i like that in the provo temple, there are always enough people so that you don't have to call and make appointments. everyone does three names, and it was set up so that mykle got to baptize me, no problem. i liked him baptizing me. it felt real.