Stake Temple Trip Atlanta Temple

June 7, 2008 Albany, Georgia Stake Relief Society Temple Trip to the Atlanta Georgia temple.

I loved seeing the flag blowing in the wind and the Angel Moroni right next to one another. I thought it would look great in a picture together. There was wind just long enough for me to get a few pictures of it, and then the wind died down enough that the flag fell flat. Thanks Heavenly Father for the beautiful picture!

This past Saturday our Stake Relief Society planned a bus trip for the Relief Society sisters to go to the Atlanta Temple. We did this last year, and it was a BLAST! So I have been looking forward all year to go again. I was in charge of the music for our bus, and also the pictures. We had a really wonderful time, and I am so glad that I was able to go. There were about 100+ women that went from our stake. The weather was great, the bonding with the sisters was wonderful, and the Spirit was very strong. Thanks again to all who made this trip possible, and I look forward to many more years of Temple trips with the Relief Society. Here are some of the pictures I took. The group one was actually taken by one of the bus drivers.

I love the pictures of a sign with flowers in the foreground. So when I saw the flower bed off to the side of the walkway at the temple I wanted to try to recreate it. I had to angle the camera up and sit on the ground for this to work, but I didn't care what people thought I wanted an awesome picture, and I think it turned out really nice. I have another one that has the flowers blurry and the sign focused, I liked this one too with both in focus too. Almost all the flowers were in bloom at the temple today, it was absolutely beautiful. And it didn't rain on us like last year, although we could use the rain. It hasn't rain in a few months...
This is all the Relief Society sisters that went on the Temple trip. We almost filled two buses. There were sisters who went that could not enter the temple, they were given a genealogy class while the others were doing temple work. It was a really great experience for all of us.

After I finished doing some temple work, I wanted to walk around and take some pictures, before lunch. I don't have any of just me at the temple. (I want some pictures of the boys and I at the temple sometime too, I told them I would take them sometime). So I wanted to take some. As I was coming up a hill in front of the temple I saw this beautiful flowering bush, and my first thought was that it was a great place to take a picture of a bride and groom. Just put them to the side by the rail and then it would not show and you could showcase them and the flowers too. Then I thought, I could probably take my own picture there since I was alone, not hanging out with anyone at the time. So I put my camera on the ground, (I had left my tripod in the bus for the group photo later, and it was locked), I propped my purse under the camera just enough to lift it so I could see myself in the lense, and set my timer. I only had to take this one once, but the other one I took in front of the "Holiness to the Lord" sign I took 3 times and it still didn't come out right, but oh well...it was so hot out there, probably somehere in the higher 90's. I didn't want to look all sweaty int eh pictures, so I just concetratd more on the temple and the gardens around it. I was wearing a nametag, and I pulled it off to take this pic, and there is a wet spot from it on there. I just laughed, oh well...

I had such a wonderful time at the temple today. I wish it wasn't such a long drive for me to be able to go. I would love to be able to go more often. But I cherish each time that I am able to go and sit in the House of the Lord and feel the strong Spirit, the dwells here. Being in the temple also helped me to feel close to the Savior in this trying time that we are going through. I know as I have heard many times, "This to shall pass", but sometimes it's harder than others. I want to publicly thank all those who have helped along my way, and I hope that you know that I love you and care about you. I am so thankful to have the family and the friends that I have. Also the gospel, I don't know where my life would be right now if I didn't have this true gospel. I am blessed in so many ways, I could never doubt that this is the One and Only True Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know that the Lord knows me and knows what I am going through. I know that He is there for me, and that he is helping me get through this. And I also know that this will make me stronger. I also know that He has a plan for me, and if I am worthy I will be able to do all that He would have me do. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I love my family and I am thankful for all that I have now.

Love to all, and more to come.

Amy