A footnote to Elder Gerrit W. Gong's October 2024 conference address states that 60% of church membership lives within 50 miles of a temple. That is a one-hour's drive. Soon that percentage is expected to reach 75%

We are not currently within those percentages. It is a 2 1/4-hour drive for us to reach the Meridian Temple, 132 miles from our front door. The Boise Temple is 152 miles. The Columbia River Temple is 160.

Marjorie and I have tried to go to the temple each week. We generally each do an endowment, and also either an initiatory or sealing session. Our last trip to the temple was on November 7th. On that day we tallied the completion of 515 ordinances for this year. They were all family names from my research.

I had hoped for more, but that will have to do. Marjorie has become increasingly more confused. Everything is fine as long as I am with her, but when I have to send her off to the women's dressing room at the temple, she becomes disoriented. I can't take her to the temple any more unless she has a daughter to escort her.

But 515 ordinances in one year is not a bad showing. It is our offering in hopes that a temple might somehow be located closer to us. I can't see how that might be, but all is well. I'm grateful to have three temples to choose from that are within driving distance. --Thursday 12 December 2024.