For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the temple is the most sacred of edifices. It is a place of ordinance, covenant, learning. Some years ago, after loosing my wife, I considered serving in the temple as an ordinance worker, but felt uncomfortable. At the time, single men, divorced or never married, were barred from serving in the temple. The only exceptions were widowers like me who were single, but sealed in the temple.
I wanted to serve in the temple, but it did not feel right to serve when men, more worthy and righteous than I, were barred from temple service simply because they were single. After considerable thought and prayer, I requested and accepted a calling as a temple engineer. I arrive early Saturday mornings, wake up the audiovisual equipment, then check out and log the boilers, chillers, air handlers, fonts and fountains. It takes about two hours for this process, then I wait in the engineering office for calls or wander the temple for the rest of my shift. While sitting by the phone, I tally a lot of indexing.
During my shift, I trouble shoot audiovisual problems, change light bulbs, plunge toilets (yum) and provide backup for security during emergencies. When the temple is shut down for periodic maintenance, I rewire fixtures for LED bulbs, and anything else the full time engineers need. This last shutdown, I worked in the ordinance rooms, pulling apart chairs to reupholster. The fabric used was a bit thicker than the original, and it took some gentle persuasion with a large mallet to convince the newly upholstered chair backs to slip into position. I stopped to ponder the incongruity of this situation. Here I was in one of the most sacred rooms of the temple, wailing on the back of a chair with a mallet. I apologized for the noise, then sat quietly and took the time to listen.
Under normal circumstance, the noise and tumult I was causing in the temple would be inexcusable, but there is a time and place for everything. Even His house needs maintenance, and at times, it is appropriate for bedlam to reign. I gathered my thoughts for a few moments. Here I was, in the holiest of rooms, white clothes smudged with dirt and grease, dripping sweat and pounding on a chair that would soon sit people experiencing the most sacred of His ceremonies. I felt the spirit and power of that room. His house. I was filled with the need to clean and repair my own life. A little chaos and commotion was appropriate, and even necessary to right so many wrongs in who I am and things I have done.
As imperfect and out of place as I was, hammering on those chairs, I was welcome in His house. I need to make Him welcome in the chaos of mine.
Latter-Day Saints 