Snowflake Arizona Temple - Ezekiel's Prophecy

With the name "Snowflake", I visualized the town and it's temple located in a mountainous area. And although we traveled north from Phoenix through some beautiful mountains to get there, the landscape changed to a barren desert. Later, I read this place was named after it's Mormon pioneer founders Lorenzo Snow and William Jordan Flake. When we first spotted the temple I wondered, "Where's the city?" But, we soon discovered it hiding over the ridge east of the temple.

Because of the dry desert surroundings, I immediately noticed a beautiful waterfall which began near the temple door and flowed over rocks below.  I thought of the scriptures about the prophesies of the temple in Jerusalem described in Ezekiel 47, "Afterward he brought me again unto the ^adoor of the house; and, behold, ^bwaters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward." This prophesy proclaims that water will flow from the temple toward the Dead Sea, and ultimately heal that stagnant, salty water, located in the desert.

When visiting Israel several years ago, I was taught some of the symbolism of living water to the Jews. Their ceremonial washings are done only in flowing or moving water, which is not under pressure. This represents pure and living water. For instance, when washing their hands before approaching the wailing wall at the temple in Jerusalem, they first run water from a faucet into a pitcher. Then they pour the water from the pitcher gently over their hands.

The Snowflake Temple serves four surrounding stakes of Native Americans.  Several beautiful native rugs, paintings and decorations appear throughout the temple.  One of the temple workers commented they can always tell when someone is visiting the area, because they take more time to look at the walls and furnishings.

I was especially touched by the warm welcome I felt from everyone attending the temple that day.    One sister was celebrating 55 years of marriage with her husband.  She mentioned some of the trials they had experienced at the death of two of their children when they were young.  I noticed the sweet face of another sister as soon as she entered the endowment room.  I thought to myself, "I would like to be like her."  As I prepared to leave the temple I saw her again, and I told her about my feelings.  She just seemed to glow with a peaceful serenity.  She told me it must be because she is there doing work for her ancestors, and she prays for them continuously from the moment she enters the temple.

Pheonix Arizona Hike - Saguaro Cactus

Here are a few pictures from a hike we took near Phoenix.  We saw hundreds of saguaro cactus and found some hieroglyphs.  Water and sunscreen were necessities.  I wouldn't attempt this hike any later in the season because of intense desert heat.