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.

Jordan River Utah Temple - Never Thirst

I believe the Jordan River temple is named for an actual river that flows through the Salt Lake Valley.  And I also believe, that river is named after the Jordan River which flows between the Sea of Galilea and the Dead Sea.

Water is the life blood of the earth.  Just like the blood that courses through our veins, rivers and lakes enable life to exist on this planet.  And as I listen to news accounts about space exploration, it seems scientists are intent on finding evidence that water did or does exist on any one of the planets around or beyond us.  As humans, we are hoping to find evidence that there is life somewhere, in addition to earth.

Christ once sat beside a well in Samaria, and asked for a drink of water.  Responding to his request, a Samaritan woman learned one of his most profound teachings.

"Jesus...said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."  John 4: 13,14

It is no wonder that Christ uses the metaphor of water to remind and invite us to partake of his gift.


Spiritual revelation flows like water.  One of the privileges I seek by attending the temple, is revelation or knowledge from the Lord.  I go with a prayer in my heart and mind, and am asking to learn.  My husband described his experience in the Jordan River Temple as a flow of ideas, as though a water faucet had turned on in his mind.  I would describe mine as drop by drop or a tiny trickle, but small streams are also beautiful.

It was different stepping back into a large temple, after having visited so many smaller ones. 

Cardston Alberta Temple - Symbolism

Just inside the front door of the Cardston AlbertaTemple, is a stone relief, depicting Jesus and the Woman at the Well.  The life size carving spans the length of the room, and in the middle, from under the well, flows a small stream of water that drops into a fountain lined with colorful green and blue tiles.  As I gazed at the scene, on our recent visit, the meaning of their private exchange came to my mind, and lingered with me throughout my visit there.  The fact that the water was real, brought the scene to life.

Why are symbols so powerful?  Maybe because they touch a part of me that can't be described in words.  Even now, I am finding it difficult to express what passed through my mind in those few moments, at the edge of this beautiful pool.  And the lessons are profound and private, just like the original exchange between Christ and the woman.