Here is the Church, Here is the Steeple, Open the Doors...

Here is the Church...

Here is the Steeple...

Open the Doors...

And See All the People!

Today we met in our brand new building for the first time! What an exciting and blessed day for the saints in our area, especially for our ward!

My joy is very, very full!

For six or seven years now, since our ward was first created, we have been meeting in the Palm Desert building - and all of us had moved to that building from the Indio building. For all of us, I think, the trip to Palm Desert was much further. For our family, it is twice the distance. While the PD building is a very nice building, I think we have always felt like guests there, at least I have. We have had to scrounge around for closet space. When I was Young Women's president, I had to trek all the way around to the other side of the building to get our supplies out of our closet, then lug it all back to the closet after church. Fun.

Those of us who lived the closest were a good 15 to 20 minutes away, and it was probably double that for the folks who live out the furthest. The biggest hassle, I think was driving kids all the way over there for youth activities that lasted an hour and a half. It usually wasn't worth it to drive all the way home, just to drive all the way back to get them a short time later. And if you forgot something at home...

Mormons just spend a lot of time at church - so much more than just Sundays.

For me, after a long day, or long night, as was often the case, that drive home was the longest!

Of course, I am grateful that we had such a beautiful building to meet in, and I realize that there are saints who live much, much further from their buildings, and we really don't have room to complain, but I think it is fair to say that going to the Palm Desert building was somewhat of a hardship on our ward.

But no longer!!!

We were so excited a few year back to learn that we had been approved for a new building in our area! So excited! And then we learned where the plot had been selected- right here in Bermuda Dunes at Washington and Ave 41! So very close to home.

With joy we attended the groundbreaking ceremony in the end of May of 2009 (here is that post), where we each got to take our hand at using a golden shovel to chip away at the hard packed desert sand and imagine the idea of having a building to call our own! The sun was bright and we were hot, but were thrilled and the spirit was surely in attendance!

And then we waited.

It seemed like FOREVER that we watched that plot of land and waited for signs of improvement. Apparently there were problems with permits, yadda, yadda, yadda.

But once it started to get going, it was so fun to watch as it started to look more and more like a church. We drive by there every day, and usually Luke would announce - "there's our church!" as we passed.

I felt a special joy the day I saw the steeple go up! Our steeple!

As we have gotten closer to this day, I have become increasingly excited about getting into that building, and have paid attention as every last detail on the exterior was completed.

Last week, I stopped by to take some of these photos. Curious, I peeked into the windows and saw my friend Dave hanging some artwork. He let me in for a little self-guided tour. Thanks, Dave!

I was thrilled beyond words! It is just beautiful! I love the architecture and the colors and the gorgeous artwork! I like the layout and the lovely huge arched paned windows in the foyers. And of course, I loved that everything, from the hymnals to the dishes in the well-stocked kitchen, was new! But my favorite part is the beautiful chapel. Our chapel!

I felt like I was coming home!

On Monday night, our bishop invited our ward over to officially check out the building together for family night. What a special experience that was for us! There was a feeling of excitement as we explored our new meetinghouse. The kids found their classrooms, and the sisters commented on closet space and the number of stalls in the ladies' bathroom, speculated on who would use what room for what, and exclaimed the clever, clever plan that put the mothers' lounge right next to the Relief Society room, end even more brilliant, the tiny little bathroom right in the nursery. A woman definitely had a hand in this design! My kids couldn't get over that itty bitty toilet and sink! I loved the electric pianos in some of the rooms that come pre-programed with the hymns - just push a few buttons! That will be fabulous for seminary. And I watched, and listened, as my talented friend Shari, did her magic on the wonderful new organ for the first time.

When we all met for dessert in the cultural hall with it's fabulous hardwood floors, I was overwhelmed with joy and love for our ward family! What wonderful, wonderful people we are so blessed to have in our ward and have our lives entangled with - our brothers and sisters in the gospel. I was overwhelmed with gratitude, not so much for the building, as for the people that will share it with us.

Now we all have a place to call home!

Today was wonderful! There was a spirit of excitement and rejoicing as we greeted old friends in new surroundings. The chapel was full to overflowing, and to our joy, we saw many dear members of our ward that we have not seen in ages, who had come out to worship again with us in the new building! We were also glad to see, in passing, the members of the Santa Rosa ward, that we have missed so much since we were at one time in the same ward together. It is great to share a building with them and see them again every week!

The spirit was definitely in abundance today! I felt it so strongly.

After Sacrament meeting the entire ward gathered outside the North entrance to take a group picture. I remember once seeing an old black & white picture of my pioneer ancestors with their ward on the steps of their new church building, and I am so glad we decided to do the same thing! I, of course, got to be the photographer - (sort of. A sweet sister in the other ward, baby in tow, pushed the button for us so I could get in the picture too.) We ended up putting the camera on a tripod on the top of a truck just to get high enough. I'm sure the ward got a kick out of seeing me in a long skirt and pearls climbing up on top of that truck to set up my camera, but it was totally worth it. I think we will treasure that photo in years to come.

And when church was over, it took us only 3 minutes to get home! Whoot whoot!

How blessed we are! There is no other word for it. We have a beautiful temple to serve in just an hour away and now our very own building right in our neighborhood! The folks in Utah may not think that such a thing is much of a big deal since they seem to have a church on every block there and a temple in every town, but to us it is something of a dream come true! It can't get better than this, I suppose.

I just think of the wonderful memories we will create together here, and the testimonies that will be born and developed and shared here. My sons will give their missionary farewells and homecoming talks from that podium, and perhaps have their wedding receptions in this building...

Our building! Home.

I am simply overwhelmed with gratitude.