Temple Marriage

"Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands;" (Jacob 3:7) Sarah and I went to Kensington, Maryland to get our marriage license and on the same day we attended the dedication of the Washington D.C. Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was a beautiful November day and we were walking on air. One month later we were married on Friday 20 Dec 1974 in that same temple. It was the first LDS temple built in the East since the Saints trekked across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley in the 1800's. We were one of the first twelve couples to be married in the new temple. Sarah had made her beautiful wedding dress and I wore my own white shirt with white pants borrowed from a friend. I rented white slippers, a white belt and a white tie at the temple. After passing around the stained glass wall behind the recommend desk we walked the length of a bridge with ceiling to floor glass walls where the woods surrounding the temple could be seen on either side. In front of us was a huge impressive mural of the Second Coming. We were ushered upstairs where we changed from our street clothes into white clothing. Since this was Sarah's wedding day. She dressed and prepared herself in the Bridal Room with the help of attendants. I changed in a regular locker room with individual enclosed stalls. Both of us received instruction before going on to the Endowment room. It was the first time I saw Sarah dressed in her beautiful wedding gown which seemed so much a part of this special place. She looked radiant and happy. Everyone spoke in hushed tones and only the soft sound of slippers on carpeting could be heard. Sarah had to go though the whole Endowment service for herself. Since I had already been to the temple, I went through the service as a proxy for someone who was deceased. In the Endowment room, men sat on one side, women on the other. Sarah and I were asked to be the witness couple and we nervously acccepted. We would represent all the other men and women in the room at the altar. However, this request did allow us to sit side by side.With the Endowment service over I passed through the veil first and then guided Sarah through. We both then entered the Celestial Room where we could hear the soft tinkling of the chandeliers in the huge white room with pastel chairs and sofas and gold colored furniture. Sarah and I sat side by side one again and marvelled at the beauty of the place that symbolized the highest kingdom of glory a faithful Mormon could obatain by keeping the covenants we had just made. From there Sarah and I went to a small room with a marble altar in the middle and mirrored walls on two sides facing each other; the reflection seeming to go on forever. There were three chairs in the front and other chairs lined up along the walls. Sarah and I had the privilege of being married by the temple president. Ours was but a small group of a few Mormon friends since none of our family could be with us. In that small lovely room Sarah and I knelt  across from each other at the altar. We were then married for time and all eternity. Once again we were floating. The LDS Church had now brought me on the path of faith and family with an eternal companion.