Temple Trip

We are on our way to a new temple today. The Chicago Temple had a pipe burst (that seems to be common, it happened in our building also) so it is out of commision until March. Our ward had decided to take two temple trips this month, one to Nauvoo next week, which I would expect. Also one to St. Louis MO. I didn't realize a) that there was a temple there b) that it was an option for a "close" temple c) that there weren't any other temples close to the Chicago Temple d) that it is faster to get to St. Louis than to Nauvoo because of the straight freeway access. All of the new things you learn. We planned for this trip and I rearranged my schedule (people around me were so kind to oblige so we could go on this trip) and we booked our hotel and started packing. Ben happened to look at his temple recomend as he was getting his stuff together and noticed that as of Jan 1 2009 his recomend wasn't valid!!! We both stopped to assess the situation and didn't see a way to make this right in the 14 hours until we left. I thought it was ironic that I hadn't planned on going and the bishop said that if we would make time to go, we would be blessed. We had made time and it didn't look good, but since he said that I knew it had to work out. Ben immediately emailed a request for suggestions to a bishopric member and he is going to meet with the people he needs to meet with all before we leave, almost totally on schedule I might add. The bishop was right, we were blessed. So now in 2 hours we get to see the Missouri Temple for the first time. Another one to add to the list, and the book Ben got me a couple of years ago. I get to put pictures of me in front of each temple I visit in it and cross them off the list he made of the worlds temples. So far I have been to Salt Lake, Bountiful, Jordan River, Idaho Falls, Rexberg (open house), Palmyra, Nauvoo, Chicago, Washington D.C., Boston, New York City . . . I think that's all of them. I will compile the pictures of each later on. I'm so happy my husband didn't give up and is making all of the calls/visits he needs. I love you Ben!