missing whittaker

I just got home from an experience I'm sure I'll remember forever.

The SLC Temple is closed for cleaning right now and I got an email earlier in the week asking for volunteers to help clean. As I drove home from work I was weighing my options and even passed the exit but as the next exit came I veered off last second.

I got dressed and met up with a few other people from the ward and then we were divided up into groups to help the workers. A couple were asked to help rip up carpet, a few stayed in the Celestial room to clean vents, and I was asked to help 'whittaker' the carpet in the Garden Room. OK, sure.

Only we couldn't find the whittaker, whatever it was. So we went in search of it. And guess where we looked? EVERYWHERE! Which meant I got a very special tour of the temple. I got to go places very few get to go. I went up one spiral stair case and down another {enjoying all the hand carved beauty and oh my! The details...} We went through Wilford Woodfuff's personal quarters, {did you know he lived in the temple at one point? I didn't!} We walked down the hallways that run behind the beautiful temple doors and walked through the old waiting room that was used when temple patrons used to arrive through the East doors. All the while, Anna, my 'guide' was telling me some fascinating history and about her experiences working in the temple. Forty five glorious minutes we looked for the missing whittaker. {finally found in the laundry room} but not before Anna declared that I had now seen every possible place I was allowed to see. So, so cool.

I wouldn't expect to have had such a great experience cleaning but I guess it is true that no matter what kind of work you do there you really do find refuge and peace. I couldn't have asked for a better experience tonight.