I met this beautiful women at the temple on Wednesday when I was volunteering in the Baptistry. So often patrons come to the temple and while we help them, we don't spend much time in conversation with them.
As I was helping Rachel, I simply felt impressed to ask more about her, to find out about her story, and to ask for her name so that I could "friend" her on Facebook. Do you ever have those moments when your mouth begins saying things and a couple of seconds later your brain says, "Wait. What?" I felt as though the Holy Ghost was saying we needed to be friends.
Rachel is visiting Fort Collins for a month as she is an opera singer and travels all over performing. She is working to finish her doctorate in Opera Performance. Who would have ever known? We know so little about people until we really ask.
She attended undergraduate school in Fort Collins a number of years ago when the temple was in the process of being built. As she came to the temple grounds, she was overwhelmed with the feelings that cascaded over her and knew that she had to know more.
In her search for truth and in building her testimony, her marriage suffered and she and her husband separated (they have since got back together). Rachel was baptized in January of this year and as I met her in the temple today, she was overflowing with enthusiasm. Beside her baptism, this was her second time performing baptisms in the temple and her first time inside the Fort Collins temple. She brought a family name along with names from a friend. I can only explain that there was a spiritual connection drawing me to this sweet woman.
Rachel recently received her Patriarchal Blessing which stated that her spiritual example would be a blessing to her husband. She was hopeful and excited and just such a breath of fresh air. I hope to see her again as she is in Fort Collins for a month.
