This last weekend, I had the opportunity to fly down to Arizona on business and I stopped by the Mesa Temple with some friends. The grounds were lovely, covered in citrus trees and flowers. A heady scent filled the air, and it was so peaceful and serene.
We stepped into the Visitors Center, not dressed to enter the temple itself. The same spirit that fills the temple was also in the Visitors Center and I took a deep breath, feeling the love of our Heavenly Father.
The sister missionary who acted as tour guide motioned for us to enter a hallway off to the left side. I didn’t know where she was taking us, but as soon as I entered the room, my heart leaped. Walls covered with photographs met my eye, each depicting a scene from the Savior’s life. The artist, Mark Mabry, had reconstructed events from the life of Christ and photographed them, bringing the power and poignancy of our Savior’s ministry to film in an exhibit called “Reflections of Christ.”
In frames, we saw Mary and Joseph hovering over a new baby Jesus. We saw John the Baptist standing with Christ in the waters of the River Jordan. We saw the pain and anguish on His face as He endured the loneliness of the Garden of Gethsemane.
Music to match the themes was piped into the room, adding to the atmosphere. I returned again to look at one picture in particular, of Christ collapsed on the ground just outside the Garden, looking over His shoulder at a bank of dark clouds that approached. In that moment, viewing that picture and listening to the music, I found myself longing to repent, to be a better person, and to tell my Savior “thank you” for everything He has done for me.
If you are going to be in the Mesa area at all in the next little while, I strongly encourage you to drive over to the Visitors Center and see this life-changing exhibit.
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