Sunday afternoon after General Conference I felt motivated to read my journal. The reason for this was the movie "An Ensign to All Nations". I was reminded there about the growth of the church in Chile. I was reminded of Elder Bruce R. McConkie's words so many years ago in an area Conference in Chile. I was there as a youth not knowing then that I was going to witness the history and miracles he mentioned.

When the Santiago Chile temple was dedicated I had the opportunity to be there and participate in some of the events. This is what I found in my journal:

"During the last weeks I had the privilege to participate in the open house and dedication of the Santiago temple. During the open house I witnessed several miracles. One of my jobs was to write down the referrals for the missions. Everyday for two weeks I saw hundreds of people go through the temple. Most of the visitors wanted to know more about our church and the Savior.

"There were many days we were so busy we did not even have time to eat, but did not feel hungry, fatigue or ill. On other days we had just one sandwich to share among six people, yet we felt full. On one particular Saturday during the open house we had 6000 people who came to visit the temple. People came from all over in buses, cars and public transportation. We realized that the media had done a good job announcing the open house.

"At first we could not contain our joy but soon it turned to worry. Because of the small size of the temple only so many people could go in at once. There was a long line of people waiting outside to go in. Suddenly the sky became dark and the wind started to pick up. We knew that soon there would be rain and that the people waiting outside would go home without having had a chance to look at the beautiful 'House of the Lord.' The local leaders and some visiting authorities began to discuss the situation and realized that there was nothing they could do to protect all those people from the rain. They all gathered in an office in the temple and decided to pray to ask Heavenly Father for His divine help. It was not until night had fallen and the Open House had finished for the day that the rain began to fall. All the people that had come to visit the temple had gone inside and left with much joy in their hearts for they had seen a temple. Only a few of us knew that they had also witnessed a miracle as the Lord stayed the rains from falling on them.

"For weeks I got up at 4:30 am and returned home almost by midnight from helping in this effort but I have never felt happier in my life. I learned a great deal about serving others, about the local leaders and their dedication to the gospel. On the first day the temple operated Sylvia Lockling and I helped in the nursery taking care of all the children that were being sealed to their families on that day (120 children ). We did not know much about changing diapers or feeding babies but we learned as the day went along. We were young ourselves and had not received our own endowments yet. We would walk the children to the temple door where a worker would be waiting for us. (There was no nursery at the beginning so the children would get ready in the chapel next door to the temple)."

The temple experience changed my life and it gave me a permanent desire to want to go back to my Heavenly Father. I later served as a temple worker for one year in the Santiago temple and almost four years in the Hawaii temple after I married my husband whom I first met at the Santiago Temple Dedication.

I recently returned to Chile after 12 years out of the country and stayed in the Celestial Room after a session with my husband. I could not contain my tears as I remembered all the events that brought about the coming of the temple. I remembered so many excited voices and joyous hugs. I could almost hear the voice of President Hinckley in that very room dedicating the temple and promising the blessings to the people 14 years earlier. I realized that my temple experience was only the beginning of my eternal life.