The first time I went through the Latter-day Saint (Mormon) temple endowment ceremony, it was an amazing experience. In fact it was a miracle! I didn’t understand everything that went on or the covenants I had made, but as I approached the veil, an older gentlemen knocked three times, and said “Adam, having been true and faithful in all things, desires further light and knowledge by conversing with the Lord through the veil.” I immediately started crying. I felt the spirit, and I knew my Dad was there with me. You see, my Father had died a few years earlier and I missed him very much. I knew the temple was the closest place I could be to my Dad. I had heard stories of people being visited by dead relatives in the temple, but I couldn’t believe it was happening to me.

The temple worker had called me “Adam”. Nobody ever called me Adam… except for my Dad. My brother’s name is Adam, and for some reason my Dad always accidently called me by my brother’s name. It happened all the time, including other important milestones in my life. Strangely, my Dad never did this with anyone else, and never called my brother by my name. It became a family joke that I was “Adam”.

While at the veil, they called me Adam a couple more times, and I knew that I wasn’t just hearing things. This was my Dad’s way of letting me know that he was there with me, as I passed through the veil. I knew without a doubt that the church was true, and from that point forward I could never deny it. This little miracle was the only proof I needed.

Some time later, I went through the endowment for a second time. I was excited to learn more and hopefully understand its teaching better. After it was over, I approached the veil, and again they called me Adam. I was shocked! This couldn’t possibly happen again? So I listened to the patrons next to me. They called everyone Adam!?!? How could this be? My heart sank, as I realized my little miracle was just a figment of my imagination. I had based a portion of my testimony on the special feelings I had during that first temple experience, but I learned the truth. My special experience wasn’t that special after all.

I never told Adam about my experience.

Many years later, I sat my brother down to tell him that I was leaving the Church. As any good brother would, he bore his testimony about the gospel. He also shared his most faith promoting miracle with me. After Adam & his wife were sealed in the temple, they were at their wedding reception. Our great aunt pulled Adam aside, and with tearful eyes, she told him that she had felt my Dad sitting next to her during the sealing. My brother accepted this as fact. My Dad was alive and well in the spirit world, and had been in the temple on that special day.

I couldn’t help but think back to my own little temple miracle, and the sadness I felt when I realized it didn’t actually happen.

So my question to you is… What is your temple miracle? Was it real?

Ray Dawn