“Together Always,” Friend, Dec. 2023, 40–41.
Together Always
Amir was happy to be sealed in the temple to his family.
This story took place in Italy.
Amir held Mom’s hand as they walked through the Rome, Italy, airport. They had just flown from their home in Greece. They were going to the temple to be sealed as a family! His older sister had even come from far away so she could be sealed to them.
“Where’s Grandma?” Amir asked, looking around. He bounced on his toes a little. He was so excited!
“We’ll find her,” Mom said.
“Grandma” wasn’t really Amir’s grandma, but he liked to think of her that way. She was like his missionary angel! She had helped his family learn about the gospel. And now she was helping them go to the temple for the first time!
“There she is!” Amir shouted. “Hi, Grandma!”
Amir waved his arm. Sister Bush waved back with a big smile. She walked over and gave Amir a hug. “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” Amir said.
Sister Bush called a taxi to drive them to the temple. Amir climbed in next to his sister. Soon the taxi turned a corner, and Amir could see the temple. It was so big and wonderful.
“It looks even better than the pictures!” Amir said.
Amir and his family walked around the temple grounds and took some photos. They had dreamed of this day for so long.
When it was time to go in, Amir felt like he was walking into heaven. The inside was clean and bright. The temple workers were so nice. Amir felt like Heavenly Father was watching over him. He felt safe.
Amir waited while his parents and sister went into a different part of the temple. Two kind temple workers waited with him and gave him white clothes to wear. They showed him a video about Jesus Christ. He felt peaceful.
When it was time, the temple workers led him upstairs. Amir looked for Jesus in the paintings. It made him happy to know he was in God’s house.
The room they entered was beautiful. A big, sparkling light hung from the ceiling. Two big mirrors faced each other on the walls. His family was already there waiting.
Mom and Dad knelt at an altar covered in soft fabric and held hands. A temple worker asked Amir and his sister to kneel at the altar with them. It felt like they were joining together after being apart for a long time.
Amir cried happy tears. His family looked happy too. He knew the warm feeling he felt was the Holy Ghost. He was glad they could all be there together.
When it was time to go back to Greece, Amir hugged his older sister goodbye. He was sad they had to leave. But he knew that because of the temple, someday they would together always.
Illustrations by Toby Newsome