Physical Spirituality

Beyond the practical, there's a real physical aspect to Mormon spirituality. My wife and I are just back from a Temple cleaning assignment. We've done these before, although my wife a lot more frequently than I because I'm not so much of a night person. The Bountiful Temple has been closed two weeks for deep cleaning. We were part of the volunteer crew to help put things back together for re-opening next week.

We got on a crew in the laundry and basement. We moved furniture around, vacuumed and I volunteered to sweep and mop in the room behind the dryers. I made the mistake of telling the sister in charge that I had worked as a professional custodian although it was years ago while in high school. I still do a bit at home.

Late at night, alone, mopping behind the dryers in the Temple laundry - yeah, that is a spiritual experience. And my back is now sore.

There has always been that yearning for the physical aspect in matters of faith. I did not find the holy grail tonight, but I came across two rough wood beams in the laundry and wondered if they might be the remnants of what the Crusaders had lost to Saladin's army at the Horns of Hattin. My wife thought not.

It doesn't have to be that fantastic to connect the physical world with the spiritual. While dusting doors in that beautiful place I was actually pleased to find a small cobweb in a corner that I could take care of. It was something tangibly worthwhile. So was the mopping. The regular cleaning staff in charge of our crew was happy. I was. I think He whose House it is appreciated it too.