By Michele Romney Garvin

Our ward had a fun youth activity whose goal was to get us to the Las Vegas temple, physically and metaphorically. We gathered in vans and were each given a dice. At each stop light we rolled the dice, and the number we got corresponded to the next direction we were to take.

We loaded up and headed off with our dice. Our first roll told us to turn left. The next roll indicated another left turn. We were going in circles in the church parking lot!
Finally, after 3 or 4 more non-progressive rolls, we made it out to the street.

At the first stop light we had a good roll which pointed us in the direction of the temple. The next roll told us to go straight. That was good until we rolled a u-turn. Now we were heading completely AWAY from our goal.

Our journey took us into an apartment complex, a 7-11 parking lot and the Las Vegas Municipal Airport. Needless to say, we weren’t making the desired progress. At one point we were in the left lane with cars all around us, when we rolled a right turn. There was no way that we could do that because of our previous decision. That was good because the left turn took us back towards our goal, instead of away from it.

At a pre-appointed time, we all stopped where we were, and took the straightest route to the temple.

It was really interesting when we reached Bonanza Road, due west of the temple. As we were on the top of Bonanza, looking down into the valley, we could see the bright lights outlining Bonanza. Then off in the distance we could see the faint, subdued lights of our goal, the Las Vegas Temple. The perspective we had at that moment made it very clear to us the route we needed to take.

We kept driving and finally reached the temple. It was wonderful to meet up with the other youth of our ward and hear the experiences that lead them closer or farther from the temple. The youth realized that even though this was a game, it was a true parable of what happens in our lives. Every road that we take, every choice that we make in this life will either take us away or bring us closer to our goal of being worthy to attend the temple. How are we all doing?

While at the temple, we asked the youth to relate to one another what had happened on their specific journeys to the temple. As they spoke, they began to recognize the “parables” that had just occurred in their lives on the Road to the Temple. Here is what they came up with:

• Roll-of-the Dice: Each road (choice) we choose will take us closer or further away from our goal of making it to the temple.

• Told to turn Right (bad choice which led away from temple) but could not turn, because already in the left lane: Because of a prior commitment to live the gospel, and be in the right place at the right time, many of the temptations that come our way are not even an option.

• We literally are SAVED from bad choices by our previous right choices.

• Bonanza Street: This street represented the straight and narrow path to the temple.

• Bright lights of Streets compared to subdued lights of Temple: Many times the ways of the world seem flashier and call out louder to us. The temple does not need to try and compete with the world. It stands on its own and there is no place like it in the entire world.

• Hills and Valleys: When you are living right, you are on a “hill.” You are able to look out and see what lies ahead of you. This is called Eternal Perspective. You have a
goal that you want to attain and you begin working towards it. There will be times when you reach “valleys” or low spots in your lives and the goal you set seems so hard to reach. At times you can’t see or even remember what the goal looks like. It would be dangerous in life if you didn’t have the Hills (your eternal perspective) which help you make course corrections along the road to the temple.

• Chinese Fire Drill: It’s okay to have fun along the way, just as long as you keep your eye on your goal.

• Van Full of LDS Boys: You will find a worthy mate on the way to the temple!

Do you have a great youth activity you would like to share? Please email is to editor@DesertSaintsMagazine.com.