“A Peaceful Place,” Friend, October 2025, 36–37.

A Peaceful Place

By Alissa Holyoak

Kevin was so stressed! It didn’t seem like a good day to go to the temple.

A true story from the USA.

Kevin shook the bishop’s hand and walked out of the office. He looked down at the little card he was holding. It was his very own temple recommend!

Dad was waiting for him in the hallway. “When can we go to the temple?” Kevin asked him.

Dad grinned. “We can set an appointment as soon as we get home.”

Kevin and Dad made an appointment to do baptisms for the dead. But when the day of the appointment came, Kevin was sick, so they rescheduled. And then they had to reschedule again because Dad had an emergency work trip.

Kevin began to wonder if he’d ever go to the temple.

When the day of the third appointment came, Kevin was ready! He and Dad planned to leave for the temple right after dinner.

Kevin smiled as he got ready for school. But his good mood disappeared when his math teacher announced a pop quiz. The quiz didn’t go well. Neither did the rest of the school day. And by the time Mom picked him up, he had a headache.

“Remember that you’re in charge for a bit at home while I run a quick errand?” Mom asked.

Kevin winced. He had not remembered.

The minute Mom left, Kevin’s brothers started arguing. When Kevin tried to help them solve the problem, they got mad at him. Could this day get any worse?

Yup! Just then, his little sister spilled milk all over the kitchen floor. As he mopped it up, Kevin’s heart was beating fast, and his muscles were tight.

Mom came back as he was putting the mop away. “Did your sister spill again?”

Kevin nodded and rolled his shoulders, trying to relax. “It’s been a bad day.”

“What happened?” Mom asked.

“It’s just been so stressful. It doesn’t seem like a good day to go to the temple.”

“We can choose a different day,” Mom said.

The thought of rescheduling again made Kevin feel even worse. “No,” he said. “I want to go. I just don’t feel very peaceful.”

“Heavenly Father will welcome you in His house whether or not you feel peace,” Mom said. “And Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. Lots of times you can find peace in the temple even if you’ve had a stressful day.”

Kevin sighed. “I’ll give it a try.”

During dinner and the drive to the temple, he kept thinking of all the bad things that had happened that day. He still felt tense when he and Dad got to the temple. But as soon as Kevin walked through the doors, he relaxed a little.

The temple was clean and quiet inside. Everyone wore white and spoke softly. As he changed into a white jumpsuit in the dressing room, Kevin noticed he was moving slower and speaking softer too. When it was his turn to do baptisms, he felt even better.

Dad baptized Kevin for four people who had died. Peace and happiness started to grow inside Kevin. It wasn’t just because he was in such a peaceful place, but also because he had helped people make covenants with God.

On the drive home, Kevin realized he wasn’t stressed anymore. And he was smiling again! He only had one question for Dad.

“When can I go back to the temple?”

Dad laughed. “Soon.”