Families are Forever, 23 May 2014

Our day began earlier and it was full as we participated in various assignments and helped and assisted where needed.  It was not unusual to be pulled from one area to another as the needs changed based on the patron attendance.  At one point, we both recognized that these faithful saints were bringing their own family names to the temple!  One particular session had more family name cards than temple name cards.  One of our assignments is to participate in sealings, and again most of the names had been brought by family and they were there participating in the ordinance.

It had rained while we were in the temple but when we came out, it was gone.  We took a rest, went to reception to collect some needed items, and then prepared to walk to dinner.  Clouds still filled the sky with a breeze blowing them this way and that.  We put on hoodies and grabbed the umbrella.

We set the stopwatch and headed off to the Peacock Lodge.  It was a 15 minute walk with sidewalk the whole way.  Of course it was rush hour so the cars and trucks were whizzing by us.  Other temple workers had said it was a good place to each, 2 meals for £10.

Inside we read the sign that said to sit anywhere and then order at the bar.  Each table had a number on it and that is how they identified the orders.  Bob had gammon and I had fish.

Each plate came with chips and your choice of garden peas or mushy peas.  You know what we ordered!  Gammon is a ham steak.

By the time we headed home the skies had cleared and the sun was shining brightly.  The walk back was quite enjoyable.

Things different and what we learned today:

1.  Everything is "lovely."  (The word they use for "nice.")

2.  The bootie socks you can wear in the temple are called "pop" socks, because you can just "pop" 'em on!

3.  The ironing board has a level on the back end of it for the iron.  I can no longer iron shirts on that end.

4.  Temple missionaries Elder & Sister Masih, pronounced Massey, are from India.

5.  Temple missionary Sister Adler is from Wales and is a retired surgeon's nurse.  She is very witty but it is hard to understand her thick accent.

6.  Stairs.  The temple is made of stairs.  There are stairs on the outside.  There are stairs on the inside.  There are stairs up and there are stairs down, there are stairs straight, and there are stairs that go around.  There are more than one set of stairs that can take you to the same place.  We had gotten turned around more than once, but we are getting better.  We are still working on which way is north. Moroni pointing east has been our beacon.

7.  We have had trouble finding napkins in the stores.  I found out today that they are there, but are called serviettes.  A napkin here is a diaper!

8.  Today, a sister no more than 3 feet tall was in the temple.  At one point I sat on a low stool that put me eye level with her.  She was so cute about me doing that.  I felt like a giant when standing next to her!

Dad was called over to the temple about 8 p.m. to help with the influx of patrons.  I was busy in the Reading Room checking emails and blogging.  It wasn't long before Sister Basten, from our shift, came along and asked if anyone knew anything about the computers in the Family History Center.  I volunteered and helped she and her husband turn them on, log on, find their families on familysearch.org, and then helped with research.  My Ancestry.com account opened right up to the UK, and away we went looking for birth, marriage, and death records!  We did find one that looks promising and she will do further research to verify it.  It was a good ending to the day.