Temple Week #24, 18 - 24 November 2014

It was a busy week in the temple and Saturday seemed to top it off.  There was a large group in from Ireland and then patrons from other European countries as well as from here in England.  Dad and I were in a couple of sessions together as he was the officiator and I was the follower.  I also assisted a sister from Sweden with a language card and one from Portugal.

We took Sister Hale to the 3 store to purchase a phone with Internet so she can do her family history in her flat.  Later, we were to her flat to set it up and get her going.  We ran into a snag here and there but Dad was the computer man and figured them out.  The next evening she called with a dilemma which he solved and she was pretty happy with having the Internet so readily accessible.

I am the pianist for a special number for our Christmas program and so have been going to the accommodation centre to work on the piece at the piano.  One evening I had been practicing for more than a half hour when some sisters on my shift came in at the other end of the room and set up to play games.  We all greeted one another.  I finished up and went over to see what they were playing.  Well, they informed me they play every evening and I was more than welcome to come join them.  I sat down and we played a game of Five Crowns.  Those playing were Sister Clark, Sister Docherty, Sister Dyer, and Sister Powell.  It was a lot of fun and I was so glad I stopped to play.  I went another evening and enjoyed the time there.  The sister that heads it up is a periodic worker and said whenever she is there, they play games.  I will watch for her return!

Grandbabies are growing!

Collins and cousin, Eliza.  She will soon teach him the ropes!

Collins just after a bath and only a pink towel around!  Taking life easy.

The Masih's grandson, Ammon, had a birthday and is preparing for a mission and we met him when we went to their house in September.  They went home one weekend for his party and we sent a card with money towards his mission.  This is his reply.

When the Masih's returned, Ammon had sent a piece of his birthday cake to us.

The weather this week was rain, rain, and more rain.  We hardly saw the sun, in fact there were days there was no sun at all.  We got up in the dark, got out of the temple in the dark, and went to bed in the dark.  By 5 p.m. it is fully dark.  I have had a hard time staying awake.  My body is ready for bed and some nights I just give in and veg on the couch and then go to bed.  Towards the end of the week I did better at staying awake as I decided I didn't want to sleep all the time.

Sister Powell was in charge of family home evening on Wednesday.  She gave an excellent lesson on prayer and how it is a communication with Heavenly Father.  Are we doing our part?  We played a couple of games and enjoyed refreshments and visiting.

Thursday, Dad celebrated his 70th birthday.  There were appreciated calls and emails from family.  Isabel surprised him with a face time call from her during lunch at school.  Some her friends joined in in wishing him a happy birthday and he enjoyed her happy smile and wish for a great day.

For his birthday, we went to Smith & Western Restuarant for a steak dinner.  The place is a Texas Roadhouse wanna be.  The atmosphere was authentic, complete with country music.  We even got up and danced some.  The place was not very busy so all the servers watched us.  Dad got a Mesa Temple tie bar for his gift.

We were sad to hear this week that Irval, Hal's father, was in the hospital in Argentina in critical condition with a heart condition.  He had undergone surgery but his recovery was a day by day situation.  By the end of the week it began to look promising for him.  Hal is there for two weeks to be support for his mother as well as Irval.  Irval and Joann have been there over a year as missionaries for the church.

Sunday, it was the Primary Sacrament Program and we were well fed.  The theme was "Families are Forever."  The children did an outstanding job with their parts and singing the songs.  I was especially touched for the young boy that said:  "I have not seen Heavenly Father, but I know He lives.  He answers my prayers and guides me.  He has given me the gospel to show me the way back to Him."  The song, "The Family Is Of God," is wonderful.  The words teach a tremendous lesson about Heavenly Father and families.

1.  Our Father has a family, It's Me! It's you, all others too: we are his children.

     He sent each one of us to earth, through birth, To live and learn here in fam'lies.

2.  A father's place is to preside, provide, To love and teach the gospel to his children

     A father leads in family prayer to share Their love for Father in Heaven.

3.  A mother's purpose is to care, prepare, To nurture and to strengthen all her children.

     She teaches children to obey, to pray, To love, and serve in the fam'ly.

4.  I'll love and serve my family and be A good example to each fam'ly member.

    And when I am a mom or dad, so glad, I'll help my family remember:

CHORUS:  God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be--

               This is how He share His love, for the fam'ly is of God.

Then, in Relief Society, we learned and discussed our roles as mothers and grandmothers in teaching our children the gospel from a talk by Elder Richard G. Scott, in April 2014 conference.  One thing he said that impressed me was:  "You can help in ways that are founded in principle and doctrine.  Encourage those you love to seek to understand what the Lord would have them do.  One way to do this is to ask them questions that make them think and then allow them sufficient time-whether hours, days, months, or more-to ponder and seek to work out the answers for themselves.  You may need to help them know how to pray and how to recognize answers to their prayers.  Help them to know that the scriptures are a vital source of receiving and recognizing answers.  In that way you will help them prepare for future opportunities and challenges."

Katie reminded us that we missed the balloon festival on Saturday!

Thor, Katie, Lorili, Gabe, Henry, Caleb, & Eliza.

We had a Hi & Bye Sunday evening.  I made two batches of chocolate chip cookies and a pan of rice krispies treats and I came home with empty pans.  We said "hi" to the Garrett's and "bye" to the Strong's, the Masih's, and Littlefield's.

Steve & Sandi Garrett are from Colorado and have been here a month and are on our shift.  The Littlefield's and Strong's will both be going home to Utah on December 9th.  The Masih's leave November 30th, going to their home in Coventry.  We warmly welcome the Garrett's and will miss those that are leaving.  We have grown to love and appreciate them and will treasure all they have taught us.  The Littlefield's were our shift coordinators and the Strong's were the Assistant Coordinators.  Brother and Sister Davis are the new Coordinators and Brother and Sister Key are the Assistants.

The evening was filled with wonderful experiences shared, music sung, and memories renewed.  We hope the Garrett's settle in well and wish the others joyful returns to their families.

Monday, we celebrated Thanksgiving with a delicious turkey dinner at 1 p.m. in the accommodations centre.  There were 65 missionaries in attendance and a good time was had by many.  I had begun in the morning baking a pumpkin pie and getting a turkey ready for baking in the oven.  Sister Davis and Sister Parkinson also prepared turkeys and we met together to put them in the ovens at the centre.  I made a few trips back and forth to centre in food preparation.  The tables had been beautifully set and decorated.  Everyone brought assigned dishes and the spread was tremendous.  There was plenty for all and we ate like it really was Thanksgiving!

1.  Me, Sister Davis, and Brother & Sister Parkinson boning the turkeys.
2.  Sister Garrett, Sister Orton, and Sister Smith putting touches on the serving tables.
3.  Sister Hale organizing the dishes and making sure her delicious deviled eggs fit.
4.  The dessert table laden with yummy homemade sweets of all kinds.

The meal began with an introduction by Brother Davis and him presenting a log he had prepared with the names of all the missionaries wood burned into it that had served and are now serving in the temple in 2014, to the temple presidency.  President Johnson accepted it graciously and declared that now when we mess up in the temple, he has a new way of correction!  He then wielded the log!

The English then surprised us with singing "The Star Spangled Banner,"  and we joined in.  They had worked hard to learn the words without us knowing, and it was truly a tribute to us Americans.  We then joined them in singing, "God Save The King,"

Last photo is Brother Davis presenting the log.  Middle bottom is Sister & Brother Mulholland.

During the meal, we each had three kernels of dried corn at our plate and were to place them one at a time in the center of the table as we said something we were grateful for.  I was grateful there was another deviled egg when I went back for seconds.  Dad was grateful for everything President Johnson had said in the prayer and blessing on the food - the gospel, Jesus Christ, and temples.  We enjoyed our meal with the Parkinson's and Mulholland's.

We had prepared another flash mob item, but this time it was in recognition of Brother and Sister Littlefield, as they have been our choir director and shift coordinators and this is their fourth mission and they are ready to go home for awhile.  Brother Rogers wrote new words that reflect the Littlefield's to the same tune we sang last time.  Our cue was during the meal Brother Rogers would give a signal to the first group to start it off.  Wow, it was amazing how it went with us all scattered throughout the room and not even sitting with our groups, and we had such a fun time singing.  When we got to the last part, we gathered round the table they were sitting at and sang our hearts out with the last phrase:  "Singing, singing all the way, off back home to the USA.  Singing, singing all the way, . . . . .GOING HOME TO PLAY!"

It was an absolutely wonderful celebration in recognition of the bounteous blessings the Lord has given us.  And, we had sunshine the whole day!  It was marvelous to walk back and forth from flat to centre in it and soak up its rays.  It was indeed a thankful day.

In closing this post I want to share an experience.   We know that the Celestial Room symbolizes the exalted and peaceful state that all may achieve through living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This room represents the contentment, inner harmony, and peace available to eternal families in the presence of Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ. I had an assignment one day to be in that very room as we are there to assist patrons with any needs they may have.  I had not been there for that purpose for awhile and when I walked into the room, I felt the sacredness of it.  I sat down and looked around, feeling the warmth and comfort it provided; the peace and joy.  The sun's rays peaked through the curtains for a brief moment enhanceing the beauty of the furnishings and the brilliance of the gold colored carpet.  I felt at home and thought of my family and how we will be "home" together one day in the eternities.  I am grateful for the gospel, for the plan of salvation, for my Savior, and for temples that provide knowledge and those things necessary for us to return to Heavenly Father.  I will continue to follow the commandments, be obedient, employ repentance in my life, and extend forgiveness to others.  Thank you, Heavenly Father, for temples.