Temple Week #27, 9 - 14 December 2014

We were on the afternoon schedule this week and found plenty to do in the mornings.  Bob sold the red car to Brother Orton and they went to East Grinstead to pay the road tax.  Before they went though, Bob dropped me off at the County Mall in Crawley to do shopping.  I was there all morning and had a great time buying Christmas gifts and finding myself a coat and some long sleeved tops.  The coat came in handy quite often during the week against the cold, the wind, and the rain.

We were short staffed in the temple and the patron attendance was low as well.  We did have a funny experience at one point.  Sister Orton, Sister Garrett, and myself, three Americans, assisted a patron.  When we were finished she said:  "I am from California and am here for a week.  I came to the temple and was so hoping I would get to hear a British sister use her accent!  Instead, there were three just like me!"  We all smiled at the situation.

The Orton's came for lunch one day and then I baked date bars to take to the temple to share with the staff during lunch.  They seemed to be a hit as I did not bring any home with me.

We opened our door one morning and found a candy bar and this note that read:

We've Been Elfed!

                                                                                                       

Enjoy this little Christmas gift.
Pin this note on your door and then do the    
same for two others and see how far the
Christmas spirit spreads.
                                                                                                                           Merry Christmas!

                                                                                                               
We fixed up a couple of candy bars, printed the note,                          
and delivered them to two others.  It is fun to see
all the doors that have the sign on them.                              

We spent some evenings watching Christmas movies and blogging.  I had some music rehearsals as well.

The highlight of the week was baby Collins' blessing on Sunday.  We were able to FaceTime the family at Juliann's on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. for the event.  It was wonderful to see those who where there and say hello to them.  We are thankful for our beautiful family and the love they share with one another.

The cutest little family!  Trevor, Juliann, Collins, Adellae, & Brynlyn.

The guest of honor.  Juliann outdid herself with making his little blessing outfit.

Where's the beef?  Back:  Dallin, Tyler, Brother Price, Bob, Josh Powell, Aaron, Doug Parry, and Terry.
Front:  Thor, Trevor & Collins, Jared, and Dean.

We woke up to a nice layer of frost on all the temple grounds and cars.  We got ready for church and Dad went out early to start the car, scrape the frost, and clear the windows for driving.  I came out later and we were ready to go.  Only problem; Dad had set the emergency brake last night and the line was frozen.  He worked and worked in trying to get it thawed but to no avail.  By this time all the other rides to church had left, so we were home for the day.  It was noon when Dad went out and tried the brakes and they had thawed out.  Lesson learned for this cold weather!

We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, read, and I worked on getting Christmas cards ready to mail, to deliver, and to email.  We walked around the grounds and got this nice winter picture:

I edited the Christmas story I wrote several years ago and used at our annual Christmas party and included it in the holiday wishes we gave to the temple workers here and others we mailed cards to.  Here it is:

Samuel and the Star

            Once upon a time, long ago in the land of Israel, near the city of Bethlehem, lived a young boy named Samuel.  Samuel lived with his mother and father and his brothers and sisters.  He delighted in throwing rocks and racing with his brothers and friends over the hills and through the village.  He also shared in the responsibility of taking care of his father’s sheep.  The sheep provided wool and food for the family, which made it important to guard them well.

            Samuel and his father would go off for days at a time to tend the flock and to stand watchful at night against predators.  It wasn’t always easy for Samuel to leave home with his father.  He would rather stay home and play and enjoy the good food his mother would prepare.  But Samuel did look forward to hearing the stories and prophecies from the Holy Scriptures that his father and the other shepherds would tell around the fire each night.

One particular evening, when Samuel and his father sat near the fire with the embers glowing soft and golden and the night sky clear and dotted with stars, Samuel’s father began:

“God has sent many prophets to the earth to direct his children, but one that prophesied often of a Savior coming to the earth was the Prophet Isaiah.  He called the children of Israel to repentance and often reminded them to watch for the Savior.  God has promised from the creation of the world that He would send a Savior, the Son of God, who would come to earth to redeem us from our sins.”

Through the flickering flames of the fire, Samuel listened intently to the words of his father about a “Savior” coming and when that would happen.  He had heard the story many times before and each time it stirred a longing in his heart for the blessed event to come.

His father continued:  “The Savior will come as a baby born of a pure and virtuous mother and a new star will appear in the heavens to mark his birth.”

Each time Samuel heard this story, he wondered about the star; would he see it?  He liked to gaze heavenward and search for a new star, a bright star, a star marking the place of the Savior’s birth.   If he did see it would he remember the story and the prophecy?  Would he then go and see this babe and know he was the Savior prophesied by Isaiah?  Samuel thought often on these things and pondered their meaning.

Time passed and Samuel continued to grow.  Each year he went with his father to tend the flock, improving his skills at protecting them, and watched in the night sky for a new star to appear.  He grew to love his sheep and to love the days and nights he spent on the hillside with his father.  Every year his father repeated the prophecy of the promised Savior.

Then, one night, just as Samuel’s father was beginning the story, there was a stir in the flock.  Other shepherds were standing up and looking around for danger but did not see any.  The dark sky seemed to grow lighter and as Samuel gazed upward his eyes beheld a new star!  He blinked as he recalled the story.  Every word of the story and Isaiah’s prophecy raced through his mind.   This was the star; the baby had been born.  He noticed his father and the other shepherds also looking up in wonder.  The light increased and from the heavens an angel descended before them.  The shepherds were frightened because they had never seen an angel before and were not quite sure what to do.

The angel then spoke and quieted their fears:  “. . . Fear not:  for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. . .  . . . .Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager.” (Luke 2:10-12)

More angels appeared and sang praises of glory unto God.  The shepherds began to be at ease as they recognized like Samuel did, the new star and what it meant.  Their hearts were filled with joy for the angelic message and the fulfillment of the prophecy.  Several shepherds, including Samuel and his father, gathered together and headed to Bethlehem, following the star to the stable where the baby lay.

Upon reaching the stable, the shepherds entered reverently as they saw the baby resting peacefully upon a bed of hay.  Samuel stepped closer to gaze upon the baby.  A tender smile crept across his lips as he felt joy within his heart knowing he had seen the Savior.  The many times he had heard the story of Isaiah’s prophecy was wrapped up into this special moment of knowing Heavenly Father is real, He loves us, and He sent His Son to us; for us.

            May we be as Samuel and the shepherds and follow the star to the Savior and worship Him, the King of Kings!