Long but wonderful Sunday

May 19, 2014, Monday

We had a wonderful weekend.  Craig and I spoke in the Norwich sacrament meeting on family history.  I enjoyed speaking but the preparation gets harder and harder for me.  There were only 22 at church but they have a very sweet spirit in their meetings.

Right after church we went with the missionaries to visit an inactive sister. Sister Pantohous is not active but has a daughter serving a mission in Portland Oregon and she also attended BYU-I.  She struggles with the determination and conviction to attend church on Sunday.  I got to share with her one of my favorite scriptures and then we visited about her daughter.  Sister McMann is serving in the Portland, Oregon mission.  I told her she was serving in the same mission where my sister and her husband are serving.  I told her I would call my sister and have her give Sis. McMann a hug and a hello.  She seemed pretty pleased that we had that connection.  She agreed to have us come back next Sunday.  Sis. McMann will return in January to BYU-I when she gets home from her mission.  I told Sis. Pantohous our mission is only six months and so we will be back in Rexburg when she comes and I will meet her then and have her to dinner.  When I got home I called Diane and asked her to get a message to Sis. McMann.  It is an amazing thing the way lives intertwine together.  It was a wonderful experience as we visited with the missionaries.  I felt the spirit as we visited and as each of us shared a scripture.  I know that proselyting is what Craig wants to do for a mission.  Yes it was a great experience but I don’t feel like I want to do that all the time.

Afterwards, we went to lunch at the Wright’s in Norwich.  We really had to hustle because we had to be at the nursing home for sacrament meeting at 2:00.  Although it was fast and furious, it was good and was greatly appreciated.  People in Norwich and around seem to live in very old homes.  Out west we like our new and modern and here they seem to like the old and fix up.  I am never sure what to do around older/senior people.  It is hard for me but I know I need to learn to serve better.  We didn’t get on the road till about 2:30.

Upon arrival home, we rested just a bit and prepared to go to the Brighton home for a fireside.  Bro. Neeley taught us about the history of the First Vision and the different recordings we have.  It was a very interesting fireside but by the time we got home it was about 8:30.  I was pretty tired and ready for bed.  We both read for awhile and then went to bed.  I slept really well but still am tired.

The changing of my thyroid medication seems to have really affected my energy level.  I guess I got use to the medication boosting my metabolism.  It has also taken us several tries in order to get it right.

Today was a regular day in the temple.  Craig and I were #1’s in the session.  I made several mistakes.  I don’t know why I seemed to get everything wrong.  Sister Cahoon came in to observe the veil.  We were told that she gave us an A+.  It’s a good thing she wasn’t in the session.  I know better on some things but just got it wrong.

We came home today and had a short nap.  We couldn’t go walk because we have FHE tonight.  These are pretty interesting, more interesting than I thought they were going to be.

This week is Jen’s birthday.  I wish I had the words to explain how much I appreciate her and how proud I am of her.  She is a very good example to me in so many ways.  Can’t wait to talk to her on Wednesday. 

So many cool experiences

A couple of days ago I was serving in the temple office.  When I looked up I saw President Bennion, past president of Ricks College.  As I approached him, he greeted me by knowing my name. As we visited I realized that he really did remember me because he asked about my retirement and about the Religion Department.  I was pretty impressed.  He is currently serving as the president of the Manhatten temple.

Then yesterday I got a message to come to the front desk of the temple.  When I got there, I was greeted by my cousin's daughter.  My cousin David had asked his daughter Anna to come by and see me.  She and her family have lived in New York for 10 years and are now moving to Mesa.  She has a darling little girl, Greta.  Boy is she going to be fun for grandma and grandpa.

First Official Day

Today was our first day working in the Palmyra temple.  We had to be there dressed and ready to go by 8:00 am.  I served in the office and Craig served as ordinance worker.  It was kind of a stressful day for me.  I messed up several things but I made it through the day.  I am thankful they have an opening and a closing checklist.  I had several questions that were kind of strange and a learning experience for me.  My concern is that I scheduled everything they way it should be.  I served in the office with Elder Charles Morris.  I kept thinking that I wish it was Craig.  He would help me and know my limitations. 

Tonight was FHE. We have them every Monday.  We are going to study Church History, mainly that which took place in this area.  We were taught the heritage of Joseph and Emma.  We began back in their family’s and worked forward.  It was very interesting and was taught by Pres. Broadbent.  He is a great teacher and has done some wonderful research.  They have served a mission in the Church Archives and so they knew how to get the details and stories.  We invited Elder and Sister Johnson, our next-door neighbors, to ride with us.  That was kind of nice to be with someone.  Craig and I are not very good at stepping out of our comfort zone when it comes to making friends.

In between our shift and FHE we went coffee table shopping.  We found one at Salvation Army for $9.99 so we bought it.  I find it crazy that I enjoy a table so much.  Craig hopes to use it as a weight bench and we can also eat on it.  I know this may be strange but we missed having one.

On Friday we received our schedules that we will have for the six months we are here and we were also told which branch we will be attending and working with while we are here.  We will be working the morning shifts on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  We also work the mid day shift on Wednesday and the night shift on Friday so those will be long days.  We are off on Thursday and Saturday.  All the six-month temple missionaries are off on Thursday and everyone has another day off during the week.

Those of us who have Saturday off are the ones who were assigned to the distant wards or branches.  We weren’t assigned to the most distant branch because one of the missionary couples asked if they could go to that branch.  They have connections in that city and wanted to go there.  Their branch is 152 miles northeast of Palmyra.  We were assigned to the Norwich Branch, which is 140 miles southeast of Palmyra – the second most distant branch from Palmyra.  It is actually in the New York Utica mission but it is still within the temple district.  There is one other branch 140 miles southwest of Palmyra but all but 10 miles of the drive is freeway driving.  Two-thirds of our drive is on back roads.  That’s great if you want to see some beautiful country but having to get up at 4:45 in the morning in order to get to the branch for a 9:00 A.M. sacrament meeting, counterbalances the beautiful scenery.

We visited our branch the first time today and thanks to our GPS we were able drive right to the meetinghouse.  There were about 25 people at sacrament meeting, 11 in the gospel doctrine class and nine brethren in priesthood meeting.  That isn’t nine in the high priest group.  That is nine total priesthood holders.  I think there were three in the primary today and two teenagers.  The branch president has only one counselor and a clerk (who wasn’t there today).  The sad thing is that two of the strongest couples/families are moving this summer.  When they leave, the branch will lose the one counselor to the branch president, the Elders Quorum president, the organist, the gospel doctrine teacher and the Relief Society president.  That is a big hit.  I hope we can do something to soften the blow to the branch when they leave.  We are truly back in the mission field and I am a little excited for this challenge.

Instead of getting up early on Sunday morning and driving to Norwich, we will probably go down on Saturday a few times and stay in a hotel.  Cooperstown, home of the baseball hall of fame, is 30 miles east of Norwich and Colesville, the site of the second organized branch of the church is 30 miles south.  Harmony, Pennsylvania, the site of the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood, is another 20 miles south of Colesville.  Since we have Saturday off, we have some sights we can go see and then go on to Norwich.   I was very touched by the sweet spirit in testimony meeting.  They are small in numbers but strong in faith.

Today was our last day of training.  We started with breakfast at Pres. Brighton's home.  Afterwards we went to the temple for our last instruction.  Afterwards we received our shift assignments along with our church assignments.  We will have Saturday off then Thursday as our P Day.  We will be going to the Norwich Branch in the Utica Stake.  It is 138 miles away, so that's why we have Saturday off.  I am a little disappointed.  We got the branch the furthest away.  We will have to see what we can do to help.  There is a lot of unemployment because Proctor and Gamble closed its plant.  There have been hard times for these members.

We now went to Victor/Macedon to see the mall.  Wow!  It was a huge mall.  We bought a few things for my birthday.  We walked for quite awhile and didn't see the whole thing.  We also went to a movie and saw 'Draft Day'.  We enjoyed it but it is also one you could rent.  It made it a long day but it was a great day.

We are coming to the end of our first week of training and what a wonderful week it has been.  Besides being trained in the ways of the Palmyra Temple, we have the opportunity to do sealings, endowment session and baptisms for the dead. We have truly had a wonderful week.   We have learned that I will be serving in the office a couple times a week.  Also that our P-Day will be on Thursday.  We will work two days of double shifts and then have two days off.

Craig and I found a wonderful path to walk on.  It runs along the Erie Canal.  So far we have walked about 5 mines on it and it seems on and on.  It has a good base and doesn't seem to bother my feet.  We have been able to go twice this week and it feels great.  We are hoping to get back in shape and lose the pounds we gained while traveling.

We have met so many people who know someone we know.  Between the Church and the military we have so many links.  I count my blessings every day for the wonderful life I have had.  Being on a mission here at the Palmyra temple, fulfills so many dreams.