Last of February and First Half of March 2014

We experienced our first Sunday here. The Ward is made up of only the Missionaries called to work in the Temple. Rather an interesting Ward. We think we will really enjoy working with so many strong members of the church. All the callings except the Bishop are of the Temple Missionaries.

Then next day was our first outing with a group here. We went to the National Air and Space Museum. What a HUGE and interesting place. They have many of the original airplanes and space craft from all over the world.

We saw the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

It could fly over 2,000 miles per hour. It could fly from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds.

And we saw the space shuttle Discovery. 

And we saw many of the first airplanes to fly. 

Not a lot we can report on of the activities in the Temple. But suffice it to say that we are really enjoying it. We work every day except Sunday & Monday. So that’s been a little hard to get used to. Each time we go it seems like a new week so we get a little confused on which day it really is.

On March 1st we were able to go to the temple with Caleb Snedaker (Kyle and Donna’s missionary out now). He has actually been called to the Brazil Mission but due to visa problems was sent here to the Baltimore Mission until he gets his visa. (Which has actually come now so he will be leaving soon for Brazil). That was neat to see and visit with him a little.

On March 3rd we had a really good snow storm.

Luckily that was our day off from the Temple so we didn’t even try the roads. The area we live in is very hilly with really narrow roads and lots of cars parked on the roads so the least little bit of snow just shuts things right down.

March 9th we served at the Visitor Center from 6:30—8:30. Met some of the Senior Missionaries that serve there. We also met a lot of the young Sister Missionaries and a few of the Elders. One Sister Missionary is from Zambia. 

She knows Sister Phiri that served with us in Arusha. It was fun to talk with her.

On the 10th we went on another excursion down to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

and to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Photography is not allowed so we don’t have a lot to show you.

We left early (7:00 am) with 3 other couples (Lee & Judy Evans, Dale & Gwen Evans, and Richard & Rhonda Williams). We took the MTA  Subway into D.C. That was quite an experience.
The escalator going down was the longest we have ever seen.

On the 12th Sandra organized a surprise birthday party for Rich. From his journal, “I really had no idea what was going on. I thought when several showed up at our door and sang “Happy Birthday” that this was probably something they do for all the birthdays. We had wall to wall people. We started bringing chairs from the neighbors for people to sit on but soon realized there was not even standing room for all the missionaries. But some started leaving after a few minutes and it all worked out.” We all had a great visit.

Saturdays here at the Washington D.C. Temple a really busy. For the past 2 Saturdays Rich has served as the Director at the front desk of groups coming to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. At this temple they come in the front door and need to be organized into groups and escorted down to the baptistry. They are grouped in the foyer and then escorted over the “bridge” to a conference room. There they are greeted by one of the Temple Presidency or the Matron or her assistants. Then they are escorted on down to the baptistry. Rich says it is a very spiritual experience. Some of these groups travel a long way to serve in the temple. Like over 150 miles. And we have a lot of spanish speaking groups. We had one group from a Spanish Branch.

We are settling in and getting adjusted to life here. We are looking forward to the Cherry Blossom Festival. Looks like it will be late this year.
Watch our next blog to see if it comes in late March or early April this year.