Month of September 2014

We have a thing called “Hail & Farewell” each month or so to welcome incoming missionaries and for the Temple Presidency to bid farewell to the leaving missionaries. That process is starting to set in and make us a little apprehensive. We seem to be at a point where this life style seems normal and going home is a bit scary. But it is great to learn about the incoming missionaries and learn a little more about the ones leaving. Sometimes they put on quite a production. If you are interested you can view one of the “Productions” put on by the Williamses as they gave their farewell. It is named “Sister Williams' Olio - Large (or medium for a faster stream)”. Here is the link to it:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bt92z8p2jxatd9v/aPvNVqS6sD

The Temple will be closed for the next 4 weeks for some repairs and cleaning. We are scheduled to clean the week of the 21st. So we decided to travel a bit while it is closed.

Sept 8 – We went to see the ocean and Assateague Island. We stopped at the visitor center and saw a horseshoe crab and a movie about the wild ponies, 

then went driving out along the island and saw about 5 or 6 ponies (wild)

and walked in the Atlantic ocean.

Sept 9th – we left at 7:00 am and drove to Lancaster, PA to see the Sights and Sounds show of Moses. 

Then we went to the Mennonite Museum or Information Center where we saw a life size replica of Moses’ tabernacle.  It was quite interesting. We asked questions about their belief in the temple ordinances but didn’t really get any answers. We also talked about baptism. And how they baptize. Everything in their church has a very broad spectrum..  If people want sprinkling, they sprinkle, if they want immersion, they immerse.  They  are very broad about many things.  We learn a lot about their religion. 

Wed 10th we took a bus to New York City. We stayed there for 5 days. We really saw a lot and had a great time.

We attended the Temple there:

It's kind of hidden among all the tall buildings.

The next 2 days we took the Big Bus Tour and saw pretty much everything in NYC.

We were able to get tickets to the show “Cinderella”. That was really good.

We rode home with the Johnsons rather than take the bus. That way we could stop and see Philadelphia.

Sometime that week we got a call from Bishop and Lori Murdock. They wanted to attend the temple with us. But we had to inform them that it was closed. So we met them at their hotel and had dinner with them. It was great.

Then on Tuesday we started our week of cleaning in the temple. That was quite an experience. There just is no dirt or dust anywhere. They told us we were not “cleaning the temple”, but we were “keeping it from getting dirty”. The chandeliers were the hardest to clean. We spent a lot of time up on scaffolding with our arms above our heads.

Another month under our belts. Seems like the further we get into our mission the more busy we get. But we love it!! The spiritual high each day is a great blessing.

Month of August 2014

Wow, we are just getting further and further behind on this blog. We find ourselves more busy that ever. But I guess that is a good thing when you are on a mission.

On August 2nd we served at the Visitors’ Center. We were the 2nd of 2 couples serving so we weren’t stuck at the desk all night. We were able to meet visitors and discuss the church with them. And we met a family from Louisville, Kentucky who had just returned from Guatemala where they served with their 12 children on a 6 month mission that lasted 8 months. They went to all the central american countries teaching on strengthening marriage. We met a couple of recent converts and had a good visit with them. Then the next Saturday we were able to work with them in the baptistry. It was a great evening.

August 3rd we were invited to one of the couple’s for dinner. After that we went to the Visitors’ Center to hear Dave Checketts speak. He was once general manager of the Jazz. And has been involved with a lot of national basketball teams over the years. He is now (or at least was in 2012) a Stake President in the New York area.

We get to see and hear a lot of famous people here at the Visitors’ Center. What a great opportunity!

August 6th (Sandra’s birthday) we went to the Pentagon. We were actually trying to go to the Twilight Tatoo presentation at Fort Meyer. But we couldn’t find it. We did find it later in the month and we will tell you about that further down in this blog. The memorial from the 911 terrorist attack was really interesting. There were open end bench things that kind of moved up and out (kind of looking like an airplane wing or a wave in the water, with trees beside so you could sit in the shade and meditate.  Then underneath each bench was a trough of circulating water with a light at one end.  On the end of the bench was a name engraved of a person who died in that crash.  At night the lights all reflected off the water and onto the metal under the bench and had a shimmery light for each person. It was really neat. 

Monday August 11, We went to Gettysburg, Pa. We went to the cyclorama (a huge painting of the battlefield 360 degrees around us and we stood in the middle and heard facts and saw the cannons go off and the smoke and fire crash around us.  It was really a good demonstration of the battle.  

Then we ate at General Pickett’s Buffet. 

Wed. night Aug 13 we made it to the Twilight Tattoo. It was really something.

Monday 18th we went to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We thought it was the famous long tunnel. But as we learned later on there are 2 bridges with the same name. But we had a good time with our friends the Nielsens.

Then we stopped at a crab place and tried our hand at eating crab.

A lot of work for very little meat.

Sunday 24th Jay & Liz Crandall and Barbara & Kenny Osborne came to Church with us. Jay & Liz were on their way back to Idaho Falls in preparation for serving as visitors’ center directors at the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters we think.

Sorry we don’t put more about our experiences in the temple. Seems like we have more and more as we serve and learn more about the temple. We have been working in the baptistry on Saturdays for about 5 months and have really learned to love that. The Temple Presidency has made arrangements to have the un-endowed members come in the front of the temple to see the famous mural here in the Washington D.C. Temple. And there have been so many spiritual experiences related to that. We have groups every hour and a half come in and Bro. Rydalch gets to greet them. Sometimes as he talks about the work they will be doing in the temple the veil gets very thin.

We are loving the work and doing very well health wise.

Month of July 2014

The 4th of July in Washington D.C. is quite an experience. This is one of the holidays that the Temple is closed. So we had the day off.

We started off with a Breakfast at President and Sister Pratt’s home. He is the First Counselor in the Temple Presidency and Sister Pratt is Assistant to the Matron.

We had a flag ceremony,

sang some patriotic songs,

were served a great breakfast,

and wrapped up with playing games.

Then that evening we had a “Building Cookout”.

And after that we went down to the “Mall” and watched the fireworks.

On July 7th we went up in the Washington Monument.

Wow, what a view.

On July 14th we went to Monticello. That’s where Thomas Jefferson lived.

We actually went on the 13th and stayed over night and that made it a nice get away.

On the way back we drove through the worst rain storm we have ever seen.

The wipers could not keep the rain off the windshield at all. It was like driving under water.

On the 21st we had a July 24th Celebration at our apartment.

We sang songs accompanied by home made instruments,

had a great meal (home made scones),

and enjoyed the company of all the missionaries.

July 23rd – Wednesday there was a youth conference for 50 youth who came to the Visitors’ Center and spent an hour and a half at the temple then had a program that night.  It was Sandra Turley who sang in Les Misérables in New York and also abroad in some country.  She was really great.  As a member of the church, she inspired us with gospel truths as well.  It was a great program.

July 26th – We went to a pioneer program at the Visitors’ Center put on by the Oakton Virginia Stake. They had a lot of music numbers etc. It was really great.  Not real professional, but a good mix and cute costumes.

July 28th we went to the Ford Theatre and the American Art Museum. That’s where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

And all through the month we have had wonderful, spiritual experiences in the Temple. The more we learn there the more we understand. We just love working there!!

Month of June 2014

The first big thing we did this month was an event called “Sailing for Seniors”. The Ward planned the event and it involved several of the District Temple Workers who own sailing boats. We met at Brother & Sister Tate’s Beach Front Home.

We started out at Island Creek and sailed into Patuxent Bay which is a tributary of the Chesapeake. Our Captain was Brother Talbott.

And Rich got the job of letting out the sails.

On Saturday June 7th there was a special concert at the Visitor’s Center. They were awesome! A World Class International Champion Choir.

This is their website. Take a look.

http://www.ustsingers.com/

June 9th Monday – we went with Moyles down to DC to see the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials.  

On the 16th of June we went down to DC and visited the American Indian Museum.

Then that evening we had a Father's Day Cook Out.

June 23rd we went back to Mount Vernon again. This time it was not so cold. In fact it was a beautiful day. We visited George Washington’s Mill and Distillery.

And explored a lot more of the plantation than on our first trip.

We went to the museum this time.

We wrapped up the month by going bowling at an army base near the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

On the way back Bro. Johnson took us to the top of one of the parking lots and we could see the temple from there.

By the looks of our blog you would think all we do is go on outings. We really are on a mission. It’s just that most of our experiences in the temple are just too special to put here on our blog.

But working in the temple every day has been quite a challenge. We come home most days completely exhausted. But it is a GREAT exhaustion. And we love it!