John and Christine's Adventures: Sept. 6th and Stake Conferences

September 6^th: Rudy and Dayana, a young couple from the Tiquipaya ward came to the temple today. We started teaching them the temple preparation classes when we were attending there. I will have the opportunity to seal them on Saturday. We were on shift in the morning, so we were able to attend the session in the afternoon with them.

September 8^th: We started the day by officiating the 7:00am session. Then we went back to the temple at about noon to get ready for Rudy and Diana’s sealing. This will be my first live sealing and I want to make sure I have the language down. Everything went pretty well except their 18 month old son was not a very happy camper and cried during his sealing to his parents. I will surely always remember this day. After the sealing, Dayana wanted to put on her wedding dress (from several years before) to have some photos taken outside the temple. Chris helped her into her dress, but almost immediately the zipper broke. Not to be denied the photos, her mom and Chris sewed her into her dress so she could wear it outside. She looked lovely.

Rudy, Dayana and son Johan

We hurried to the apartment after the sealing and I got a quick bite to eat. I went off to the Jaihuayco Stake for their stake conference. During the priesthood leadership meeting at 4:00pm, we separated into 2 groups and I was told to take as much time as I wanted and we would get back together in an hour. Well, I was able to talk for 45 minutes and then the counselor in the stake presidency took the rest of the time. When we got back together, the stake president said that not everyone had had the opportunity to hear Pres. Dyer and myself so we would take a few minutes and bear our testimonies. After the meeting, we were fed pizza as we waited for the 7:00pm adult session. Mom and Sister Dyer arrived and all four of us spoke in the adult session. After the adult session, we were picked up by one of the temple employees and he took us to the party to celebrate Rudy and Diana’s sealing. Mom danced and we had a good time. Got home about 10:30pm.

Mom dancing at Rudy and Dayana's party (Bull Dance)

Mom dancing up a storm.

September 9^th: We attended the general session of the stake conference where we both spoke again. So that made 4 talks in 2 days for me and 2 for mom. I wrote a new talk for Sunday morning about vicarious work for our ancestors. The Dyers also spoke and they had given us a ride, so we invited them to dinner.

Mom and Pres. and Sister Dyer at Stake Conference (Jaihuayco)

Jaihuayco Stake Conference

Part of the Institute Choir at St. Conference

Kids and Flowers at Jaihuayco

had marinated some stakes on Saturday and I had put them in a crock pot before we left for stake conference. They turned out pretty tender and tasted good. It was fun to hear about some of the things that are going on in the mission.

September 10^th: We were in charge of FHE and I taught a lesson on all the church web sites and what is going on with technology. People seemed to enjoy it. Mom made an apple and a rhubarb crisp. That was also a hit.

September 14^th: We were on the morning shift today and the assigned sealer did not show up. So I was the sealer. I sealed for 2 hours and then did 6 part-live and part-deceased sealings. One older woman came for her own endowment and after the session wanted to be sealed to her deceased husband. She had a son who was 46 years old and an endowed member who had gotten all the work done for his dad and grandparents and 2 uncles and a sister. So after the sealing of the mother and her deceased husband, we sealed her son and deceased daughter to their parents. Then we sealed the mother’s parents together and then the mother and her 2 deceased brothers to the parents. This was a first for me again in sealing part-live and part-deceased couples and children. Great Spirit in the room and it was the highlight of the week.

A temple visitor heading back home.

September 16^th: Mom and I spoke in 2 sessions of the University stake conference today. I drove President Crayk to the airport before 6:00am and then had the car for the day to get to the stake conferences that were held in different buildings. I think all turned out well. After stake conference I cooked Chinese for Christina and Lillian the other couple that we taught from Tiquipaya who I will be able to seal on the 28th.