October 12th through October 18th

October 12^th through October 18^th:  What a week.  Words can’t really describe what we experienced.  It was like being in heaven.  Monday we went down to Utah County and met Kirstin, Rigby and Emme at Thanksgiving Point and played with Rigby and Emme at the animal farm.  They love the pony rides.  

Nana and Poppa having fun with Rigby and Emme at Thanksgiving Point.

We then hurried back to the hotel to change and we went over to the Church History Museum and then to a reception at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  It was so fun to meet and talk to all the new Temple Presidents.  Tuesday. This is part of an email that mom sent to the kids at the end of our first real day of the seminar.

“It is 9:30 pm and we are tired, but I wanted to share with you what an amazing day we have had in our training.  There are 62 new temple presidents in the training and it has been so much fun to meet them and hear about their experiences and where they are going.  We were told to be in our seats in the chapel of the temple by 9:00 am.  As we waited, we watched as different apostles came in and took their seats on the stand.  Elders Rasband, Stevenson, and Renlund were first.  Then President Nelson, Oaks and Bednar.  Within 10 minutes all 12 apostles were seated in front of us.  At 9:20, Presidents Eyring, Monson, and Uchtdorf came in.  The meeting was supposed to start at 9:30, but it started at 9:25.  We have learned to be early!!  What an amazing experience to be in the temple with all 15 of the prophets, seers and revelators.

President Uchtdorf spoke first and he recalled when his family was sealed in the Swiss temple when he was a teenager and how special it was for him.  He then reminded us that there are millions of members today who have not yet entered the temple and it is our assignment to influence our temples to receive them with warmth, friendliness, peace and holiness.  He asked us to pay special attention to those that come for the first time---to cultivate harmony with the workers that everyone will have a spiritual experience.  He asked us to testify of the power that is in the temple to change lives.  He also promised us that our families will be blessed for our service.

President Eyring began by telling us that we may think the people working in our temples or who come to the temple are ordinary people, but the Lord loves them and knows their potential.  He said people will not leave the temple confused or disappointed if they feel the Spirit and that we should prepare and pray for inspiration as we minister to them.

Then President Monson addressed us.  He looked very pale and weak as he sat on the stand.  But when he got up to speak, color came into his cheeks and he gave a clear and warm message.  He said a glorious assignment awaits us and that we should be as Ezekiel and have a new heart and a new spirit.  He said that kindness should always await us in the temple.  He then talked about reverence and that the temple is holy to the Lord and should be to us.  Our temple service should reflect our love for the Savior. He closed by saying that as a boy, Jesus taught in the temple---and He teaches there still.

After a break, we heard from Elder Renlund who gave a very tender talk about his grandmother who joined the Church in Finland--one of the early members.  She was widowed while pregnant with her 10th child.  She buried 7 of her children from tuberculosis and in 1936 submitted their names for temple work--the first names to be submitted from Finland.  He said she lived and died as a peasant woman, but through her tragedies she relied on the truth of the resurrection and the promises of Malachi that the Lord will make things right.

Elder Cook gave a brief history of Elijah and temples in this dispensation.  He said that the Nauvoo temple has blessed the Church forever.  He then quoted Elder Nelson from this past conference, that "we need women who know how to access priesthood power." He said that Brigham Young saw thousands of temples dotting the world, so we are in the early stages of this work.  But we should teach the inter-relatedness of temples and family history.

Tuesday on the way to lunch.

The gardens and my wife are beautiful.

Lunch on Tuesday.  

Mom says I am forbidden to take selfies.

We were married in this temple 42 years ago.

In the afternoon session, we heard form Elders Richards, Wilson, Anderson and Packer.  We went to the tabernacle for an organ recital and to have a group picture taken in the choir loft.  Then we all sang Called to Serve.  It was very touching.  Then it was on to dinner. We then had a session at the Family History Library.  

We had a organ recital by Clay Christiansen.

https://youtu.be/PyFmsVG1QIU

Called to Serve Link

Dinner Tuesday night with Egardo Carbajal (on the right) our Area Director.

Wednesday, we heard from Elder Neil L. Anderson, Bishop Davies and Bishop Causse the Presiding Bishop.  Then a panel discussion of 4 women, Sister Samuelson, Matron of the Salt Lake Temple, Sister Wendy Nelson, wife of President Nelson, Sister Neill F. Marriott, Second Counselor in the Young Women’s Presidency, and Sister Richards, wife of Elder Kent Richards.  They were amazing and their messages so inspirational.  

Lunch on Wednesday. 

View of the temple from our dinning room.

In the afternoon session we heard from Sister Bonnie Oscarson, President of the Young Women’s Organization.  She served with her husband as Matron of the Stockholm, Sweden temple and then from Elder Teh and finally from Thomas Coburn and Robert Dunford of the temple department.  Then it was off to dinner and then a session at the Family History Library.  We met with our own personal Family History Consultant and he answered a lot of questions for us.  He has been helping us by email for a couple of weeks.  It was nice to meet him and if you are reading this Von, thanks a million you really changed how we view family history.  With his help and Sister Howell, I have found over a thousand names for temple work. I also discovered I am a descendant of Thomas Cook, who came to America on the Mayflower! Thursday morning we had more training from the temple department staff, but in the afternoon we heard from President Russell M. Nelson.  I was blown away by the apostolic blessing he left upon us.  We then went on a session.  I handed out about 25 endowment cards and mom did the same.  We have plenty to share now.  

Lunch on Thursday with Elder Pino.

We then went to dinner and finished up with a private concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  I got really teary eyed when they finished with “God be with you till we meet again.”  Words cannot describe what we felt and learned.  They taught us all week of the importance of treating the patrons with love and respect just like how the Savior would treat them for they are His guests and in His house.  They want us to teach about the two halves of this most important work, family history and then taking the names to do the work.  It was truly like being in Heaven.  We felt uplifted and inspired and in some ways more prepared to go and serve.  

Dinner Thursday night with Elder Cook.

I don't have words to describe this holy house.

Private concert by the MoTab.

"God be with you till we meet again"

I took this picture Thursday afternoon and I just love it.

Friday morning we flew to Nauvoo with our grandson, Badger.  Badger turned 12 in August and we wanted to do something special with him since we have been gone for so many of his growing up years.  When we arrived in Chicago we rented a car and went to the Science and Industry Museum.  What a wonderful museum.  We only had a couple of hours there, but we sure had a great time.  We then drove to Nauvoo.  We arrived about 10:00pm.  

Badger and Mom at the Science and Industry Museum in Chicago.

Mirror Maze so fun.

Badger's favorite place.

The only captured German U-boat on display.  It is really big.

Saturday we got up and we straight to the temple to do baptisms for the dead.  We have a lot of names now.  I baptized Badger for 25 times for our cousins and mom 10 times. Then we toured old Nauvoo and visited some of the places where our ancestors lived and walked.  We had a great day.  

Baptisms for the dead Saturday morning.

Badger thinks he can shoe a horse now.

Badger delivering a sermon in the seventy's hall.

I love this temple.  It brings back so many memories from when BDL did the interior millwork.

Mom thinks we could sing and dance on our next mission.

Sunday we went to Stake Conference and then visited the Community of Christ’s buildings.  Then we went to Carthage to see where Joseph and Hyrum were martyred. We had a great trip with Badger and we are so glad he is our grandson.  We love him very much.

At Joseph Smith's first home.

Another sermon upstairs in the red brick store.

Carthage Jail.

Badger is a direct descendant of Joseph Bates Noble.

He is also a direct descendant of Nathaniel Ashby's wife Susan Hammond.

Sunday afternoon and a few last minute pictures.

Joseph and Hyrum's ride to Carthage.