June 26th through July 2nd

Wednesday, June 26^th through July 2^nd:  Wednesday, we had the day off and I decided to cook Chinese for Sister and Pres. Crayk, Lynn and Diana Crayk, Pres. and Sister Dyer and their new couple missionaries, the Hoopes from Idaho.  In the middle of cooking, Pres. Diaz called and said that Sister Diaz was really sick and he needed to take her to the doctor and he asked if we could cover their afternoon shift.  Of course, I said yes.  So we had to hurry everyone out of the apartment and go up to the temple.  I think if we had not had to leave, everyone would have sat around and talked for awhile.  The Dyer’s and the Hoopes’ had just returned from saying good-bye to all the missionaries that are being transferred to the new Santa Cruz, Bolivia mission.  This week 58 new missions will start operations and it makes for a lot of changes. 

Left to Right Brother and Sister Hoopes, Lynn and Diana Crayk, Connie and Pres. Crayk, Pres. and Sister Dyer.

We had planned on attending a concert in the evening with the Crayk’s.  We had both been invited by Fito.  So when 6:30pm rolled around and it was really quiet at the temple, we took off a little early and went to the concert.  It was fun to see Rafael, Fito and Vivian’s 11 year old son, play with the orchestra.  Fito even joined in and played with them.  They played very well.  This is the orchestra from the Instituto Sinfonica Cochabamba where the BYU music students will be teaching in July and August.  

Instituto Sinfonica Cochabamba

Rafael playing during the concert.

 

 Music from West Side Story.

Early Thursday morning we said good-bye to the Vallenas’ as they return to their home in Cusco, Peru.  They have been very faithful missionaries at the temple and they will return in a month or so to Cochabamba to live while their son finishes medical school. 

The Vallenas' leaving for the airport.

Friday morning we went to the tailors and picked up a new black suit that mom had made.  It fits really well and she looks like a missionary.  We will just have to serve another mission I guess.  We worked the afternoon shift.  Saturday we were up to the temple before 6:00am to get the early morning sessions started.  They were both big sessions, but mom and I were able to attend the second one.  It is the last week of the assignment for the Sacaba stake to attend these sessions.  They have done a great job of coming every week.  After the sessions, the stake president approached Pres. Crayk and with tears in his eyes thanked him for the assignment.  He said, “My stake has been blessed.”  I think sometimes we are surprised when we can see the blessings that regular temple attendance can make in our lives.  We went grocery shopping and on the way and back we took some pictures of some of the different families that were at the temple Saturday. 

Some of the patrons from La Paz.

The Garcia family:(left to right) grand-daughter, daughter, Grandma, 72 years old, grand daughter, and last daughter.

Here they are walking to the street.  Notice that the older women still carry everything on their backs in an aguayo.

A bride and groom from Llallagua.

Mom and I tower over most of the people here.

Mother of the bride and the bride.

Sister Telles, in the middle, is mom's good friend from Llallagua.

Sunday,  Pres. Crayk was in Santa Cruz again and so we (Sister Crayk, mom and I) gave the Johnson’s a ride to their ward in the Sacaba stake.  We attended the Esmeralda ward at 8:00am and then we went to a combined meeting on family history.  This was a great class taught by a former stake president, literally showing the class (he had his computer hooked up to a TV screen) how to use new.family search.  This is so inspiring to us when we see how the Church has grown and progressed since we were missionaries 42 years ago in Ecuador.  Mom and Connie stayed in the class, but I left and attended the 10:00am sacrament meeting of the Huayllani Ward.  I spoke in both meetings.  Monday we were back in the temple early for the monthly employee session.  Mom and I got to officiate.  It is always a great blessing to be able to officiate these sessions.  We had a great Family Home Evening meeting.  Bob and Tammie Cardon bore their testimonies and said good-bye to everyone.  They leave the first of August.  Bob shared with us some of his thoughts on the recommend desk.  I posted this on Facebook, but I think it is worth sharing here.

The Temple Waiting Room

By Elder Robert G. Cardon

June 28, 2013

One of the many jobs we have as temple workers is to man the front desk or recommend desk where we admit people into the temple.  The front desk is located in a large lobby area of the Cochabamba Temple and looking out past the front door and large windows is a beautiful view of Cochabamba in the valley below us, and then the mountains beyond the city.  Just off to the left of the lobby is a large waiting room for temple visitors.  Usually this room is occupied by young kids whose parents are attending the temple, families gathering for a special session or wedding, or teenagers waiting for the baptistery to open.  It is usually either empty or full of activity.  I’ve sometimes had to go in there and tell some kids to settle down and to remember this is the house of the Lord.  As a result of the function of this “waiting” room, you sometimes don’t think of it as a “holy” place in the temple. 

                However, I’ve noticed that quite often and especially in the middle of the day, some people, dressed in their street clothes and some of them dressed in their Sunday best, will come through the temple doors and head straight to the waiting room.  Some will kind of quietly sneak in looking out of the corner of their eye to see if I’m going to stop them.  Others will ask permission to go sit in the waiting room.  Sometimes, I think they just want a drink of cold water out of the water fountain or the use of the clean bathrooms in the waiting room.

After many months, I’ve realized that some of these people are seeking a quiet and holy place to “think, ponder, and pray” and worship.  Some of them I have found are not members of the church but recognize the temple for what it is---a place to worship our God and others know we consider it the House of the Lord—that is written on the side of the temple facing the street: “Santidad al Senor, La Casa Del Senor”, (Holiness to the Lord, The House of the Lord).  They come to the only room in the temple they’re allowed, and sit in the quiet of the waiting room, looking at the pictures of Christ on the wall, bowing their heads to say prayers, and worshipping in the best way they know how.  Luke 8:40 reads: “And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.” After a period of time, they will just quietly walk out and thank me for letting them in.  I’ve noticed some return on a regular basis.

Others who enter the waiting room are members of the church who are not recommend holders.  Again, the waiting room is the only place they’re allowed to visit.  It is as close as they can currently get to “sacred” rooms of the temple, so they take advantage of it.  I’ve also seen some adults escort an older parent or friend into the waiting room where they both sit for a while, not talking much, and then leave.  As they leave, they acknowledge my presence, bow slightly at the waist and again thank me for being able to sit in the waiting room. 

The title of the waiting room has taken on a new meaning for me.  Some of these people are waiting for the time they can hear and understand the fulness of the gospel, some are waiting for the time when timelines are over and they can enter the temple, and some are waiting for the time when they can worthily enter the temple. .  Psalms 130:5 says:  “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”  Some of these people are waiting and hoping.

I’ve become very grateful for the opportunity to sit at “la mesa” and witness these people who are looking for a place to worship in one of the most holy places on earth.  The scripture in Proverbs 8:34 becomes meaningful to me:

“Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.”

Treats after FHE.  We eat a lot here.

Tuesday morning we opened the temple before 6:00am.  I mean I used my key to the front door to open the temple!  There were many missionaries already waiting. 

Some of the missionaries that arrived early Tuesday morning.

All the missionaries that live close to Cochabamba came to the temple today.  We had 2 overflow sessions at 6:45am and 7:15am with 65 missionaries in each and still had to have another session that had 37 missionaries in it at 9:30am.  All in all, we had 167 missionaries in the first 3 sessions. That was a great way to start the day.  We finished our shift and had some lunch and then after a nap I have finished this blog post.