The Temple

In theory I would have written this yesterday, Saturday January 2, 2010. However, I am writing it this morning instead. I know, only one day in and I am having to make up time! LOL

I have been ill for a few days - mostly coughing, congestion, headache, etc. But I haven't wanted to spread it and I have also been concerned for Rich. So yesterday I really debated about going to the temple but I decided that I would go and that I would sit in the front seat of the van and be rather isolated and would go to a session and try to isolate myself as much as possible. We got to the church about 9am and picked up 4 young women and 1 young man. They were wonderful to travel with - mostly wanted to listen to talks from LDS speakers like John Bytheway, Andrew Horton, and the like. Can you imagine that? They were really very good.

Traveling to and from the temple I took a number of calls from Felicia, Wanda, Cherstin, Desi, Carlie, and Uncle Bob. I am so thankful to live in a day and age that technology exists that so readily connects us to one another. I am so bad and getting to sit down and write a letter (even an e-mail) can make me nuts - let alone factoring in the travel time for the letter. Our parents and ancestors would have sure loved having these mediums. They have become so commonplace that I doubt that we even recognize the miracles they are.

Anyway, Wanda was preparing for a lesson that she was teaching in R.S. on Sunday and she wanted to talk about it. I love having the chance to discuss gospel principles, insights, and special findings with those I love...it is so exciting and I am so hungry for this type of communication. She is so excited about learning the gospel and wants so badly to have those she teaches to love the gospel too and desire to come to the Lord. It is so true that as we immerse ourselves in the gospel and in the scriptures that we just get more and more excited, but it also true that it is nearly impossible to give that excitement to another. The only conduit really is the Holy Ghost - but it is usually reserved for those who are doing the work - otherwise it would be like casting pearls before swine. Hopefully, as she bears testimony, the Holy Ghost will ratify that in those in her class. Sometimes it has been my experience that I want to share what I have learned so badly that I get bogged down in the mechanics and methods of teaching instead of just letting the spirit teach - after all - He is the real teacher anyway.

I went to the session for a Myrtle Anderson (I need to find my family file names from our move) who was born in Knox County, Missouri in 1926. I kind of wondered about her - had she just recently passed away, was she eager to have this done, did this reunite her with family? I don't know. I remembered my Mom. This session certainly did that for me. It is hard for me to believe that she has been gone so long. I really miss her. She is truly an elect Lady. I can only hope to become the kind of person she was - the most selfless I ever knew.

After the session I waited in the Lobby of the temple for the youth to finish - I read some from the Pearl of Great Price. It seems that the the first chapters are really 1st person accounts from God the Father, rather than the Savior. I don't know of any other scripture that are such, at least not that I can think of. However, I still wonder if that is the case. Divine investiture of authority would dictate otherwise - the the words really do seem to indicated that these are His Journal - it is like I am reading His Journal. Perhaps I will never know in this life and probably it doesn't matter...but right now I would like to research it.

We went to "Moe's" - some Mexican eatery patterned after "Chipotle." The food was good and then we returned home uneventfully. It was a great day - a long one - nearly 12 hours - but a great one nevertheless. However, the illness that so ravages me is in full operation.