September 2022

Twin Falls Idaho Temple

We are the 6th Temple Presidency of this temple.

Rex & Marjorie, Karl & Beverly, Brad & Sandy, Paul & Susan, Terry & Judy

Gerratt                Nelson               Hobbs               Young        McCurdy       

#1-Gerratt, #2-Nelson, #3-Hobbs, #4-Young, #5-McCurdy

And the 6th Twin Falls Idaho Temple Presidency

Derlin & Nancy Taylor, Reed & Kathy Harris, Lon & Nancy Thompson

Our final training was on September the 1st.  We stayed home and met online with about 400 other people.  It was a zoom meeting with Elders Bednar, Gong and Duncan and several others in a panel discussion.  People had sent in questions, and they answered them for us.  It was so informative.  We just don't know if there is any more room in our heads to fit anything else in😏.  Our temple presidency then met at the temple for our first official presidency council meeting at 11am.  We spent the next 5 hours going over things and getting ready for Saturday morning when we will be in charge of the temple.  We didn't get to everything that the president wanted to, but we called it a day at 4pm.

Friday morning President and Sister Harris opened the temple and the Taylors closed.  We had the day off.  We got some salsa made and 4 jars of stewed tomatoes canned.  We hadn't planned on this but were given the tomatoes.  We visited with Mom and went shopping for a few new items: a suit for Lon, shoes for both of us, skirts and blouses, ties.  We worked on our preparation meeting training and tried to go to bed early.  

Saturday September 3rd - Our first official day to open the temple.  We arrived at 4:50 am to open the doors.  We discovered that we knew more of the workers than we had thought we did.  We don't always know the names, but we recognized so many faces.  We taught the morning and the mid shift preparation meetings.  I was privileged to speak to 5 baptism groups.  We loved being with these amazing ordinance workers.  The best word to describe our first day is "WOW".  We are in for an amazing 3 years.  We came home, ate and took a 2 hour nap.

We spent Sunday and Monday getting those worldly affairs in order.  We did our ministering visits and got some tomatoes into the frig to be canned on Wednesday, visited Mom, and did laundry.

We had to be to the temple by 11 for our presidency meeting on Tuesday.  I stepped out of the meetings at 1:30 to speak to a baptismal group and then we continued till 2:40. We love meeting with our presidency. We have so very much to wrap our minds around as we begin this important work.  Our evening shift was quiet, except for the baptistry.  We had two very large groups that I talked to at 5:30 and 7:30. What another wonderful day in the temple.   We got home around 9:45. It is a long day when you have presidency meeting and serve on the pm shift.  

The 7th, Wednesday was our day off.  Lon and LaRon went fishing and I got 5 quarts of stewed tomatoes canned and visited with Mom.

We opened the temple again today, the 8th.  I am so amazed at the young people who come to do baptisms before school.  They truly are my heroes.  We had 4 groups come, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 12:30.  The 7:30 group was one man and 3 women all over the age of 65.  They were so cute.  We introduced ourselves and gave the training to the AM and Mid shifts.  I spoke to the 4 baptism groups.  The time just went by so fast.  The spirit in the temple today was so sweet.  Came home for a nap again!

We closed the temple on the 9th.  What a great evening.  We were able to help a young couple prepare for their sealing with an abbreviated veil.  This was the first time we have done this in English.  Lon had a young missionary, and I had a young lady come to the temple for the first time.  We were able to give them instructions and again, it was the first time in English.  We had done this in Spanish in the Guatemala City Temple as we served there.  What a wonderful experience.  The temple was busy tonight.  We had another 5 baptism groups, one of them was the leadership from the Twin Falls Spanish Branch.  None of the young people were able to come.  I welcomed them in Spanish.  It was fun.  

On Saturday the 10th we attended a dinner at the Twin Falls East Stake with the Stake Presidency and their wives, the bishops and their wives, and Elder David Stewart and his wife.  Elder Stewart was here presiding over this stake conference.  He is an Area 70 from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.  We enjoyed the Saturday evening session and returned on Sunday.  We had to speak at this session.  The stake choir was amazing.  Our remarks went over well.  Our first stake conference.  Who knows how many more we will speak at.  😟 It really wasn't that scary as we have had lots of practice in Guatemala and this time it's in English.  We received this letter from Elder Stewart.  So thoughtful of him. 

 

It has been a great week as we have begun this new phase of our lives.  Our minds are always on the things that we need to do and teach and learn in this new calling.  We think that each week will get less stressful as we settle in, but we pray that we will never lose the excitement and joy of our service in His Holy House.  

We had Family Home Evening with the 7 couples who are the Cleaning Crew Coordinators.  They are all Service Missionaries.  We didn't even know that they existed!  So much to learn!!!

The temple is now closed for 2 weeks for deep cleaning and repairs. 

Lon and LaRon got some fishing in. 

I got some pizza sauce canned.

Dick and Kyla came on the 20th, Tuesday, to visit with us and Mom. We spent the day on Wednesday together.  After visiting with Mom, we went shopping for a new bookcase.  We are out of room in our existing one so have been looking for a new one.  Lon found the perfect one at the Good Will store and Dick was here to help us load and unload it. 

We put it in the office.  We now have room for new books!

Dick and Kyla stayed until Thursday morning then they headed to Idaho Falls.  Kyla and her sister are going to be sealed to their deceased parents in the Rexburg Temple on Saturday.  So thrilled for them.

Gene came to town on the 21st, Wednesday.  He decided to use our bunk house for two nights while Dick and Kyla were here.  We put a port-a-pottie in with a wash basin and he seemed to manage just fine.  I got the bed washed and ready for him to move into the house on Friday morning.  Lon and Gene enjoyed golfing each day.  Gene came to town for the memorial service for Junior Robinson.

Kurt spoke at the service.  He did a great job.  It was a very nice celebration held at the American Legion Hall with a Military Honor Guard solute.  Dennis Hunt was part of the Honor Guard.  Kurt, Lon and Gene went golfing in remembrance of Junior.  Gene will miss him.  They have been friends since Junior High school.

Gene left on Sunday morning for home.  I got the room ready for Dick and Kyla's arrival again on Monday.  They visited with Mom and left Tuesday morning for home.  We opened the temple on Tuesday morning.  It felt like we were home as this was our shift before this new calling.

We are each taking a turn to hold preparation meeting for each of the 15 shifts to introduce ourselves, tell a bit about our lives and introduce our Temple Mission Statement.  Time just flies by on our shifts.  We are enjoying getting to know the ordinance workers and the patrons.  And September has come and gone.  The weather has been beautiful, so we have been able to golf and fish a lot this month.  

Words of wisdom:

Never regret a day in your life.  Good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience, and worst days give you lessons.  And the best days give you memories.  

We are definitely making memories.