June 25, 2017

From Spencer:

In the temple on Saturday I was assigned to help a young man who was there to be sealed to his young bride. My assignment was to guide him through a short veil. As I took him to the men’s locker room, I met his bishop (bishop of the Young Single Adult Ward). He introduced himself to me while the groom was dressing. I said, “Oh, this is how you downsize your ward. I get it.”  He said, “Yes, that’s the proper way to get it done.” As we sat waiting, I said to the bishop, "You have a striking resemblance to the person who portrays Adam in the “B” video. Could that be you?” He smiled very politely and said, “Yes that is me”. I told him we knew of them when the new film came out because the couple was from Mesa and Tempe and were known to various close acquaintances. Re member how it increased temple attendance for a couple of months? It was so well done and gave a new dimension to what we knew and grew to expect. I quizzed him about what he does her NY when he isn’t wearing the bishop hat. He politely said he was a father. I didn’t expect that and finally he acknowledged that he is an attorney here. It was interesting to me that he was in a session that I officiated the week before and I had noticed the similarity then as the session proceeded.

What a nice experience and one I’ll remember. I would have to say that there are special insights that come while you are doing what seems, at times, to be mundane tasks in the temple. [There really aren’t any, but sometimes it seems that way]

I’ve had an ear problem lately that has affected my balance. I didn’t know why the floor kept feeling like it was swaying. I felt like the building was moving. I said that to some associates here and they didn’t know what I was talking about. I felt dumb when I discovered it was my ear. But it is getting better now.

We trust that the Lord is blessing all of you in our absence.

From Jeanine:

I'll share a couple of interesting NY experiences not involving the temple. Earlier in the week I was headed up Broadway to do some grocery shopping. There was a cute little girl about 4-6 years old. She was several feet behind her family. She was all dressed up with a long gown and a tiara. I caught up and said, "Your dress is very beautiful and I love your tiara. You must be a princess." She acknowledged that she was. I asked what, type of princess she was and what was her name. She answered that her name was Leila, "and my middle name is ... and my last name is..." I just smiled and said "Well Princess Leila, you are very beautiful". About that time her mother called to her and I moved on. A few minutes later a nice looking man, probably in his 60's, came up to me and said, "I agreed with everything you said, and I wanted to say it, but I knew if I did I'd be arrested!" He's probably right, too. What a sad commentary on society.

Another commentary on society, today there were many "interesting" people on the subway. It was the Pride parade today. Many people were dressed in support of it. One man got on with a rainbow colored g-strap, and rainbow feathered wings and that was all he had on! A transvestite, who must have been 6'6" was all dolled up and looked rather beautiful. It was an interesting group to be in the middle of!

Occasionally people get on the subway and do entertainment and then pass a hat for donations. There were three darling African American young men. They had loud music and did the most amazing routines. I've never seen people so agile. One guy had joints like Adam Alexander. He did contortions and pole dancing and ended up sitting on the bar above our heads. Another one used the dance moves that Sheamus loves where you are sliding back on your feet. They did flips, contortions, acrobatics etc. I loved their show. There was a lot of diversity in the two ends of our car today!

There is a Brother Walter Rane in the Manhattan 1st ward who is an amazing artist. He has loaned the church his paintings to place in the chapel in the same building as the temple. I wish he would do a calendar. I took some pictures of his paintings. Of course they don't do them justice. I can't look at the one of Moroni finding his father, Mormon, dead in the battlefield without getting choked up.



I'll just include a couple of them this week. Hopefully you can read the title and the scripture reference on the frame. If not, just shoot me and email.



Today is a special day. Two of our grandsons spoke in church as they are leaving on their missions.
Jacob Dike enters the MTC this Wednesday on his way to Arkansas Bentonville mission. And Spencer Raymond leaves the next week to attend the MTC in Ghana in preparation for serving in Sierra Leon. I don't know about the spelling of either mission--but you get the idea. With Caleb Alexander in Taiwan and Ashley Judd in Oregon, and of course us in NYC, we will have six missionaries out from our family and we truly circle the globe.

We love you all!