Last Sunday we had a very different experience in Sunday School. The bishop came in and stopped the class (which was just getting started) and said we were taking a break for an expression of love. Then a brother on the front row dropped to one knee and proposed to his girlfriend and put a diamond on her finger. I haven't seen that happen before in Sunday School. And I'll bet you haven't seen it either!
Another interesting cultural difference--LOTS of people bring substantial snacks to church as well as water bottles. Our meetings are right at lunch time (11:30-2:30), but I've never seen so much food being shared on a Sunday. That is probably not a tradition in your wards either.
Last Monday on P-Day we took to Hop-On-Hop-Off bus around Manhattan. It was interesting and I'll include some pictures. I won't try to label them since I can't remember all of them! Carl and Linda--HELP! The one building that is built at an angle is truly tilted--and the building on the other side of that bridge tilts the opposite direction. Pretty fascinating architecture!
Wednesday night I joined a couple and two other sisters and went to a New York Philharmonic Concert in the park. The second half focused on music from West Side Story. That was really a lot of fun. Incidentally, West Side Story was filmed just a few blocks from here--but the slum has been torn down and other buildings are there now. Spencer was dealing with an earache and opted to stay home. I missed sharing it with him. It was really fun. We took our lawn chairs and had tickets for an area near the front. One of the temple workers gave us the tickets. We enjoyed it--but I wasn't prepared for the temperature to drop so much as the night progressed! We left about 10 PM since we had to work the next morning. We had a treat on the way home--a fireworks show in honor of Flag Day. It was beautiful and none of us knew it was going to happen.
This morning I went over to the Manhattan 1st Ward prior to us leaving for our meetings. I wanted to say hello to Jason and Deborah Breinholdt who were visiting (and planning to move here in a couple of months). I was hanging out in the foyer and in walked Jeff Flake (our senator from Arizona). He and his family were in town because they saw Hamilton last night. I greeting them and we chatted about Chad and Ann Marie's family (since they are in the same ward in Mesa) and also because Ann Marie's brother is married to Jeff's sister. That was a fun coincidence.
I'm toying with the idea of attending that sacrament meeting quite often. I'd finish in time to catch the subway to the Bronx. I miss hearing the gospel in English--besides it is really hard to understand the Spanish in Concourse Ward because they talk so fast!! I'm sort of lost a lot of the time.
We hope all of you are having a great Fathers' Day. We wish we were with some of you. I have been thinking a lot about what a great father I was blessed with. I'm also grateful for the father my children will have in the eternities.
I love my family and extended family in all directions! !
Jeanine
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