As you can see from these two pictures, the big social event of this week was a short visit with Sheamus and Carolyn Dike.  Carolyn surprised him Thursday morning when she woke him up and asked if he would rather go to school or go to New York with her.  It is an early birthday present.  He turns 12 next week. 

He surprised his friend Jack Breinholdt when he knocked on his door.  That was fun to watch on video. 

They came to visit us on Saturday morning and we had breakfast together.  Spencer left early to go to the temple.  These two pictures are taken from up on the roof of our apartment building. 
Park Central is in the background and then another view of the Upper Manhattan skyline.

This week I met a wonderful French woman at the temple.  They live in Austria right now.  Her husband had responsibilities with the UN General Assembly so she came to the temple everyday and he joined her in the evening hours at the temple.  It was impressive and beautiful to hear her pronounce the names of her ancestors.  She took one name on a session that was born in 1638 and it is her direct line ancestor.

One day she was in initiatory and we had another sister from Taiwan there at the same time.  The Taiwan sister gave each of us a tutorial on how to pronounce the name before we could start an ordinance. It was very important to her that we say them correctly.  They were close relatives of hers.  The family file cards were in Chinese, but the names were also written our in Pin Yin (Chinese in Roman characters).  I could not have said the names correctly without the help of both of those sisters.

I don't have a lot of other news, but I think I will share with you a scriptural thought I sent to our kids today:

This week in our Book of Mormon reading I noticed 2 Nephi 33:1
"... for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men."

A study guide we are using pointed out "There is a subtle misquote which is often used in place of the last part of verse 1... The misquote is "carrieth it into the hearts" instead of "carrieth it unto the hearts" as it is written in the verse.  ....there could be an important lesson taught with the correct wording.  The word 'unto' implies that the Holy Ghost will carry the message right up to your heart, but you must let it in."

That spoke to me.  We had the wonderful Women's Broadcast of conference last night and this coming weekend is General Conference.  The men and women who spoke and will speak to us speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.  It is an opportunity for us to let it into our hearts.

Sometimes we need a reminder that we bear a responsibility to actually hear the message and apply it in our lives.  Sometimes the Holy Ghost brings a message unto our hearts that doesn't even apply to the speaker.  It is a message just for us.  I pray you will have that experience this weekend.

I'll end with that thought.  I hope all of us prepare to be spiritually fed and have specific questions we are seeking answers to.  It helps you listen more attentively.

Love to all of you--Jeanine

From Spencer--
I want to share a few experiences from the temple, that I want to get recorded so I don't forget them.

I also met a lady who was here for the UN Conference.  She comes from the country of Figi.  When she finished one evening she came as quickly as she could on public transportation and arrived too late for the last session.  She couldn't find her recommend buried in her purse.  She sat on the chair and began to weep.  I called the temple recorder to come down and help with the recommend, but he said it was too late since all the ordinances were shutting down for the night.  The next day I was serving there and saw her again.  She was overjoyed to be in the temple.  Those who find it difficult to get to the temple really appreciate it.  It is like a drink of water or fresh air to come to the House of the Lord.

I was working when the woman from Taiwan that Jeanine mentioned came to the end of a session.  When I heard her pronounce the Chinese name I thought it was going to be difficult, but I quickly realized she spoke perfect English.  She was very tearful.  It was a spiritual experience.

Yesterday (Saturday), I went three hours early to be around the Spanish speaking Dominicans.  I loved performing ordinances in Spanish. I was quickly asked to officiate a session these same Dominicans attended along with a new missionary from our ward who was coming for the first time.  I had a deep emotional feeling as I watched them come in that I couldn't love any people more deeply than I do these Black members from the Caribbean.  Today I taught many of those same members in our priesthood group.  I know my love for them is reciprocated.