Week 18 September 20 - 26

Tuesday I went back to the temple and feel much better.  Every day gets better.

Today we are having Elder Tobar and Elder Murry for lunch.  Elder Tobar was in Kingsbridge 2nd with us and is now here in Manhattan YSA Ward.  We saw them on the street and they are coming to the temple today so we said come for lunch.  They said yes.

Elder Tabor (Riverside) Paul, MJ, Elder Murray (Holliday)

Elders Murray, Lewis, and Tabor

Thursday we took the subway out to 191 to help the Adams move into our building.  The Elders met us and also the Larsans picked up some furniture for their apartment and we all met back at 2 Lincoln Square.  First we stopped for Chinese food at their local shop.

Friday I went with the Rogers, Harrises, Grimleys and Sister Wilson to Jacob's Pickle for lunch.  Very tasty. 

my lunch at Jacob's Pickle

Janice, Mindi, Paul, John, Shelli, Melba and Terry

Sister    and Sister Green (birthday Sister)

Sunday at Church we took banana bread to our three birthday Elders and Sister.

Elder Brown and Elder Staker (birthday boy)

Elder Tabor & Elder Murray

saw Elder Sumsion from afar

Sunday evening in the Ambassador's room they held an Open House for President & Sister Bennion and President & Sister Roberts who will soon be leaving the temple.  President and Sister Bench hosted it for them.  It was fun to see all the great people we serve with in the temple and many patrons.

Paul came for a few minutes and earlier had found out that there was a Stake High Priest meeting.  He spoke with President Jeffries, Stake President, and was able to catch a ride with him to the meeting.  He was also invited to share his conversion story at the meeting because one of the speakers was not able to make it.  It was very powerful and he did a great job, according to President Jeffries.

Sisater Koo, Jackson, Ellie, MJ and Melba

Sister Lopez, Saturday coordinator

Sister  , Coordinator

Mindi, Marj, Janice, Jenny and Carole

Bro Gerhards and Sister Santamarie, recently engaged and both serving in the temple on Friday nights

Golden and Diane Adams, Deanna Golden's cousin and FH consultants

Sisters Koo, Jackson and Ellie (office)

 Monday we went looking for the new Panda Express on Columbus and 47th street.  Finally found it and had lunch.  Then we caught a bus to Times Square area where we checked out some of the Broadway plays for when Debbie and Mike come.

Week 17 September 13 - 19

Seemed like a slow week in the temple but moving from days to nights is different.  We have some wonderful new workers to get to know and love.  We also have a new cleaner in charge on Wednesday nights.  Last week he had 4-5 people there so that was great.  We can still help a little depending on what our last assignments are.

This week on Thursday I got a sore throat.  By Friday it turned into a raw throat and bad cough.  Saturday I stayed home from the temple, stayed home Sunday from Church and Monday did not go on the outing with the missionary group who were going to the Roosevelt Estate.  I tried some of the cough medicine I brought with me and that night had a reaction.  It feels like a heart attack.  Paul gave me a blessing and I felt better.  Dr. Martinez gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and it still took a couple of days to recover.  Today I feel much better.

Sister Thompson also had something similar but hers was more running eyes, nose and feeling just awful.  She got a flu shot earlier in the week and we think that might have brought hers on.  Anyway we are starting to feeling better and can get back to work.

Friday the 16th we went with the other couples on our shift, Rogers, Grimleys, Harrises, Wilson and us to have pizza at Gribaldi's and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge one last time with the Rogers and Wilson.  They are trying to get in all the places they need to go one last time.  It was a very fun day.  We got back in time for a short rest before going to the temple.

Paul wanted to know if you can tell whose toothpaste belongs to whom.  The first one is a full container

Mindi & Paul,Shelli and John Harris, Janice  Wilson, Paul Melba, Terry

Paul with Marilyn at Gribaldi's

Me with Dean Martin 

Brooklyn Bridge

The evening shift workers

Ice Cream after pizza

No climbing zone

Week 16 September 6-12

Connie Moncur Barrow arrived today.  We met her at the airport and were on our way to seeing NY

Mar Jean & Connie at JFK

Connie served here in NY 51 years ago and served three weeks at the World's Fair

Connie and I

So well taken care of

We found the Unifsphere.  The only thing left of the fair that is in good condition.  The US Open was also going on while we were walking by.  

Wednesday we took the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  We took time to walk around and listen to the audio tour.  

Statue after walking around it.  

Ellis Island on the same trip.

Ellis Island

One day we went to three museums.  The MoMo, The Frick and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  What a fun time.  So great to go with someone who knows something about the art and the masters.

The Met

Museum of Modern Art

Didn't get a picture of the Frick but it was my favorite.

Here I am with the Starry Starry night by Van Gogh

We found the Empire State Bldg. after wandering around a bit and also the Mood Fabric Center

Another day we found the old Eastern States Mission Home on 5th Avenue which Connie lived in for six months.  Pretty impressiave, right across from Central Park

Mission Home

We also went to the Museum of Natural History.  We had to walk around the whole building before we could find an entry that did not have a thousand stairs.

Foyer of Natural History museum

A store preparing for the day.  They look so good.

Saturday night after the temple Connie and I caught the subway and went to Times Square to see "Beautiful" the Carole King story.  It was wonderful.  We really enjoyed it.  When we came out there was a Marine marching band and bagpipe band marching down the street.

We have been on the subway so many times this week.  Some days have been so very hot.  It has been miserable.  Other days we would hop a train and that wasn't to bad.

I saw my first rats in the subway Saturday night.

Sunday we lost our Assistant Ward Mission Leader job.  Brother Knowlton was called as Ward Mission Leader which will be wonderful.  Both he and his wife have served missions and he is excited to go out with the missionaries and get some more help from the Ward.  

Paul left for Church Sunday morning for a 7 am Stake Priesthood meeting.  We met him at 11:30 and then had our correlation meeting with the missionaries and got home around 4:30.  

Monday Connie and I took a cruise line boat tour around Manhattan.  We started at Pier 83.  It was great having someone tell us about all the buildings and bridges.  We went down the Hudson out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island then back up the East River.  I learned that the United Nations building was on the east side of the island.  From there we went up the Harlem River and back down the Hudson stopping just two piers from where "Sully", the pilot who landed a plane full of 155 passengers in the Hudson River about six years ago.  We had just gone to see the movie that week. 

We had a wonderful visit with Connie and were so glad she could come.  Her trip to the airport the next day was an excursion.  We left early about 5:45 to catch the 1 and got off at 50th for the E train.  After climbing down three flights of stairs we wait and then hear the announcement that the E train is not running.  Up the stairs we go and then had to walk three blocks to the F train.  We made it to the airport at 7:30 which was her goal.   

She had some great missionary experiences on her trip home.  She is a missionary wherever she goes.  Such a blessing to call her friend.  

Week 15 August 30 - September 5

We started our new shift this week.  Tue and Wed Thur we go in at 3:30 - 10:30.  Friday 4-11 and Saturday 1-8.  We got out a little early each evening depending on how many were on the last session.  It has been a little slower week with the holiday and school starting next week.

Friday was my 73rd birthday.  I started by going to Central Park with Sister Mumford and Holloway and we saw Jason D.  No treats but we got sunglasses.  Later for lunch we met Bishop and Sister Jackson who were here for a day.  We had lunch at Carmines and then did sealings at the temple.  They went on the 4 pm session which Paul officiated and then they were off.  So great to see these wonderful people.  Bishop's birthday was on the 1st and they have been on a trip thru the East.

Good Morning America in Central Park, national college day

National college day

Bishop Steve and Cheryl Jackson came for a visit

The Sisters from Kingsbridge came to the temple on Wednesday.  They came early and we had lunch with them in our apartment.  Great missionaries.  So fun to have them here.  

Sisters Lewis, Madison Schwarting, Brittany Atkinson, Marissa Green, and Tyler Leavitt

This week I am teaching a RS lesson and Paul is teaching Priesthood so we have been busy.  We have also been asked to coordinate the special opening on Monday so that has taken up some time organizing our schedules.  We are also coordinators for the interim 2 hours when the two groups overlap so we have a few more responsibilities.

Missionary Group Sister Schwarting, Atkinson, Green, Leavitt, Elder Brown, Pires, Lewis, Pulu, Staker

Same group with Sister Lewis

Sister Leavitt, twins today

We invited Sisters Wilson and Thompson to dinner today.  Had a nice visit with them.  Also Sister Mumford brought us some delicious homemade parkerhouse rolls.  Need to learn how to make them.  Tomorrow we coordinate the special opening of the temple.  I'm sure it will go well.  Hopefully we have patrons.  We had a huge wash left from Saturday evening so we will see how long it takes us to get through it.  All part of the calling.