Week 21 October 11 - 17

Janice Wilson making another delicious dessert

Mike & Debbie at Time Square by the recruiting stand

Debbie and I going into Phantom of the Opera

Elder Mitzion, new Elder in our Ward from West Jordan 

Empire State Bldg. during day

Lit up at night

Ferry ride to Ellis Island

Ellis Island entry

Main hall of Ellis Island immigration 

Paul and I are coordinating during the 4 - 6 hours at the Temple.  Most of the regular workers are gone and it is just us missionaries.  It's fun to be together for about an hour.  Today we are planning to do some sealings with Elder Mumford. That didn't turn out too well.  Actually we were enjoying it but others said we need to do more initiatories so I guess we won't do that again unless we have patrons for sealings at that time.

A good week, still small sessions and this is the week Mindie and Paul Rogers and Janice Wilson finish out their last week.  They got to do several sessions and a little of everything for memory sake.
Debbie and Mike flew in Friday morning and they hit the road running.  I think the best thing was the gray bus ride for two days.  It really gives you an overview of what to see in the city.  I went down at 10:30 Saturday morning to get us tickets for Phantom of the Opera and Circle de sol for Mike.  Going so early I was first in line.  The time went quickly because I struck up a conversation with some other people in line.

Saturday night we went to the play, excellent.  Sunday we went to Church at 9 at the YSA Ward because Christian Jones was speaking.  He did a great job.  Then we headed off for our Ward and Debbie and Mike headed out to see some more sights.  Sunday night we met up with them and did the night tour of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Really fun.

Monday we went with them to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  We walked around the Ellis island experience and then watched a film on it.  Very interesting and so hard for these people.  Not much different from today with all the refugees throughout the world.  In strange places where they cannot understand anyone, coming from countries where authority figures are not to be trusted and thrust into this setting.  Paul left us here and we went on to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, have a late lunch in Little Italy, take a subway up to 125th St to see Riverside Church, Grants Tomb and St. John's Cathedral, which were not open.  Happened on to Columbia University, very pretty campus and saw four missionaries there.  By then our feet were tired so we caught a bus and got off at Snack Shack for a root-beer float/chocolate shake and then walked home.

We bought Marsh's time share at Island Park so now have four of them.  This is a two bedroom so should be good.  I would like to get rid of one of the one bedrooms.

Courtney had a great week along with the other missionaries we get letters from Braxton and Grant.  So proud of all of them.

We love the Lord and are so happy to be serving here in the Manhattan Temple.  It is a great blessing every day.  We have found a few names of ancestors who need their work done and Darlene is sending us a bunch so we are going into the temple Tue, Wed, Thur and doing a session.  A great blessing.