Week 34 Jan 17 - 23

The last week the temple is open before closure for maintenance.  We saw more activity than in the past few weeks.  I guess people knew we were going to be shut down.  It was nice to have busier sessions and a few own endowments.  

We were open on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr day.  We held two sessions 9 and 11.  We kept busy all morning.  

The weather has been rainy and cool but no rain.  

Saturday was our Ward temple day.  Unfortunately the Ferguson's and Sister Phillips called to say they were all sick and would not make it.  The missionaries did pull through for us and we had Elder Pires and Kalyonov bring the Woods with them.  We had a wonderful visit with them in our apartment.  I had made pulled pork sandwiches, chips and vegetables and homemade cinnamon rolls. Bryn Bass also joined us and that was great.  

After this group left those who came to the session came over.  That was Elder & Sister Richards and their friends from Alpine, The Hansen's.  They were all waiting for the Buchanan's to finish up at the temple so they could go see Lion King.  

Paul, Sister Woods, Brother Woods, Mar Jean, Elder Pires and Kalyonov

The Hansen's and Richards on our roof looking at the city

The Choir sang on Sunday.  It sounded wonderful.  I got there to practice but I have had a cold and started coughing so decided it was better to just listen.  We also started our Temple Preparation class with the Woods.  They have similar lives to ours.  She is from Liberia and joined the Church in 1989.  He joined the Church last year.  It is a second marriage for them both and she has two children and he has four.   They are all in Africa except for her son.  They had both been in the wars in their country running from country to country as war followed them.  

She came to America and encouraged him to come.  He finally came.  In Africa they would go to his church one week and then hers one week.  When they came to America they went to several Methodist churches which he didn't like.  After a month she suggested he come with her and he did.  They started having the missionaries over and he joined last year.  He has been passing the sacrament, playing the organ and working on becoming an Elder.  In May they will be able to go to the temple.  So our hope is to get him ready.  She is already endowed.  Wonderful people in our Ward. Also Adam and Cindy Gerhardz, the young couple from the temple, have decided to attend our Ward.  It will be a great blessing for us.  

Monday the temple closed for cleaning; however, the missionaries all went in for half a day to help prepare the temple.  We went in at 8:30 and were given assignments.  I ended up doing laundry which took the whole time.  We had a big load from Saturday and while they were cleaning out the dressing rooms found about 12 packets that had not been brought down so that took us a while to finish up.  Paul was assigned oiling the hinges of all the doors.  We had sandwiches afterwards and then were excused.  

I will start the rest of our adventure on the next blog.  We love the Lord and are so happy to be serving this mission.