Friday, May 17, 2019

May 6 - 13, 2019

Monday we stayed home all day except for a trip to Long's for medicine.  We did go out in the evening to FHE.  The Crookstons, who have been here, first on a 23 month mission, went home and came back for 18 months and are now going home again but coming back in November as Service Missionaries.  They are incredible people.  He has been the Emergency Prepardness person for all of the Island. He is the one who prepared us for last year's hurricane, which ended up moving and missing us.  This is a very sacred and blessed place. Also the Markhams are leaving.  They came to teach religion and she worked in Administration.  They have made a huge impact on the students here.    So grateful for these people who put these things together for us to learn more.  Today we learned of the great  love Heavenly Father has for all of us children.  We are all sinners and have need of repentance.  The Lord will take us wherever we are and bring us back if we are willing.   The great feast where everyday life kept people from coming so the Lord went out and called all those in the streets and then in the highways to come and enjoy the feast.  He wants no empty seats at the feast and then the two prodigal sons.  Each were in need of coming closer to the Father.

This was a week of birthdays.  Paul's Dad, Addison Buell Lewis, would have been 105 on the 4th of May.  He was a goodd man who was a servant to all.  Always ready and willing to help in any way.  We have always been blessed with good people around us.  Then was Katie's on the 7th of May.  She turned 40.  Hard to believe she has a son ready to graduate from High School.  She is an amazing woman, great wife and mom and so very talented.  She is very loving and giving of herself and always willing to share and help others.  We are so blessed to have her in our family.  Tyler is getting ready for an interview with his Bishop about his mission.  Hope all goes well.  He will do an amazing job and will be so good for him.  Josh and Gage are doing good.  Kory is also amazing.  They have been working again on the pool area and it sounds amazing.  We love this family.

On the 9th was my Dad, Raymond Hill Anderson, birthday.  He would have been 101.  On the 10th was Steve's, 77, then Don and Ron on the 11th.  Kim's is coming up on the 22nd.  I have been blessed with a great family.

We went over to see teh fire and knife competition after our shift.  We saw the last 5 contestants and then stayed to watch the women, whom we hadn't seen before.  They are pretty amazing.  Didn't end up going on Saturday with the Broadbents since I had seen them earlier. 

The weather is turning off warm already.  Still beautiful but wet by the time we get to the temple even though it is a short trip over.  Went to the Doctor again to see about my ears, can't seem to pop them.  She gave me another dose of predezone and nasal spray.  So far not much difference.  Doesn't hurt, just can't hear clearly, like coming off an airplane ride.  I asked about my bloodpressure and she said I needed to walk every day for 30 minutes so I have started doing that.  Actually feels pretty good to be out and doing. 

We had a nice meeting with President and Sister Hallstrom yesterday along with the Broadbents.  they ae wonderful giving people.  Great insight and Sister Hallstrom shared a couple more books with me that I am reading about the temple.

On Mother's Day we attended Laie 1st Ward where we received a rose and a Hershey bar then in RS we had a great lesson by Sister Whetten and then had strawberry shortcake and visited.  Later in the day we did Just Serve and Carole Ann Broadbent brought over a delivious roast dinner for us and we spoke at a YSA Laie Stake conference on the temple.  Five other YSA who serve in the temple bore their testimonies and then we each had about 10 minutes.  MJ Talk first, Paul's second.

Aloha Brothers and Sisters,  it is a delight to be with you tonight.  We extend our love and appreciation for all you do.  We love the temple and the blessings we can receive there.  Heavenly Father has already promised us all that He has will be ours if we repent and keep His commandments.  Seems like a pretty small thing when compared to receiving and living with our Heavenly Father again for eternity and all that that entails.
Elder Lewis and I have loved temples from the beginning of our Church life together.  Elder Lewis and I were married 18 years before he joined the church.  A year after his baptism he went to the Los Angeles Temple to receive his endowment.  It was a glorious week.  We stayed at the temple all week performing all the ordinances over and over again.  On Saturday of that week we were sealed as a family.  We gained a great love for the temple that week.  And it naturally progressed from there. 
Within a couple of years, he was serving as a veil worker, then progressed to an ordinance worker which he has served as on and off depending on Church callings.  When we retired in 2005 we were ready for our first mission but he was called into a stake presidency so we stayed in LA and continued to serve in the LA temple but in 2007 we received a call to serve in the Palmyra Temple.  What a blessing to be in the cradle of the restoration.  We learned much and served with wonderful people.  Patrons came from all over the world to visit this special temple.  It is the only temple with a clear window in it which overlooks the Sacred Grove. 
From there we went to Croatia/Slovenia. To serve with YSA  It was a difficult thing to not be able to go to a temple for over a year.  But one day we got an email saying there would be a YSA temple trip to the Frankfurt temple.  We immediately sent out an email and rented a van and would take whoever wanted to go.  What a special trip.  Several received their own endowment, 3 their patriarchal blessings and we were able to attend a sealing of one of our YSA who had married someone from Albania, they met at a YSA conference.
Our next mission took us to Hong Kong.  Here again we saw the sacrifices members were willing to make to come to a temple of God to continue their progression in God’s kingdom.  We had patrons from mainland China, Thailand, Mongolia, Berma, India and many other countries.  For many this would be their one and only time.  They would come and receive their own endowment and then spend the rest of the week doing work for their ancestors. 
Next we spent a year in SLCS mission.  We were blessed to be able to serve on Monday morning in the Jordan River Temple in the baptistery.  Again faithful youth would come at 6 am to do baptisms before going to school.  Many were following the Prophet and bringing their own names to the temple.  We also had many opportunities to attend the Oriquh Mt temple with our young missionaries who were allowed to go every quarter.  And it was a special blessing to be able to attend with a man that we taught and were able to take to the temple for the first time.
Again the gospel took us to Manhattan New York Temple.  Again a very international temple with people from all over the world coming.  Many faithful workers and Saints would travel at great expense to serve and be in the temple. 
Now we find ourselves in Laie serving in this beautiful temple which casts its shadow over all of us every day.  Do we realize the blessing it is to be so close to a temple?  Within minutes you can walk to this temple.  There will never be another time in your life when you will have this great blessing.  You now have no responsibility of a family, your time is pretty much your own and what you do with it. 
It is in the temple of our God that you will receive power from on high to find your way home.  It will strengthen you physically, mentally and spiritually.  If you choose to take advantage of this great blessing right here in your midst it will set your priorities straight from the beginning.  It will bless your future family, your service in God’s kingdom and help you to endure all things until the end. 
33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.

It is a Place of visual and spiritual beauty.  It Points us to Christ and His atonement—Look to Christ and live. 
Pres. McKay once said “Brothers and Sisters, I believe that there are few who comprehend the full meaning and power of the temple endowment” if our young people could glimpse it, it would be the most powerful spiritual motivation of their lives”  pg 3
Commit yourself today to make an appointment with yourself to be in the temple as often as possible.  Learn all you can while you are there.  The Holy Ghost will teach you much and will point you to Christ and His great atonement. 
I bear witness that it is here you will learn and grow into the YM and Women Heavenly Father needs you to be at this time to prepare for his Second Coming.  May we all be committed to keep His commandments, receive the power we need to endure to the end and save ourselves and our ancestors.
"Every time I'm within the walls of the temple I am happy. And it's more than happy — I am joyful."
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things will be added to you.” Matt 6:33
If you focus on the best He will give you the time, means and ways. He will give you more time, energy and ability to do all other things.
ETBenson  When you put God first all other things fall into place or drop out of your life”.  

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Paul's talk:  President Hallstrom sends their regards and love.   President Niutupuivaha and Lupe
I must never forget that I am a child of God. I love Him and I know that He loves me.

I first learned this truth when I was baptized in Camarillo CA when I was 46 years old. How many of you were taught by the full time missionaries.  Each one of us has many common threads together. One is being a convert.  We will share many other common threads tonight. Liken yourself to some of my experiences. Not all.  These 2 you cannot liken yourself to,46 year old deacon and Married 18 years before I was baptized

Told Bishop I would not get baptized until I read the scriptures. I did not like to read so I figured that would be the end of it. Started to listen to book of Mormon tapes. Come home and read. Likened myself early in the scriptures early. Read about the hard hearted and stiffnecked. Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance. I knew the church was good for my family and I supported them but not for me.   3 children 14, 12 and 10 years old.

D&C 39:10-Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins and you shall receive my spirit and a blessing so great as you never have known.

Ezekiel 36:36- A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.  The key word is do them.

After my baptism I wrote in my scriptures.  Old testament,   _I must never forget that I am a child of God.  Repeat out loud 3 times.  Added I love him and I know that he loves me.

Wife wrote a letter to President Benson. I have read through tear dimmed eyes your sweet letter telling of your husband’s decision to prayerfully read the Book of Mormon. May Heavenly Father bless you and your family with His choicest blessings as you continue to learn and do His will.

Five months received patriarchal blessing. You will go to the Holy temple with your sweet chosen companion and there be sealed for time and all eternity and you will have you children sealed to you. This will be the beginning of your eternal family and as you come to know that families are to be forever, you will teach them well in your home.

2 Nephi 28:30- I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept upon precept, here a little and there a little and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, for unto him that receiveth I will give more.
  
Many of you learned this song in Primary. I learned when I was 46 years old.

I love to see the temple. I'm going there someday To feel the holy spirit,
To listen and to pray. For the temple is a house of God, A place of love and beauty.
I'll prepare myself while I am young; This is my sacred duty. Working on talk, looking out our apartment window started to weep.

First temple experience Baptisms with the youth. I was a chaperon and the baptism coordinator said I did not need to be baptized. The youth said no he is a new convert and wants to be baptized.

Then temple preparation classes.  I wanted to learn everything.

D&C 110:10-Savior appeared in the Kirkland temple. And the fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands; and this is the beginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of my people.

2 verse-I love to see the temple. I'll go inside someday. I'll cov'nant with my Father;
I'll promise to obey. For the temple is a holy place, Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I've learned this truth, A fam'ly is forever.   Last week a sealer in the temple shared this song with the family.


April 10, 1990-Tues to receive my endowment and then sealed Sat April 14 Drove motor home Los Angeles temple.

D&C 6:14-Blessed art thou for what thou hast done; and as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.     Arise and be baptized

Entire week in the temple. The blessings of the temple forever changed my life. I was not only in the temple that week but the temple was in me.  Bishop Maddux

Last year we came to this fireside President and Sister Nehipali talked to you. How many of you were here. A YSA spoke that I served with in the temple and he invited us to attend. With his permission I want to share his story.
  
Dustin Geroski <dwgeroski1s@gmail.com>
4:00 PM (3 hours ago)
Aloha,

Elder Lewis gave me his card this past Friday in the temple asking if I could talk about my experience in the temple as a YSA and now as married adults. 

Marley and I first noticed each other in the temple last spring, she worked the shift before my shift and we walked past each other and smiled. A few weeks later we were at a Hukilau fishing event and that is where we first spoke and later that night had our first date.
As we continued to date we made it our goal to attend the temple each week together. Now, married since January 4th in the Orlando temple, we continue to regularly attend the temple together. Most commonly by working the Friday night shift. We have found by doing this we experience tremendous peace within our marriage. Working in the temple allows us to learn from the spirit how to be a better husband and wife to each other. Mahalo, Dustin and Marley Geroski

We have also learned from our grand daughters. Twin Falls temple every Wednesday morning at 4:30am.  She is now in the London England mission. She feels peace and joy in the temple and takes that peace and joy into the world. President Eyring-If you walk with the Savior long enough, you will learn to see everyone as a child of God with limitless potential regardless of what his or her past may have been. We walk with the Savior in His holy temple.

My experiences- 5:30 am session. Veil worker. Ordinance worker. Calling pulled me from being an ordinance worker.  Many of you are now serving in the temple with the new revelations that have been received. Need patrons and workers. See your Bishop for your limited use recommend, temple endowment  ordinance worker.

Special blessings when you perform the ordinances in the temple.

Let’s liken ourselves to the early saints

D&C 95-The saints are chastened for their failure to build the House of the Lord. This revelation was given in 1833 and the Kirkland temple was dedicated in 1836.

1846 Nauvoo temple- After thousands had received temple ordinances Brigham Young announced they would stop the work in the temple and prepare to leave Nauvoo in 4 hours. He then continued to administer the endowment to the Saints until late in the evening keeping the temple recorders there until every ordinance had been properly recorded.

When he arose the next day, a crowd of saints met him outside the temple, eager for their endowment. Brigham told them it was unwise to delay their departure. He promised they would build more temples out west.  209 temples, 153 dedicated, 14 construction, 10 renovation, 32 announced. Then Brigham walked away. He turned around and saw the saints climbing the steps to the temple and filling its halls. We have seen this in the baptistry during vacations and holidays. He saw their anxious faces and changed his mind. He knew they needed the endowment of power to endure the hardships ahead, overcome the sting of death, and return to the presence of God.

For the rest of that day temple workers administered the ordinances to hundreds of saints. The next day an additional five hundred Saints receive their endowments as the first wagons rolled out of Nauvoo.

 Laie Hawaii temple-President Joseph F. Smith served a mission here when he was 15 years old. Now he is president of the church. On June 1 he told 2 friends this is the birthday of Brigham Young and I feel impressed to dedicate this ground for the erection of a temple to God. The mission presidents encouraged members to work, earn, and save, and look forward to the time when they could partake of the blessings of the temple.

Dedicated November 27, 1919. Heber J. Grant- We most earnestly pray that this sacred building may be a place in which Thou shalt delight to pour out Thy Holy Spirit in great abundance, and in which Thy Son may see fit to manifest Himself and to instruct Thy servants. This is us.

Rededicated in June 1978- Spencer W. Kimball-We ask to speed the work here and greatly increase the services that will be performed. We especially pray to bless the youth of thy people in Zion.

Rededicated in November 21, 2010. Thomas S. Monson-We rededicate our very lives to Thee and to Thy work. Younger missionary age, deacons and beehives in temple.

Preparing for the 100 year anniversary of the Laie Hawaii temple this November 2019.
The BYU-H Hawaiian club honored the centennial of the Laie Hawaii temple during the culture Night program last month. March 22, 2019. We dressed the way we did (in white) to show that the temple is our ultimate goal in this life, and we strive to follow the examples of our ancestors who made many sacrifices in order to receive the blessings of the temple.

Quotes from President Russell M. Nelson-My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will. In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple.

As you serve countless patrons-young and not so young- you will come to realize that temple service is the crown jewel of all of our work in the Church, indeed the temple is the object of every activity and every advancement in the Church.

God’s objective should be our objective. He wants His children to choose to return to Him, prepared, qualified, endowed, sealed, and faithful to covenants make in holy temples.

 This quote was posted  in the Laie YSA 1st Stake facebook.
The newly called First Presidency was announced at the Salt Lake City, UT temple. "As a new presidency, we want to begin with the end in mind. For this reason we are speaking to you today from a temple. The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with power in a house of the Lord; sealed as families, faithful to covenants made in a temple, that qualify us for the greatest gift of God, that of eternal life. The ordinances of the temple and the covenants you made there are key to strengthening your life, your marriage and family, and your ability to resist the attacks of the adversary. Your worship in the temple and your service there for your ancestors will bless you with increased personal revelation and peace and will fortify your commitment to stay on the covenant path." @ Salt Lake Temple
  
Our missionary plaque for this mission-D&C 127:4-Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease, and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and you work be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose you reward.

President Hallstrom, we need dedicated, committed workers to serve a 4 hour shift in the temple.

Elder Neil L. Andersen talked at BYU-I devotional Feb 2017.  We were married in 1971. 46 years earlier) He told the listeners to not be afraid to take a chance on someone who may not be that obvious choice. We must look deeper and farther into who they are and who they will become. Sister Lewis, thank you for taking a chance on me and helping me to become your eternal companion. I love you.

Testimony
  
This week, 14th, I went to my first BYUH devotional.  Elder & Sister Allen were speaking.  War with Satan.  Very good.  I sent off some notes to my grandchildren.  

Elder Stephen B Allen  BYUH Devotional  AT WAR WITH SATAN
Read Book of Mormon looking for tactics of the adversary.  Just in 1st Nephi we find:  mocking the prophets, kill the prophets, duties, murmurings, complaining, spacious building, midst of darkness. 
2 Ne  fortifications to defend themselves.  Look for tactics to help me in my fight
Some of Satan’s deceptions:  I don’t have
 time to pray, I don’t have time to study the Book of Mormon, I don’t have time to attend the temple, I don’t have time to date, to study, he made me so angry, deceptions and alluring and divisive
How do we protect ourselves?
Pray all the time, listen to and follow the Spirit, read and study the Book of Mormon, attend Church, Follow the Prophets, Come follow Me, minister and serve, attend the temple.
2 Ne 12:7  build defenses around your weaknesses.  Give up your weapons o rebellion as did the people of Ammon.
2 Ne 31:  Press forward

WE CHOOSE EVERY DAY WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN ETERNITY

It has been a great two weeks. 

Lunch at Five Guys

Farewelll for Hardins, Niel and Issacson

BYUH Devotional Elder & Sister Stephen & Nancy Allen, VC Directors

Tanners and Allens

Mar Jean, thinking I am looking old at 75 



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