We are back in Nephi and spent our first time in three weeks at the temple serving in our calling. We had our two-year interview with the temple president and renewed our commitment for another two years. Every two years, we have an interview with the president and we agree to a contract to serve for another two years as long as we remain physically and mentally able. So we have another two glorious years to look forward to. The president said that the Payson Temple will likely not be ready for dedication until late in 2014 or early 2015 so we do have some time left in the Manti Temple serving surrounded by the labor of pioneer craftsmen who did the work of temple building with hand tools and great skill. Today there are many ways to achieve what those workers did with foot-powered lathes and wood-workers hand tools.
As our first assignment on Saturday, we were able to do the part of Adam and Eve. One thing that you never get in the film is the very human side of the presentation. For example, on film you never see an older woman playing Eve and getting tears in her eyes because she suddenly realizes that, without the price paid by the Savior, all would be lost. None of us would ever again be allowed in the presence of our Father in Heaven. I have done the Eve part for 14 years now and, each time, it seems that something new in some new section or area will touch my heart deeply. How privileged I am to have this opportunity. How I love the temple.
When we got home, Shawn and family, Julie and AnnMarie had cleaned up all of the water from our basement flood. Shawn had replaced the valve with a new one so all is functioning as it should. I am going to put silicone around the baseboards so that the water does not ever again fill the basement by running from the laundry room under the wall into the family/television room. Well, I suppose that it can still creep under the door but I only hope it does not.
Kirsten is healing still. The poor girl has had more than her share of pain and grief. After three trips to the ER for her allergies to narcotics, the doctors gave her only Tylenol. It will be eight-weeks before she can open her jaw. The orthodontist will then do a bit more tweaking but by next fall she should be able to eat more than liquids, open her jaw, and use it the way most people do. This could have been avoided if the orthodontist we consulted in her youth had done the work as he should have done. It still makes me upset that he did not. She is having problems now with one of her sinus passages because it keeps bleeding. They have considered giving her an antibiotic but hardly dare.
We have the weirdest things happen. When we did the curbside passenger check-in as we were leaving Denver, the guy (nice and we tipped him well enough) printed two tickets for me and none for LHT. We didn't find this out until we got to security and then we had to go all the way back to have it fixed. We did make the plane in time. Then, when we got home, we found out that they had taken the plastic zip lock off to check Grandpa's luggage for security reasons. Instead of cutting the plastic, which we simply use to keep the case from coming open and not to keep anyone out, they cut the zipper pulls off. Weird?
AnnMarie and family are at Disneyland in California. Megan and Kyle are there with the band and AnnMarie and Brandon decided to go as well and take the rest of the family. Julie and Jim and family are going this next week.
In the a.m. we have a funeral in Layton to attend. Gramp's cousin, Bert Pay, lost his wife Ila. She was only 69. She died the very day her one sister had her funeral. We are leaving early so I should hurry to bed. The funeral is at 11 a.m. but we are picking up Auntie Helen and Auntie Eva on the way.
To Ben: We treasure your emails. I am printing them off and saving them. Gramps likes me to print them for him to read and I decided that I would put them in plastic sheets and save them. So thank you for keeping us up-to-date. We so enjoy your spiritual experiences which you share with us.
To Michael: Thank you so much for your hand-written letter. We will treasure it just as we do your emails. I am printing them off and saving them. Gramps likes me to print them for him to read and I decided that I would put them in plastic sheets and save them. So thank you for keeping us up-to-date. We so enjoy your spiritual experiences which you share with us.
To both: We love you. We pray for you and we keep your name on the prayer roll at the temple.
Lots of love, Grammy and Gramps
