Friday, December 1, 2017           (This is Friday’s post--Saturday’s is at the end!)

Friday’s blog post must have been created only in my mind since it wasn’t here today!  It was a big day with piano practice at the church, shopping at our mall, a walk to the bookstore, and a great night in the temple helping with the Spanish sessions.  It is not a lot of Spanish, but it is sweetly satisfying to know there are things I can still do from memory and I love it.  It would be so nice, however, if I could converse more.

The parking lot was so full last night as several stakes came for special meetings and then ordinances.  The first Friday always has at least one Spanish session, a YSA group came as well, and the groups in the baptistry kept everyone hopping to get enough help.  There were two sessions that started at 7:30 and it was thrilling to see the consul lit up with all six endowment rooms at the same time.

Elder and Sister Bednar were in the temple earlier today, but we missed seeing them by a shift!  He was here to help turn on the lights at the lighting ceremony at our Temple and Visitor Center along with other dignitaries.

“Elder David A. Bednar and His Excellency Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, ambassador of the Republic of South Africa, press a button together that turns on the Christmas lights at the annual Washington DC Temple Festival of Lights.”

For the Deseret News     Published: November 30, 2017 1:15 pm ( See more below—I think)

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865693503/Ambassador-Elder-Bednar-switch-on-Washington-DC-Temple-lights.html

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Guess What!  The lost puzzle piece has been found!  Hooray 😊  Yesterday I bought some puzzle glue to preserve this souvenir of the treasured time we spent together and decided this morning to make one last thorough search for the lost piece.  I took the cushion off from the left side of the couch—again, for the third time—and directed the flashlight through every possible nook and cranny of the hide-a-bed.  When I went to replace the cushion, there was the piece, just lying on the floor next to the cushion!  So, all is well and the puzzle glue dried on side one while we were at the temple tonight.  It looks awesome.  

The holly below grows on Kensington Avenue towards the Safeway store where I walked to buy sandwich bread for the break-the-fast for tomorrow.  It is so pretty and is set off nicely by the white picket fence.  I noticed that there were a gazillion—well maybe forty or so—rather tame Robins feasting on tasty morsels in the nearby lawns while I was walking; and there was not a squirrel to be found on the whole walk!!

One of my assignments tonight was as a hostess in the foyer next to the recommend desk.  Right now, there are crowds of people coming to the Visitor Center and grounds to see the light display and many wander up to the temple and come in to see what they are allowed to view.  We visit with them, answer questions, tell them a little about the temple if they are interested, then direct them to the Visitor Center and tell them what’s inside, and offer a schedule of the nightly programs there during December.

One gentleman with a young boy approached me and asked some questions, but mostly talked about himself and his background.  He was from the Ukraine and said that a few years ago, the main Church there was Orthodox Christianity which actually surprised me and everyone believed the same things.  It was under government control so people really couldn't be baptized etc.  

He said in recent years that many missionaries from different denominations in the U.S. had brought more Christianity to his country, and now nearly half of the people believe in the Christian doctrine of one of those Churches including the Latter-day Saints.  He has been in the US for about two years and his English is pretty good.  He will return to his country in about three years.  He loved the things I told him about the temple, about the “Light the World” initiative and our desire to become more like the Savior, about the focus on families, and about communities working for the good of the whole.  We must have talked for about 15 minutes while his four-year-old played with the automatic doors.  😊  This little boy is in a pre-kindergarten program that he thinks is fantastic and he is learning English pretty well.  He said the educational opportunities in our country are exceptional.  (Don’t quote me on details of the conversation—the stats were just his comments.)  It was really fun and I rather felt like a missionary!!     

Tons of love to you all--Good Night!  Happy Sabbath :)