Temple Trip

Late last night as I turned on the computer to write the events of the day, the computer just kind of checked out on me. It wouldn't connect with the printer, it wouldn't show me my email, and it wouldn't let me sign in to the blog! I had hoped to have an entry every day that we served, but oh well. I think I'm doing OK with this.

Briefly, yesterday I made taco pileups for Family Home Evening. We had ten people there, and had a grand time. Two were completely, utterly new to the church. One of our young women had run into an old classmate and invited him and his friend to join us. They were quite fun.

We got to the church, set up tables, set out the food, and dished up our plates. We sat at four tables set up in a square, so that we were a fair distance from each other, but were all able to hear and see everyone as we ate and talked. Everyone was having such a fantastic time talking that we didn't even take out the new games we brought (which we were pretty excited about). A good time was had by all, and we closed everything up and went home by 9:30.

After my failed attempts to post a blog, I went to bed and slept til 5:30. We got up early, picked up the sisters and headed south to the temple. It was a beautiful drive and the sisters were cute in listening as SK explained how to drive in England, grammar rules and U.S. Politics. At one point, I put my hand on his arm, and tried to rein him in. That is generally useless, but I tried.

We got to the temple in good time, went into the Visitor's Center, where there was a room set up with fruit, sweet rolls, juices and yogurt. We got ourselves something to eat and visited with Deb and other missionaries as they came trickling in. Most of the missionaries had taken the train, and Dave drove back and forth from the train station to pick them up. There were about 40 missionaries there today.

Dave and Deb did this yesterday, and will do it tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. After our brunch/get-together, we assembled in a room large enough to hold us all and had our opening exercises. It was bittersweet, because it occurred to me that this was the last time we would assemble like this with Dave and Deb to do all the traditional things they instituted, such as singing "Jerusalem" at the beginning of every meeting, reciting our mission statement and meeting under his direction.

There will be a leadership meeting in Oxford next Monday with Reverend Teal, but I don't think that it will be like these regular zone meetings.

It was a dream of Dave's to take everyone to the temple one last time. It is just another miracle - so many during his time as president, but it was the best we have seen. The temple has been open on a limited basis, but agreed to let the mission come in every day this week for two sessions, which ran simultaneously.

Before we walked over to the temple from the visitor's center, we had training from the young missionaries about the temple, and they did a lovely job. Deb spoke and then Dave. I've never heard a better talk than the one he gave. He spoke about the sacred nature of temple work, the grace that the Savior so bountifully blesses us with as we serve. He closed by telling the story of a member of his stake in Connecticut who suffered a terrible loss, and who Dave had spent some time with.

He is an inspiring speaker. Every missionary listened attentively and quietly. Everyone was excited, subdued and silent as we walked through the parking lot into the temple. It was a beautiful couple of hours, but it went all too fast. The very few workers there were gracious, welcoming and masked. The efficiently led us through everything. It felt incredible to actually be back in the temple. It is the first time we have done a session since 2019.

At the end of the session we were all together in the celestial room. I was the first of both sessions to enter. There in the center of the room stood Dave - all alone - the only other person there, his back to me. I walked over to him and tapped his shoulder, He turned and then embraced me. We had about one minute - just the two of us in that beautiful place. It was a tender mercy.

The room is very large with a soaring ceiling, and the entire room is done in pale yellows. It is bright - softly glowing.

Silently every missionary tiptoed in. Most of the sisters sat in the beautiful chairs and couches. SK and I sat. The elders stood around the periphery, silently. Many had their eyes closed. No one spoke. That must have last at least twenty minutes before the temple president came in to thank us for coming and to show us the way out. He must surely have been touched by the reverence of this group of young people.

After dressing, everyone returned to the visitor's center for dinner together in a large gathering room where we had our Christmas party back in December of 2019. Tables for four were set up, there must have been ten or more. Dave, Deb, SK and I sat at one, and ate our pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, fresh fruit, and cookies, all compliments of Costco. It was lovely to have that time with them.

At one point, Dave said, "It seems funny for us to leave and have you stay here." It does seem funny, since they are the reason we are here. He said there will be a replacement couple for us on September 7.

They both looked so happy, but they also look weary - contentedly so. I think they have given this mission every ounce of energy they have - but then, they do that with everything. There aren't too many callings that exact as much from a couple as mission president.

They returned to the original meeting room for a closing hymn and prayer before all the young missionaries were shuttled to the train station to leave for all parts of southeast England.

We left to drive a half hour away to a small picturesque city by the name of Tunbridge Wells. We checked into a room, signed into the internet and I taught my Institute course. It went just great.

Tomorrow we will take the long way home, doing a little sight-seeing along the way.