Keeping the Faith

The Thailand patriarchs all came to the temple on Saturday. I mentioned last post how good it was to see Brother Nurock (second from the left.) Two of these great men also serve in the temple. They each are long-standing leaders in the Church in Thailand.

 Another large group of Russian members came this week. They keep so busy doing ordinances, it is amazing. We had two more overflow sessions. They did one sealing session lasting four hours, and they each do initiatories and at least two endowment sessions a day, working right up to closing time on Saturday.

One of the surprising additions to the subway are these new signs! Sorry I didn't get a clearer picture, but the last item on the right side says "Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ." I am totally amazed that we received that consideration.

I mentioned that I broke a molar in Singapore when we went to renew our visas. 

The dentist and her team.

It took about three weeks to finally do something about it. We first went to the dentist office where the missionaries have been going, but I didn't feel comfortable there. When we were at Rama IX mall, we saw a dentist office and went in to ask about fixing my tooth. We made an appointment for Monday. I assumed I would need a new crown on the tooth. But to make a long story short, the dentist replaced the filling and rebuilt the tooth. An hour-and-a-half and $83 later, I walked out with a new tooth and the hope that it will last the 20 years I have left in mortality.

The Eldredges have gone home for six weeks and will return a few days before we return to Arizona. That same evening as the dentist visit, we took them to Spaghetti Factory for a farewell dinner.

I posted a picture before of this lego station in Robinson's, but on Monday it was full of people of all ages playing with the legos. So fun.

 

We tried to make Forgotten Cookies in our oven that we're still trying to figure out. After four hours, they still tasted raw-eggy, so I turned on the confection fan in the oven and left them for a few minutes on 100 degrees. They dried more but stuck fast to the pan, and were still gooey. So on the first try, I don't think the oven stayed hot long enough to cook the cookies (because you heat up the oven, put in the cookies, turn off the oven, and leave for four hours.) I don't know why they stuck to the pan after running the fan, but here they are, deformed from being pried off. Despite their mangled appearance, they were delicious. I think it is obvious why we didn't share them with the neighbors.

We work the Saturday morning shift in the temple, but I take the afternoon off to take my own names for ordinances. Dennis works both shifts. I took a stack of family names to the sealing room. No one was there. I was told the Russians members were coming to do their own sealings. They are usually so busy trying to get their own family names finished, that they wouldn't have time to do mine too. So I decided to go back to the apartment and work on FamilySearch for the afternoon. I was exhausted and looked forward to curling up with my laptop.

Then the assistant matron came to me. "We are adding a 3PM endowment session, if you would like to join." My heart sank! There went my afternoon of free time doing my most favorite thing. I selfishly decided not to go to the session and started to return to the apartment, but felt guilty for my choice. It would only be an hour and a half of my life, I reasoned. I could give that. 

I dragged my feet to the 3rd floor to get a name, and when I read it, a wonderful feeling of love flooded over me as if the woman was thanking me for doing this work for her. I went to the session with a tear in my eye, feeling happier, and with a renewed conviction of how important this work is.

Okay. We have to post food, right? We ate at BonChon Chicken, recommended by Ted. It was as delicious as he claimed. We tried the chicken breasts, pickled radishes, and coleslaw (and French fries, not pictured). Yum!

I serve often as the attendant in the Celestial Room, and between sessions when no one is there, I read the scriptures. I found 2nd Timothy 4:6-8 and thought of my brother Russel who is in the last stages of cancer. These verses describe him so perfectly:

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

May we all be ready for the call to return to our Maker, as is Russ. He has lived a good life, raised righteous sons, and has kept the faith. 💔