Missionary Email #22

 Dear All -

Yesterday I watched a primary program via Zoom, baked brownies, and attended a training session for temple workers.  As you already figured out, none of that included writing a weekly letter.  So here I am on Monday morning again.

Delkys asked me to share a few pictures from the girls' visit last week, so here they are.

Even though it was a quick visit it was great to have them here.  Thanks again to the husbands and kids who helped make it possible.

Several weeks ago we had a training meeting at the temple for all the shift coordinators.  After that meeting someone commented that it might be useful to have a similar meeting for all of the workers.  We decided we would do it in two sessions, the first of which was yesterday.  When I started preparing points for my part of the discussion I was concentrating on training issues which need to be addressed - procedures relating to the ordinances and worker behavior.  As I worked more and more on the list my thoughts turned more and more to what might be called doctrinal issues - motivations, attitudes, willingness to learn.  Delkys and I sat up until far into the night Saturday discussing some of the doctrinal issues, and they turned out to be profitable items of discussion in the training meeting as well.  As is to be expected, the more we serve in this position the more the temple influences our spirits, and the greater we feel the importance of the ordinances and covenants which are effected in the temple.

I made four batches of brownies.  Well, I say "I made", but Sister Garcia (the temple matron) actually made two of them under my tutelage because she wants to be able to make them for her family.  Watching the brownies after the meeting made me think of snowflakes on hot pavement.  I got them out one batch at a time, and they disappeared just about as quickly as I could produce them.

Speaking of snowflakes, I checked the weather this morning, and in Highlands Ranch it was 21° with a chance of snow.  I looked out the window at the falling rain, knowing that it was about 80° outside, and felt slightly left out.  Oh well.  Of course, Friday we got home from the temple and discovered that the temperature in the apartment was 79°.  Something in the air conditioning system was broken, and I was temporarily worried about my survival.  However it was soon repaired, and I made it through.

Two of our sealers are ill, so I ended up conducting several sealing sessions this week.  Each opportunity to do that further strengthens my testimony of the worth of those sacred ordinances.  Also as I bear witness to the youth about baptism, and especially the baptisms for the dead in which they are about to participate, I feel more deeply the need for the saving ordinances of the gospel.  I am very grateful to the Lord for this opportunity to serve.  It is very difficult to consider anything I am doing as a sacrifice, because the Lord is blessing us so bountifully in everything we do.

Love,

John and Delkys