The Temple

YES! I was so excited! my first time to the temple in 15 months!

Well... we woke up in the morning.. and the snow was still going and the wind was still blowing... we tried to get the other elders truck going.. but it got stuck in the middle of the parking lot... So we go for our car, which is in a better location.

Well we got out ok.. but the street were crazy.. I will never forget that night. It was dark and there was like 6 inches of snow on the roads. Everywhere we went people were getting stuck. The normal road we would take to get to the temple was not accessible.. it was about 5:20 at this point. our session was starting at 6:00.

We tried to drive around a different way. When the weather is this bad, traffic rules no longer apply. People are parked in the intersection and flipping U-ies where ever they can. no one pays attention to what color the traffic lights are. certain streets are blocked off.. your in a maze, and you are just trying to find your way out.

Well, the other route we wanted to take was also blocked. 5:30.

We turn around and try the last possible way.. and we find all the other Elders parked on a bridge. Someone got stuck in the middle. and they were trying to move them...

We get out and see what is going on. There is no way anyone is getting through... 5:45 We were within walking distance of the temple.. but not that quick.. Darn you Satan!

There were some people parked behind us, so I thought I better go tell them that no one was getting through any time soon. I talked to this lady, and she told me that she had already made it through on the other side when she was going the other way.. I was so excited! We might make it!

She said she was going to try it.. (driving on the wrong side of the road.. again. no traffic rules) so we watched her. And she made it!

5:50. We jump in our car and follow her tracks. It looked like really deep snow. It was really scary... But we mad it too!

We park and run back to tell the other Elders we were going. We get back in the car and drive as fast as we can on slippery snowy roads.... but.... when we pull into the temple parking lot.. 6:10..

We walk inside. It felt so good to be in a temple. Even the waiting room. It felt like home. Canada is crazy.. And for the first time, everything just felt normal again... One of the temple workers comes up to us and tells us they held the session for 5 min... but it had already started and they couldn't let us in... No session for us.

Everyone looks at me.. I am the only one that hasn't been to the temple yet...

But I was ok.

What an adventure!

I'll never forget it.

We Dont Have a Font in Melville

So, we drove with Brother Markle (Jack) to his baptism. When we got there, the font was maybe half full... Do you know how long it takes to fill those things!? man... So we started half an hour late, and it was still pretty shallow. It took 4 times to get him under. They really had to push him down hard. He looked so scared the whole time... But they got him.

Maybe we should have taken the time to explain why we were dunking him repeatedly... oh well!

WOULD YOU BELIEVE!?

The other day, Elder Mitton and I were laying in bed (not together...) and we heard this noise coming from upstairs. I thought it was the pipes, but Elder Mitton was certain it sounded exactly like someone walking around the Shop. (we live under a members printing business).

Luckily I was given a machete by a departing missionary as my inheritance. So grabbed it, and we went upstairs to kill the intruder. But we turned the lights on, and no one was there...

So it was the pipes right? But the thing is... when we went back down stairs.... the noise had stopped...

Coincidence....?

Believe it!

Listen To This

We all know that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Endure to the End. And we can find ALL of that in the book of Mormon.. But did you know that it is set up perfectly to teach us them.. and in order too!

This is the story. Sister Zebrowski was told she would be teaching about Moroni in gospel doctrine class in her ward some years ago. But it was FULL of very intelligent people who had been mission presidents and return missionaries and such. She wondered how she would teach them something NEW about this great prophet.. But she didn't know what to do. She prayed about it throughout the week, asking for help. Then, one day, she woke up a few minutes before her alarm. She saw what time it was and tried to go back to sleep, but she heard a voice tell her "Moroni is a perfect example of Enduring to the end".. She thought "That's perfect! That is how I will teach about Moroni. So she tried to go back to sleep. But the Lord wasn't done. "Nephi is a perfect example of Faith" "Alma is a perfect example of Repentance" And in third Nephi Christ teaches us the true way of Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

God Crafted the Book Of Mormon for us. The Stories included are not coicidence. The Church is true.

Our Apartment

I'm now in Melville and The George went to be DL in another part of the city. Whitewashed in, Whitewashed out. like a dirty crime. Did the deed and got out fast.

Our Apartment is a basement apartment. We live under the business of a member. Its got one bathroom, one bedroom, a Kitchen, one class room, one Chapel, a Clerks office... oh. yeah. thats right. I live in the church! Crazy huh?!

I dont even know how to describe it to you fully. But just picture this... When our bedroom door is open.. its our apartment.. when its closed.... THE CHURCH! Crazy. I guess we have some extra incentive to keep it clean..

Melvin Keith Jorgenson

Melvin Keith Jorgenson was baptised this Friday, and confirmed on Sunday. It was unforgettable!

The Service was nice. Because of the awkward time (5:30 on a friday), only the people on the program came, but Mel wanted it to be small anyway. His dear friend (and recent convert) sister Rossett gave a talk. she was so nervous, it was her first time. and Brother Schiess gave one as well. Mel was so nervous in the water. we could hear him talking from beyond the closed doors. Talking about how nervous he was. I thought the fount was filled pretty high... but it barely reached his waist. He is a BIG guy. He didn't want to bend backwards.. he was scared he wouldn't be able to get back up.. Turns out its was all OK though, cause he floats pretty good. They really had to shove him.. His foot came up the first time. He was devastated. He did NOT want to do it again.. I was almost positive he was gonna give up and say "No, that's it. That's enough. The Good Lord will understand.." But he didn't. He's a trooper. He went down the second time. As he came up out of the water, the first words he said were "Shoot! My D*mn foot came up!" HAHA! But it didn't break the surface. He was good.

While they changed I did a musical number, it was good. We had another Elder play a version of "come thou fount" as I sung the words to "Joseph Smith First Prayer" and timed it to fit as we had the audience watch a silent clip of the first vision from the Restoration movie. It was really really good. Refreshments afterwards.

That was it. The craziest baptism ever. I didn't expect anything less. So informal. So "Mel". Just prefect.

Being a missionary rocks!

I'm just lucky I guess

Elder Quinton L. Cook of the quorum of the 12 is coming the the Saskatoon Stake (Reorganization) Conference! He will be interviewing for new Stake President. They haven't changed Prez is 11 years! Since the Stake was made! ha ha! He is so ready to get out of there! He has had us over for dinner a few time and I can just tell.

Well. Melvin has quit smoking. It is so good! he says he can never smoke again because he doesn't want anyone to find out and get mad. ha ha! He is 5 days clean. So he is all set for his Baptism on the 17th! He keeps saying he wants to get it over with, he wants to be a member all ready! ha ha!