Sunday Thanksgiving Dinner

Yesterday we had a Thanksgiving meal with all of the Temple missionaries and Presidency.  The Norman's have a tile floor in their garage and it makes a great place to set up tables for a big group.
Here is Chris setting things up.

John loves to cook and they are both great hosts.  Mike bought this apron a few weeks ago and we gave it to him to wear for the occasion.

Everyone brought things for the meal.  John and Chris cooked the turkeys and gravy but everything else was brought by the group.  I made three apple pies.  This is a picture that was taken of the entire group.

The couple to the left are the Framptons.  They are the area medical advisors but live in our building and are included in our events.  Next are the Winkfields, from Layton.  They served with the Normans in Bolivia and will be going home in January.  Next are the Gordons.  They are from Belize and are proud to be the first couple to serve from that country.  He cannot read and much is difficult for him but he is a very willing worker and LOVES the gospel.  The Holman's are next.  They are from Sugar City, Idaho and have previously served a mission in Mexico.  They cam six weeks before we did and will be staying 18 months.   Next are the Jenson's who are from Canada.  They came with the Holman's and will be her for 18 months.  The Flohr's are from here.  They are scheduled to leave in January but have agreed to stay until November when the Norman's leave.  The Funes are Second Counselor and assistant matron and they are from somewhere in Guatemala.  We are next and then the Fisher's are next.  The are from Alpine, are here for six months and I've shared things about them in other posts. The Reyna's are from Guatemala and are probably making the greatest sacrifice to serve here.  We were told that they sold their car to come.  I asked (through a young sister who speaks both languages) the other day if they ever go home and Sister Reyna said that they don't, that it is too far and too many busses.  They may speak less English than I do Spanish if that is possible.  The last two couples are the Rosales, 1st  Counselor and the Norman's.

Thanksgiving Day

Today is Thanksgiving Day.  It is not a holiday in Guatemala although you would think so in the grocery stores.  There are turkeys, stuffing, cranberries (both fresh and canned) and pumpkin (although we have only seen it in the huge #10 cans).  Because it is not a holiday to the people here the Temple is open and we will work our regular shift for this week which is 2:30- 9:00 PM.  All of the Temple missionaries will be having a Thanksgiving dinner at the Norman's on Sunday afternoon.

I am so full of thanks, however, that tears are in my eyes.  I received a SKYPE note from a student that I taught in China eight years ago.  He was not one of my best students but he tried SO hard.  He wrote to me after with some personal struggles and I basically gave him answers from the gospel.  He is teaching English to primary school children in his home countryside (a wonderful spot for him).  He sent the following message today to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving.

"Thank you, teacher.  It's you that make me understand what should I do and what should I not do in my life.  Now I know it is important to do something meaningful in my whole life, that is to teach more students the real English, help them to solve any problems when they study the English.  So in such a special day, I want to express my sincere thanks for you.  Thank you"

No one could make me believe that my time is China was not well spent.

We had a little sister come and clean today.  Apparently her husband was a Bishop but found a girlfriend and she is trying to support a family by cleaning.  This is our first time to have her but we paid about $21 for two and a half hours of heavy cleaning. . She has moved my bed, fridge and range and swept under them.  My shoes are lined up in my closet.  She went through my fridge and threw out old things. I don't think she has left anything untouched.  The washer is presently washing up the towels and rags she used. Boy, do I need her to come to Mt. Pleasant with me.  I've never seen such thorough cleaning.   I asked her to come thinking I would be serving her but BOY what a job she has done for us.  

I am thankful to serve in the Temple.  They are putting out poinsettia's and a nativity that I will get a picture of and attach.  I love the people and feel their love even though we can't communicate with words.  Several have come up and have pretended to conduct music with a smile on their faces.

I am thankful for our Savior and the atonement and for my wonderful family.

I feel so blessed. 

Sunday Conference & Primary Program

No pictures but this is my journal for these six months.

Yesterday was an interesting day.  It was the Primary Program at Church and they did such an excellent job.  They introduced everything in both Spanish and English.  If there were spoken lines they were in both languages.  Some of the songs were in Spanish and some in English.  I think that there were a few more American children than Guatemalan but it was a good mix.  They sang with their whole hearts.  One little Guatemalan girl had my heart the entire time. She may have been four or five but she knew every word in both languages and belted it out beautifully.

I told Mike that it is quite amazing that we have seen Primary programs in China and Guatemala in addition to in many US states. 

Later in the afternoon we had the annual devotional for Temple Workers at a Stake Center not too far from here.  It was the first chapel built in Guatemala City and I'm sure that it has been remodeled a few times.  Like the other chapel here and the one we saw in Mexico it had all tile floors.  Neither has an organ but only an upright piano.  It had a very large chapel area and an even bigger cultural hall that opened to make a typical sized Stake Building.  The interior area had a beautiful garden that the classrooms and offices were around. The fascinating thing, however, was the mammoth building attached that was being used as a parking garage for the event.  Cars were packed in so carefully, tightly and skillfully. It is apparently a multi-use facility where huge conferences with general authorities conferences, youth conferences, basketball and other sports competitions are held (it even had an enclosed booth for commentators, authorities, etc. would sit.)  It was quite the shock for us to just walk over to look at as we were waiting to go home after the meeting.

We were supposed to have the Area Authority as the guest speaker for the meeting but he was not able to get his flight back from another country where he had been that morning so John and Chris gave longer talks.  For me it really didn't make any difference because I don't understand anything anyway.  Some of the other missionaries commented about how excellent their talks were, however.

The Temple Missionaries were asked to sing as a choir for the meeting and I was asked to conduct.  It was fun to do it again and we got good results considering that it was a group with many non-singers and we were dealing with two languages.  I also conducted the congregational songs as they sang in Spanish. Well now I've conducted from the Korean and the Guatemalan hymn book and I know approximately what each line is saying although often in a different order.

When we were looking at the big facility a couple came up to us and the man spoke English and he said, "My wife wants to tell you that she likes the way that you conduct music."  She smiled and added something in Spanish but it is fun to have people appreciate something that I love doing so very much.  I have had many other come up to me at the Temple and make comments about my good conducting. 

Some Wonderful Missionary Results

This was written by Nancy Fisher.  Her husband, Tim, served a mission here over 40 years ago.  He was a "big wig" with Microsoft and retired in his 40's. (She is currently 61 and him 63.) They then moved to Alpine and he taught classes for BYU and UVU and she was an RN.  I think that he will be a mission president in this area in the not to distant future.  They are only here for 6 months right now because their youngest daughter will be home from a mission in February and they want to be there for her to come home to.  The church leaders in the area are already taking advantage of having him speak to recently returned missionaries about setting goals, etc. and he has also been asked to teach classes for other groups.  He is fluent in Spanish still, has been extremely successful in the business world, has been a BYU bishop and relates to young adults and is just an impressive person.  I'll try to find a way to include at least some of the pictures.

These stories are certainly examples of how you really never know where and how the work that you do will spread and how many people it will influence. 



"Conference weekend was one of the few weekends that the temple was closed, which gave us an extra day to venture out.  We decided to be courageous and drive the 5 hour drive to the last town Tim served in before he returned home from his mission.  Tim reached out to a very special family, Timoteo and Eva Boj, that he and his companion (Elder Berrios) had taught and baptized 41 years ago (first picture). We arranged to visit the Boj family at their home in Quetzaltenango (also nicknamed "Xela", pronounced -"Shayla") between sessions of Saturday conference.
Not quite knowing what to expect, and with my limited Spanish, I was a bit apprehensive but excited.  What we did know, prior to our arrival, was that the father of this family had framed our temple wedding invitation we sent them 41 years prior.  It had hung on his bedroom wall all these many years (picture). We gave them a more recent picture too that he immediately put next to it.  
We arrived in Xela after a crazy, (gross understatement in Latin America driving) 7 hour drive in the dark and rain.  By some miracle, and the help of WAZE (Latin version of mapquest-really should be named CRAZE), we found our hotel.  The hotel was over 100 years old (so were the beds 😊) and surrounded by very narrow cobblestone streets - all of which looked the same and felt like we were going in circles.  Tim's phone died exactly when we pulled up to the front of the hotel (#tendermercy).
The next morning, one of the daughters of Hermano Boj, Yolanda and her husband, Ricardo, came to our hotel and picked us up. They greeted us with hugs and the warmth that typifies these people (picture). Right from that first hug and kiss on my cheek, I knew this was going to be a good day.  Tim in his thoughtfulness, asked if we could go to a place to buy flowers for Sister Boj, so they took us to an open market just outside the city cemetery and we were able to pick from a vast array of flowers, unlike I had ever seen!  Tim picked a dozen brilliant pink roses intermingled with white carnations.  We arrived at their home (picture) and Tim was taken back to 41 years ago where he knocked on this same door to call on Brother Boj and his family. (Three of their eight children, Sandra, Obdulio, and Rudy, in their teens, were already members of the church). 
Apparently, for a few years missionaries had been trying to get in to share their message with the parents, but Brother Boj would sneak out the back door when the missionaries arrived.  His little girls, Yolanda, Veronica, and Ingrid would always answer. They would run and tell their dad who was at the door.  This was his cue to leave the premises!
So one evening, Tim decided he would be creative in his door approach to the Boj family.  As they were walking up the street to visit this family, he asked a stranger on the the street if he would go and knock on Timoteo Boj's door and ask for him. He told the stranger they wanted to surprise this "old friend" that they haven't seen in a long time (which was true) and that his little girls would answer.  The stranger could leave after the little girls went to get their father and the missionaries would step in his place.  The plan worked perfectly.  Hermano Boj was too polite to refuse the handshake of these two Elders, he invited them in, and that was the very beginning of an eternal family. 
One of the little girls said the prayer that night, as they always did when the Elders visited, but this was the first time their Father had knelt down with his family and heard their sincere prayer asking; "Heavenly Father, please bless our father to stop hardening his heart and to repent of his sins and be baptized".  Tim feels it was the prayers of a child that touched this good man's heart.  If we all could become as little children we could change the world.  A few months later, this man and his wife Eva were baptized. Within a year, Brother Timoteo Boj baptized his twin girls when they turned eight, the same ones that had prayed so sincerely for their father to join the church. Edwin and Elvis, the other two brothers, were also baptized. 
We arrived at the house and waited in their "parlor" as Yolanda went to get her parents, who are now 84 years old.  Hermano Boj was in his suit, wearing a white shirt and tie, and Hermana Boj was in her very best Guatemalan Corte and Huipil (traditional hand made skirt and blouse). 
We were told he was so excited he could hardly sleep in anticipation of meeting Elder Fisher again.  The smiles on their faces, all of them including Tim's, reminded me of D&C 18:15 "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" I cried.  But that was only the beginning of my tears that day.
Following this tender reunion, they drove us a few blocks away to one of the daughter's house, Sandra Arana Boj. Waiting for us there was a four-person Mariachi band in a double car garage full of four generations (the Boj family now totals around 70) They had set up chairs and several long church tables topped with hand embroidered tablecloths.  We were served a lovely meal of chicken Corden Bleu, rice, and salad.
When we stepped out of the car, they began singing Luna de Xelaju, (pronounced 'Shayla Who -Mayan name for Quetzaltenango) it is a very here.  It took all I had to keep from sobbing at this touching show of appreciation for the missionary who brought their family the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as a result, afforded them the unspeakable joy of being together forever.  Again, I thought of the words of Ammon in Alma 26 when he said, "How great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?"  How could the 21 year old Elder Fisher and Elder Barrios have ever known what was in store for this amazing family?  
All 8 children in the Boj family have been sealed in the temple. Three of the sons served missions and all four sons have served as Bishops. Many children, spouses, and grandchildren have served as missionaries, bishops and in branch, mission, relief society, and stake presidencies.  They truly have been a pioneer family in the growth of the church in Quezaltenango and have shared the gospel with many that have joined the church. Today, two of the "little" Boj girls serve as ordinance workers in the Quezaltenango Temple. Truly "they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day" (Alma 26:7). Throughout the dinner, members of this family came up to Tim, and with all sincerity of heart, thanked him for bringing the Gospel to their family. 
Then, they squeezed us all into the living room and showed us a slide presentation of their family over the years.  The first slide was of the sealing of Brother and Sister Boj and their children in the Arizona Temple, four years after their baptism in 1980.  Overlayed on this picture were the words, "Gracias Elder Fisher, Salvando Cuatro Generaciones".  "Thank you Elder Fisher, Saving Four Generations."  At the end of the slide show, Tim read the pages from his missionary journal about the conversion of this good family.  I've attached a picture of one of the daughters listening to him and wiping her tears away as he was telling their story.  Then two of the grandson's, who were awaiting their mission calls (see picture of Tim with Bryan and Danny), stood up and bore their testimonies. They expressed excitement for their missions and their desire to bring the blessings of the gospel to a special family.
After this lovely luncheon, the men went to Priesthood and the women went to the grocery store. They drove me by the Temple, and then we had "pupusas" at a restaurant owned by the youngest daughter, Ingrid.  She told me there that she would sit on Elder Fisher's one knee, with his flip chart on his other knee, and she would hug and kiss him throughout the lesson.  She was five.  I sensed there may have still been a little crush on Elder Fisher 😉. It was sweet.
We thought that day of celebration was enough joy to last us a lifetime, but they insisted on taking us to General Conference at their stake center the next morning.  We met them there and upon arrival, Ingrid had brought a Corte and Huipil for me to change into and watch general conference (see picture).  It was the most fun dress-up activity I have ever had.  Truly, she made me feel like I was one of them. It was a great honor.
After conference and visiting some more at their home, we took pictures and bid goodbye.  I understood for a moment when Ammon said, "My joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God" (Alma 26:11).  This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He knows each one of us individually.  He desires us to return to Him and there live eternally with our families.  He has provided the way, and the path, to that end is clear.  He gave His only begotten Son to atone for the frailties and sins of all mankind.  His atonement is infinite and His plan is simple.  I love Him.  I love His Gospel.  I love the Temple and the ordinances offered within it's walls to all who live worthy.  This IS His work and His Glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.  I will be forever grateful I received this knowledge. HE LIVES!
This wonderful and faithful Boj family is a great testimony to us of the hand of the Lord in their lives and the truthfulness of the gospel.  Once the seed was planted, the Lord did a mighty work with their righteous hearts and desires and His harvest has continued through four generations. "

Following is another amazing experience they had.  (Actually they had this one first.)

"We have seen miracles already.  On day 2 after our arrival we visited the MTC,  less than a block away and spoke with the facilities director.  He noticed Elder Fisher's name tag and asked him where he learned his Spanish.  Tim told him he served here in Guatemala 40 years ago.  The director then asked if he served in Salama.  Tim's face lit up and said yes.  Then he asked if he was the same Elder Fisher who opened up Salama to missionary work in 1976? Again Tim said yes.  This brother then proceeded to tell Tim the story of when he was 7 years old a Elder Fisher contacted his father in Salama and from that one contact his entire family joined the church and most have served missions and the town of Salama has since sent out over 70 missionaries.  This brother has been a bishop and Stake President and he himself served a mission as well as 3 of his children.  All this occurred because 2 elders were sent on the Lord's errand under the direction of their inspired mission president to take a bus to a town that had never had Mormon missionaries.  They rented a hotel room, found a suitable building to hold church services and began tracting. On the first Sunday 9 were in attendance. This last Sunday this brother picked us up to take us to his Ward and dinner afterwards to meet his family. They thanked Tim for what he has done for them in bringing them the Gospel.

We have seen miracles already.  On day 2 after our arrival we visited the MTC,  less than a block away and spoke with the facilities director.  He noticed Elder Fisher's name tag and asked him where he learned his Spanish.  Tim told him he served here in Guatemala 40 years ago.  The director then asked if he served in Salama.  Tim's face lit up and said yes.  Then he asked if he was the same Elder Fisher who opened up Salama to missionary work in 1976? Again Tim said yes.  This brother then proceeded to tell Tim the story of when he was 7 years old a Elder Fisher contacted his father in Salama and from that one contact his entire family joined the church and most have served missions and the town of Salama has since sent out over 70 missionaries.  This brother has been a bishop and Stake President and he himself served a mission as well as 3 of his children.  All this occurred because 2 elders were sent on the Lord's errand under the direction of their inspired mission president to take a bus to a town that had never had Mormon missionaries.  They rented a hotel room, found a suitable building to hold church services and began tracting. On the first Sunday 9 were in attendance. This last Sunday this brother picked us up to take us to his Ward and dinner afterwards to meet his family. They thanked Tim for what he has done for them in bringing them the Gospel."

Paseo Cayala'

After we finished working our shift which started at 6:30 AM we went with the Normans and Fishers to an area named Paseo Cayala.  It is a direct comparison of the poverty that we have been seeing.  It is a 63 acre complex with housing dining, shopping, a movie theater and 90 businesses. It is even complete with a church and an interesting sculpture on a lawn area.

The first place we went was to an outstanding Italian place to eat named  Tre Fatelli    I had one of the best pasta dishes that I have ever had with chicken stuffed ravioli in a cream sauce with artichoke and broccoli. 

Then we just walked around and went into one shop where Chris wanted to buy a gift.  It was fun to see something different and to get an idea how the wealthy in Guatemala shop and live.  We really enjoy both the Fishers and the Normans.

Downtown Guatemala City

The other day at the Temple one of the workers asked me if I had experienced real Guatemalan food.  When I told her that I hadn't she suggested that we go downtown and eat at the PanAmerican Hotel where the food is traditional, the decor is traditional and the servers are in the actual costume.

Today John and Chris took us down to check it out.  It was built in 1944 when Pan America Airlines first started flying to Guatemala.  The pictures I have are from the internet.  Sadly downtown is very run down with lots of graffiti and the hotel is not displayed well.  We did go in and had a wonderful piece of coconut cream pie and it would be fun to take the group down and have lunch.  Here are some pictures that I pulled.

It was a block off the square where the palace is and a large Catholic church are also located.  Again, the pictures are much cleaner and less trashed than the actual things.  

The Central Market which was many, many times bigger than the one last week was just down the street.  There were two layers beneath the main one.  I bought a straw hat for about a dollar and a pretty white blouse for about $19.  

.

Tonight we are going to a MOVIE with another couple and out to get something to eat. (We saw "Murder on the Orient Express" and loved it.

What a fun day.  It started at 5AM so that we could be at the Temple by 6:30 but we were through just after noon so have had time to play. 

Sunday Guatemala Conference

(Taken from the blog of a computer talented Temple Missionary, Elder Jenson, who lives next door.)

Yesterday we had an amazing conference for members in Guatemala.  We were in the chapel next to the temple which is a 5 minute walk from here but I wondered as I sat there about the members who had driven for hours to get to chapels where they were able to hear the same messages.  So many of the roads have huge ruts and fill with mud if there is rain.  People live in simple homes and have so little and they were feasting on the same words that we were.  The first three speeches were in Spanish and it was translated for us in the Primary room. 

Because this is my journal, too, I am going to record my notes here.  Please enjoy them, too, if you wish.  The first speaker was Elder Kevin Duncan (bottom picture) who was recently released as the General Authority assigned to Guatemala.  Mike and I met him in Moroni two weeks before we left.

He started his talk by referring to two volcanoes that he could see from the window of his apartment here in Guatemala.

The explosive activity at Guatemalan Fuego volcano has intensified since November 19, 2016 and has generated at least one 300 m (984 feet) high lava fountain, feeding three new lava flows. This is the 15^th paroxysm at the volcano this year. (2016)

The second volcano is named Agua.  

Agua is dormant and does nothing while Fuego is internally active.  Elder Duncan compared our testimonies and said that one reason that peoples testimonies become dormant is that they fail to read the Book of Mormon.  Because the book blesses so many lives the Church is very active in translating it into as many languages as possible (120).  One they are working on is Keitchi (sp) which is one of the languages here in Guatemala.

He shared his personal story of finding the truth of the book.  He was  raised on a farm in an inactive home. He was curious about the book and found one in their home which he took out to the farm with him and read whenever he got a break.  He said that he had it finished within a week and that it changed his life forever.  

(I do not know why my page is now half sized and why it continues to try to underline things but I will keep going.   ) 

He referred to Alma 32:27 which teaches that regular feasting on the Book of Mormon is the key to staying strong.

He shared a fascinating experiment that was recently conducted by the church in different areas.  Non members were asked to read one page of the book and to mark passages that taught about the Father or Christ.  He shared several beautiful comment that people of many religions or not religion at all had made.  

He asked, "What would happen in our homes if we read it daily?"

It would naturally draw us closer to the Savior.  It is essential for each of us to have our own testimonies of the book and to keep them alive.

The next speaker was Sister Aburto who used the primary song,

On a golden springtime, underneath the ground,

A tiny seedling lay asleep until the sun shone down.

 She said that the enemy of all righteousness is attacking our children at an earlier age than ever before.
It is by faith that angels and miracles appear.
Each Sabbath day can be a Spring day to us.

She read a quote by Elder Christofferson that said that a Christlike testimony is more a process than an event.

Elder Ulisses Soares chose to speak to the young men and young women in Guatemala.  Among other things he said "You are the best generation of youth that the Church has had.  God held you in reserve to face difficult times.  Because of your special calling you are prepared to live in the later part of the latter days. 

He talked about Nephi's dream of the Iron Rod and the mist of darkness and the very narrow path that must be taken.  He said that Satan makes us think that there is no danger in the temptations that he offers.  He said that it is only possible to overcome and ignore those temptations by holding onto the iron rod.

He quoted President Monson saying that "We become what we choose" (I am going to add here a story that President Monson also tells along with that quote: Most of you are familiar with Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. As she contemplates which way to turn, she is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”

The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”¹
Unlike Alice, we know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life leads to our destination in the next life.

He reviewed the story of Captain Moroni and said that we must all become figurative Captain Moroni's.  He then gave five points on how we can deflect the enemy.

1. Listen to your parents.  He quoted Elder Ballard saying, "“When you are willing to listen and learn, some of life’s most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you. They have walked where you are walking and have experienced many of the things you are experiencing. If you listen and respond to their counsel, they can help guide you toward choices that will be for your benefit and blessing and steer you away from decisions that can destroy you. As you look to your parents and others who have gone before you, you will find examples of faith, commitment, hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that you should strive to duplicate.”

2. Listen to the prophets, apostles and current local leaders on earth. He quoted Elder Uchtdorf "Prophets speak not only to the people of their time, but they also speak to people throughout all time. Their voices echo through the centuries as a testament of God’s will to His children."  He went on to say that they were called by the Lord to guide us in THIS day.

3. Study the scriptures

4. Commit to act in good things: church, sacrament, attend seminary, church activities prepare for missions, do baptisms for the dead.

5. Follow the example of Jesus Christ.  No other choice can make of us what He can. 

He said that none of this is simple but you can do it because YOU are chosen for this day.  The promises are true.  He quoted President Monson saying, "May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary—a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals."

The final speaker was Elder Ballard who spoke in English with translation for English speakers.  Something that I have not thought about in the past was that Joseph Smith was schooled by Moroni for four years before he got the Book of Mormon.  

We understand that we may have eternal life.  Warning voices are there for things that trouble you.  There are two powers 1)Choose the right 2) the opposite.  Life is a test.  We are told that there shall arise false prophets and leaders and the very elect will be deceived.  

He told the story of the sequoia tree that died on BYU campus because it became disconnected from the source of water.

He listed several essential habits that will keep us strong:

sincere personal and family prayer, fasting, study of the scriptures and words of living prophets, making the Sabbath day a delight, the Temple, the sacrament and reaching out to the poor and lonely.  

Problems come from pride, too much recreation and  entertainment, cell phones over use (especially during church), social media and internet sources that don't adequately present information.  

He encouraged leaders to not ever brush the question off but instead help them to find the answers.  He suggested to a searching brother that he read the Book of Mormon one hour a day and the questions that he had were answered.  

His last point was that we need to love and respect everyone

He said, "I'll tell you a little secret-- we can't even die and get out of being missionaries.  Why not learn to do it now?  

The temple teaches us what has happened in the past and what will happen in the future.  We will be asked clear questions that will allow us to enter His presence.  No one else even approaches what we are blessed to understand.  

Our physical body is SO important.  The faithful can receive exaltation. We realize that the Father will give ALL THINGS to those who are faithful.  

Keep your feeder roots connected.  "If we need to do better may God bless us to do so."