Sacred Grove & Costumes July 1 - 7

The Sacred Grove

Path to the Sacred Grove

                  

The Smith Family Farm   

The week started out with temperatures in the high 90s with humidity to match.  We felt grateful for our air-conditioned apartment and temple.

The weather finally cooled down and was a most pleasant 75 degrees with a nice breeze on Friday.  So after our chores of cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping we ventured out on a walk.  We headed for the Sacred Grove which is nearly 3 miles (Don’t tell Ray, he thinks it’s only 2 miles. :)  It was just such a gorgeous day and we thoroughly enjoyed every step there and every step around the Grove.  I was impressed with how peaceful I felt as we wandered along the paths.  I stopped at a bench while Ray continued on and read Joseph’s account of the First Vision.  As I sat and looked out over the beauty of the grove, with the gently breeze, sweet birds singing, and sun glistening now and then through the trees, it was not hard to imagine God and the Savior appearing there.  Though I will say, in early spring it is not quite so beautiful.  Still it is a reverent, holy ground, rich in importance to this last and final dispensation.  I continued down the path, to the frame home.  Along the trail back to the visitor’s center, if you stop to look, you can see the top of the temple to the right and the sacred grove to the left.  One holy place looking upon another.  

Ray strolled through much of the grove before we met back at the visitor center.  Then we faced the walk back. To pass the time, I walked behind Ray and read the lesson for Sunday and we laid out a plan on how to teach.  Then I read Chapter 1 of “Saint” The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days.  It is a new, narrative of the history of the church.   We had to stop and rest a few times along the way and were happy to finally arrive back at our apartment.  It makes us appreciate more the amount of walking and the distances walked by earlier residence of Palmyra.

YM Work Crew in the Grove

While at the Grove, we saw the 28 young men who come to work on the pageant.  They are impressive.  There duties include setting up and taking down the stage (huge) and then running the spotlights and the special effects through out the performances.  They are organized much like a mission with companions, districts, leaders and strict rules of conduct.  They come to the temple 2 or 3 times even with all there is to do.  What a great experience to gain a sense of brotherhood, worth, while doing some really cool things.  Who wouldn’t love to blow up things, create fire, be in a tall ( I mean tall) tower running spot lights.  Sounds like fun to me.

The massive stage for the Hill Cumorah Pageant

The Hill Cumorah Pageant Preparations

For FHE we had a grand tour of the hill Cumorah and all the behind the scenes workings.

It is amazing what is accomplished in a week.  Over 700 cast members arrive on Friday night, are assigned their parts, get their costumes and begin rehearsing.  By the following Thursday they are ready for a dress rehearsal with 7 performances to follow.  They do not rehearse on Sunday so that gives them just 5 days to get ready.  It is quite remarkable.  Great organization and high expectations.  Can’t wait to see it!

Elder Barber checking out the angel wig and trumpet

A couple from Pasco, WA who came to help with the costumes

One of several gold plate props, but not the heaviest one

Some Headdresses for the Pageant

Bathroom Renovation

Out with the old...

...In with the new

 Before and after pictures of our bathroom upgrade.

 Tuesday, July 3rd, the handyman, Jared, came to install a new vanity in the bathroom.  It is a wonderful improvement, professionally installed.  I had to run to the store so only Ray was here when he arrived.  The story goes that soon after he began, Ray heard him hollering.  Ray went quickly from his desk to see what the trouble was.  Water was shooting everywhere and the poor man was getting soaked.  Ray asked where the water shut off was but Jared didn’t know.  Ray ran over to Barber’s next door as they have access to the ‘basement’ but they didn’t know either.  By the time Ray returned, Jared had managed to get the new valve on and stop the water.  I think he was totally embarrassed for not thinking to turn off the water before starting.  Lucky there were plenty of towels around to keep the water confined to the bathroom but poor Jared left pretty soaked.

And, yes, I know it is stark white.  I am looking for some colorful artwork to add to the walls.  I haven't gone with colored towels because it is just too convenient to wash all the whites together each week.

Elder Pickup and Elder Lindsay

The Fourth of July

We rose early this morning to attend a breakfast with all the temple and site senior missionary couples.  The potluck spread was impressive.  I stayed up the night before to cut up the melons.  I made a flag out of the watermelon (red), honeydew (white-ish), and blueberries.  I was going to make stars out of the cantaloupe but it looked dorky so I just mixed it in a bowl with the left over fruit and took both.  It was a fun way to present the fruit with a patriotic theme.  We sat next to Elder and Sister Gutherie from Texas.  He grew up in Coure d’ lene, Idaho so we had some familiar cross roads(tri-cities, Connell, etc)  We talked of temple and missionary work and left feeling uplifted.  We also met Brother and Sister Croft from the Missionary Office.  We elected not to go to the parade for a couple of reasons.  One, it was almost 100 degrees  and we still feel like we are recovering from our head colds.  Ray rested very well for the afternoon while I worked on the Phillips and Hunt lines of my family tree.  We were invited to the “White House” for an evening BBQ which we felt up to doing.  The only draw back was it was still 100 degrees and we felt as though we were melting, wish for and occasionally receiving a bit of a breeze.  Longing for them did not make them come more often.

We stayed long enough to watch the fireflies.

Our Temple Missionary Family

Just to give you an idea of the heat and humidity, when I was leaving the Temple my eye glasses fogged up.  You know, like when you open the hot humid dishwasher.  Crazy, huh?