The blossoms are starting. I have been waiting three weeks to see the glorious riot of color explode. As Erik drives the highways and biways, I look at everything, noting the scenery and signage all around. We still plugged in the address for the Spanish Branch (Rochester 5th Branch) into the GPS. There were many more people attending this Sunday. We met new members and a new missionary. The Branch President asked to talk to us next Sunday…doo, doo, doo. I saw a lady walking around after Sacrament meeting with a clip board and she seemed to be getting people to sign up for something. It turns out that there is a Linger Longer luncheon next week and the Relief Society President had a list with specific items to bring for the meal. I signed up for “Pure de Papas”. I asked her how much to bring and she gestured the size of a pan to bring for the mashed potatoes. I asked the sisters if I could add some flavor to the potatoes and they said yes. So, next Friday, I will have to prepare them because we will be working at the temple from 7:30 am to 10 pm on the Saturday. The meal is called Compartir in Spanish which means to share. I wore my new peacock dress to church because it is very spring colored and light. The Easter program had the Branch Presidency speaking and there was a musical number with the two sets of missionaries and a couple members of the branch. It was beautiful!

Our walk took us to the old cemetary of Palmyra. It is on the same block where we live. There is a set of concrete stairs going up the hill. We were looking for Alvin Smith’s grave site. There were other gravestones scattered throughout the hilltop. Alvins’ is well cared for as is Jonathan Swift, the founder of Palmyra in 1790. It was orginally known as Swift’s Landing and changed to Palmyra in 1796.

We found a stolen plastic Easter egg, chewed open by the scavenging squirrel, then another one. The chocolate wrappers were all that was left. Again, squirrels running amok, high on chocolate. Is this becoming a theme in my life? We carried on to Palmyra Road and ended up going south to the Wayne County Fair grounds. It will be August 4-10, this year. There are a lot of events, including a demolition derby. I predict a lot of noise and people for that week.

We saw families that gathered for Easter dinner. The cars pulling out of driveways, hugs and kisses blown as they went their separate ways. It was windy and cold at first, thus, we bundled up. I usually take 45 minutes to walk 3 kilometers but these walks take me an hour because I need to stop and look at the flora and birds. Erik thankfully walks to my pace. There is a delightful creek running through Palmyra and I love to stop and watch it.

By the evening we noticed that the furnace had not come on in a long time and that the house seemed to be getting colder. I started putting extra layers on and then added a fleece blanket to my attire. As we were going to bed, Erik had taken a photo of me, dressed to the nines, and sent it to Rick and Tonya, who control the heat for the house. He suggested that maybe tomorrow, they could turn up the furnace a little more, haha!

Monday dawned with a little sunshine but it didn’t last long. I read my scriptures first. I am in Helaman and also in Ephesians. I love Ephesians because the theme seems to be telling us that we all need to get along with each other and to have the Saviour as our example; to live in love and unity with one another.

Despite the gloomy looking day, I got on my rebounder and noticed that the furnace was coming on. It seems that Rick and Tonya were having a hard time staying warm so they were running space heaters and that was why the furnace wasn’t cycling on. We will figure out this house! By that time, the heat will probably have picked up outside.

Mondays are laundry days; bed gets stripped and into the machine. Whites and colors too are going into the cycle. Plus, Erik has been needing a haircut so that was definitely happening today too. When I can see that his eyebrows are turning into spiders trying to race across his face, it’s past the time for a haircut. He set himself up in the kitchen and I clipped him up so that he’s neat and tidy again.

We decided to have a bit of an Easter dinner today. I wanted to try making some Payday candies and some Strawberry Pretzel salad. When we were at Gull Lake, I liked to make 9 X 9 pans of the Strawberry Pretzel salad for the neighbors for Canada Day because it’s red and white. The strawberries at the grocery store have been really good lately so Erik suggested that I make some Strawberry Pretzel salad for Easter. It’s always an adventure learning a new kitchen and where all the tools are.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/strawberry-pretzel-dessert/#RecipeCard

I think this week may bring a little warmer tepmeratures. I didn’t even wear a jacket to the temple today. We are on the morning shift and after a couple of weeks, we are feeling more settled in our duties at the temple. Again, meeting new people and new patrons. After our shift, we headed home for a late lunch.

I discovered that my swelling ankles and legs may be due to not being able to get my legs off the ground in the evenings. For years, we have had reclining sofas and loveseats. Being horizontally challenged means that I’m too short for most chairs and sofas. The circulation gets cut off and my legs start to ache. Isn’t it funny how blood is supposed to flow throughout our entire bodies and not just random places? I had a couple of choices; getting a zero-gravity lawn chair or a recliner chair. Erik says that we are here for a year and he thinks that we should try and be comfortable. We drove to Victor to a furniture store and chose a couple of recliners. They will be available for pickup on Wednesday. Simple recliners; no power, but very comfortable. I had to work hard not to cry in the showroom sitting on that chair because the relief was so palatable.

I finally got to go to a L.L. Bean store! It’s been on my list of things to see in the USA. Strange, I know, but I really like their products. I was able to find a pair of walking shoes that were so comfortable. I get excited when a pair of shoes fits so well. I started dancing and the joy I felt in shoes that will do me well was wonderful. The salesman told me to just keep on dancing.

We were on a mid shift for Wednesday. After completing our shift, we went home to change and head into Henrietta to pick up the recliners. Upon arriving, Erik rang the bell for the loading dock and a young man came to pick our order. As I was waiting, I noticed these beautiful little daisies in the lawn and I had to take a photo. I saw two boxes coming to the loading dock and I thought that they both would fit in the SUV without removing them from the boxes. Erik was dubious but both the young man and I thought it would work. He measured a box and asked Erik to measure the vehicle. After conferring, they loaded one box and hurrah! There was room for the second box. We have that great feature with the rear view mirror, that with a switch we can use the camera if the car is full of cargo and we can’t see behind us. Home again, jiggity, jig!

Rick and Tonya came to help us with the unloading and set up of the recliners. Tonya had on an apron and I was admiring it. She offered to lend me an apron until I sewed mine. Within a short amount of time, both chairs were set up and all the refuse dealt with. Then the highjinks began. I sat in my chair and I could not get it to recline. Erik sat in it and he was able to do it. I thought that maybe the chair just needed a breaking in period. He is a foot taller than me and I believe that he had better leverage to move the chair into a reclining position. After supper, Erik decided to read the instructions for the chairs (hahaha). It turns out that there is an adjustment that can be made from underneath to loosen the tension on the springs. Tada! I was finally able to recline the chair without giving myself a hernia.

Thursday brought an early shift for us. After coming home, Erik decided to reorganize the living room built-in cabinet. It’s a little scary to me, but the upper shelves aren’t as scary as the bottom area (cob webs etal!) He pulled everything out and wiped it all down. Then started sorting and getting rid of things that were useless. Meanwhile, I prepared my work surface to cut out my apron pieces. He brought the ironing board and iron downstairs for me to use and I got going. By 8 pm, I had a double sided apron with fabric that I purchased in Pella, Iowa and also here in Palmyra. Erik helped me turn the tubes for the neck straps and the waist ties. His comment was, “Don’t you have a tool for this!?!” Why, yes, I do, sir…at home with all my other fun toys.

Occasionally, I get a call from my friend, Dawn Marie and we chat for a couple of minutes. She asked me if I missed Alberta. I thought about it and realized that, no, I am doing fine here because we are so busy each day.

We received a really special gift from our friends, Lisa and Clint Thompson. After reading about our light dilemma in the bedroom leaking through the edge of the blinds, they sent us each a gel eye mask for sleeping. They are incredibly comfortable! They even came with a pair of ear plugs. They would be perfect for shift workers.

Friday morning saw us up and at the Bishop’s Storehouse. Today we weighed and packaged bananas, oranges and green peppers. The peppers were huge and most bags only had one pepper in them. I was having gut issues from being glutenized again. This was from breathing in gluten dust in the breakroom. As much as I love cleaning, I don’t think cleaning in there is such a good idea. It was going to be interesting working our shift tonight.

I think I was a little nervous about working 4 shifts in a row; late Friday and 3 on Saturday. We were getting ourselves ready to go and I decided to pack a cotton dress that is very comfortable to wear. I had a delightful couple of moments between Friday and Saturday that reminds me that we are exactly where the Lord needs us to be. I met the dad of our friend Dan, who serves in our bishopric. I gave him a hug and was feeling great being able to meet both of his parents. As we age, sometimes it feels like the world gets smaller and smaller.

Saturday dawned with drizzle and a little cooler weather. Well, with 96% humidity, it feels cold when it rains. We started the early shift and then that merged into the afternoon shift. While I was acting as a greeter at the doors of the temple, I was so overwhelmed to see our friend, Nate Cattran, who served his mission in the Calgary Canada Mission. He served in the Bow Valley Ward for a time and spent time with us as we fed the missionaries. Nate and I hugged and it was like seeing a son that you hadn’t seen in a long time. I tried not to cry but was so overjoyed at seeing him again, that tears were leaking out of my eyes.

We were able to go home for a couple of hours. I did my Spanish lesson and Erik cooked a meal for us. We have a Ninja indoor grill and barbeque and he was able to get supper ready in no time. Then it was time to head back to the temple for our last shift of the day. At the Palmyra temple, they have the opportunity to welcome bus loads of people coming to see the temple. I don’t mean to trivialize the temple and area but it is like a tourist destination because of the historic significance. Many people want to come and experience the area and the historic sites. While it is a small square footage temple, we have a huge amount of people who come and feel the love in the house of the Lord.

Today was also significant because the 6 month temple missionaries arrived. It was so delightful to meet the other four couples and work with them for the evening session. One couple is from North Carolina and the other three couples are from Utah. The Parkers are serving their fourth mission! It was a great evening serving the busload of women and getting to know our fellow missionaries. We were home by 10:30 pm and I just needed to bounce on my rebounder for five minutes to loosen everything up and get ready for bed.

Erik’s plan was to get up early and cook the potatoes for the “Compartir” at church. What a wonderful man I am married to!

Being two hours ahead of Mountain Daylight Time, we had all morning to prepare for General Conference. After the stunning Saturday sessions, my heart wanted even more. It’s a funny thing, wishing for conference sessions to go on and on but then realizing that we still have everyday chores to be done. Every spring and fall we have the opportunity to watch General Conference. As a child, we would go to the chapel to see conference being broadcast by satelite. Now, we can access the sessions via, computer, phone, satelites, and smart speakers. So, many ways to feel uplifted and given strength to carry on trying to follow the Saviour’s example.

I did have a prayer answered about what I need to be doing better while on my mission; well, to be honest, my life in general. The kick-off of Elder Holland’s talk touched my heart. Thus, after a very stirring Saturday, I welcomed more joy on Sunday. I started the morning reading in Romans and Alma. It’s always amazing to me reading about Paul and his journeys. Plus reading about Alma the younger and his experience which parallels Paul’s experience. These are some of the greatest examples of repentance and coming into the arms of Christ.

After the first Sunday session, we decided to go for our Sunday walk. We headed towards the steel bridge to nowhere, as I call it. Walking past wooded ponds, we were able to see and hear many birds. I love the Merlin app on my phone to record and identify birds. The following list is what we found:

Northern Cardinal, Red-Winged Blackbird, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Canada Goose, American Robin, Carolina Wren, and American Goldfinch.

The more I listen, the more I am able to identify by their song. It’s beautiful to be in nature and see the creatures. As we aproached Lock 29 on the Erie Canal, we spotted a father and son fishing along the canal. The boy was probably five years old and watching him bait his own hook was amazing. Nearly every cast, that young lad caught a fish. He recognized which ones were too small and had to be thrown back. The father explained that he had an older friend who would eat these fish. There were sunfish and crappies. He didn’t want to eat anything from the canal himself.

We headed home to watch the last session of conference. We were gone 90 minutes and I was worried that we were going to be late for the session. It was wonderful to hear more inspiring talks and to end conference with the announcement of more temples to be constructed.

Monday came with some sunshine (surprise, surprise). We started the laundry in the morning after scriptures and prayer. Being a temple worker 4 days a week, means that you have a lot of white laundry. We wear white clothing in the temple, so that means lots of white shirts and socks. I love adding Borax to my white laundry to keep it bright. Last week, Erik opened the box of Borax and then proceeded to read the instructions. As he tipped the box to read, I happened to look over at him and watched a fountain of Borax streaming from the open box. Fresh Borax is so fine and spills out very quickly!

We needed to go to Costco (the $400 store) and return some trousers and pick up some more food. Erik managed this trip much better. He did the return while I started picking up food. While loading the cart contents onto the checkout belt, I see a gentleman behind Erik, smiling at him. When I was paying the bill, the same gentleman came up to me and asked where we are serving. I replied, “At the temple.” He told me that he will see me there tomorrow. Our name tags have been a lot of fun, opening conversations and seeing how people willingly talk to us. In the parking lot, I saw a lady loading her groceries in her vehicle. I spotted cream butterhorns and croissants. I said to her, “Oh, I used to make these every Christmas Eve for my family. But now, with celiacs, they are a no-go item.” I asked her to eat one and think of me while she enjoys it. She smiled and said that she would. She then asked me where I was from. I told her that we are from western Canada. Her grandparents were from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and her family would travel there every summer for a month to visit her grandparents. I asked if her mom still cooks Nova Scotia food, and she replied that she did. Of course, I had to ask her about Blueberry Grunt. She had never had it but was going to ask her mom about it. Give it a try!

I received a message from another missionary, that there was going to be a movie night at the Joseph Smith Farm Welcome Center. They were going to be playing the movie, “6 Days in August”. It was released last summer and the room was filled with senior missionary couples (Historic Site and Temple) as well as a lot of young sister missionaries. The film depicts the death of Joseph Smith and the succession crisis of 1844. Based on much historical documents, it was heart wrenching to see the depiction play out and the events that lead to this miraculous event in August 1844.

There was popcorn, drinks and candy for everyone to enjoy. We all settled in and there was a lot of laughter and tears during the movie. It was great to get to know more missionaries.

Monday night was not restful for either of us. I really love my 8 hours of sleep, so I prepare for bed accordingly, but at 2 am, pain started in my guts. Usually, that means I have been “glutenized,” but I hadn’t eaten anything out of the ordinary. This lasted until nearly 8 am. We were on the early shift at the temple, meaning we had our preparatory meeting at 8 am. It was snowing heavily and was -5C with a 36 kph wind. Brutally cold enough to put on my mukluks (granted, they are my short ones). Driving down Canadaigua Road, we encountered a detour with lots of flashing lights and even more further down the road. On the last leg of the journey, I was wondering how I was going to work for the next 6 hours with a painful gut. I said, “Satan, I don’t have time for you today; get out!” By the time we arrived at the temple, my guts were settling down. Don’t you love how much God loves you and provides miracles in your life? I always am full of gratitude when I experience miracles whether they are teeny tiny or big.

“Gratitude provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”​ This is a quote from President Nelson from his November, 20, 2020 talk. “Practicing gratitude may not prevent us from experiencing sorrow, anger, or pain, but it can help us look forward with hope. We can give thanks for our loved ones, for our bodies and minds, for music and literature, for the beauty of the natural world.​” I loved that short 11 minute talk about gratitude. It definitely made me think about my prayers and to be grateful for all the things that I can think of. I remember having one week where I asked for nothing in my prayers but instead expressed gratitude for my life. It was eye opening to do this and feel how my heart changed.

We served our shift and headed home for a late lunch. I tried to do a few things online but then my eyelids would not stay open and I fell asleep in my chair. At some point Erik draped a quilt over me, so that I wouldn’t be cold. After thirty minutes, I felt better and carried on. The snow was slowing down and the sun was trying to poke out through the clouds. We walked to the distribution center and while Erik was being measured, I spotted a coin at his feet. Erik immediately told the store workers about finding coins and that it’s a sign that someone beyond the veil is trying to communicate with you. The funny thing is that this coin was something we had never seen before. I looked it up and discovered that is was a Fijian 1 Dollar coin. Who could be trying to tell us something?

We came home and I decided to try some different vegetables in a salad. I set up my food processor and used the slicing blade on a thin setting. I put brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots and onion through the processor. I made a dressing, tossed everything together and then topped it with Salad Toppers (seeds, cranberries, etc.). Erik likes the bagged brussel sprout, kale salad from Costco, but, I believe that anything you make at home is far superior.

Wednesday morning, I decided to try and figure out what gave me the “glutenized” gut that I had yesterday. It turns out that the Aussie Bites that we got from Costco are not gluten free like the ones in Canada. Same packaging; this learning curve may do me in! Today we had a “midshift” at the temple. This is a shift that runs from 10 am to 3 pm. Both Erik and I have been having very strange dreams about places that we’ve never been to and meeting so many people. They are simply a window into our lives as that is exactly what we are doing now. Every shift we meet more new people. We have visited a lot of places in the past three weeks, seeing things that we have never seen before. Slowly, we are learning the ways of the Palmyra temple as we get to work in different areas. We came home and tried to decide what to do for supper. With the different shift times and not having meal breaks, our meal times are so messed up. The one thing we do consistantly is eat breakfast. Erik is a get up and eat breakfast guy. No matter the time he gets up, he wants to eat within a few minutes of arising. I’m a slower waker-upper. I like my morning schedule and I’m not interested in eating right away. But with doing an early shift, I force myself to have a little bit of breakfast. Today I made a piece of toast spread with hummus and then I placed lengthwise slices of cocktail cucumbers on top. Yummy and nutricious!

Here comes the rain again…(are you singing it with me?) Off we go on an early shift for Thursday. It was extremely busy at the temple with a lot going on. Again, meeting new people and let me tell you, the best part is how warmly we are welcomed. The house of the Lord is all about love and kindness and that is exactly how we are been received.

I met the mother of a man who serves in our Bishopric in Lacombe. As I hugged her, it made me feel connected to home and little homesick. We had a lovely visit as she told me about her family and places that they have lived. One of the interesting things that sticks out in my mind is everyone’s last names here. They are so different from the last names in Alberta. Many of the people that I have met are actually from this area. Because I grew up in the military, I am used to moving around and asking people where they are from. I want to know about their family history; where their ancestors came from, what languages they speak, what dishes do they cook. Everyone wants to know where we are from. I have learned to say, “Western Canada.” Because in reality, Canada is only an hour away. But that’s not the area we are from. A few folk have family in the maritimes because of the migration of people years ago. They are either from Nova Scotia or from Acadians in the maritimes.

We received an email from our new landlord-to-be. Moving date can be Monday if all is well in the apartment. The Wall’s will be finishing their mission and heading home. Thus, us and the Gurr’s will be moving. My only concern is the steep stairs to get upstairs. I better not be in a hurry to get to the bathroom, or I will have to learn to fly up and down those stairs.

Our ice cream supply has diminished so, I have a strong suspicion that it may top the shopping list for tomorrow.

I’m not usually a fan of chocolate ice cream but this is very nice. A scoop of this is perfect for my chocolate wishes. Plus, it’s gluten free, yipee!

The Bishop’s Storehouse was on our agenda for Friday morning. It is located across from Hill Cumorah. We packaged fresh produce: bananas, oranges, peppers and broccoli. These then go on the storehouse side where members in need can place food orders. There are general household goods as well as groceries. On the side where we were packaging produce, the storehouse has freezed dried foods in #10 cans for sale. Anyone can go to the Bishop’s Storehouse to purchase these items. It is called the Home Storage order form that has all of the goods available for purchase. I asked the young missionaries who we were working with, what seems to be the most popular items. They said that the hot chocolate mix and the pancake mix were good sellers.

“While [bishops’] storehouses provide many of the same services as any retail food store, not one has a cash register. … These are goods that money cannot buy. No price tag is put on the time, effort, and love so generously contributed to the common good of those in need.”

—President Thomas S. Monson

After working at the Storehouse, we decided to get our groceries. We drove to Newark to the Wegman’s store. I love this chain of grocery stores. Beautiful produce and lots of choices are to be had. Going to Newark, you drive alongside the Erie Canal and go by little Port Gibson. In the summer, it’s going to be gorgeous. We finished up and headed home to prepare for our evening shift at the temple.

Saturday dawned with cloudy skies and drizzle. We were assigned to the midshift and arrived to a full parking lot. Today there was an ASL session and a Spanish session to be held. It was quite busy in the temple but everything went smoothly. I was starting to get a tad cranky late in the afternoon because I didn’t take Patti Hawryluk’s advice and put nuts in my pocket. Breakfast happened a long time ago and trying to keep blood sugars in check is a trial with our meals helter-skelter. At 6 pm, I was quite happy to get home and get a meal. Erik says to me, “I want to tell you that you are a grown woman and can look after yourself! But you seem to need some help!” I just said, “That’s why I have you to remind me.” When I get busy, I just keep going and forget to look after myself. I’m sure a lot of people do that; telling ourselves, it’s only a little bit longer and then that turns into a couple of hours.

It was the last temple shift for the senior missionaries who head home on Sunday and Monday. Tears and hugs were had all around. One of the couples heads home to start training for their service in the temple presidency in Arizona where they live. That will be a three year assignment. Lots of emotions as we part ways, but we know that we will see some again along our journey.