This has been a beautiful week of connecting and opening hearts to others. We love serving in the house of the Lord and with that comes incredible experiences of joy and love. I especially enjoy when the Lord puts me in the path of others that will uplift and strengthen me. I hope that I am able to do the same for them. This week, I met a wonderful woman who was celebrating her 60th wedding anniversary by coming to Palmyra and performing sealings in the temple with her husband. I had a few minutes to visit with her and she told me the story of her wedding and it was incredible. She was married on the same day as her friend and she says that she borrowed the day with her friend. The two couples were sealed in the Mesa temple in the sealing room; one after the other. Unfortunately, her friend passed away two years ago. I pondered on the fact at how connected those two families are. The daughter of the woman who passed away, made sure to call this lady and had the opportunity to talk about the anniversary and her mom who is now on the other side of the veil. The 60 plus years that these two families have been joined on earth continues on the other side.

We are enjoying the special groups who book baptistry sessions in the temple. They come from all over the United States. It is so surprising to me because in Canada, I only know of Stake Baptistry days done in the temple of their district. My biggest temple trip as a youth was when we lived in Ontario and the closest temple was Washington, D.C. where we travelled to once a year. It was a really big deal and I still have in my memory the drive at night coming along the parkway and seeing the temple all lit up as if it was rising into the night sky. We would travel in cars with our leaders. Today many tour buses drive up to the Palmyra temple and unload our eager patrons. One of our groups this past week was all boys on their High Adventure camp. They told me it was for the boys to experience hiking and camping in a area that provided an experiece that stretched them and helped them to learn new skills. I was a little worried about how they would arrive, but they were all showered and dressed as if they were ready to pass the sacrament on a Sunday. They were incredible young men. I noticed the tie of a 12 year old and how uniquely he had created the knot. I asked him about it and he said that he designed it himself. It was so beautifully done! As they were leaving, they reminded me that I still had to explain what a “Cream Can” dinner was. That was a unique conversation to be having in the foyer of the temple!

This is a way to cook for a family without a lot of work. Erik and I bought three of these items for a family reunion. Ours are a little bigger and can feed 15 people from each one. The above model will feed 10 people. This is an updated version of the old milk can cookers used by ranchers and farmers to cook meals over campfires while everyone worked. My first experience was at a dinner held at the home of Premachuk’s, west of Olds. We were shocked to learn that we didn’t need to bring anything beyond either a salad or a dessert. This is seriously, one of the best tasting meals! To me, everything tastes better eaten outdoors. Fresh and flavorful, food cooked in this unique cooker maintains its natural flavor because the steam does not leach away the flavors and nutrients. Because it works over any heat source, the CanCooker works great on campfires, camp stoves, propane stoves, charcoal or gas grills, turkey fryers, stove tops, and more. And because you simply load it up with food, put it on the fire, and wait about an hour, you can keep working or playing until your meal comes out hot and ready to eat! Once the cooking time is finished, you simply empty the can cooker into a large bowl and everyone serves themselves.

We put the following foods into ours which is the 10 gallon can. Cut recipe in half for the smaller can.

• 12 -15 potatoes, washed and cut in half
• 6 onions, left whole (I do quarter my onions)
• 12 carrots, cut into 3 to 4 inch chunks
• 2 heads cabbage, quartered
• 1 whole stock of celery
• 12 ears corn on the cob, cut in half (stand them up on the bottom of the can)
• 12 bratwursts (Italian sausages are good, as are spicier versions.) or
• 12 other sausages (Italian sausages are good, as are spicier versions.)
• 1 liter of broth of your choice, beef, chicken stock or water.
• 1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Layer potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, corn and sausages in the cream can in the order listed.
2. Pour in the liquids and season with salt and pepper. (Can also add garlic, Montreal Steak seasoning, or whatever other seasonings you prefer.).
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and steam on propane burner for about one hour, or on grated fire pit, make sure it steams well. There is a vent and you start timing when the steam is coming out of the vent. Ours usually take about 40 minutes after coming up to temperature.

Don’t just use one kind of sausage and don’t be afraid to add at least some spicy sausage as it will add some nice flavor. It is not absolutely necessary to cook the sausage before adding to the can, some people say it will taste better if you grill it beforehand (if it is not already cooked when you buy the package). We have used Kolbassa and Farmer’s Sausage. You can also add broccoli and cauliflower to the recipe if you want.

Do not overcook,  it will cook the flavor right out of the meal. The can doesn’t need to be spewing steam like a locomotive, just nice steam output. You want some good pressure, but not enough to blow the lid off.

There are so many different recipes to use in the can cooker! We’re pretty boring and keep doing the same thing because we enjoy it so much. Tis the season for getting the can cookers out and creating memories with your family and friends.

This week we thought it best to use our museum passes because the end of the month is nearly here. We headed over to the Palmyra Historical museum. We were able to experience more than 200 years of history in this former hotel and tavern, built in 1826. This museum features 23 themed rooms so that there is something for everyone.

One of the most interesting to me was a small display about Increase Lapham, born and raised in Palmyra in 1811. He is considered the “Father of the U.S. Weather Service”, which is based upon his lobbying of Congress and the Smithsonian Institute to create an agency to forecast storms on the Great Lakes and both coasts. When the agency was created through the U.S. Secretary of War, Lapham made the first such accurate Great Lakes storm warning from Chicago.

One of the rooms was a display of so many dolls. I really, really don’t like them and find them incredibly creepy and disturbing. I was not much of a doll person as a child and this room verified that nothing has changed!

Another room had beautiful embroidery of samplers and other household goods. Oh, the days when every young woman must learn to stitch and create samplers to show off her work. We have a beautiful large sampler framed and hangs in the Bride’s room in the temple.

The last part of the museum tour was the Coverlet museum. Incredibly fascinating. They have a short video with history of coverlets.

I did purchase a modern coverlet produced in a factory that has all the historic buildings of Palmyra on it. It is a great piece to remind me of our stay here. Erik found a Christmas ornament with Lock 29 on it which also came home with us.

The heat and humidity is rising sharply and it feels like the coast of southern Mexico. I am extremely grateful for the air conditioning in our apartment. I am grateful for dresses and skirts and blouses. After what felt like interminable rain, we are now under heat warnings. Thus meal salads have become a staple and cool smoothies.

https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/tropical-green-smoothie-bowl/#wprm-recipe-container-15196

This is delightful dish for breakfast; something light and refreshing.

One of the other temple missionaries (whose website I included a few weeks ago), found an art studio in Canadaigua and went for studio time to work on a painting. She had a great time and I feel incouraged to put paint to paper and try out some ideas that have been floating through my mind.

Oh, Walmart…the store where you can buy fireworks, haha. We ran into a couple of guys who saw our nametags and stopped for a chat. The one fellow said that he had better things to spend his money on than fireworks that last 2 seconds and cost a lot of money. I agree with him on these store bought fireworks.

So much truth in this quote! This is how I try to live my life. Where I am on the path isn’t the same as you but we can certainly help each other along this journey of mortality. As Craig Mills once said to my husband, “Cheryl has skills and gifts that you don’t have and you have skills and gifts that she doesn’t have. That is why you make a great couple!” We work together to fill in the inadequacies of each other. By having love in our hearts instead of judgement, we can help each other along the way. So, my friends, a little less Judgey, McJudgey pants and a lot more lovey dovey kindness. I am always working on this. Thank goodness that God sees my imperfections and forgives me for them as we should forgive others.

Have a wonderful week, stay hydrated and be well!

Our usual Sunday took us to Rochester for church. It was Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum meetings first for us and then Sacrament meeting afterwards. To be honest, I still get nervous because I am still trying to understand the Puerto Rican accent. I am worried that I am not keeping up with what is happening in the class. This week we had a different teacher and she actually had more discussion going on than other teachers. We each get a copy of the conference talk and then take turns reading paragraphs. She started the conversation with asking, “Who knows about Sinbad?” I’m not a movie buff so, I sat and listened because I was wondering if she was really asking about Sinbad the movie. Oh, yeah, she was! She was comparing characteristics between him and us.

Erik is going to have to bless the sacrament in two weeks (in Spanish). I am going to record the prayers in Spanish for him (slowly) so that he can try and do it. I have an interview with the Branch President next Sunday morning. Oh, dear! We are stretching and growing.

Monday dawned with beautiful sunshine but we knew the forecast was for thunderstorms and possible flooding in the afternoon. We still have not gone to Hill Cumorah or the Sacred Grove because the weather has not been dry enough. At the temple, when groups tour the Sacred Grove and then come to the temple, we end up with bits of the Sacred Grove in the temple on the floors.

This morning we started our laundry and headed to Hill Cumorah. Erik made some granola this morning and then we headed out. I am sadly lacking hiking pants and had to wear a skirt and a t-shirt for our jaunt. We went to the newly renovated Visitor’s Center at Hill Cumorah. They have had their soft opening and some features were not available on the displays but we did watch the film in the theater. Then we headed on the trail to the monument of Moroni on the top of the hill. We veered off onto a dirt trail and I made sure to watch the tree roots so that I could stay upright. Getting to the top, a lovely young lady offered to take a photo of the two of us in front of the monument. We decided to take the paved path back down the hill. Again, I was recording the birds on the hill. I am so fascinated by the variety of birds and really enjoyed hearing them.

Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, American Redstart and Red-eyed Vireo.

We moved on to the Welcome Center at the Smith Farm. The tours run every fifteen minutes and we signed up for one and then while waiting decided to go to the Sacred Grove. If I get in the woods, I want to stay and wander amongst the trees. There are many trails and benches to explore and to be able to sit and meditate. I saw a family of boys entering the grove with notebooks to write their experiences in. The birds here were different than just up the road at the Hill Cumorah. I saw many chipmunks today and also came close to a deer in the grove. The grove was beautiful and was easy to stay in and experience the calm and peace of the woodlands. We missed our scheduled tour and signed up for the 12:15 pm tour.

We started at the log home which actually sits in Wayne county. The Smith farm was 100 acres. I love the fencing that marked their land. The article below explains the history of the farm.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/sacred-grove-and-smith-family-farm?lang=eng

The humidity was at 80% and I was soaking wet by the time we had hiked Cumorah and hiked through the Sacred Grove. My electrolytes went down quickly and I was ready for a refill of fluids. We headed for home to prepare ourselves for our week of service at the temple.

Our Friday jaunt took us to the George Eastman museum in Rochester. His company was Eastman Kodak. I am entralled with the architecture of this State and it was a delight to see the home turned into a museum. The George Eastman Museum is located in Rochester, New York, on the estate of George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film. Founded in 1947 as an independent nonprofit institution, it is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the oldest film archives. The museum holds unparalleled collections—encompassing several million objects; in fields of photography, cinema, photgraphic cinematographic technology, and photographically illustrated books. The institution is also a longtime leader in film preservation and photographic conservation.

After purchasing the 8.5-acre East Avenue property in 1902, George Eastman hired architect J. Foster Warner (1859–1937) to build a Colonial Revival mansion based on the design of the Root House in Buffalo, New York. Warner, Eastman, and landscape architect Alling S. DeForest (1875–1957) created an urban estate complete with working farmland, formal gardens, greenhouses, stables, barns, pastures, and the 35,000-square-foot, fifty-room residence made of reinforced concrete. It was finished in 1905, which I thought was an incredible feat considering the size of the home and the details that went into it. It cost George, $335,000 USD to construct this home. In today’s dollars, it would be over $12,000,000. We were allowed to tour the main floor and the second floor.

Eastman’s house presented a classical facade of decorative craftsmanship. Beneath this exterior were modern conveniences such as an electrical generator, an internal telephone system with 21 stations, a built-in vacuum cleaning system, a central clock network, an elevator, and a great pipe organ, which made the home itself an instrument, a center of the city’s rich musical life from 1905 until Eastman’s death in 1932. Eastman was involved in every aspect of the construction, paying close attention to detail and requiring the use of high-quality materials.

There was an interesting story told about the elephant head in the conservatory. George had gone on a couple of safaris in Africa and brought home a few animals that he had shot. An elephant head with only one tusk was brought back to Rochester. The single tusk was mounted on a stand while the elephant head received two new tusks, carved out of wood. Eventually, the elephant head was donated to the local zoo for exhibiting. The head was lost and Eastman commissioned a replacement head, made of plaster, to be put back into the conservatory. Talk about “the elephant in the room!”

We were able to view a few of the galleries showing special exhibits, and then had lunch in the restaurant. Erik had a signature dish which was the Corn Mash | Roasted corn seasoned and mashed with roasted red pepper on sourdough. Hot, open with melted cheddar, apricot BBQ glaze, french fried onions. He chose a side of ginger pickled carrots. It was something we had never seen before. I had what they call “Over Greens”. You choose a sandwich filling and they simply serve it over greens. We also enjoyed country fair style lemonade with a Butterfly Pea flower shot. Everything went down well!

I decided to finally make pickled red onions and they turned out very well; we are both big fans of them. We are putting them on sandwiches, tacos, and salads. I did put the beet in mine and the jar contents turned a beautiful red color.

https://pinchofyummy.com/recipes/quick-pickled-onions-easy

Erik is not a fan of raw onions whereas I can eat them like an apple. I was surprised that he liked them but then again, they are pickled. Give them a whirl!

Earlier, I decided to try making two loaves of bread at the same time. My KitchenAid was pretty warm by the time I finished kneading the dough. I will probably go back to making one loaf at a time in the mixer. I let the loaves completely cool, slice them and then put them in bread bags for the freezer. We simply take out a slice or two at a time.

It was my mom’s 83 birthday this week. I have a tradition for my family where I sing a couple of birthday songs for them. Since my mom doesn’t have a phone, I recorded a song and sent it to my sister who I asked to show it to mom. Dad tells me that they had a birthday party for her and it went well.

I love this quote because a lot of us run around trying to prove our worth to someone, some group, some job, something, maybe ourselves. My sister, Tracy and I had a short conversation about this. As we try to prove ourselves, I think that we need to understand that our worth is within us already. As you stand and deliver, others will see your worth. If you are afraid of standing and delivering, it will be difficult to progress. I love that God knows us individually and provides for us along our journey. Our actions do not need to be some huge, grandiose expression. Living each day to the best of your ability is sufficient. I had a conversation in the temple this week about hair with another lady. As I am losing so much hair off the top of my head, I remember that God promises us that we will be restored. In Luke 12:7 it says, “But even the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Then there is a scripture in Alma 40:23, “The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost, but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.” So, while we age and things fall apart, I have hope in the resurrection and being restored.

The lady that I was talking with told me that she had been asking and praying about this very thing. I have been blessed to receive a vision of myself as an exhalted being and I live for the day that, yes, my hair will be restored. I have seen it and I know that God is aware of each of us. This lady was so grateful that we had the conversation about hair. There are no coincidences, we are put in people’s paths for a reason and they for us.

I know that my worth does not depend on whether I have hair or not. My worth is how I choose to live as the Savior lives and follow His example; having charity, love and compassion for my fellowman.

Stay well, do well and breath deeply.

Neal A Maxwell has told us, “God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability” (“It’s Service, Not Status, That Counts,” Ensign July 1975). I have loved this quote for many years because I have a loyal heart. I am loyal to God, family and friends. Because of this loyalty which in turn can also be dependability for me, I stand in amazement at how God increases my capabilities to do things that I wonder how on earth I could possibly do them. There are days in this past week that I thought to myself, “Are you sure you can pull this off?” The gentle reminder is that I am not on my own and neither are any of you. Yes, there are days that I am gobsmacked by what I have accomplished and have a knowledge that those instances where I felt overwhelmed, heavenly hands stepped in to help me.

Erik and I have been asked to fill in as shift coordinators at the temple on Wednesday evening shifts. Thanks to our experience in the Calgary temple, we have an idea of what needs to be done. This means that we will prepare the shift schedule with all the assignments for the workers on that shift. We oversee the shift and in my own terms, “We are good at putting out fires.” When unusual circumstances pop up and they do regularly, Erik and I are versed in how to handle situations quickly and kindly.

We had our first Wednesday evening shift this week and praise God, everything went well. It gives such a feeling of peace and happiness to know that we are stepping up and using the skills and talents that we have been blessed with.

This week we have switched Saturdays with our neighbors. They will work a double shift this week and we will work a double next Saturday. That gave us the opportunity to book a walking tour in Palmyra which also allows us into 5 museums this month. We started at the Pal-Mac Aqueduct Canal Park.

During the presentation, we learned about the aqueduct and how it was used. Palmyra-Macedon Aqueduct Park is a tribute to the remnants of past iterations of the Erie Canal, which continues to pass through here, just not in the same manner as before. In the early 1800s, engineers had to segregate the canalway from natural waterways—to control flooding. At this very spot, a wooden aqueduct with stone abutments, carried the canal over Ganargua Creek (often called Mud Creek).

As the years went on, and the canal was rebuilt larger and more advanced, other flood-control measures made aqueducts like these unnecessary, and they were dismantled. The canal was moved slightly to the north, and a portion of the former aqueduct was modified into a flood-control outlet that dumps into Ganargua Creek. This outlet is the waterfall. The stone abutments still stand, covered in greenery and crumbling. The southern canal towpath now serves as part of the Canalway Trail, carrying hikers and cyclists over the creek.

We learned that the waterfall is no longer in use and they brought in tons of rock to fill in where the aqueduct was crumbling and disintergrating. There is a power house built where the creek goes through just south of the Erie Canal. It amazes me that the original canal was called Clinton’s Ditch (named after the Governor, Dewitt Clinton) and all 96 miles were dug by hand. There is a bridge which is the orginal bridge built over the ditch but now I call it the bridge to nowhere. The canal used to flow there and now because of diversions, it’s a bridge to nowhere. The park is kept up nicely and the bridge has a fascinating story of how flooding moved the bridge into a farmer’s field and his cows were using the bridge. It was decided to move the bridge back and restore it to it’s former glory instead of being a cow’s footbridge.

We are loving living in Palmyra, “The Queen of Canal Towns”. Good fortune smiled upon us whilst on the walking tour. I heard a klaxon and wondered what it could be. It seems a boat had called ahead to use the lock. Our group waited and chatted with the lock operator. He used to be an operator down at Lyons where there is another lock. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the boat enter the lock and then pull up alongside the edge of the canal. Then the lock operator closed the lock behind the boat and once the water had finished rushing through the lower part, the next part of the lock opened so that they could carry on towards Lyons. I chatted with the men on the boat as they were moving the boat for an uncle.

Someone thought they saw a snapping turtle in the canal, but when I went to look, the realization hit that said turtle was actually a dead raccoon. I thought I saw air bubbles coming from the “turtle,” but in fact, it was a decomposing raccoon.

Notice that I am sparing you the photo of the “turtle”. In New York State, we see opossums and raccoons on the road, not surviving the impact of vehicles. So different from Alberta, where we see porcupines, skunks, and gophers on the road. The deer are smaller here and yes, unfortunately, are casualties as well.

We watched a trio of kayakers coming through the creek side which later merges with the canal. They were paddling with a young child and had gorgeous weather for their journey. The Canada geese were also paddling down the creek with their goslings. A glorious day, it was!

On Monday, I had an appointment Canadaigua with the nurse practioner. Erik dropped me off and I went into the clinic. Funny thing, they weigh you every appointment! I know that I’m fluffy, but I actually appreciated that my weight was lower than the previous month, hahaha. After the appointment, we drove to the pier and walked down the boathouse row. The hot dog vendor told us that back in the 70’s, boathouses sold for between 5 & 7 thousand dollars. Now they sell for $250,000. Now, they are fixed up and are quite nice inside, enough that a person could live there. We’ve been told that Canadaigua lake is the warmest of the Finger Lakes.

Erik and I wanted to drive along the shore line and look at properties and the views that they had. It was spectacular and brought tears to my eyes to see the beauty and serenity of that area. We drove far enough that we ended up turning around at Wegman’s organic farm. It’s interesting that the grocery store supplies it’s own organic produce. What a lovely day!

There are a few ice cream shops around and I said to Erik that we were going to Pulcini’s on highway 21, just a couple of miles north of Palmyra. We ended up chatting with the owner, Dave, and he explained how he got into the business and how he is set up. His family orginated from Italy and I asked him how they ended up in Palmyra. Everyone has a story and I love to learn about everyone’s life. Dave was the only boy in a family with 5 sisters! The set up for the business is in the countryside and he even has a little trail to walk the property. Erik and I opted to walk after having our ice cream. We saw fruit trees, a little grape orchard and a large garden. A delightful place to stop with wet wipes available for cleaning up and plenty of picnic tables and shade. I already know what I want to try on our next stop at Pulcini’s.

https://magichouserecipes.com/recipes/best-broccoli-salad-bacon

This week was a broccoli/cauliflower salad week. I made a large salad and it stays well in the fridge. Next week, Erik asked for 7 Layer salad, another of our favorites. We popped up to Walworth to the Tops grocery store for a few needed items and now we are set for another week. I’m trying to decide what to cook for Erik for Father’s Day. So, far he has requested tacos. I’m also thinking of a brownie cheesecake to end the meal (and of course, carry on throughout the week).

I was super excited to have a couple of dresses arrive by post. I’m obsessed with April Cornell clothing and have learned to pace myself to shop the sales. The weather is trying to warm up and unfortunately, the air quality has alerts because of the fires in Canada. Warmer air is wonderful and our walks allow us conversation with locals as people get out and sit on their porches.

I had to learn a hard lesson this past week. It was like a perfect storm of things that conspired against me. I am trying to figure out how I should proceed. Everything is for my good and as uncomfortable as it was, I will use it to better myself and help others. The doubt can creep in or it may simply body slam you into thinking that you have erred from a place of no return. Thank goodness for the atonement of Jesus Christ that allows us all to come back. We may need our moments of reflection to consider our way and choose our path but He is always standing there with His hands outstretched waiting for us to join Him.

Have a week of joy and stay safe!

On Sunday, May 25, was our big day for giving talks in Rochester 5th Branch. We were both speaking about the temple. Erik was worried that our talks would be much the same but they were not. He spoke in English with Sister Hall being his translator. I spoke in Spanish. The slight glitch was that 2nd Ward took too much time in the chapel and we got a late start. Erik’s talk took 20 minutes and I knew that my talk was at least 15 minutes. We had an intermediate hymn and President Hall spoke for a couple of minutes, so my time was pretty tight. I received the tap on the elbow that my time was up and I wrapped it up quickly. As we were leaving the building, Brother Perez came up to us and thanked us for our talks and said, “You were speaking to a General Authority!” I was still shaking from giving my first talk in Spanish, getting cut off, and now to hear that a General Authority was in the congregation, was too much!

Erik was speaking with a gentleman before sacrament meeting and I sidled up to my husband and joined the end of their conversation. The man was impressed that I taught myself Spanish with an app. I replied that I simply make time for it and do it diligently, but he didn’t want me to brush it off and told me again that what I have accomplished was very impressive. We didn’t know his name and Erik had asked him if he was visiting and he replied, “Yes, with my family to see the historic sites.” It turns out that he is Elder Uceda! He sat in the congregation with his family. Brother Perez asked him if he could introduce him and he didn’t want to do that. A very humble man in our midst.

When Monday rolled around, I asked Erik what he wanted to do. He mentioned that he would like to do a challenging hike. I was quite fine with staying home and creating some art. Plans changed and we ended up on another fantastic hike in a top rated American State Park. We travelled with the Stevens’ again. Letchworth State Park is ranked as number one by popular vote in all of America. It’s like the Grand Canyon of the east.

Our morning prayer included having the opportunity to talk about our mission and the gospel today and I knew that wouldn’t be an issue for me. It takes nearly two hours to drive to Letchworth State Park. A we drove through the towns on the way, we noticed parade line ups and in one town we were held up by parade participants finishing their route. It was Memorial Day in the USA.

It was a glorious sunny day and we were very happy for that. This hike is a completely different experience from Watkin’s Glen. This park does not allow park goers to get close to the water in the areas where we were. You can hike along a trail between the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls. As well, you can choose to drive between the falls, park and go to a viewing area. This park allows dogs and I was in dog heaven.

We started out from near the middle falls and decided that we needed a group photo. I asked a Spanish lady if she would do that and then when I was speaking Spanish, she realized that she attends the same church as us when she saw our nametags. She noted a special rock with a plaque that we needed to make sure that we saw. She was the only one in her family who spoke Spanish and was grateful that I spoke to her.

The scenery was spectacular and impressive. It’s hard to catch the majesty of the surroundings on an iPhone. As we started descending, I said to myself, “What goes down, must come up!” There were tricky tree roots and worn stone slab steps. My short legs have a challenge to deal with trails like that. I did remember to bring my walking poles and they help for stability.

I love to help people take group photos so that they are all included, so I spent time meeting people and helping them with their shots, making sure to include the beautiful scenery with them. One fellow that I met, gave me a guitar pick with his band name on it. He saw my nametag and said, “Oh, if you watch some of our videos, there’s some bad words, be careful!” How sweet and considerate of him! Thank you Richie, for telling me about your life and how you handle the challenges and the good times.

The sweetest puppy came by me and of course, I turned into a puddle of mush, baby talking to him and loving on him (with permission). He was 11 weeks old and his name was Titan. He was a Saint Bernard mix with all of his puppy fluff intact, no adult fur yet. He pressed himself into me as I told him that he was such a good kid and deserved all the love. Titan’s mother rejected the litter when they were only 3 days old and the owners took him when he was only 5 weeks old. Such an incredible little fellow, who won’t be little for long.

The next dog was a miniature Schnauzer. She was a little old lady of 13 years. She too, relished the break time and pressed into me for some love. I was enjoying every second of loving on her too.

I saw a large doodle type dog doing multiple rounds of the hike; his owner said that the dog loves to hike and just keeps going. Once was enough for me!

A funny incident but not really was an Asian couple who were carrying a little Yorkie. The woman was very upset with her husband and would give him a piece of her mind and then stride away, carrying the dog. The poor husband would catch up and then she would haul him behind a tree and give him what for all over again. I sure hope that was a momentary incident that they corrected. Talk about airing your laundry in public!

Since it was Memorial Day, there were a number of people at Letchworth but nothing that made it unbearable. We met an artist set up, painting one of the scenes in front of him. Another couple came to pick up an original painting that a fellow had commissioned for his bride to be. It was the scene where he had proposed to his bride. What a great gift!

We started for home and wanted some lunch but surprisingly, not a thing was open. This is the difference between rural and city. The city always seems to be open and going, whereas rural areas take time to rest and play. We drove all the way to Macedon which is the closest town to Palmyra and stopped at a diner that was just opening. I wasn’t sure if I would get a safe meal there but we decided to try it. Lyndon told us that the thing in Rochester, NY was the Garbage Plate, known for it’s unique blend of ingredients. It’s essentially a plate piled high with various sides like home fries, french fries, macaroni salad, or baked beans, topped with a meat choice (burgers, hot dogs, sausages, etc.) and Rochester-style meat sauce. 

Erik chose the hamburger version and Wanda chose the hot dog version. They each chose home fries (which in Canada, we call hash browns, large cut), and the macaroni salad. Erik’s take was that it was diner food and since we were in a diner, that’s what you are going to get. To me it looked like a dog’s breakfast. If you were in an upscale restaurant, you would have a nicer version and could make some healthier choices. One Garbage Plate under our belts (hahaha).

We were back to rain, rain and more rain during the week. I don’t mind because we are in the temple during the week and it’s the best place to be. Our normal Friday off was not to be this week because we had a large tour of 3 tour buses and we were required to work from 1 pm to 6 pm. We arrived at the temple at noon and ended up staying until 7 pm. The tour group was fantastic. 150 youth who had just graduated from high school arrived with very organized tour leaders. If all the young people of the world were like these kids, I know the world would be in good hands. They were very courteous and polite and were very thankful for our service for them in the temple. One young man made sure to read my nametag, looked me in the eye and thanked me by name for helping them. I always read people’s nametags and thank them personally for helping me in stores, so I really appreciated that he did that.

When I went out to the waiting room to check on the next group to come in, I asked some of the young men about their mission calls. The first young man was called to serve in the Mexico City South East mission. I said something to him in Spanish and he just looked like a deer caught in the headlights and I said, “Oh, you’re waiting for the MTC (Missionary Training Center)!” If you need a foreign language to be taught to you, you’ll spend a little more time in the MTC, being taught the language. Another young man asked me how I learned to speak Spanish and I told him that I use Duolingo. He was incredulous that I could speak so well with just the app. Then our conversation became really funny because on Duolingo there is a feature called a Streak, which is how many days in a row you do lessons. He asked me if I had a 100 day streak and I said, “Much higher!” He guessed 200 days and I again replied, “Much higher.” “400 days?” “Higher!” “1000 days?” “Higher still.” Finally I told him that on that day I had a 2685 day streak. The first young man quickly did the math on his phone and said, “Sister Naglis, that’s 9 years!!!!” “Yes, of not missing a day.” They were so impressed and I hope that I inspired them to enjoy and continue their language journey. So many young men had already received their mission calls and it was fun to hear about where everyone was going. What a fantastic group of young people!

On Friday morning before heading to the temple, I had to go and get some bloodwork done. It was incredibly easy. I had asked the clinic if I needed a paper requisition to get it done but they had already put it in their system and said that when I arrived, they would know who I was and what was needed. We drove to Newark to the lab and bingo, bango, bongo, in and out in no time at all. No waiting; simply check in and into the lab for the blood draw.

By Friday night, my body was very tired and sore from being on my feet for 7 hours. There’s a saying, “I feel like I’ve been rode hard and put away wet!” If you’re a horse person, you know this saying. I need a massage!!! I need my Karen Taylor!!! Karen has been my massage therapist for over 15 years and she is the best! Erik rubbed my feet for a couple of minutes and that helped a little.

Saturday morning, I was again assigned to the Baptistry and spent the shift helping patrons until 1 pm. I had some patrons personally thank me for being so courteous and helpful and so organized. It means a lot to me to hear that. It really is joyful to help people and help them feel the love of God in His house.

The new blooms of the week are still a mystery to me. There are enormous green leafed trees now sporting white blooms. The ground is starting to look like snow has fallen. Every week there is something new to marvel at.

Birds that I have heard lately: Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Northern Flicker, Chimney Swift, Mourning Dove, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and of course the American Robin. Isn’t that amazing? Beautiful songbirds and I am fascinated by the variety.

Sometimes, I receive this reminder from the Lord. Last fall He told me to get out of the way and let Him do his job. I need to let go of the doorknob and allow God to do His will and let myself follow His path. It’s a fine line for me because I know that He loves effort and so I try hard to do good and do well in all things. When He reminds me that I need to let go and let Him intercede, the peace is so calming and lets me feel like I can breath again.

Okay, friends, Let Go of the Doorknob and have a fantastic week!

We are having a most unusual May here in New York. The locals have told me that this is very unusual weather. It is normally hot and muggy already. Instead we have been experiencing a lot of rainfall and cloudy cool days. Coming from the land of sunshine in Alberta, I enjoy seeing blue skies and lots of sunshine. I imagine that normally, people would have their outdoor pools up and running by now. Erik says that he didn’t bring any long sleeved shirts because the weather should have been delightful by now. Alas, we are still running the furnace and trying to keep warm with wearing slippers in the house.

I finally wore my fancy cowboy boots to church. One, because it was cooler, and they give me some warmth. Two, because I just felt like dressing up a little more. Members at church noticed my boots and told me that they really liked them.

We were privileged to have a Temple Workers devotional on Sunday evening. Elder Mathias and Sister Irene Held spoke to us as well as our temple President and matron, the Kimblers. All the talks were so good and well prepared to touch our hearts. The closing hymn was, “The Spirit of God”. There were probably about 100 people in attendance. When the opening notes started playing, the chapel felt different and when the singing started, I immediately noticed that there were at least 300 to 400 people singing. Heavenly angels were singing with us. The organist was spectacular and she let it fly for the last verse; all the bells and whistles were in operation for that verse. At the close of the meeting, I turned to the ladies around me and said, “Did you hear that song with the angels joining us?” They had noticed it too! It was a very special experience.

Afterwards, there were cookies for a treat. My glucose monitor had been signalling me for the past hour and I wasn’t going to eat a thing with high blood sugar. One of my fellow temple workers started bringing me glasses of water and then we started walking laps in the cultural hall. It didn’t improve much at all, so another sister who is nurse, suggested that I go home and eat some protein. We returned home, I ate some protein and bounced on the rebounder for 15 minutes to see if it helps and thankfully, it did! I was able to go to bed with peace of mind.

One of the things I noticed this week is that public buildings don’t have handicap accessible doors. When I saw someone with a walker trying to get into the temple, I wondered why they weren’t using the handicap button. It turns out, there is no button. I hurried to the door to help the patron. Then, I started looking at other buildings and saw no accessibility. Very interesting to me, considering that we are not allowed to give a cough drop to someone because that is considered medicine and we’re not a doctor. Some laws are mystifying! I don’t know how a wheelchair is supposed to get into a building.

It was mainly rain and cool weather this week. We did have a fun event to look forward to on May 25. Of the temple missionaries, there will be a birthday this week so someone decided that we should have a surprise party for him. I will report next week on how it turned out.

Erik had an appointment with the dentist to put on the permanent crown but after the office called to reschedule the time, the day flew by and he forgot about the appointment. Rescheduled again for Tuesday the 27th. Well, the temporary crown fell off the day before the appointment so, he is looking forward to the real deal.

The buses have started arriving! The buses are here! Palmyra is a destination temple and tour groups book well in advance to secure a spot in our baptistry. We have been told about how to bring a group in and the process of having them in the temple and trying to have everything go smoothly. We were scheduled to work Saturday evening from 6 to 8 pm for a bus load. There were six of us temple missionaries scheduled to work with a member of the presidency and his wife. Erik and I were the coordinators and we were happy with how things went. We debriefed after the session to discuss what we could have done better and any changes that need to be made. Our toes have been dipped and now it’s into the thick of it for the rest of the summer.

Some temple missionaries have families arriving starting in June and so there is a shuffling of workers as we try to help each other out with the schedule. There is a lot to see in New York and it is incredibly beautiful. There are many choices to be made as to places to go and things to experience.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal. In 1825, New York State opened the Erie Canal. It was an engineering feat parting forests and hills to link Albany to Buffalo, which is a whopping 363 miles away. This was a significant shift in a young nation’s development. New York transformed from a frontier to a force. The canal shortened shipping times which then catapulted New York City into global prominence and helped new towns across the state spring up almost overnight.

The days of mules and weigh locks may be over, but the canal’s spirit of movement lives on. The Empire State Trail, completed in 2020, follows much of the canal’s historic route, drawing walkers, runners and cyclists from around the world. I got so excited to learn about a song that was written in 1912, titled, “Low Bridge, Everybody Down”. I learned that most children educated in New York State probably learned the song sometime in their youth. I looked it up and it’s quite catchy. In 1954, Pete Seeger recorded the song and it became even more popular.

The funny thing is when I asked the temple presidency about it, our Matron started singing it and I sang along with her. She was raised in New York State! Her husband was raised out west so he doesn’t know it.

The canal runs a block from our home and it’s inspiring to think of the history behind our house here in Palmyra.

One of my fellow temple missionaries is also an artist and I admire her work. The other Utah missionaries went to her home and were able to see all her artwork hanging on the walls of her home. Being present and seeing it in person would be wonderful. Check out her website to see her creations.

Welcome

A post from @saltandhart (IG)

Have you ever paused to think about those who came before you?
The ancestors who prayed, sacrificed, and walked paths you now stand on?

Maybe lately you’ve felt them close.

You’ve noticed moments when strength came you didn’t expect, or peace entered your heart right when you needed it most.
Those feelings might be them.

Your ancestors are not far away. In fact, they might be nearer than you think.

Through the Savior Jesus Christ and sacred temple covenants, families are bound forever.
Death cannot erase love or promises.
Your ancestors are still offering sacrifices in your behalf.
They are cheering you on, standing beside you, and reminding you that you don’t have to carry your burdens alone.

They are a legacy that still speaks into your life.

And as you honor them, the Spirit will bring you added strength, comfort, and peace.

You are part of their eternal story.
And they are still part of yours.
Your ancestors still care deeply about you. And they are still helping you come closer to Jesus Christ.

I can attest to this! I love to think about my ancestors and their lives, their families, the things they prayed for, their dreams and hopes. Always remember that you are never alone, although unseen, they are your biggest cheerleaders.

Have a glorious week, be kind, be courteous, be loving and generous.

This week started off with an early drive to Rochester for choir practice. Today we were going to be singing our Mother’s Day song during Sacrament meeting. Sister Neckles had the music all arranged in plastic folders and placed paper clips on each page to make it easier to turn the pages during the performance. There were nine pages and I really appreciated her efforts for us. We sang our song and Erik remarked that the ladies held up their portion of the choir really well. Considering that there were only 6 of us singing, I hoped that we could do it properly. I have a meso-soprano voice and I am always cognizant of not over powering the other members of the choir. During practice, Sister Neckles told me that I was holding back too much. Oye, oye, oye! It’s a fine line.

Driving home, Erik said that we were going to drive a different way home that would take us along the shore of Lake Ontario. We went south to the 104 and then headed east. Using my sense of direction, I directed him to drive along certain roads and then we ended up on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. It was beautiful and I saw an interesting phenomenon on the lake within the water. It’s fascinating to see the homes along the waterfront. Some are beautifully developed (mansions) and others are properties that have been held in families for generations and they are the original lakefront homes, overgrown and neglected. It reminded me of Gull Lake and the village which has the same thing going on.

I had the joy and honor of video calls with 4 of my children and their children. Technology makes life so enjoyable with being able to see all their faces and converse with them. I learned a cute story about our 14 year old grandson, who in science class, was told that whoever memorized the periodic table would receive a cake. I don’t think she knew that in our family, we have identic memories that really helps us to learn quickly. Our grandson memorized the table in two days and then presented to his teacher. She got a funny look on her face and at the end, he asked her if he did something wrong. She replied, “No, it was perfect!” She wasn’t expecting to have to buy a cake for anyone but, surprise, surprise, Carter was able to bring a chocolate cake home for his efforts.

Our 2 year old grandson spent his first night away from his mother. Her Mother’s Day gift was a night at a hotel all by herself with her books, and peace and quiet. He wasn’t very happy with his dad and sure didn’t want his mama to not be at home where he expects her. There was a lot of ballyhooing going on late into the night. Our son is a wonderful pickleball player and our grandson watches carefully what his dad does and teaches but he took a long back swing with a paddle and destroyed the television. Neither dad or son was incredibly happy with each other. It had been a rough night! The good news is that his baby sister to come is healthy and doing well in mama’s tummy.

Our Calgary grandchildren decided to go rogue and stripped off their clothing, leave via the front door and ride their bicycles through the neighborhood. My dear daughter was exasperated and embarrassed. I told her that it runs in the family and that they came by it honestly. My dad tells me that when we lived in Germany, I stripped off my clothing and headed outside. My parents found me in a dirt pile in the neighborhood, happily playing and getting dirty. I think I was saving laundry for my mother!

Monday was a day that Erik and Mark planned for us. We were heading to Watkin’s Glen State Park for a hike. We took the Gorge Trail. It was incredibly beautiful (huge understatement)! The park attendant took one look at us and suggested that we go partway and then return along the same trail. Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen’s stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. Campers and day-visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, scheduled summer tours through the gorge, tent and trailer campsites, picnic facilities and excellent fishing in nearby Seneca Lake or Catherine Creek, which is renowned for its annual spring run of rainbow trout. It would be amazing to camp there.

We entered via the south entrance. Wanda & I decided to visit the ladies room before the hike. It’s not a long hike and would probably only take us just over an hour. We decided to take a little bit of toilet paper with us in case of emergencies. Little did we know, that there would be zero chance of having any privacy anywhere to have a break. Both Wanda and I are not fans of height and as we entered the gorge, I thought to myself, “This may be a little or a lot crazy!” The trail is only 1.5 miles long but has an elevation climb of 500 feet with over 800 stone steps. The trail is not very wide but is passable by two people, side by side.

We stopped at the point of no return and talked with some people from Brazil. They were young and I said that they could easily do the last 180 step climb to the end (which I was questioning if I should do it, thinking back on the park attendant). They came back and said that they decided not to do the climb. We rested at this point and this is where we learned that Wanda, Erik and myself are all 62 years old and graduated from school the same year. Mark is the older brother of the group being 6 years older than us. Then we decided that we were going to give it a go. Erik is like a mountain goat and he would have no issues with the 180 step climb. Surprisingly, my 7 day a week workouts made it easier that I thought. When you are dragging around excess weight, you have to work hard to do things. I have built up so much core strength and leg strength that I didn’t struggle like I thought I would. Along the trail are signs with reminders about calling 911 for emergencies. We joked that hopefully we wouldn’t have to use it! It was 27C today and it was really nice to be in the shade in the gorge for our journey.

We made it to the top and then realized that unless we all hiked the gorge back, the car was sitting in the lower parking lot and we were stuck. While we were trying to decide which route to take back to the car, Erik made the decision to go back, get the car and return for us. He ran the south rim trail in 17 minutes!! He stopped to take a photo of the top of the waterfalls because he said that his heart rate was a tad too high and he needed to rest for a bit.

We loaded up and went into Watkin’s Glen for some lunch. This is a fascinating little town. It is the home of the Watkins Glen International. There is an automobile track near the village. It hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix for twenty years (1961-1980). It has hosted road racing of various classes, including the World Sportscar Championship, NASCAR and IndyCar. The track is currently owned by NASCAR. In the sidewalk, along main street are plaques commemorating various race car drivers and their wins. A person never knows what they will come across in their travels.

Lunch was spent at a lakeside hotel/restaurant with a pier in front. I had a glorious salad with delicious veggies and roasted apples. Seneca Lake is one of the Finger Lakes where this village is located. It’s very picturesque and quaint. I found a lovely shop and was able to buy a small Nativity set with woodland animals. We picked up information about a sailboat tour and will probably make plans to come back for that. It’s called the True Love.

After our trip, we finished up our usual Monday chores (laundry and cleaning). We slept really well Monday night, hahaha!

While walking about the neighborhood, I met new people who had a sign on their lawn that I got a big kick out of (D.O.P.E.), The Department of Palmyra Efficiency. Of course, I had to stop and talk to them. I learned that Linda had run for the position of Mayor and that Rick was a hunter and fisherman like Erik. We discussed the affairs of the town and the area. We told them where we were living and that we are in Palmyra for a year.

The blooms of the week are outstanding! Japanese Wisteria, Japanese Snowball Bush, Hydrangea, and Iris’. A new bird that we heard was the Chimney Swift.

Chimney Swift

We were blessed to have a great week serving in the temple. Tender mercies abounded and I feel so blessed to be here with kind hearted and loving workers and patrons who come to the temple. God does know us and knows where we need to be and when.

On Saturday, we headed to another grocery store that the Whiteheads gave us a heads up about. It’s called TOPS and we were delighted to find it. We receive weekly flyers about specials and sales and it was great to be able to go and see what they had. We had gone to a Trader Joe’s on Friday and I was underwhelmed. Too much packaged products; too much that I don’t need in my life.

We look forward to the Temple Workers devotional on Sunday. Each time it is a joyful and rich experience. We will have the opportunity to hear a General Authority speak to us.

Considering that we are near the home of Kodak, I wanted to share this quote with you:

Life is like a camera, focus on what is important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.

Have an amazing week, don’t sweat the small stuff, enjoy the rays of sunshine and let joy enter your heart. Let your spirit be guided by good and you will be richly rewarded.

Off to Rochester we go! Early Sunday morning, I had a choir practice to attend. Erik decided to go to Rochester 2nd Ward for sacrament meeting while I was in choir practice. The dear man wanted a meeting in English. In choir, we are singing a Janice Kapp Perry number about mothers (My Mother’s Love). There is no Spanish translation so it’s a bit tricky. I was getting confused because we weren’t singing the correct notes at times and I was feeling lost and wondering what on earth was going on. It was a strange morning; I left the house without my name tag (no companion check), and Erik forgot to bring my sacrament bread.

One of the sister missionaries had some stains on her top down her left side and when her companion mentioned it, I said, “You obviously didn’t do your companion check before leaving the house!” My friend, Anne Dale always said to me that we needed to do a look over each other before going into public. She told me that if I look bad, it makes her look bad. If I look good then she looks good. Anne has given me some very sage advice at times. For instance, my eyebrows are thin and very blond so that it looks like I don’t have eyebrows. Anne told me that if I don’t look like I have eyebrows, then I don’t have a face. It’s true, that we look better if we have a border, so to speak, above our eyes. Thus, every morning, I make sure to put some eyebrow tint on my eyebrows to give me a face, hahaha! So, Erik didn’t do his companion check before we left the house.

We attended Spanish Sunday School together and it was a fun lesson taught by the Branch President. We all had to introduce ourselves and tell our names, where we were from and something that we like to do. I said my name and that I was from Canada. I told the class that I love to cook Mexican food. Erik introduced himself and said that he likes to eat the food that I cook. Then we were divided into 3 groups to decide what we needed for a trip to the moon. Afterwards, we discussed all the things that were needed and it was interesting that each of the three groups had some different items. A sister from Venezuela, who is very intelligent, gave a detailed answer to what one of the items was, that their group was bringing to the moon. The discussion led to Doctrine and Covenants sections 41-44, also discussing things that are needed in the members of the church, the laws that govern us and our responsibilities.

Then we moved on to Fast & Testimony meeting. Erik & I were asked to give the opening and closing prayers. I felt impressed to write some ideas down for testimony meeting. When you have a small branch, there is ample opportunity to share your testimony. Erik prayed in English and I prayed in Spanish. I was able to share my testimony:

Quisiera compartir mi testimonio de amor por nuestro Padre Celestial y su hijo Jesucristo. Se que Dios vive y que si hijo vivio y murio por nosotros. Se que mis bendiciones provienen de un Padre Celestial amoroso. Agradezco todo lo que el Padre me da, tanto en los momentos dificiles como en los buenos, para que pueda aprender y progresar y ser mas como Cristo. Agradezco a mi familia y amigos, y se que todos podemos ayudarnos mutaamente a ser mas como Cristo. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

The more I try to speak, the easier it becomes. Reading the scriptures in both English and Spanish is very enjoyable for me because I am learning even more vocabulary.

There is a person with a good sense of humor who is in charge of the electronic signs along the highway in Rochester. Because it was May 4th (may the force be with you), a few of the signs read:

Han says, “Solo down!”

Light speed can wait, buckle up young Skywalker.

Slow down you may, Arrive safe you will.

Monday is laundry day. Our washing machine sounds and feels like it’s shaking the entire house. Our landlord bought some anti-vibration pads to put under the machine. Erik helped him get them situated and hopefully they will help.

I got rebounding and Erik went rucksacking. He was thinking that maybe he’ll order a heavier pack but came home huffing and puffing and I said that the 20 pound version is plenty of weight for him unless he shed 20 pounds of body weight and then he could add more weight. He agreed, thank goodness!

This year will be 43 years married and Erik noticed that we each have picked up traits from the other over time. Erik was the most shy person that I had ever met and it was painful trying to have a conversation with him when we were dating. Over the years I have watched him bloom and now he goes on his own to start up conversations with people and meets many new individuals. I have become more of a home body and don’t mind spending hours on my own, creating art, cooking, cleaning and sewing.

This was a great week at the temple. We were very busy as usual and had the opportunity to connect with many new people. Plus, we are able to train others and help them feel more comfortable in their assignments. We are starting to gear up for the summer season where the baptistry will be incredibly busy with patrons. Busloads of people will be arriving to come to the temple. Having the stamina to keep up is important. I tell people that rebounding has given me abs of steel and this week, I really noticed my obliques are tight and strong.

I had a really unusual experience this week. It all started when my biological father contacted me when I was 16 years old and I learned that I have a half brother and half sister who at that time where living in B.C. I never really thought seriously about the whole situation but a few years ago and decided to do a couple of DNA tests to see if anything pops up, family wise. If anything, I had more mysteries arise.

This week, I felt like I should check my lists as I received an email saying new relatives have shown up. If you have done any geneology, you understand that it’s like a rabbit hole. One discovery leads to another and you keep checking information. I felt impressed to look at my DNA matches with the highest percentage of match. I messaged one of the matches and received an answer. She is one of my cousins! It seems that the family had no idea that Ross (my biological father) had any children, let alone three. He left home young and no one heard much from him. Then that night I received another message from a lady, stating that we were cousins and our grandmothers are sisters. I was able to give them what information I knew and they shared what they knew. The family believes that he was killed in conflict in a foreign country. I know that he married a woman from Nigeria and he told me that he was moving there with her. In this day and age of information available, it is amazing that no one can find a trace of him. When his mother died, a private investigator was hired to look for him.

An exciting piece of news is that my great-grandparents came from Belarus and farmed in Saskatchewan. Now I know why part of my DNA is from Eastern Europe. Plus it’s probably why I find it easy to learn Russian. I had a hard time going to sleep that night because of all the excitement.

Every week here in New York state, another type of tree is in bloom. I did learn about some of the trees. This week, I identified: Norway Maple in both green and red leaves, Japanese Maple, Japanese Cherry, and Evergreen Azalea. It’s really interesting to see so many colors at the start of the season. Imagine what the fall will bring!

The birds this week were: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, American Robin, and Northern Cardinal.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Chipping Sparrow

About an hour away from us is Cornell University and the app, Merlin was developed at Cornell Lab. We have plans to go to the Corning Museum, where if you make an appointment, you are able to create a piece of art from glass. There is a lot to see in New York state besides the glorious countryside. Some days this week were chilly and I even put my fuzzy jacket on to go out. By this weekend, we will have weather in the higher 20’s. Someone told Erik that Mother’s Day seems to be a turning point for weather here. After Sunday, warmer temperatures should be gracing us.

We hosted a dinner for our friends, Mark and Wanda (who are from North Carolina). We had enchiladas and Mexican chopped salad. For dessert, I made a chocolate Tres Leche cake.

Ingredients for the dressing:

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• taste and add salt if needed

Ingredients for the tortilla strips:

• 6 6- inch corn tortillas
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped in approximately ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced in ¼-inch pieces, any color (I used orange)
• ½ medium red onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces
• ½ medium jicama, peeled and diced in ¼-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, diced in ¼-inch dice
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into ¼-inch dice
• 4 ears corn, if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1½ cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn
• 1 ½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
• instructions

Instructions 

• For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt.
• In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
• For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F.
• Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, widthwise, about ¼-inch thick.
• Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
• For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3 ½ minutes.
• Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1 ½ inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
• Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
• Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.

Side note: I’m not a fan of Jicama in Canada or USA, so I substituted radishes. Mexicans eat a lot of radishes in Oaxaca. The salad was sooo very good and we had left overs to eat for lunches. I was able to find corn chip strips at a grocery store, so I didn’t have to make them. I will be making this salad again and again.

Erik found a little Mexican grocery store in a small town 6 miles north of Palmyra. It’s called Ranchis Fiesta and it felt like I was walking into a little tienda in Mexico. I was super exited to find Jamaica leaves to make Agua Fresca de Jamaica. I was able to buy the ingredients to make salsa verde. They have a food truck outside and the young man running it, who didn’t speak english but no problem. I found out that he was from Mexico and I told him that I was too, hahaha!

Some really good news is that I was able to connect with a clinic in Canadaigua and get an appointment with a nurse practioner who can write prescriptions. I was able to get sensors to moniter my blood sugar. Freewheeling is not for the faint of heart!

Canadaigua is on one of the finger lakes and is so beautiful! Erik discovered a steam paddle boat that does tours of the lake. We’ll definitely be doing that excursion.

We packed so much into this week that it feels more like 2 weeks worth of news but I am one day late in posting because of Mother’s Day.

Here is a quote to remind yourself that courage is what counts. Each day, I pray for my family to have courage to do the hard things and choose the better way. Life can be hard and full of things that challenge us in the most unimaginable ways. We are children of the most High God and because of that, we are capable of so much with His help and guidance. Face forward and let the shadows fall behind you; have a fantastic week!

Sunday, April 27, dawned early for Erik. He got up and started cooking potatoes for Compartir. Erik had a big pot on the stove and the instant pot going as well. Ten pounds of potatoes; I think he thought that I was crazy (nothing new). I told him that the Relief Society (Sociadad de Soccoro) president showed me what size of dish to bring. In our apartment there are disposible aluminum pans for taking to events. We decided which one to use and Erik finished up the potatoes while I got ready for church. Our Branch President was expecting us for 10:30 am to meet for a few moments. According to Erik we needed to leave at 9:45 am. Nearly made it on time, hahaha. President Hall convinced us to join the little choir to learn a song. So, 10 minutes chatting with him and then 10 minutes singing. Basically it seems to be a missionary choir.

President Hall asked us to speak the last week of May. I’m not sure how this is going to work because one of us doesn’t speak Spanish. The Lord could provide a miracle! Our topic will be the blessings of the temple.

Compartir was fun to see. Relief Society sisters served the meal while members moved through the line. I brought a nut bar to eat. We were able to meet some more members. The Relief Society president told me that the potatoes were good and I told her that, thanks to Erik, the potatoes were delicious and prepared for today. She was surprised! After our VERY busy Saturday at the temple, my dear husband pulled through to help me out.

I made a couple of pizzas for supper. I got the dough recipe from The Loopy Whisk. They turned out really well. We have plenty of leftovers for coming days. After kneading by hand for 10 minutes, I decided that I was going to look for a stand mixer (which the recipe recommends).

Monday dawned with anticipation in the air. Unfortunately, we did not receive our mail in ballots for the federal election in Canada until today, the day of the election. It was very disappointing. We had a list of things to do (Preparation Day). Of course, laundry leads my list and I had the bedding in the washer before 7 am. Erik was working on our shopping list. We needed to go to Costco and pick up specific items.

Driving to east Rochester to the Costco, We see 5 police cruisers on the side of highway 31 with officers in their flak jackets, conferring about the upcoming takedown. I also spotted two Chinook helicopters flying above us. These are military aircraft which can carry up to 10 tons of cargo. They are massive and fast.

We arrived at Costco by 10:30 am. As we cruise the aisles, Erik says, “We already have so many dollars in the cart and don’t have anything off our list yet!” Focus, more focus! One of the things we were looking for was lawn chairs to pack in the car to go picnicking and visiting places. Nothing appealed to us, so we will look elsewhere. We finished the store and headed to the car to load up.

Getting home, we unloaded and started sorting items and where to put things. Unbelievably, we realized that we needed to head to a grocery store for a few items, but first, Erik had a dental appointment in Phelps. I wanted to go along because that meant I would get to see new places. Phelps is another delightful little town. When we entered the office, I asked if there were any fabric stores in town. There weren’t any to be had, so I settled into the waiting room to read old magazines. I picked up “Mary Jane’s Farm” magazine. It was right up my alley, filled with homemaking items, focusing on more natural and organic processes. I was surprised to see an article about one of my vendors from my quilt shop days. Julie left the corporate world and started her own quilt pattern company called, “Patch Abilities”. Then I looked at the age of the magazine and it was 9 years old!!! Julie’s company is still going strong with really cute ideas and patterns today. Despite the magazines being really old, they were in good condition and helped to pass the time. Unfortunately, Erik is going to need a crown and a little cavity filled.

We stopped in Newark quickly to pick up a few produce items. The two of us do not need a ten pound bag of apples from Costco so we opted to shop for these items locally in a grocery store. Then we raced home to meet a repair man. Our bedroom ceiling fan does not operate independantly from the pot lights. The repair man was someone that we knew! He wired the fan separate from the pot lights so that it runs from the pull chains now; delightful.

Tuesday morning brought the news about the Canadian federal election. It wasn’t the outcome that I was hoping for but I know that it’s not over until it’s over. I tend to the conservative/libertarian mindset. Being raised in the military and my pioneering ancestors, I was taught to work things out for myself if I can and not expect the collective to bail me out. It’s probably why I am extremely independant and think out of the box about how to fix situations; it’s not over until it’s over. My husband has a very calm mindset and in each situation his thoughts are, “Nothing is ever as good as it seems and nothing is ever as bad as it seems.” I don’t agree with him but we are two different people who are eternal companions. If we can forge a life together in peace and love, we have a hope that all will be well in the end.

As we went to the temple for our shift, I knew that being in the Lord’s house would bring peace to my heart and solace to my mind. The focus of being there is about service and love. That focus helps block out all the world’s noisy raucus that clamours in our heads on a day to day basis.

I absolutely love the new temple missionaries who have arrived. Working with them is so much fun as I get to know them. Sister Stevens and I both have a love of Mexican food, as she was raised in California. I see a great collaboration happening! My tortilla press has arrived and now the fun can begin.

It was an incredible 27C today in Palmyra. The sun was shining and it felt so good to have the warmth. We are still on a roller coaster of temperatures so I better enjoy it while it’s here.

My neighbor lent me her seasoning for pizza sauce. It’s from Utah and a company called Shirley J. makes it. The great thing is that it is gluten free. I went to the website and ordered a couple of their seasonings that are gluten free. It’s flavour was really good and on days (who am I kidding) that I don’t have a lot of time to make pizza sauce from scratch with the San Marzano tomatoes, I’ll definitely use the seasoning, simply added to a can of tomato sauce.

On Wednesday morning, Erik went for his walk and I got on my rebounder. When he returned, he came upstairs to report his walk about. He was grinning so hard, so I took my earbud out to see what was going on. It turns out that he was so anxious to get going that he forgot to wear his rucksack equipment and to top it all off, he grabbed the wrong nametag to clip to his jacket. Instead of “Elder Naglis”, he was wearing, “Sister Naglis”. He said that he even stopped and talked to two guys on his walk. Maybe they would be wondering, “What kind of church is THAT?” That’s our big giggle of the day.

https://theloopywhisk.com/2024/08/24/easy-gluten-free-sandwich-bread/#wprm-recipe-container-19321

I made bread early this afternoon. Now that I have a stand mixer to knead the psyllium mixture into the flour mixture without leaving lumps. Everything went really well and I have decided that this was the best recipe yet, for gluten free bread. I took a slice to the temple with my French butter on it. Ooo la la! Tres bon!

Thursday weather was going to hit 19C today. We prepared for the late shift at the temple. Erik went walking with his rucksacking equipment and I bounced. When doing the late shift, meals are wonkadoodle. We keep food in the fridge for quick grab-and-go’s.

My experience with the health insurance is driving me loco. We are supposed to go to the Aetna website and lookup a practioner who is listed. They sort them by nearness to me. Everyone that I called was either not there anymore or not taking new patients. I might as well have shot myself in the foot as trying to get anywhere. It’s so frustrating when the website is so out of date. I’m starting to think out of the box. Here’s my dilemma; I use a continuous glucose moniter to check my blood sugar. I can buy them in Canada with no issues. In the USA, a person needs a prescription to buy them. Well, how on earth are these a controlled product? What nefarious reason would they need to be by prescription only? My guess, is that it is all about the mighty dollar. Shall I freewheel it (no CGM)? Shall I pay out of pocket to see a physician? In my mind the missionary health insurance is a scam. I asked one of the Historic Site missionaries on how to deal with the health issurance and she shuddered and said, “It’s a problem!” I am still pondering.

Oh, Friday…back to Rochester for a Costco return and a pickup of a few items. Friday being our day off, it gives us a chance to catch up on any laundry that needs doing before Monday and to prepare for our Saturday shift. We are still sorting kitchen implements and tossing the broken and rusted items in the trash.

We went to the temple president’s house to help him set up tables and chairs for a dinner/meeting they are hosting Sunday evening. That didn’t take long and we were back home.

I wanted to make Sopes today, so I dug out our griddle and made the dough. Erik heated up the black beans. The griddle was hotter than I realized and I ended up burning my thumbs and forefingers, flipping the sopes and pinching the edges. Erik asked me if I wanted a spatula and I told him that Mexican women use their bare hands to flip them. Well, I paid the price on that one and again will turn to my ministering angels to help me out. I’m sure they shake their heads and go, “Oh, Cheryl!!!” Anyway, we enjoyed eating them and of course, we have sopes to put in the freezer for future use.

Saturday, we work the early shift and I managed to get myself there looking presentable. Leaving the house early is a trial for me in some ways because I don’t feel like I’m really awake and functioning. I saw my schedule for the day and it seemed like I had some free blocks of time. I like to be busy but I was reminded that the Lord knows where and how He needs me. I had two very special experiences today that were a clear reminder that I am on the Lord’s errand. I had the opportunity to visit with a woman who had travelled with her group for four hours to come to Palmyra. I invited her to sit and visit with me while she waited. We connected so well and she was one who said to me, “God gave you to me today when I really needed you. You were meant to be here today for me.” When I was moving on to another assignment, I hugged her and told her that I loved her and she replied the same to me. What a wonderful experience to have met and helped her.

One of the bonuses of being at the temple all week is that I have learned processes where I can help train others. The reason that I know a lot about the laundry system, is because I am always asking questions and then filing that information away for future use. It’s nice to be needed and feel useful.

I love that other temple workers are welcoming us and being friendly. Sometimes I think it is hard for them. Maybe feeling like we are invading their space, but we are simply there to help and support.

We go home and have a midday type of meal, and put our feet up for a bit. Then I get on my rebounder to finish getting my exercise done for the day. Erik decided to bake some black bean brownies. He shared some with our neighbors and Tonya said that she would feed it to Rick and later tell him that they were made with black beans, hahaha!

That was our week; I’m sure there are many things that I have forgotten to write about. Others are sacred and I need to keep them in my heart but I know that we are all known to our father in heaven. He knows what we need and when we need it. Sometimes, we get impatient and think we know best but truly, “Father knows best”. We get those reminders if we pay attention. It’s takes some humility and grace to acknowledge that we are not in charge and when we try to take control, it usually doesn’t go as well as hoped. Every so often I get a reminder from God, to let go and let Him do his job. Stay well and until next week, hasta luego.

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!