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Service

| cnaglis63
Snow day at the Palmyra temple

We went through a snow day and then a no-snow day, then rain, then more snow and then more rain. It melts away as the temperatures are still above freezing during the day. The groundskeepers put these fiberglass stakes on the edges of the lawns and islands in the parking lot. I think it’s a smart idea to not run a snowblower over the lawns or run a snow plow into an island. This week, our groundskeeper at our house also pounded stakes into the edges of the lawn. It also frightens me that we could possibly receive enough snow to warrant these stakes. The ones around the island are great because they also have reflective tape on them to warn people coming into the parking lot.

I bought Erik some merino wool leggings to wear under his pants for his winter excursions. They are midweight and for now the temperatures are still warm enough that light weight would be better. We are enjoying the cooler nights and are able to leave a bedroom window open instead of running the air conditioner at night while sleeping. The European way (and Scandanavian) is to bundle your baby in lambs wool fleece and put them in their prams for an afternoon nap outside your house or a cafe where you may meet up with friends. The fresh air is excellent for them and helps to boost their immune systems and promotes healthy sleep habits.

I can attest that being cocooned and then having fresh air blowing over me makes for a great night’s sleep. Personally, I love the connection to nature and it’s healing power.

Being on a mission is all about service. Years ago, our daughter, Leah said to someone that her parents were very hardworking people who love to help others. It’s true, we do try to jump in and give a hand where we can. Being on a temple mission is definitely about service because we help people everyday as they come to worship in the house of the Lord. We are fortunate to have the skills to help out in whatever area we are needed. It was a lovely surprise and joy to see members from our Spanish Branch come to the temple. They are our family here and what joy fills my heart to see them.

I met a gentleman this past week who knows a friend from Alberta. He asked me where I was from and I usually tell people, “Western Canada.” “Yes, but where?” he asked. I told him that our home Stake was Red Deer now. He told me that he knew someone from Olds. Imagine my surprise when he mentioned a dear sister’s name? He has known her for decades. I didn’t know that she was from New York! Our connections are incredible and I feel blessed to know so many people from all the places that we have lived.

This past week, I spent time in the celestial room again and I had specific requests and questions for the Lord. I feel extremely blessed to have those requests answered and dealt with as well as knowing what we are to do when we get home. One of my friends told me, “Cheryl, people aren’t like you and how you receive such specific direction from the Lord. They don’t receive answers like you do.” I was surprised when she told me that because I have been blessed my entire life to have my questions and pleas answered and I thought that it was the same way for everyone.

Erik and I had the priviledge of performing a sealing ordinance for his great grandparents on the Latvian side of his family. His great grandparents are Anton and Marija. As I knelt, I felt Marija put her arm around my shoulders as she knelt next to me. Immediately, the tears started flowing and I felt her love for the service that I was providing. It was a great experience!

We received our assignments for the missionary Thanksgiving dinner. Each couple is to bring a couple of dishes. I agreed to bring a vegetable dish and a dessert. Thus far, I have come up with a spiral veggie tart and pecan pie bars. The next week will determine if any changes need to happen to my plan. I might need to practice beforehand. My children will say, “That’s never stopped you before! You always practiced on our guests!”

I am going to try the recipe from: http://www.bunsenburnerbakery.com

This recipe that I am trying is from: http://www.wellnessbykay.com

My eating style now is grain free so I look for recipes to fit the bill or that I can adapt.

This is what I baked today, Keto Cranberry Orange bread. It turned out well and is a go-to for fresh cranberries.

I’ve decided to sew Christmas pillowcases for the youth and children in our branch (there’s only 7 of them).

There are a variety of poems that you can print and attach when giving them as gifts. I looked on Pinterest and found a few that were appropriate. Here is one:

December brings a magical time, with all sorts of colors, smells and rhyme. Sugar Plum fairies will dance over your bed if you put this special pillowcase under your head. The reason it’s special as you will soon see, is because it’s made with LOVE for you from me. Dreaming of candy canes, Santa and family. Magical times to celebrate daily.

But my favorite is:

This is the poem that I attached to the pillowcases that I gave. So many to choose from!!

I have a quilt with the long armer now. I am excited to get it back and put the binding on. Oh, oh, Erik pressed two bindings for me today. I told him that I’ll make a quilter out of him yet, hahaha! He did say that the binding seemed to go on and on, hahaha!

Don’t you love this? Sometimes it’s hard to get out and give service physically but this quote by Cheryl Esplin shows us that service goes beyond that. Simply doing these things is service. I remember that shortly after getting married, I wanted to set a personal goal and it was to become more patient. I know that you’re all laughing now because you know how that goes. The Lord puts patience testing times in front of you to teach you patience. It didn’t take me long to recognize what was going on and that I was learning. “Oh, I see what you did there, Lord!” seemed to be a familiar thought that was going through my mind. Well, patience was learned.

Maybe pick one thing that you know you could work on to improve. It’s fun to see how the Lord helps you to learn a skill to be of service. Remember that old dogs can learn new tricks; they just have to have the desire to do so and receive the reward of a job well done. To be told by the Savior that I have done a good job is the reward that I look forward to.

Enjoy your week! Stay safe in wintry conditions and put a smile on your face. With a smile on your face, people will wonder what you’ve been up to. I know that my friends choose well, and I love you for that!

2 More Sleeps

| cnaglis63

We only have two more sleeps until we head out on our epic year. We still are not fully packed or ready to leave our home. Yesterday I worked on getting my sewing machine packed and doing some more sorting and cleaning of my sewing room. It feels like some agenda items are very last minute but I may be fooling myself. Erik said yesterday that it feels like we are in a holding pattern.

This morning we drove to Red Deer to see President Higham and get set apart for our mission. What that entails is sitting in a chair and he places his hands on your head and pronunces a blessing for you and details your responsibility as a missionary. It definitely was geared to me and my concerns plus it was telling me some experiences that I will look forward to. Erik was then set apart after me and his blessing was geared to him and also gave him specifics. Receiving a blessing is such a wonderful experience; knowing that God knows you indivually and knows what you need in your life. In June of 2024, I was visiting family in the Cold Lake area. The day that I was leaving, I received a prompting to go see my dad and ask him for a “Father’s Blessing”. I was anxious to get on the road and get home but I did as I was instructed and stopped to see my dad. I ended up spending 2 hours with him, visiting and getting counsel. I also told him that I was instructed to ask for a father’s blessing. He gladly did just that. Dad laid his hands on my head and blessed me according as the spirit directed him. The last father’s blessing I received was when I was 18 years old and leaving home. As then, dad gave me valuable advice as now. What a beautiful experience to receive a father’s blessing at 61 years of age from your 81 year old dad!

Now, we are officially missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We will serve in the Palmyra New York temple for 1 year. That gives us an opportunity to show love and kindness to all the patrons who enter the temple. As members of the church we go to the temple for various reasons. For me, one of the most important is to feel God’s love for me and to feel the peace that comes in the Lord’s house. As a temple worker, we have a sacred responsibility to help patrons feel that love and to be able to be in the Lord’s house to feel peace and joy.

We will be assigned to a congregation in the Palmyra area. It will be wonderful to meet new people and also wonder at the connections that we will make. In my mind nothing is a coincidence; only instances that are meant to be. The world is far smaller than we understand. Maybe because the older we get, we have met so many people. The 6 degrees of separation doesn’t even get to the 6th degree many times.

As senior missionaries we have many things to consider and deal with; houses, belongings, vehicles, mail, etc. Right now, our fridge is still looking too full. It’s going to be a hard cull! The Savior taught his apostles to go without purse or script and yet I think of the verse that says to be prepared for every needful thing. (D & C: 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.) Maybe my needs are a little different than others because of being celiac. I’m taking a few small appliances that I know have not been glutenized. A sewing kit (with one of my sewing machines), toiletries, pantry foods, towels, bedding and the list goes on. Thank goodness we are driving and that gives us a little leeway in the amount that we are bringing.

There are six couples who are arriving to work in the Palmyra temple. Four couples are from the Salt Lake City area, one couple is from North Carolina and then there’s us, the Canadians. We will have a whole bunch of new friends. One of the couples knows and served with friends of ours from Carstairs when they served in Samoa. It’s a small world! It feels like we are joining a fraternity of people serving missions. It’s a wonderful feeling and I look forward to sharing more with you as I have some photos and stories to tell.