These last few weeks have been full of FIRSTS for us. So we thought we would share them with you.
One day, we had a terrible storm. We were in the temple but we could hear the rain, hear the rolling thunder, and see the trees bending in half almost touching the outside the ground and see the sheets of rain coming down. It was kind of scary. But when it was time for us to leave, at about 10:00 p.m., you could not see any indication of any kind of storm. The roads were dry, the sidewalks were dry and there were no puddles anywhere. That was very strange. It was getting dark and as we walked to our car, we saw these little lights flickering on and off in the trees. It looked like little Christmas twinkle lights going on and off. But what we were seeing are fireflies. Never had seen them before. Have not seen them since. We enjoyed that FIRST!
Then there was the FIRST that we did not enjoy. The next day, after the storm, we went to Walmart to get some buttermilk so Durg could make some bread. Yes, more bread. We went to the dairy section. There were no dairy products. We went to the meat section. No meat. Every refrigerated and freezer case was totally empty. It gave us such an eerie feeling. It made us think about the warnings we have received about the stores being empty if the trucks couldn't bring food to them. We thought about the admonition we have been given to have food storage. It really made us realize how important food storage is. During the terrible storm the night before, lightening hit a transformer which provided electricity to the grid where Walmart was. The back up generators for the store to keep the refrigerated and freezer cases cold, in case of an emergency, did not turn on. So the store lost all of its perishables. They were up and running again within the next 24 hours and the trucks brought more food, so all was well. However, it was rather frightening and brought home the need to be prepared. By the way, we did bring some dehydrated food storage with us. Durg brought his camp stove and we have cases of water. We would survive.
We were on our way to the Post Office the next day, and there was a huge tree down in the front yard of a home. It was crazy. It looked like it had cracked and fell over. We found out that lightening had struck the tree. That's the FIRST time we had ever seen a tree which had been struck with lightening.
On Saturday, July 12 (which makes me realize how long it's been since I wrote the blog) we worked in the temple that morning and then had to drive to Lowville (150 miles one way) where we attend church, to witness a baptism of a new member of the branch. Jay Gerewleski had been coming to church each Sunday and the Elders had been teaching him. He had asked the first Elder who taught him to baptize him. This Elder had only been home from his mission for two weeks, so that made the baptism even more special. It was a wonderful baptism. Jay had asked Durg to speak and Durg gave a great talk on the Holy Ghost. That was the FIRST baptism we had witnessed on our mission. Then on Saturday, July19, we worked in the temple in the morning and then drove again to Lowville for another baptism. This time Durg baptized Ian MacDonald. He and his wife had been participating in the missionary discussions, of which Durg and I also were involved with. His wife, Nikki, was baptized by a member of the branch presidency who lives across the street from them. Ian had asked Durg to baptize him. It was the FIRST baptism Durg has ever had on a mission. A wonderful, spiritual and happy FIRST. An amazing side note is that Nikki's grandmother is an ordinance worker in the Boise Temple and she was able to be here for the baptism. Nikki grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho. So us Idahoans outnumbered the New Yorkers! Ian and Nikki MacDonald and their son, Landon, are going to be great members of the church. We are so blessed to know them.
We attended the missionary discussions in a town about 25 miles northwest of Lowville in a town called Copenhagen. As we were driving there, after the storm I have mentioned above, we saw the destruction a tornado could do. This tornado touched down on a barn and totally destroyed it. There was a pick up truck upside down and the path the tornado took was very obvious by the broken trees and fences. We had never seen a tornado before and we didn't see it actually happen. But we did see the aftermath and it wasn't pretty. Those tornadoes can pack a punch. There were 4 people killed because of the tornado. Another FIRST, but not one we want to see a second time.
As we were traveling home from Lowville on a Sunday, we drove through a little town. There are so many little towns, and so many different roads we take, that I can't tell you what the name of the town is, but what I want to mention is that all the traffic was completely stopped as this gaggle of geese were crossing the street. Mom in front, goslings in the middle and Dad bringing up the rear.
But the best part was that they owned the road, and they knew it! What a cute FIRST for us.
The last FIRST (that sounds weird) was our FIRST experience at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. It was amazing. Now you have to realize that we have been watching the transformation of the Hill with the stage being set up and the lighting towers erected and the great influx of people making the driving in Palmyra a nightmare. So to actually see the Pageant, we were blown away. The special effects were amazing, the message inspiring and the actors the greatest. Before the Pageant begins, all the actors mingle with the crowd and visit and let you take pictures with them. We talked to Mormon, King Noah and we saw the Three Kings! It has definitely been a highlight of our mission. Because the local ordinance workers are so involved with the pageant, the temple missionaries keep the temple running. President Cahoon, counselor to the temple president told us we were here for that reason. We worked really hard and we had a totally different schedule that we weren't used to, but it was so great. One day, there were 400 youth doing proxy baptisms for their ancestors. We weren't the baptistery coordinators, but we were in and out helping and mostly doing laundry. I even managed to break one of the two washers we have. We were told to load those washers as full as we could. The problem was, the washer kept going through the same cycle over and over again. When the repairman came, he said we were trying to wash too much laundry in one washer. We learned that we cannot load the washers as full as we were told we could. But wouldn't you know it would break on my watch? Our Twin Falls Temple Shift Coordinator called me Trouble. I didn't think that name fit me, but I guess I am trouble!
I really need to start calling Durg, Elder Perron. It just seems so odd to me. We leave you as we try to get used to our old schedule again and as I try to remember to call my missionary companion, Elder Perron. Until next time..................................
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