This week has been a blast! This week I met with a team leader in the requisition department at the global service center. I’ll be working in that department next week. I will essentially be calling priesthood leaders to ask them why checks haven’t been deposited yet. I’ll be doing that on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On Tuesdays, I’ll work the phones in the ticket office.
I tried the bike out on Monday. I’m not completely sold on using the bike yet though as I’m not used to going uphill for such long distances. I know you think the Salt Lake Valley is flat, but trust me, it’s far from it. Anyways, I have always enjoyed walking more, it allows me to spend more time to ponder than biking allows.
At Tuesday’s devotional, Sister Broderick shared an experience that a member of the Presiding Bishopric had. He was in charge of finding, selecting, and buying sites for Temples. In this experience, he was selecting the site for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple. When he approached the owner to buy the plot of land for the temple, he immediately agreed to sell it. The owner said there were plenty of opportunities to develop the land, but he always knew that it had a higher purpose. When the member of the Presiding Bishopric and his group met with the mayor, they had a prayer meeting beforehand. At the meeting, it became clear very early that the mayor was set against the temple. The Philadelphia city council told the mayor that the plot of land would be better suited for a high rise office building. At the meeting was a former football player who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and BYU, he spoke to the mayor and told him how his family in Tonga sold all they had in order to attend the Temple in New Zealand and then told the mayor that the Temple would bless his city. After he spoke and the architect showed the drawing to the mayor, then a member of the community that was present (not a member of the Church) agreed that the Temple would bless the city. The mayor agreed to have the temple built and asked to have a prayer to conclude the meeting. (The Philadelphia temple is anticipated to open in 2016).
This Thursday was my first day on the Tabernacle Choir stage crew. It was a little bit busier of a night than most because the Choir had a concert in Richfield, UT last night. We spent most of the evening transporting equipment from the Tabernacle to the Conference Center loading dock. I know I’ve been in the tunnels before of Temple Square, but it’s been so long now that I forgot how vast of a tunnel system it is.
Pending approval from President Young, I might change my Fridays to only serving in the Temple. I only got about 4 hours of sleep Thursday night. That way I can get plenty of sleep and be awake and attentive at the Temple. I’d spend all day in the Temple.
Today, I walked to Temple Square (4.1 miles). It took me approximately half an hour (?) to make the journey. Before breakfast I did my weekly weigh-in, I’m now below 300 pounds! If I can keep this up, I should have no problem losing enough weight to be able to submit my papers in January. I’m fairly certain that I would be significantly more tired if I was 30 or 40 pounds heavier right now.
Today’s organ recital featured Linda Margetts, one of the two part time organists on Temple Square. She played a brilliant recital that started with Jeremiah Clarke’s “Prince of Denmark March” and ended with a rousing toccata on “Amazing Grace.” I bought a white handkerchief today, I’m indeed grateful that I was able to find one so close to the day of dedication for the Ogden Temple. After this I went to Harmon’s to buy my groceries. Tonight Karl (his roommate) and I will go to Ogden (40 miles north of SLC) to see the Temple open house.
Dad’s letter got here first. I appreciated seeing that picture of the Kirtland Temple, I have forgotten how even with that building they made beautiful carvings to give the very best to The Lord.
Red text added by Mom.
