OCTOBER~ CHEESE BISCUITS, BANANA BREAD

GRANDMOTHER'S/IRVAL MORTENSON'S CHEESE BISCUITS

Grandmother used to make cheese biscuits once in a while, so Dad always asked for them, but my whole experience with making biscuits was Bisquick and they weren't what he wanted.  Then one day, Irval Mortenson, who was Thomas' explorer leader, came over to help the boys cook dinner for their moms and he made biscuits.  I watched him and decided that I could even do that! 

He used 2 cups self-rising flour, 1/2 cup shortening, and water or milk to make into a dough.  He didn't measure the liquid, just added it until it was the texture he wanted.  So easy!  I just add grated cheese to the dough, and voila! Cheese biscuits!  The picture below is of some Brianna made at Rebecca's YW baking day.   They look perfect.

GRANDMA'S/REBECCA'S BANANA BREAD

Grandma always made the most perfect banana bread...moist and tender, not dry and cake-like.  I have used her recipe but never seemed to get it right even when I use really black bananas.  Rebecca, however, with her baking knack, has made banana bread just like Grandma's.  I'm including her recipe that she copied from Grandma and a picture of her bread.  Perfect holiday treat...perfect any time.

Ahh, October...the queen of Arizona months.  The weather has been fabulous, with enough variety to please every weather preference.  October started warm and sunny, even swimming weather.  Our pool heater is broken, but the water was warm enough to swim without it.   Then it got cool and stormy and rainy and even though I was sad that I couldn't swim, I was thrilled with the flowers.  They just soaked up all that water and in gratitude, bloomed for all they were worth.  In fact, this has been the wettest October in Arizona's recorded history!  The only people who don't feel blessed by this moisture, I guess, are the cotton farmers.  I worried about them when we drove to the temple, past field after field of sagging cotton.  Most of the farmers are through harvesting now, though.  They jumped right after it whenever we had a dry day or two in a row.  Now, at the end of October, the temperature is back up to the 80's again, where it usually is in October.  Perfect for sitting outside and looking at the flowers and dramatic skies. 

I'm sure everyone thinks I have a thing for dramatic skies, and they would be right!  They just inspire me.  The first picture is a sunset from Brynlie at her house, the second one is a dust storm at sunset from Erika.  The third and fourth are sunrises from Emma when she was on her way to school. The last ones are from Kirtlyn, going west on 8th street, and on our way to Willcox one evening.

Kirtlyn took this picture of our back yard.

We're even starting to look a little "Autumnish."  Mary took this picture.

Isn't this so true?? I love watching for the license plates of winter visitors and wondering what they think of our desert home.

No need to wonder what anyone thinks of our beautiful October birthdays.  They are amazing!  Colorful as an October sunset, fresh and sweet as October roses...even Joel.

Shannyn turned 17 on the 9th.

Mary's birthday was the 11th.

Rylie turned 21 on the 15th.

Joel's birthday was the 19th.

~WATCHING OCTOBER CONFERENCE~

Of course, one of the most special things about October is General Conference.  And this was especially true of this October Conference.  President Nelson is certainly not afraid to grasp the reins of leadership and stir things up!  Two hour church!!

Someone sent me this oh-so-perfect meme about President Nelson's changes.

Everyone watches Conference in different ways...

Rebecca watching in comfort;

DeWitt celebrating 2-hour church;

Aila, falling asleep on her conference pages;

Theo finds toys more interesting

Junie, waking up, refreshed, after conference is over;

Crew, listening to conference while mesmerized by their fireplace in their Pine house;

Rachel's family, watching and sleeping through it;

And Kirtlyn and Maya keeping themselves entertained during it.

~OUR OCTOBER~

Disclaimer: Ever since I have discovered collage apps, I have loved being able to include more pictures by putting them in collages.  Somehow, though, about halfway through the month, the app  on my PC refused to load pictures.  I tried loading them from IPhoto and Photos, but it would do neither one.  I know I just need to get another app, but I haven't had time.  We have been so totally involved in temple service since the maintenance closure, plus writing talks, etc.  Well, my heart won't let me discard extra pictures, so I just put them on anyway...making for an extra long blog.  Sorry.

We started October by having Thomas and Jenn's family over for Pizza and FHE.  Their kitchen was in a state of destruction and we took pity on them. 

The next day, we had Rebecca and Scott and DeWitt over for dinner.

Then, Wednesday, Mary and I started painting the temple picture she had traced onto a huge framed cardboard.  She was using it for a stake Activity Day.  It was during the fall maintenance closure, so I had time to do it.  All I did was paint it in.  The first picture shows the clouds I didn't like and the second one shows the fluffy clouds Rachel painted, plus a corrected mountain behind the temple.

The next day, thankfully still on maintenance closure, we were able to attend Brynlie and Camille's choir program. They were the prettiest ones, of course.  It was nice not to have to rush home to go to bed for an early opening the next day

Saturday, the 6th, we went with Rachel and  Tony's family to El Charro for a yummy dinner.

That night, Rebecca, Rachel and Jenn all attended the stake Women's Conference activity at the stake center.  I stayed home and watched it on BYU TV.

On Sunday, between sessions, Mary and Tyson's family and Thomas and Jenn's family ate dinner with us.

The Biggs and Richins kids enjoying the wonderful fall weather, in their yard and ours, between conference sessions.

Watching conference

On Tuesday of that week, the 9th, the temple opened again and we were glad to be back, serving there, even though we missed being able to do things with the kids whenever we wanted to.  But to make it even better, Jeremy and Ellie came to go to the temple the next day and they got the girl cousins together to go with them.  Jeremy did the baptizing for Ellie, Kirtlyn, Brianna, Brynlie and Camille.  It was a very special  way to start our renewed temple service, and our last month in the temple presidency.

These are screenshots from when Mary brought girls to the temple.

After they were through, the girls went to eat and to watch a movie together (I think they were all on fall break) and Jeremy waited for us to be able to leave the temple so he could go to El Charro for lunch with us and Thomas.

Then Dad and Jeremy sat in the back yard and played with Jeremy's drone.  Rather, Dad played with the drone and Jeremy watched him while talking on the phone to the office.

On the 10th, after Jeremy and Ellie had gone home, I went to Brianna's YW activity to demonstrate some easy Halloween makeup.  I don't think they learned anything much, but I think they had fun.  I know Lindsay did because she got to go to Young Women's and be a model.

Cats and scarecrows.The girls did each other's makeup, following what I did on Lindsay and Brianna.

On the 14th, after church, we went to Gilbert to be there when Nathan and Joshua came to visit.  Mary was just leaving, after being there for a couple of days, so when we went to Esther's to see them, we saw her and her family.  Nathan had business in the Valley and Joshua came down to go to a Phoenix Suns game with him.  

We went to the movie, First Man, with Joel and Stephanie and their family on Monday.  It was pretty exciting, and very interesting to see the event that we had watched, live, over 45 years ago, from a different perspective.

Then Albert and Shannyn came.  Albert needed to go to the distribution center to get garments and Temple clothes for his endowment that was scheduled for the following Friday.  We went to visit Rebecca at her apartment in Tempe.  It is really nice and perfect for a little empty nest couple.

We planned a cookout at Joel and Stephanie's, with all the Mesa/Gilbert kids, plus Thomas and Rebecca, who also happened to be there, while Nathan and Josh were in town.  It was an extra bonus that Albert and Shannyn were there too and able to come.  It was so fun to visit with everyone and the food was delicious.  It was a little bit cool, so Joel lit up his fire pit.

As soon as we got home, Shannyn had a name of the husband of a good friend of their family, who needed to be baptized, so Carson came to the temple to do it for him.  Brianna and Shannyn also did baptisms.

Daniel and Connie's family came the next day for Albert's endowment session and to seal Syrina, Raymond and Alonzo to their (our) family.  We welcomed them with "Grandpa beans."

Albert's special day at the Temple.  Friday, October 19th.  What a blessing.  The Nevins were there also, of course.

Those who attended Albert's endowment.  Jenn had to leave after the session, so she isn't in the picture although she was there.  

Later that afternoon, a special sealing session was held to seal Syrina, Raymond and Alonzo to the Biggs/Nevin family.  It was a very tender, sweet experience.  Dad, of course, was the sealer.  Jenn came to take care of Aila during the sealing so that Alta could go in with the family. 

The next morning, the kids wanted to go swimming.  It had been fairly cool for the last several days, so I knew the water wouldn't be warm.  I cautioned them that as their body temperature is 98.6 or so, anything below 84 would feel very chilly.  The temperature of the water was 72!  But they still wanted to swim.  Some of them actually stayed in the water and played for quite a while.  Some got in and got out.  

That afternoon, Saturday, we had a cookout for the Colorado Biggs family with the Gila Valley family.  Good food and good company.  I love seeing cousins become acquainted again.

T celebrate our impending release, and our three years of friendship, we had dinner with the Temple presidency at the Allred's in Willcox.

Rebecca had another baking day, to which she invited the same girls, plus Lindsay this time.  They made croissants. 

That night was Kirtlyn's high school choir concert.  She is in the advanced girls' choir, Bell Canto.  An honor for a freshman.  I think Isabel also was in that choir as a freshman.  It was a cute, bouncy program.  A lot of fun.

The next day, the Alder, Richins and Biggs kids all came to the temple to do baptisms.  I absolutely love having family come to the Temple.   They wanted to come while we were still in the presidency, but we will love it just as much if they come while we are ordinance workers.

Thomas came along to do the baptizing.  We really needed him, too.

Part of the baptism crew: Thomas, Dad, me, Camille, Brynlie, Luke, Carson, Brianna

The rest of the baptism crew: me, Thomas, Kirtlyn, Dad

The Alders had to leave to Mesa right after the baptisms, so this is the crew that did all the confirmations and got Dilly Bars 

Sunday dinner at Mary's with the Biggs family.

Lisa and Deon came to go to the temple "while you're still in the presidency."  They finally came on the 30th, the day before our release.  I was actually glad they did.  We really enjoyed having them.  They arrived on the 29th and we went to El Charro for dinner.  We had to get up at 3:00 the next morning, so we went to bed early and Thomas and Jenn came over and visited with them.  Lisa is a night owl, so I don't know how late they stayed up.

The next morning, they came to the 10:00 session, after which we showed them around our beautiful little temple.  We left at 4:00 that morning and were finished at 12:30.  We met them at home, where we found Rebecca visiting with them.  We all went to Jumbo for lunch.  Rebecca had already eaten lunch, but she came along for a visit.

Several people in the temple commented that we look a lot alike...I wish.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE FAMILY

~NATHAN AND SHAUNA~

When Reygan went to Utah to see her boyfriend, she also saw her cousin, Josh.

Sweet post by Hannah

Some of Josh's photography...In and around Flagstaff

In Phoenix...notice the juxtaposition of old and modern in these pictures.  Also a beautiful Victorian home, so unlike what one expects in Phoenix.

Some buildings in Mesa

Familiar?

And finally, a building at Park City in Utah.

When Nathan and Josh came to Arizona, we had a cookout at Joel and Stephanie's.  It was so much fun to be together.

They went to a Suns game together.  I think that is what persuaded Josh to drive down.

Bethany and Palmer and Jovie went to Disney World with his parents during October.   I think Jovie was everyone's favorite.

Handywoman Hannah helped her dad with some repair work around the house.

Family fun night

The multi-costumed Jovie...It looks as if she totally has Palmer wrapped around her little finger!

~JOEL AND STEPHANIE~

Levi has been such a super real estate agent and got our condo in perfect shape (with his mom's help) and it sold for what we asked!  Thanks Levi.

Stetson and Lindsay went to the beach and took Levi along to help with Junie...as if she needed extra attention.  She's an angel.   I've only heard her cry once, and that was when I took her from her mom and tried to hold her.  Who could blame her for that?

They have bought a beautiful home in Pine, not far from our cabin.  They are remodeling it and fixing it up, but enjoying it in the meantime as well.

They have a herd of deer who regularly feast on their lawn.

This is at their house in Pine during conference

They were there when Rachel and Esther went to our cabin.  They all got together and enjoyed some time just visiting and going to some of the little shops in town.

They were kind enough to let us have the cookout for Nathan and Joshua's visit in their fabulous back yard. I love seeing cousins getting reacquainted.  Hayden left before we took the bottom picture.  I should have thought of it sooner so he could have been included in their group.

At Schneff farms.

Halloween at Grandpa and Grandma's.  Darling little pineapple.

~DANIEL AND CONNIE~

This is Emma's Primary program.  She and 2 other girls signed If the Savior Stood Beside Me.

Analynn, marching in the rain in the homecoming parade.

Analynn and friends at Glenwood Springs homecoming

Aila loves to go with Grandpa to feed the animals.  It makes her feel very important to be in charge of holding the feed.  She takes her job very seriously.

Parker and Albert laying pipe to deal with the drainage problem in their road. Nice to have big strong boys to do the things you need.

More of Emma's sunrise photos, taken on her way to school.

Theo loves the zoo.  His favorite are the goats.?

They also visited a pumpkin patch.

Baby Rose

Blessing day for Rosena Marie.

Stocking their stream with fish

Shadrach and some friends have made YouTube videos to showcase fun things to do around Provo.  This is episode 1

At MOD Pizza in Gilbert

At the cookout at Joel and Stephanie's

When Daniel and Connie and kids first got to Safford on the night of the 18th, we had Grandpa beans and garlic toast.

After Albert's Endowment session on the 19th.

After the sealing of Syrina, Raymond and Alonzo later that afternoon.

Then the family went to El Charro to celebrate

On Saturday morning, the 20th, those crazy Colorado kids wanted to swim in our cold, unheated pool.  Some of them actually stayed in and played around a while.

At the cookout in their honor that night

I love this.  So does Daniel

Thomas took them out to Gila Box so they could see where the mural in the Temple was painted.

Shadrach and friends with a drone, going sand surfing.

At the ward trunk-or-treat party with Rose...Halloween pictures of Aila are in the Halloween section at the end of the blog.

Theo and friend at the ward party

Theo, enjoying autumn time

Mommies and babies

Rose's first smiles

~REBECCA AND SCOTT~

Polly and her winning tennis team at Dixie State.

Enjoying a hockey game while Polly was visiting from Utah

Harvey and Lucy, being so cute, of course.

Some 6-month picture of Lucy Joyce

Parley and parents at a local apple farm

Beautiful family in beautiful Autumn in New York.

Rebecca in her new apartment when Shannyn and I visited, and also at Joel and Stephanie's for Daniel's cookout. Someone commented that she and Esther looked like ketchup and mustard. 😀

Rainy Day Bakery at Rebecca's.  Snickerdoodles.  

Episode 2 of YW of baking day at Rebecca's, this time including Lindsay.

Allison's zillow for selling her house.  I think they've already moved into their new house, but I haven't seen pictures of it.

At a Josh Groban concert

Ward Halloween party...The cutest turtles I've ever seen.

Autumn time in Washington.  I think this is in front of Allison and Taylor's new house?

DeWitt is building a set of apartments to help finance his medical school.  Scott and Rebecca are the hired help 😉

When we came home from the temple, Rebecca was at the house with Lisa and Deon, so she went with us to Jumbo.  She didn't eat, though because she had already had lunch, but it was fun to have her along.  Then she took them out to see Gila Box.  They were also interested to see where the mural was painted.  After that, they went to see her spectacular back yard.  I had been bragging about it and they wanted to see it.

~JEREMY AND ERIKA~

Good for Ellie, she got her Dad to come and bring her to Safford to visit us in the temple and also got her cousins to come along.  What a happy day that was for us.

Jeremy was taking this picture.  He helped by doing the baptisms.

Daynen at a filming

Well, Reygan's in love.  And it looks like he reciprocates 💖 A visit to Temple Square at conference time.  The picture by the temple was posted by Drayton.  Read it.  And flowers for no reason.

Daynen and Jori, a fun couple...

...with some big news!!  Great grand baby #9 👶

They have been doing some remodeling and redecorating in their home.  It's so much fun to walk around and see all that they've done.  

At the cookout for Nathan and Josh

Hayden at Desert Ridge Homecoming.  He looks like a male model...or a star in a Hallmark movie 😊

Reygan with the two kids she nannies for.  I think they are twins.

They love pets at their house and have some interesting ones.  Besides the sugar glider (see August blog) they have at least 3 dogs and a lizard named Leonard.

~RACHEL AND TONY~
Isabel suffered a major loss when her dog, Clio, died.  She had a hard time getting over it, so several of her aunts pitched in and got her a figurine of an angel holding a puppy.  It made her shed tears...happy tears...or at least healing tears.

Rachel and Mary redecorated Angie Richins' bedroom for when she got home from her surgery.  She had a major reconstruction of her jaw.  The beautiful room helped her feel better immediately.

Ashley Furniture, for whom Rachel decorates, has these cards to pass out to customers.  She has quite a lot of satisfied, happy clients now.

We went to Brynlie and Camille's 8th grade choir program.  It was very good, and it was announced at the beginning that they were some of the few (8, I think) who made a special state honor choir.

Rachel came over and painted clouds on Mary's temple painting.  They were beautiful and gave life to an otherwise boring painting.

When Rachel and Esther went to the cabin for a few days, they saw Joel's family, who were at their cabin at the same time, and visited some of the cute little stores in Pine.

Rylie's 21st birthday was the 15th.

Isabel is working on her degree as a nurse's assistant.  She has been accepted to an ultrasound tech school in Scottsdale beginning in January.

Brynlie and Camille went to the temple with us when Ellie came.

One time, driving home, Rachel felt as if she was heading for a blanket of clouds.  She was.

When Daniel's family came, Luke helped me get ready to put Albert's picture on our missionary board; twins checking out the "joyful noise" coming from beyond the fence; Tony helping to cook at the cookout.

At Rebecca's 2nd baking day

At the temple, just before we were released, when the cousins came to do baptisms.  The Biggs and Richins families were also there.

Rachel and Tony went to the Josh Groban concert in Phoenix.

While the parents were listening to Josh Groban, Harrison and Isabel were making real music together.

Isabel with her cousin, Carson, who is leaving for his mission to Samoa, where he will be allowed to wear a lava lava to church. He decided to jump the gun 😉

Making Brynlie's Halloween costume...a rubic's cube.

Getting full-sized candy bars from Rebecca, via her renter.

Chicken noodle soup and cheese biscuits at Grandma and Grandpa's house

"Look!  There's even a treat bag for Rylie and Brandon!"

Brynlie's and Camille's jack-o-lanterns.  Happy Halloween!🎃

~ESTHER AND SHAD~

Flu shot day 😟

Esther and Shad took a nostalgic trip to Mississippi to visit old friends.  They made a detour to Memphis so that they could take some Graceland picture for me.  Thanks guys!

Marlie and friends

At the cabin with Rachel's family and visiting with Joel's family

When we went to Gilbert to visit Nathan and Josh, we stopped by Esther's.  Mary and her family were just leaving to go home.

At the cookout for Nathan and Joshua

Beautiful cousins

A Fall festival of an FHE at Vertuccio Farms, a theme park kind of place.

Harrison and Marlie's friend

Rainy day baking day.  She had to make dozens of cupcakes for football practice, I think

Brody's soccer picture.  That is a soccer ball, y'all...not an alien head.

Bridger has been moved up to varsity!

Soren and some of his friends decided to dress up for Halloween at school as characters from the play, Hamilton.  Soren is Alexander Hamilton himself.

The Browns, along with other families in their cul-de-sac, set up a street-wide Halloween party every year, complete with Esther's popcorn and lots of treats and fun.

~THOMAS AND JENN~

Thomas and Jenn have been remodeling their kitchen this whole month.  They had a leak behind the sink that they didn't know about before it had ruined the wall and cupboards.  So they went ahead and tore off all their cupboards and replaced them with new ones.  The guy who measured them didn't get it exactly right, however, so their counters didn't fit and they had to get all new counter tops.

Out with the old...

...and in with the new!

Kirtlyn and friends...beautiful girls

I think this might have been the "Knowledge Bowl" team going to a competition.

At the temple with the cousins and the grandparents.

At the cookout for Nathan and Joshua

Chillin' at the Lydia house...Gilbert house?

Jenn was kind enough to take care of Aila so that Alta could go into the sealing room when Syrina, Raymond and Alonzo were sealed to the family.

Brothers bonding over technology

At the cookout for Daniel and Connie's family

Mary dared Jenn to fold a contour sheet just like the lady on the infomercial did it.  😂

At Rebecca's second YW baking day

We attended Kirtlyn's high school choir concert.  It was very good.

Kirtlyn took this picture of her pretty sister.

Thomas and Luke at the Temple waiting to do baptisms

Kirtlyn and Thomas at the temple to do baptisms.

Thomas letting Alex try out his "power ranger" moves on him.

FHE pumpkin carving

Angels and a devil

Going to the grandparents to get a treat bag.

Then to Rebecca's to get full-sized candy bars

They held their annual Halloween movie-on-the wall, compete with a fire pit.

~MARY AND TYSON~

Mary and I painted her Gila Valley Temple board

I went to Brianna's YW in Excellence night to hear her sing a song she had written for the occasion.  It was so beautiful.  I wish I could post it here.  We'll have to see if she will sing it for us at the Christmas party.

Tyson's client took him ballooning to the New Mexico Balloon festival.  He is hooked, I think.

Mary got a staple gun for her birthday and immediately put it to use, building frames for all her downstairs windows.

Brianna at the temple with the grandparents and cousins.

The bedroom for Angie Richins that Rachel and Mary redecorated.

Before and  After

At Brianna's YW activity where I showed the girls some simple, easy makeup ideas for Halloween  Lindsay and Brianna got to be models.

Alex wanted to put on Halloween makeup too!

A stairstep family

When Mary and Tyson were in Gilbert, they stayed at the Lydia house and there was a huge rain puddle in our front yard.  Alex and Ethan loved it.  They thought it was there just for them.

They also went by the Mesa Temple to see what was happening there.

At Esther's house, playing with her kids

Lindsay gave me a much-needed shoulder rub.

At Mary's stake Activity Day activity.  Follow the yellow brick road...to the Temple.

Lindsay led the music.

With Mary's boys, it's been Halloween all month long!  

Jack-Jack Incredible

Even the Red Power Ranger gets worn out.

Rebecca had a special baking day just for Lindsay.  Of course all the YW were invited too.

Baptism day with the grandparents, the Alders and the Biggs kids.

Getting ready for The Wizard of Oz.  Jared is a Munchkin and Lindsay is the Wicked Witch of the West.

Makeup for the play

FHE jack-o-lanterns

Alex tried out his power ranger moves on a willing Thomas.

Getting their full-sized candy bars from Rebecca through her renter guy.  See his skeleton shirt?

Happy Halloween!

~OUR MISSIONARY~

In Beautiful Boston; Eating Chinese food

                      With companions and a Chinese ward member.

His house...for a while

Inside...pretty nice.

Some Boston sites

Docker in Boston...Chinese Boston

~HAPPY HALLOWEEN~

Tinberbell Jovie and Dad

Pineapple princess June and parents

Cowboygirl Aila and pumpkin parents

Cartoon parents with robot Theo and Alien (?) Rose

Alonzo tiger, Syrina and Raymond

Polly Puppy with her tennis team

Ninja turtle Parley with turtle parents

Cowboy Harvey and Bluebird Lucy

Another Pineapple princess, Lucy

No explanation needed!  Except to say it isn't Kelin.

Goldberg TV show inspired...Brynlie and Camille 

Cool and Mean, James Dean

Strong man and woman, Brandon and Rylie...no costume there all real!

Isabel and friend are just plain spooky!

Soren/Hamilton and Brody the dinosaur rider

and Brody Napoleon 

Marlie, old woman and scary person

Hyrum as Ironman, Angel Maya

Henry, as Henry X, his made-up super hero since he was 3!  This year he brought it to life!

Unicorn Thomas

Briannarella and Rex Quando from Napaoleon Dynamite

Unicorn Lindsay and skeleton Jared

Red Power Ranger Alex and Jack Jack Incredible Ethan

~SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU SMILE~

Time out?  Aila saw Syrina and Raymond in time-out and it looked like fun to her, so she joined them, folded arms and crossed feet and all.

Lucy's first encounter with solid food?  Not so yummy, huh?

Sign at community center in Colorado

Remember this?  I know you're smiling!

This from Alex made me laugh right out loud.

~LAST WORDS~

The end of October marked the end of our three-year temple presidency service.  It has truly been a joyful calling, especially having the opportunity to work with Dad.  We haven't really worked together much in church service, the whole time we've been married, except when we were called to the nursery as young marrieds, and then on our mission to Portugal.  So this has been a treat.

I have learned so much in this calling.  I can't even begin to say all that I've learned, but I will mention three things: 1)Frequent temple attendance changes your life.  It changes your relationships with others and with the Lord and brings you joy.  2) I have come to understand the meaning of consecration better by seeing the temple workers and patrons who come to the temple in spite of distance, health problems, family problems, age, other things that most of us use as excuses.  They come because they love the Lord and want to serve Him and His children.  3) Temple work is truly the Lord's work.  He is aware of and personally concerned with every ordinance in every temple around the world.  I have seen His hand every single day in the temple, guiding decisions, helping us accomplish the work, and making miracles happen.

Our goal is to attend the temple as patrons as often as we can and never lose the feelings we have gained these last three years.  We have hopes that you will want to go with us from time to time...and also on your own, of course.  What a pleasure it would be to be in the temple with you.  We love you and fervently desire the blessings of frequent temple attendance for each one of you.