Annual Temple Devotional

Dear Family and Friends:
     We pray that each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family, friends, and plenty of food.  As we have served here and in El Salvador, we have realized just how blessed we have been.  We are so thankful for the modern conveniences that we take for granted every day:  hot running water, cold running water that is fit to drink, a furnace for cold days, air conditioning for hot days, windows that shut out the wind, a car so we don't have to rely on public buses, having a home of our own and not sharing it with three generations of our family at once, just to name a few.  We are also thankful for the blessings that we have in common with everyone here; family, love, the gospel, friends, life.  And as a song from our youth taught, "just be happy" and we are.
   We had the AM shift on Thanksgiving day, so after our shift we went with the Roberts to Taco Bell for lunch.

We had been eating leftovers of our turkey dinner for three days so it was a fun change.
     Sunday, the 30th of November, was our annual Temple Devotional.  The Temple Presidency had to speak and Hermana Burk.  Hermana Roberts and I did not have to speak.  The temple missionaries were the special number.  I directed and Hermana Gardner played the piano.  We sang "Let us All Press On" in Spanish.  It went very well.

This year, December the 16th, is the 30th anniversary of the opening of this Temple.  We cannot have a big party to celebrate this event, but President Burk told us that we were the Temple Choir for this anniversary.  It was fun to direct a choir again, even though not many could watch me cause we were all watching the Spanish words to sing them correct.  We had a good crowd (240) and everyone felt the love that we have for our workers and we felt their love in return.

      Our Saturday morning shift coordinator is Hermana Lemus.  She is about 4'8" and rides her motorcycle to the temple each Saturday morning arriving at 4:15AM.  Some mornings it is only in the low 60's and she comes in very cold.  This is their family car.

      We are surrounded by dedicated, faithful people who love their Father in Heaven and love serving in His Holy House.  We have had a wonderful Thanksgiving season with lots of blessings to count.  We are thankful for our families and friends.  We send our love to all.  May your Christmas season be filled with the Christmas spirit of loving and giving.  Lon and Nancy, Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma