Since our Branch had an organized temple trip planned, we were allowed to attend with them. We travelled to the Atlanta Temple on Saturday morning. As we entered the temple, I got so excited! I felt a rush of, "I'm home! I'm home!" It was SO GOOD to be back in the temple! It's not just the fact that the temple is now hours away, but that we are not free to attend anytime we desire.
Our wonderful Sister Donna Orstrom received her endowment and was sealed to her departed husband. Most of the able Branch members were there. It was a lovely, spiritual experience. We also performed endowments and sealings for family members of another man in the Branch.
When it was time for us to leave the temple, I wanted to find something to delay our departure. I didn't want to leave that sacred place of peace, protection, and inspiration. I felt like pleading, "Please don't make me leave!" However, we still had to go home to Murphy.
Every time I have thought or spoken about it today, those awesome feelings have come rushing back and renewed the thrill in my soul. We are so grateful for God's grace and goodness!
Friday the 13th was Lynn's (Elder Ogden's) birthday. That is reason enough to discount the fears of it being an unlucky day! We spent the day in Waynesville in Zone Meeting. I baked his favorite cake and took enough to share with the entire Zone, 30 of us. To his embarrassment, everyone sang to him. :) That evening our Branch Relief Society President invited us and the young Elders over for dinner with her family and some non-members. She went out of her way and even made Lynn's favorite enchiladas for dinner. Later Elder Bacon had us all act out the story of Amalakiah deceiving Lahonti and ending up king. The kids loved it! The lesson was: Don't come off the mountain! Deceiving ones will gradually coax you away from what you know is best and right, then trap you! Don't come off the mountain!
It was a great evening.
We spent an hour in the Cherokee County Museum one day. We will return again for there is much more to see and study. It is so interesting to see remains of former days of this area, both white and Native American peoples.
As per the rest of the country, we remembered those lost on 9/11. I'm not sure those memories will ever dim. Time helps ease the trauma and pain, but the memory is still vivid.
Sister Casper, the secretary in the Mission office, became very ill several days ago and passed away Friday night. She and Elder Casper have only been on their mission two months longer than us. We are all very sad for him and the entire family. She was Senator Orrin Hatch's secretary for many years previous.
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| I will never forget this sight. |
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| Some of our heroes |
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| A memorable tribute |
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| North Carolina wildflowers |
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| Wildflowers or weeds, still pretty |
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| Zone training on laying a solid foundation, in building and in testimony. |
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| Elder Crowell--no, mustaches are not allowed. :) |
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| Elder Hunt's creative cufflinks |
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| A creative old-fashioned still |
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| Native stone art |
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| Cherokee knives (front one from the jawbone of a bear) |
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| Hand carved fiddle |
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| Fairy crosses (enlarge and read the story) |
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| Worthwhile prayer |
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| Anyone read Cherokee? |
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