Preparing for the Temple to close down...

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

The French have come and they are now gone. We had a delightful week with them. They came very organized and ready to do temple work. Their children were darling. Picture an adorable little girl, with long brown curls and a pixie face, dragging around a bedraggled, long-eared, stuffed rabbit. They were all over the place and we loved them. Most, however, spoke no English and having conversations with them was impossible. We really wanted to make friends and learn to know them better. On Saturday Dad and I helped a company of Portuguese saints in their own session. Boy, we were anxious and nervous, but wow did it turn out well. There were 4 new patrons in this session and in the Celestial Room a lot of smiles and tears and hugs all around. 

By the title of this week’s letter, you can tell (hopefully) that this is the last week the temple will be open for two and a half months. Our leaders have told us to expect a huge crowd each day or to expect nothing. It has been busier than usual for the past two weeks and we even set a record of over a 1,000 endowments for last week. It is always a wait and see dilemma. We are really looking forward to a long rest, because Monday Aug.26^th is a ‘bank holiday’ and so the temple will be open for half of the day. That means that we will have worked 15 straight days (we don’t count Sunday as a day off).

We tried to visit a National Trust site last Monday called Leith Hill. There is a 1,000 foot tower there from which you can see the metropolis of London in one direction and the sea (channel) in the other. When we started out the skies were clear and beautiful, but by the time we were going to head that way, everything was clouded over. Apparently, the weather is very changeable here, kinda like Utah sometimes.

The planes (jets) are taking off over the temple today. Usually they are approaching to land over the temple. Dad has a new app that tracts every plane “with a black box” that flies over, what kind of plane it is, its altitude, how fast it is going, and where it is headed or came from. (www.flightradar24.com) He LOVES it. I often hear him exclaim, “Here comes a big one!” We’ve really gotten used to the planes and really don’t notice them very much, except, I do in the middle of the night.  They never stop flying.

I forgot to mention one thing that all can file under ‘simply amazing facts’. If you will remember, the London Temple was built in 1958 and the business I worked at for 23 years was also built in about the same time (1953).  I retired from Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Co. (accounting dept.) where all the furnishings and furniture were vintage 1950’s. Well—things haven’t changed much for me because all the décor etc. is vintage 1950’s here at the temple. It is well made and nothing fancy like the Salt Lake Temple, but still well-stated and beautiful. We haven’t seen the new temple film yet, but are looking forward to seeing it in the Preston Temple in September. Our temple will be getting it or rather will be getting the equipment to show it during our shut-down. Something to look forward to, huh? 

The picture of me (the old gray-haired lady) and the young dark-eyed sister were taken after the ‘bank holiday’ picnic. Her name is Jana Wilkinson and she has been working in the temple with us since we got here. She works 2 or 3 days a week. She graduated from a university in the Boston area and is over here getting her master’s degree in disaster and emergency management. She is originally from Manti, that’s Manni for you locals, and after she finishes with her schooling, she will go home (in Oct) and then on a hike somewhere in New Zealand. She has travelled all over the world, mostly doing research for her degree etc. We have really enjoyed getting to know her too. 

We hope to hear a little blip from some of you. We know you’re hearing from us, so let us know in a quick message sometime.  

Love to all:  Carolee, Mom, Granny

London Temple landscape late August

Bank Holiday picnic

Interesting pinecones pointing up

Dear All, 

I spent most of this week in a small room on the upper floor of the temple for coordinators. In this room is a print of a painting by Minerva Tiechert, a renowned LDS artist, of the Savior on a hillside in Galilee (I suppose) in a white robe carrying a little black lamb. The sun is setting and reflects off a pond or small stream of water. Following the Savior are a few dozen ewes with lambs and yearlings. Early in the week, the painting was just there hanging on the wall. But in quiet moments, I would gaze upon this beautiful masterpiece. It’s surprising how many thoughts came to my mind as to what Sister Tiechert was thinking when she painted this picture. 

Here are a couple of thoughts that came to mind. The Savior was carrying a black lamb, not long in mortality. Maybe this lamb had been abandoned by its mother. Could it have been left behind or injured and He picked it up to comfort it? Obviously the Savior loved this little one. Our Heavenly Father sent us His Son to lead us, and carry us when necessary, through mortality. He is no respecter of persons. We are His spirit children. He loves us all equally. 

Next, I noticed He was leading these sheep and they were following. Every one of them had their eyes on the Savior, their Shepherd. He was their protector.  Today, many of us tend to be sheep herders rather than being kind and considerate of others, that they will want to follow our example. Likewise, He is our Shepherd showing us the way. But as you all know, it is not easy, at times, to keep our eyes on Him and His example. The promise is that through the Atonement, He will be our strength as we follow Him. 

The calming effect of the small body of water and the lush hillside reminded me that the gospel of Jesus Christ sustains us. The gospel feeds us spiritually. It is our guiding influence. He is our protector and advocate. No matter our station in life, the trials that may come upon us, the challenges that are before us, we have the sustaining and calming effect of the gospel to help us through. He is with us through the power of the Holy Ghost. We are not alone. 

Many more thoughts came to my mind and left before I wrote them down, but the painting lifted me spiritually. I felt the love of the Savior as one of his many lambs. 

Love, dad and granddad

London Temple under the Rainbow

London Temple Presidency

Brother and sister Rouse

Brother and Sister Gray-Australia

Sister king (on left) at her "Bye"-Florida

President and Sister Lock

Brother and Sister Masih 

English Observations...

We have had a good but not unusual week. We served on the early shift (9 am to 3 pm) in various capacities, which allowed me (Carolee) to observe many things about the English people with whom we serve. While working in the clothing department, where patrons come and rent temple clothing, I noticed that the majority of the sisters have small feet. Very seldom do they ask for a size 8, 9 or 10. I have been known to sit and compare my dainty little feet (size 10) with those around me and I can’t figure out how they can get around on such little petite feet. Of course, they don’t trip over their right foot like I do on the carpets in the temple either. The other thing I have noticed is that almost half of the people are left-handed. Really, they are, which makes me feel right at home, being a left-hander myself. And, this may be true of only the temple workers I associate with, but most of the wives are larger than their husbands. The most wonderful thing I’ve noticed is that they almost always call each other, ‘love’, ‘lovey’ or ‘darling’. Terms of endearment are used everywhere, even at the food stores by the checkers. I really think that it sets a healthy atmosphere.

I served with a sister who has dyslexia this week. She is a little older than I am and has quite a bubbly personality. I noticed that she had a hard time reading the names on the patrons cards as we were doing their work and had to have me  help her sound them out. It was then that she told me she is dyslexic and that is why she needed the help. (happily, I obliged) It brought back memories of helping our son, who was also dyslexic, through school. I told her about his serving a mission and how worried we were that he would not be able to function as well as the other missionaries because of his problem. The miracle of being a missionary came to pass in his life and he had no problems with his studying and reading while on his mission. The Lord was really blessing him and in many ways. It was such a wonderful testimony of missionary work to us as his family too.

We have begun our week with the dear French members. They absolutely filled the accommodation center on Monday the 18th. It is kind of weird when we walk down the halls, going to the temple or to do our wash etc. and we can’t understand a word they say. The parents take turns (mom first, then dad after) going to the temple, whilst the teenagers congregate in the foyers with their cell phone and ipads etc. The darling little ones act just like my grandkids on Sunday night by going in and out doors and up and down stairs, screaming, squealing, laughing, and chasing one another. They are really a lively group. The young ones who could do baptisms, did around 280 baptisms on Tuesday alone. They are really dedicated saints, who enjoy their time at the London Temple. Thankfully, the weather has been ‘brilliant’ for the kids to enjoy the temple grounds. All I can do is smile when I pass by and say ‘bon jour’.  Needless to say, this will be a very busy week. We did ask one fellow, who could speak a little English, about the new temple in Paris. He said it was being built close to Versailles and then added, quickly, don’t everyone come to see it at first, just let them (the French) enjoy it first, PLEASE. We told him we would wait to come.  He was embarrassed that he had told us that, but we got the idea.

Niel, Carolee and the Littlefields enjoying their "P-day" 

I’ve talked Dad into shooting a movie of our little car, doing its special thing. On Monday, our prep-day, we put the top down and took a spin in the countryside. It was wonderful or should I say it really was brilliant!  Thanks to the Turners for their generosity and kindness in letting us use their cute car.  We love it, too. 

Love, Grandma Carolee

More Pictures from Hever Castle

This little 4 year old named Ivan had a lot to tell me about his mum.
He had the cutest little lisp you've ever heard.

Carolee and Sister LIttlefield

Moat at Hever Castle

Entrance to Hever Castle

Farewell to dear friends and fellow temple workers

Let me see---this week we have been experiencing a phenomenon which our sons and son-in-laws and granddaughter, Ashley, have all experienced while on their missions. We are learning that missionaries come and go on a regular basis.  The hard part is that we make friends and sometimes close friends who in the end we say goodbye to, and will probably never see again. These people have enriched our lives and made our way smoother.  They have shared their knowledge and their testimonies and Dad and I are much better people for it.  On Sunday evening we had a ‘BYE’ for two couples and one sister of whom we had a great deal of contact. The sister was my trainer and, even though she was a very proper English lady when she was teaching me about the temple workings, she could come out of her shell and let her hair down and we would have a lot of fun. She is very musically inclined. I learned that she is a published author and is currently writing a novel, which I hope to read someday. I’ll let Dad tell you about the two couples because he had more to do with them. However, we will miss them here at the temple and miss our friendship more. The temple presidency and matrons are starting to move out of their apartments in the Manor and that, as well, is pulling on our heart strings.  You know, change is hard, isn’t it?

Sister Collis at her "bye"

The other big, huge event that happened this week is that I, Carolee, aka Granny, Mom actually gave Grandpa (he doesn’t like Gramps) a haircut!  One ear is a little lower than the other, but it looks like he visited the old barber shop, because I did it with clippers that we sent away for.  It doesn’t look like a scissor cut at all, from my point of view, but at least his hair is no longer doing a flip up over his ears. The last time I cut his hair, we were first married and too poor for him to pay to get it cut. (I'm waiting for a picture to be sent!)

We both have been coordinators in different parts of the temple. Another new experience. I have been coming back to our flat with my brain scrambled. There are a lot of things to remember and keep straight on this assignment. It has been a good week though. I love working with these dear sisters, and they love to give me a bad time and then tell me how good I am doing.  On Tuesday, I wore a pair of reading glasses which were bright pink. I knew that I would be in a part of the temple where not a lot of people would see me.  They are some glasses I bought to read in bed at night with. They are a little bit stronger and have a switch under each temple piece which turns on a LED light on each side. Well, I decided to show some of the sisters their special features and we almost had to empty the room we were working in.  WHAT A HIT! They were so surprised and delighted that they cried from laughing, and of course, they made me show everyone who happened by.  They all want to go to America and find some just like them, especially since I told them I have a pair in turquoise too. 

Something like these!

This week, Monday, we visited an old castle very near the temple. Its name is Hever Castle. It was built in the 1200s and was home to two of King Henry VIII’s wives. (Pictures to follow) Anne Boleyn and Ann of Cleves. It was beautifully restored from a very dilapidated condition early in the 1900s when William Waldorf Astor bought it and spent $10,000,000.00 restoring it. That was a lot of money in those days too. The Astor family lived in it and used it until the 1960s when they sold it after a minor flood. However, it was decorated with a huge amount of hand carved woodwork. Wood floors, which I am always surprised at because I think they should all be stone like the walls etc.  Small spiral stair cases and a beautiful inner courtyard to enter the house from after crossing over the moat and the front gate, complete with wooden (not iron) bars that drop down to stop the enemy from entering in. The leaded glass windows were to die for as well as the paintings of the wives of Henry VIII and the countryside around it.  It is a perfect place to bring a picnic and find a place on the lawn outside and relax.

Hever Castle

Hever landscape

Hever entrance

Carolee and the Littlefields at Hever entrance

Swans at Hever

The last thing I want to tell you is about the diversity of patrons that we have visiting the temple on any given day.  At the same time, we had a sister from Nigeria, a sister from Spain and a sister from France we were helping. We did everything in English and they read it from a card in their language. (Well, not the sister from Nigeria, she spoke English) You get to rub shoulders with people from everywhere and when they are members of the church is broadens your perspective.  I love it! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it still amazes me. 

We love you all, thanks for your prayers and thanks for reading our ramblings.  

LOVE, G. Carolee

Dear All,

As mentioned above, we said goodbye to some fellow temple workers. One reason we have become so attached to these brothers and sisters is because they have been our mentors, trainers, fault finders, spiritual advisors etc.  In other words, they pretty much know everything about our abilities, talents and shortcomings. It has been their job to tell us nicely that we should do some things in a better  way.  One thing we have been very good about, in my opinion, is showing love and respect for all temple patrons. We want them to come back to the House of the Lord often.

Brother and sister Kelly at their "bye"

Brother Kelly, was my trainer.  His Yorkshire accent is to die for. He loves to hum to himself, laugh and smile. He has defended my inadequacies with others. He even came flying out of his chair when something appeared to be off-track. That story will have to be told in a private setting. But I love the guy and we had a very good working relationship. I shed a tear when he gave his farewell. His wife has been a real stalwart in the temple with the sisters. 

Brother and sister Morris at their "bye"

Brother and Sister Morris also said goodbye. We didn’t know them quite as well because they worked on the “B” Shift. They had a difficult time with leaving because they wanted to stay longer, but were denied that opportunity, or at least it was left up to the new temple president. More to this story but we will see what happens in months to come.

I have heard there are at least two black badge missionary couples (proselytizing couples) coming in November, along with a single sister missionary. They will be welcomed.

I think we can say we have settled in and enjoy our work. Our native English vocabulary is improving every week. 

All is well, 

Love Dad

Dusk sun rays on the temple

“Days to never be forgotten…”

August 4, 2013

The title of this weeks blog, “days never to be forgotten” was taken from a statement made by Oliver Cowdery as he assisted the Prophet Joseph in the restoration.  These words stuck in my mind during this week so I thought they could be used as the header. 

Likewise, we are experiencing days “never to be forgotten” in terms of being in the latter days of this dispensation. George Q Cannon noted that for every temple stone put in place, the power of the adversary is decreased. We now have over 140 operating temples, and many more in the planning stage. There is a lot of work to be done, a lot of dedication to be had, and a lot of time to be spent.  We are happy to have this opportunity to serve in the Kingdom as called by a prophet of the Lord. 

Thank you for your love and prayers. 

Please send pictures!

Love,   Dad

We have had a very interesting week at the temple. Dad and I have been serving as coordinators all by ourselves (I can’t believe they actually trusted us) on the top floor of the temple. We found, you will all be pleased to know, that I was able to control myself and I didn’t do bodily harm to your father. We did, however, witness a little “tiff” between another sister and brother (not her husband) and it really brought home to us that the temple is NOT a place for angry words or feelings. There is always a peaceful, reassuring feeling in the Lord’s House that I really miss when we are not there. It’s almost as if I need to get my “temple fix” so that I can operate effectively during the week.

I need to tell you about the ward we attend. The lady who accompanied the congregation on the organ really had a hard time this Sunday. It was testimony meeting. She got up to bare her testimony and asked if there was anyone who could help with the organ until the regular organist came back from holiday. So—guess who is playing the organ for the next two weeks. I’m back in the saddle again! The organ is old and has certainly seen better days. Several of the foot pedals don’t even play and it only has one volume-LOUD.  But I think I’ll enjoy playing again. I also have to teach the Gospel Doctrine Lesson. Busy week, huh?

Anyway, because it was testimony meeting, we had several people get up to the pulpit and tell us wonderful experiences and testimonies. It was very touching, and I spent a lot of the meeting in tears. (Of course). I love to go to this ward because there are about 4 or 5 sets of missionaries who attend there also. We love to rub shoulders with them. They ooze the spirit and are so excited to see us. There is one who is my favorite, though. He is about Jay’s height 6’5” or so and even has hair just like Jay’s. He is so friendly and ready with a big handshake and hello and bigger smile each Sunday. He just makes me feel happy being around him and all my mothering instincts seem to come out because he has a face that only a mother could love. He was blessed with a very bad cleft palate. It has been fixed, but maybe not as well as it could have been.  However, he doesn’t let it stop him from doing his missionary work. He has a ton of enthusiasm and a great love for the work. We also had another missionary who bore his testimony, saying that he is an “internet” missionary, in that, he puts up blogs and visits with people who are interested in the gospel on line. He told us that this last week he had a young lady make the decision to be baptized because the things he put on his blog answered her questions. He was so happy.

Our Sunday school class was about the people who surrounded Joseph who either supported or were against him. We spent some time discussing Joseph’s brother, Hyrum.  The lesson quoted how much Joseph thought of and loved his brother because of the kind of person he was.  “I could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my beloved brother Hyrum, who possesses the mildness of a lamb, and the integrity of a Job, and in short, the meekness and humility of Christ; and I love him with that love that is stronger than death, for I never had occasion to rebuke him, nor he me.” I could make the connection with Steven. I told the class that we have a son-in-law to whom babies, small children and dogs always seem to gravitate. They all seem to know that he has a kind heart and a special goodness about him. I told them that it was because he was a great, great, etc. grandson of Hyrum Smith and the goodness he carries comes from his great grandfather Hyrum.

Our next P-day will see us visiting London for the first time. We are planning on taking the tour bus around just to see the sights.  Maybe we will stop at just one place. That is all the time we will have. We’ll be sending pictures to go with our trip.

P-Day Travelers

Victoria Station

Double Decker Bus Riders

Hyde Park Speakers Corner

London Side Street

London's Apple Store 

London Eye

St Paul's Cathedral

Tower of London

Big Ben

Thames River

Westminster Abby

How would you like to drive a double decker bus in this traffic?

Hard Rock Cafe, London

Happy, happy birthday to our oldest granddaughter, Ashley (Hermana Lancaster) on her mission in the Bronx!!  We love you!!

Love you all, love your emails and pictures.  

Have a great week!

Mom, Grandma and Carolee