HA, yep, its been a crazy, fun, sad week!
So, to start off, an endowment.
So, in Edmond, a convert of a year was able to go to the temple! So amazing! Her name is Susan! We were not sure how to get there, and all other resources exhausted, we were about to take the car from the sisters (to the complaints of them :)), and they must have said a prayer in desperation! Because at 9:30 pm the night before, a name of a member popped into my head out of nowhere! So we called and immediately they said yes! And what's also awesome about that is, they took us to a Chinese buffet after, which, by the way, is my first one I've ever gone to. It was cool! As I was eating the slightly strange food, I could only imagine what Wheelwright Choro was eating right then :)
And to make it an even better week for her, she got sealed Saturday! So, in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma temple, it is literally the smallest temple in the world, and Susan has met with many a missionary. Fortunate, yet unfortunate, all of those missionaries were planning to go to her sealing. So that turned out awesome! And we went to her reception that day, and glorious food was arrayed everywhere. My favorite, mashed potatoes and gravy! Surprisingly enough, we hardly ever have that here. When I thought of Oklahoma, I thought of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and country gravy.
An hour after the reception, in the same building, the sisters had a baptism.
For a church meeting right before church, our bishop read a quote from Brigham Young about service, and that that is his religion, and said that we were going to prepare for the funeral. The funeral was going to be held that day, and they estimated 600 people showing up in our chapel. Whew, kind of daunting! It was amazing to see all the men, elders quorum, young men, and high priests work together to prepare for the funeral. We set up every chair in the whole church in as many places as we could. The time of the funeral arriving, us missionaries were the ushers. 6 vans full of flowers came and were put in the chapel. The funeral, with it starting at 6:30, and people started showing up at 5. At about 6, our chapel was full, and the gym also, and 700 programs were all given away by then. At least 1000 people showed up, if not more. Every hallway was lined with people, the gym had all the walls lined with people standing, and many other rooms that had speakers in them were full. Many fire-code hazards later, the funeral started. It was absolutely beautiful! So many people gained comfort from the plan of salvation, and so many gained a testimony of it that night. It was a wonderful funeral, celebrated with joy and sorrow. See, as members of the church, there is a knowledge that families are forever, and that there is life after death. Such a glorious doctrine that Heavenly Father has revealed to us, and I'm so glad he has.
This week has gave me a perspective on many things! I was able to see all major points of peoples life (except birth, thankfully). A baptism, starting an eternity of commitment to God. An endowment, another step along the stair way of life. A sealing, being paired with a companion of your choice for all eternity. A death, passing on to the other side. And a Chinese buffet to fit all in the middle of that:)
So many doctrines benefit us in life. The full and restored truth of it all. So many others could benefit from the knowledge we have been given. Given freely, freely shall I give.
Elder Wheelwright
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| Elder Wheelwright at the reception |
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| Michelle and Tom Russell with Elder Wheelwright |
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| Chillin' with brilliance |
