Sunday, August 27, 2017

After two very busy weeks, we stayed home all week catching up on office work. We feel like we're back on top of things, although we have so many "irons in the fire" right now, it's hard to be sure. 

We had another terrible tragedy here in Jamaica involving another Church member. I don't believe we mentioned the other two. About 3 weeks ago, we had one of our dear friends in Montego Bay shot and killed in her yard. Another young man we hadn't had the chance to meet yet was also shot and killed in crossfire in a different city. And now this past week, a young boy was shot and killed while sleeping in his mother's arms in their home. His mother was seriously wounded in her arm. We are so saddened by these events and pray every day for peace in the world. Unfortunately, such shootings are not unusual occurrences here, and some people seem to accept them as just part of life. Of course, others are much more affected. 

We attended Mandeville District Conference today in May Pen which is where the young boy's family attends church. Along with many other wonderful speakers, President Pearson, the Mission President, gave the closing talk about forgiveness. It was one of the most amazing talks we've heard on this topic. He introduced the talk by saying he felt impressed to offer some words of comfort and peace. We know he was definitely inspired to share what he did.

Our prayers are for comfort only the Lord can provide for those who have been so affected by these horrific events, and we also pray for the members of the branches they attended. Many hearts are hurting. 

May Pen Branch Meetinghouse

We leave on the temple trip to Panama City, Panama tomorrow morning. We are excited to share this next week with about 35 faithful Jamaican saints who have sacrificed much to be able to take this trip. Another senior missionary couple, Elder and Sister Brown, is also going as well as a member of the Kingston Stake Presidency and his wife. The Browns went on the group trip last year, and the Medleys shepherd these groups every year, so we are depending on them for guidance. We will be staying on the temple complex which has housing for those traveling from long distances. 

In 2006, at the dedication of the Sacramento, California Temple, President Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church told a gathering of Saints that members can draw closer to the Savior Jesus Christ in these magnificent edifices than anywhere else in the world. We know this to be true, and we know that through Christ we can find the peace and hope that will sustain individuals and families in today's troubled world. 

Elder Elder Richard H. Winkel, Of the Seventy, in a talk entitled, "The Temple Is about Families" stated, "When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families. As my wife, Karen, and I have increased our temple service, our love for each other and for our children has increased. And it doesn’t stop there. It extends to parents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, forebears, and especially our grandchildren! This is the Spirit of Elijah, which is the spirit of family history work; and when inspired by the Holy Ghost, it prompts the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. Because of the priesthood, husbands and wives are sealed together, children are sealed to their parents for eternity so the family is eternal and will not be separated at death." 

Malachi 4: 

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Celestial Room - Panama City Temple

We, of course, do not take pictures inside any temple. 

This is a picture taken by Church photographers before the dedication of the temple. 

We plan to be serving in the temple every day Tuesday through Saturday. Since we have two years of experience serving as Ordinance Workers, we understand we will mostly likely be asked to serve in that capacity some of the time while we're there; that will be great. We've been asked to be the unofficial photographers during the trip, so we'll have plenty of pictures to share next week.  We also hope to be able to visit the Panama Canal one of the days when we've finished our work in the temple. 

We get home next Sunday evening fairly late. We are flying out of Kingston tomorrow, but we fly back into Montego Bay on Sunday and then will take a bus back to Kingston with the others who live here. I'm sure we'll be tired, but it will be a good tired.

Until next week...

All our love.