Exciting Happenings at the Temple!

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This is an exciting time to be doing Family History!  We have been talking about different records being available for our research and how easy it has become to obtain information.  People all over the world are working together on family trees – adding documents, little details, photos and stories.  We may not know these distant family members but we have the blessing of benefitting from their contributions.  Each little added piece of information brings us closer together  -  members and non-members alike building one wonderful family. 

We as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, have an additional blessing.  We have the Temple so we can be proxy for those family members on our tree and help them become part of our eternal family!  Before COVID became part of our lives, we could go to the Temple just about any time we wanted.  Now as Temples are slowly opening up again, there have been some changes to our attendance.  We need to make reservations.  Our Temple Presidency has worked hard to keep the Temple open and has been led by inspiration to limit the number of patrons in each ordinance session and to limit the number of sessions being held at a time.   Sometimes it seems impossible to make a reservation that is convenient for you and your family and it can be frustrating.

GOOD NEWS!  Beginning December 1, the Provo Temple will be increasing the number of sessions held for Initiatory and Endowments.  Instead of reservations being offered only on the hour, they will be offered every half hour!  We will still  have to make reservations and they will fill up fast but it will give us twice the opportunity to attend.

More good news!  The Temple Presidency, under the direction of the First Presidency, has been making some adjustments to procedures within the Temple.  Just a sneak peak at one adjustment:  There will be sisters on the recommend desk as you enter the Temple.  This frees up the brothers to perform more Priesthood ordinances as we draw closer to pre-COVID operation.    

As an ordinance worker, I have had the privilege of seeing some of the exciting changes in procedures.  We have been told that some day in the not-too-distant future, the Temples will be operating 24 hours a day so the work can be done for our families.  Brothers and Sisters, we are getting closer to this day.  COVID has been frustrating for us, but the Lord has a plan in place and His work is going as it has been planned.  Our part is to gather our family members into our family trees and go to the Temple and complete the work that needs to be done on earth.  Are you ready? Have you been able to add to your FamilySearch tree?  Do you have family name cards printed?  Have you been able to make an appointment to be a proxy for those family members?

A couple of notes:  When attending the Temple, you will be required to wear a mask.  It must cover your nose and mouth.  Also, the Temple has advised that they are not able to print the family name cards for us.  We need to have them printed before we attend the Temple. 

If you need help, please let us know.  We are here for you.  We can help with the research, printing your family cards, whatever you need.  If we do not have the answer, we know where to get it.

This is such an exciting time!  COVID slowed us down a bit on our attendance but gave us the chance to concentrate on research and preparing our family name cards.  Now is the time to take a trip down the canyon to the Lord’s house!

We love this ward family. Let us know how we can help you in this great work of gathering Israel.

Brother and Sister May

             PS.  With the increased number of ordinance sessions being offered, the Temple also has need of more help.  If you have the desire, please talk with the Bishop. 

 

 

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