On Thursday, April 6, we moved all our belongings to storage and checked out of our house. Aunt Julie made dinner for us and we once again said goodbye to Bartlesville for 18 months.
We spent the weekend at Sarah's home and were set apart as missionaries by President Matthew L. Bell of the Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake in Claremore at noon on Sunday, April 8.
After our setting apart, we drove to the Fair Oaks Ward in Broken Arrow for the baby blessing of Noah Oliver Wright, our twenty-seventh grandchild.
Following the Fast and Testimony Meeting where baby Noah was blessed, we headed for the Tulsa International Airport. Packing for an 18 month trip with baggage limits is not an easy thing, but we managed to only have one of the four bags over-weight by one pound, which thankfully the ticket agent let it slide. We will make some adjustments as we probably won't get that same courtesy with our next flights.
We checked into the Radisson Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday evening and spent Monday picking up a few last minute items and enjoying lunch and dinner with family.
Our training started bright and early at 7:30am on Monday morning in the Salt Lake City temple. Brother and Sister Alldredge, former President and Matron of the Salt Lake Temple, conducted the training. We met in the upstairs chapel of the temple and behind the rostrum is a full wall portrait of the Savior with outstretched arms standing in the sky. For one of the opening hymns we sang several verses of hymn #6 Redeemer of Israel which along with the portrait provided a powerful message:
Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight, on whom for a blessing we call, our shadow by day and our pillar by night, our King, our Deliv'rer our all! We know he is coming to gather is sheep and lead them to Zion in Love....The Tokens already appear. Fear not....for the kingdom is ours. The hour of redemption is near. Restore, my dear Savior, the light of thy face; Thy soul-cheering comfort impart; and let the sweet longing for thy holy place bring hope to my desolate heart. (A side note I was asked to play the organ for the opening hymns which is one of my dream assignments in the temple. It went well and I was even able to do the foot pedals without any problem.) We spent the morning tuesday training on the Initiatory ordinances and then served as initiatory proxy for five deceased family members, most of who were born in the UK. Afterwards we had lunch in the temple cafeteria.
After lunch, we heard from President and Sister Wixom, the Salt Lake Temple President and Matron followed by training on name issue. The insights shared were profound and centered on the concept that in the House of the Lord we strive for all of our Father in Heaven's children to feel loved and uplifted as they participate in the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. This phrase from President Thomas S. Monson was shared "It is better to break a rule than to break a heart." We feel blessed to have been taught these great truths.
On Wednesday, our training focused on the endowment and we went on the 10:00am session. Aunt Robyn and her friend Sharon were able to join us on the session. Wednesday afternoon was focused on the temple baptistry. That evening we met Gerry and Candy Roberts for dinner at the Garden Room in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The Roberts were at the MTC last week and training on records extraction this week. They will be heading to Fort Wayne, Indianan for six months to make copies of rare family history books next week.
After dinner with the Roberts, we met with Lehi Ramos who had served with us in the Brasil Vitória Mission and left his home in Fortaleza to study here in the United States. He's passed the TOEFL examination (meaning his English is very good) and will be starting at LDS Business College in the Fall. It was a sweet reunion and he's doing very well and is even dating a young lady from Utah who had served in the Brazil Fortaleza Mission and therefore speaks Portuguese!
Thursday morning focused on sealing ordinances and we did sealings in Room 3 of the Salt Lake Temple, which is up the stairs on the west end of the Celestial Room. Brother Lake was our sealer and it was an insightful experience. Thursday afternoon, Elder Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy, who is Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department spoke to us. He told his conversion story and gave some interesting background on the construction of temples. Since Elder Kelbingat served as mission president in the Ukraine and secured the site for the temple in Ukraine, he had some unique insights on temple building particularly since the announcement of the first temple in Russia. He also shared the following scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 132:50, "Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you...." In our willingness to serve, despite many imperfections, this brings comfort and hope. We completed our training session on Thursday afternoon by visiting the Talmage Room and receiving final instruction in the Assembly Room of the Salt Lake Temple. It was a deeply touching experience.
Thursday evening we were able to have dinner with President and Sister Young but we forgot to take a picture. We visited for over two hours, catching up on the Youngs, their family, their current and future plans. We will always have a fond place in our hearts for the Youngs and the things we learned from them in Brazil.
Friday morning we left for the Salt Lake Airport at 8:30am and flew to Las Vegas where we had enough time to eat lunch and then depart for LGW (London Gatwick airport). We arrived at about 10:00am GMT+1 and were greeted by President and Sister Freeman, who took us to the temple apartments. We have been assigned to Flat 16 of the Lodge, which are very nice living quarters. We unloaded our luggage and walked around the temple grounds trying to stay awake.
Elder and Sister Page, from South Jordan, Utah, who are our shift coordinators took us to the Sainsbury Supermarket in East Grinstead to buy groceries. We unloaded our groceries, ate a light supper and went to bed about 8:00pm. We were exhausted but so grateful to be here and to serve in the London temple.
Elder and Sister Burkinshaw
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| Our storage unit with all our earthly possessions just before we locked it up for two years. |
We spent the weekend at Sarah's home and were set apart as missionaries by President Matthew L. Bell of the Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake in Claremore at noon on Sunday, April 8.
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| Following our setting apart as missionaries by President Matthew L Bell on Sunday, April 8, 2018. |
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| Grandma Stacey with Noah Oliver Wright. |
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| Grandpa Jeff with new baby Noah on his blessing day, April 8, 2018. |
Following the Fast and Testimony Meeting where baby Noah was blessed, we headed for the Tulsa International Airport. Packing for an 18 month trip with baggage limits is not an easy thing, but we managed to only have one of the four bags over-weight by one pound, which thankfully the ticket agent let it slide. We will make some adjustments as we probably won't get that same courtesy with our next flights.
We checked into the Radisson Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on Sunday evening and spent Monday picking up a few last minute items and enjoying lunch and dinner with family.
Our training started bright and early at 7:30am on Monday morning in the Salt Lake City temple. Brother and Sister Alldredge, former President and Matron of the Salt Lake Temple, conducted the training. We met in the upstairs chapel of the temple and behind the rostrum is a full wall portrait of the Savior with outstretched arms standing in the sky. For one of the opening hymns we sang several verses of hymn #6 Redeemer of Israel which along with the portrait provided a powerful message:
Redeemer of Israel, Our only delight, on whom for a blessing we call, our shadow by day and our pillar by night, our King, our Deliv'rer our all! We know he is coming to gather is sheep and lead them to Zion in Love....The Tokens already appear. Fear not....for the kingdom is ours. The hour of redemption is near. Restore, my dear Savior, the light of thy face; Thy soul-cheering comfort impart; and let the sweet longing for thy holy place bring hope to my desolate heart. (A side note I was asked to play the organ for the opening hymns which is one of my dream assignments in the temple. It went well and I was even able to do the foot pedals without any problem.) We spent the morning tuesday training on the Initiatory ordinances and then served as initiatory proxy for five deceased family members, most of who were born in the UK. Afterwards we had lunch in the temple cafeteria.
After lunch, we heard from President and Sister Wixom, the Salt Lake Temple President and Matron followed by training on name issue. The insights shared were profound and centered on the concept that in the House of the Lord we strive for all of our Father in Heaven's children to feel loved and uplifted as they participate in the ordinances of salvation and exaltation. This phrase from President Thomas S. Monson was shared "It is better to break a rule than to break a heart." We feel blessed to have been taught these great truths.
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| Elder and Sister Burkinshaw at the Salt Lake Temple for temple missionary training. |
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| Eating a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Apple with Robyn at the City Creek Mall. |
On Wednesday, our training focused on the endowment and we went on the 10:00am session. Aunt Robyn and her friend Sharon were able to join us on the session. Wednesday afternoon was focused on the temple baptistry. That evening we met Gerry and Candy Roberts for dinner at the Garden Room in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. The Roberts were at the MTC last week and training on records extraction this week. They will be heading to Fort Wayne, Indianan for six months to make copies of rare family history books next week.
 |
| Dinner with Gerry and Candy Roberts at the Garden Room. |
After dinner with the Roberts, we met with Lehi Ramos who had served with us in the Brasil Vitória Mission and left his home in Fortaleza to study here in the United States. He's passed the TOEFL examination (meaning his English is very good) and will be starting at LDS Business College in the Fall. It was a sweet reunion and he's doing very well and is even dating a young lady from Utah who had served in the Brazil Fortaleza Mission and therefore speaks Portuguese!
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| We had a great visit with Lehi Ramos from Fortaleza and who served with us in Brasil and is currently studying English and will begin at LDS Business College for Fall semester. |
Thursday morning focused on sealing ordinances and we did sealings in Room 3 of the Salt Lake Temple, which is up the stairs on the west end of the Celestial Room. Brother Lake was our sealer and it was an insightful experience. Thursday afternoon, Elder Jorg Klebingat of the Seventy, who is Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department spoke to us. He told his conversion story and gave some interesting background on the construction of temples. Since Elder Kelbingat served as mission president in the Ukraine and secured the site for the temple in Ukraine, he had some unique insights on temple building particularly since the announcement of the first temple in Russia. He also shared the following scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 132:50, "Behold, I have seen your sacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your sacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you...." In our willingness to serve, despite many imperfections, this brings comfort and hope. We completed our training session on Thursday afternoon by visiting the Talmage Room and receiving final instruction in the Assembly Room of the Salt Lake Temple. It was a deeply touching experience.
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| The ten couples and three sisters that trained with us and Brother and Sister Alldredge (former Salt Lake Temple President and Matron) who presented our training and Elder and Sister Lund who were the Church Service Missionaries who coordinated our training. We were the only ones assigned to the London temple. Other temple assignments were: Manhattan NY, Ecuador, Panama, Palmyra NY, Nauvoo IL, Samoa, Finland, Germany, France, and the Philippines. We were told that there are about 600 temple missionaries worldwide, but around a 1,000 are needed. |
Thursday evening we were able to have dinner with President and Sister Young but we forgot to take a picture. We visited for over two hours, catching up on the Youngs, their family, their current and future plans. We will always have a fond place in our hearts for the Youngs and the things we learned from them in Brazil.
Friday morning we left for the Salt Lake Airport at 8:30am and flew to Las Vegas where we had enough time to eat lunch and then depart for LGW (London Gatwick airport). We arrived at about 10:00am GMT+1 and were greeted by President and Sister Freeman, who took us to the temple apartments. We have been assigned to Flat 16 of the Lodge, which are very nice living quarters. We unloaded our luggage and walked around the temple grounds trying to stay awake.
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| Tired from the long flight but happy to be at the London Temple |
Elder and Sister Page, from South Jordan, Utah, who are our shift coordinators took us to the Sainsbury Supermarket in East Grinstead to buy groceries. We unloaded our groceries, ate a light supper and went to bed about 8:00pm. We were exhausted but so grateful to be here and to serve in the London temple.
Elder and Sister Burkinshaw
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