June 2019: Chelsea and Matt Visit

Chelsea and Matt came to visit us at the beginning of June to see some of the beautiful sites here in London.  We picked them up at Heathrow, drove to the London Temple where they freshened up and then went into London for a show.

Les Miserables

On our way to the Queens Theatre, Chelsea and Matt posed in front of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain at Piccadilly Square.  The subject of the Memorial is the Greek god Anteros and was given the name The Angel of Christian Charity.  

A panoramic shot of Piccadilly Circus at dawn which shows both the Memorial and the "Times Square-like" signs.  Piccadilly Circus is the center of commercial activity in London.

Chelsea and Matt with the Queens Theatre in the background and the Les Miserables sign.  Before the show, we stopped for dinner at the Mexican restaurant Tortillas.

The obligatory selfie in the Queens Theatre before the show.  The theatre was relatively small but they used a large "turn-table" on the stage for Les Miserables and the singing was outstanding.  We heard each other humming songs from the show for days thereafter. ;-)

Elder and Sister Burkinshaw with the Les Miserables icon on the curtain before the show.

Hever Castle

After a good nights sleep, Chelsea and Matt went for an endowment session while we worked the early shift at the Temple.  After our shift, we went to visit Hever Castle.

The gatehouse to the Hever Castle estate.

Chelsea and Matt in front of Hever Castle.  Notice the weather was the traditional English drizzle.

Hever Castle was Anne Boleyn's girlhood home and where Henry VIII courted he.  Here is Chelsea and Matt with mannequins of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Anne's sister Mary who was one of Henry VIII mistresses.

The royals crests of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves (another of Henry VIII wives).

Hever Castle with a mother swan and her seven baby swans (cygnets) swimming behind.

A mother swan with her seven cygnets (baby swans) in tow.

Chelsea and Matt at the lake created on the River Eden at the Hever Castle estate.

Chelsea with the Italian gardens of Hever Castle in the background.

The Red Barn

Following our visit to Hever Castle, we had a traditional English pub dinner at the Red Barn restaurant. 

Matt and Chelsea in front of the Red Barn restaurant.

Matt had the traditional fish and chips with mushy peas, Chelsea had the Red Barn burger with chips, Sister Burkinshaw had a chicken salad and Elder Burkinshaw had chicken Kiev.

Chelsea and Matt with one of the sheep at the Red Barn

Chelsea and Matt with a Holstein cow at the Red Barn

Patti and Rayde - Eastbourne

Patti and Rayde came to visit us about the same time that Chelsea and Matt left to visit Paris for a few days.  So we took them to see the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs near Eastbourne.

Patti and Rayde at the "Seven Sisters" chalk cliff formation near the coastal English Channel city of Eastbourne.  

Patti and Rayde with the Beachy Head lighthouse near Eastbourne.

Patti and Rayde and the Belle Tout lighthouse near Birling Gap.

Red poppies growing on the hill near the Belle Tout lighthouse.

Patti and Rayde at Hever Castle with the traditional English drizzle.

Patti and Rayde in front of Hever Castle.

London Weekend

On Saturday we worked the early shift at the London Temple while Patti and Rayde went into London to see the Tower of London.  Chelsea and Matt returned from Paris on the EuroStar train via the chunnel (tunnel under the English Channel) and we all met up for dinner and stayed at the Marriott Kensington hotel.  Sunday morning we attended church at the Hyde Park chapel.

Patti and Rayde in front of the Hyde Park Chapel.

Close-up of Patti and Rayde at the Hyde Park chapel.  The chapel was dedicated in 1961 by President David O McKay while Elder Holland and Elder Cook served in the British mission.

Matt and Chelsea at the Hyde Park Chapel.

Matt and Chelsea in front the the Hyde Park meetinghouse which is also home of the England London Mission and other offices of the church as well as the Hyde Park stake.

Chelsea and Matt at the Prince Albert Memorial.  Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, was a strong advocate of technology in 19th century England.  He died at the young age of 42.  Queen Victoria lived to age 81 and mourned her husbands death nearly half of her life.  Royal Prince Albert Hall is just across the street.

Patti and Rayde at the Prince Albert Memorial.  The memorial was built 11 years after his death.  Because of his significant contributions to technology and social reform, this stunning and comparatively expensive memorial was built in his honor. 

Chelsea cooling her feet in the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park.

Sister Burkinshaw and Patti in front of the Princess Diana Memorial.

Sister Burkinshaw, Matt and Chelsea in front of the Victoria and Albert Museum which is next to the Hyde Park Chapel.

Patti and Rayde in front of the Victoria and Albert Museum.  The museum was founded in 1852 and is the world's largest museum of applied and decorative arts and design with over 2.27 million objects.

Chelsea in front the Joseph Mallord William Turner's 1831 painting "Life-Boat and Manby Apparatus Going off to a Stranded Vessel Making Signal (Blue Lights) of Distress"  The Manby apparatus was a lifesaving device of a rope fired fom a motar.  It was invented by Captain George Manby after a shipwreck in 1807 at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.  President Thomas S. Monson called this painting "To the Rescue" in his General Conference talk of the same title which may well have heralded the change from "Home/Visiting Teaching" to "Ministering" in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Swan and Otter Hunt tapestry (1440 AD):  Different types of hunting are packed into this vivid panorama of medieval aristocratic life.  The participants spear otters from the riverbank, and rob the nests of swans and herons, while other attach bears, which grimly fight back.  This tapestry hung for hundreds of years at Hardwick Hall, possibly since the 1590s.  An interesting historical aside is that bears (and most other predatory animals) have become extinct in the UK.

Dover Cliffs, Dover Castle and Canterbury Cathedral

On our P-Day, we rented a van and drove to Dover to see the cliffs and the castle and then to Canterbury to see the Cathedral which is equivalent to the Vatican for the Church of England.

Matt and Chelsea with the Dover chalk cliffs.  The chalk cliffs here are not as white as the cliffs near Eastbourne but that is because the cliffs in Eastbourne are continually sloughing off.

Matt and Chelsea with the white cliffs of Dover and Calais France across the English Channel in the background.  Note that when we hiked here, our UK phone sent a text message saying "Welcome to France!"  

Patti and Sister Burkinshaw at the Dover cliffs with Dover Castle in the background.

Matt and Chelsea at the white cliffs of Dover with the Dover Castle in the background.

Matt and Chelsea at the entrance to Dover Castle.

Patti and Rayde at the Dover Castle Entrance.

Interesting background information about the history of Dover Castle.

Patti and Rayde at the Dover Castle entrance.

Queen Chelsea and King Matt on their thrones in Dover Castle.

Chelsea and Matt and Patti and Rayde at the back entrance to Dover Castle.

Chelsea and Matt at the backside of Dover Castle.  Dover is the largest of the castles in England and was strategic as France is less than 20 miles across the Channel.

Matt and Chelsea at Canterbury Cathedral, the home cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury who is the head of the Church of England and the Worldwide Anglican Communion

Matt, Chelsea Sister and Elder Burkinshaw at Canterbury Cathedral.

Chelsea and Matt on the stunningly beautiful grounds of the London Temple.

Chelsea and Matt at the reflection pond in front of the London Temple.  It is an idyllic setting for the House of the Lord.

We recently provided instruction for the temple ordinance workers here in the London Temple and we share our presentation here.

The Principle of Non-Distraction in Temple Service

London Temple, Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Jeff: British author Samuel Johnson (1709-1794) once said “We need to be reminded more than we need to be instructed.”  He probably meant that we already have plenty of knowledge. We just need to put it into practice and that is our objective today.

Stacey:  When we are called to serve in the Temple, it is a humbling experience and we may wonder how we can rise to the daunting responsibility to administer the most important laws, rites and ordinances given to man.

Jeff:  An experience shared by President Dallin H Oaks is painfully instructive:

“Shortly after my calling as an Apostle, I had a … landmark lesson about the deficiency of service that is conscious of self.  I spoke to Elder Boyd K. Packer about how inadequate I felt for the calling I had received. He responded with this mild reproof and challenging insight:

“I suppose your feelings are understandable.  But you should work for a condition where you will not be preoccupied with yourself and your own feelings of inadequacy and can give your entire concern to others and to the work of the Lord …” (Dallin H Oaks, Life’s Lessons Learned, Deseret Book, 2011)

The meta-message?  It’s not about you!

Today we will remind you of a principle taught repeatedly by President Oaks that can help all of us be effective temple ordinance workers.

Stacey:  President Oaks said:

“I will not suggest detailed rules, since the circumstances in … our worldwide Church are so different that a specific rule … required in one setting may be inappropriate in another.  Rather, I will suggest a principle based on the doctrines. If all understand this principle and act in harmony with it, there should be little need for rules.

“The principle I suggest ... is that they should not do anything that would distract any [patron]… from his or her worship and [making] … of covenants.” (Dallin H Oaks, “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament,” GC Oct 1998)

This is the Principle of Non-Distraction.  Our calling as trainers centers around this principle. 

·       Each ordinance worker is responsible to memorize the ordinances so they can be presented in a way that will not distract patrons from the covenants they make.

·       As trainers, we teach uniformity using the Administrative Guidelines:  Who is responsible for what, where things are to be stored, etc. so those things do not distract the patrons from the ordinances.

Jeff:  President Oaks went on to say, “This principle of non-distraction suggests some companion principles.”

Companion Principle 1:  “…always be clean in appearance and reverent in the manner in which [you] perform [your] solemn and sacred responsibilities.” (Ibid.)

1.  How might we be neat and clean in our appearance so as not to distract patrons?

a.     Shirt is tucked in, Tie is straight

b.     Clothing is not stained (Special soap is available in the laundry)

c.     Fresh breath (carry mints and rinse out your mouth after eating and eat a mint)

2.  Reverence is a challenge because we are a social people and enjoy being together.  That is good!  Millennium bubble. What locations require special reverence?

a.  Behind the Veil:  Once the 5-minute bell goes off, limit conversation to that needed for our assignments.

b.  Initiatory:  Only assignment-related conversation in the booths and very limited conversation outside the booths.

Is harsh correction necessary?  No!  For those who might forget just a kind smile and perhaps a wink for repeat offenders.

Stacey:  Companion Principle 2:  “To avoid distracting from the sacred occasion … speak … clearly and distinctly. … All present should be helped to understand … ordinance[s] and covenants so important that the Lord prescribed the exact words to be uttered.  All should be helped to focus on those sacred words…” (Ibid.)

1.  Speak the words of the ordinances without haste and with the reverence and love they are intended to communicate. 

2.  Speak the words with exactness, truly and faithfully.  These are the Lord’s words and they are sacred.  Ensure the sacred cards are available and reviewed regularly.

3.  Also, quiet voices are important so patrons can focus on the ordinances especially when two or more are in an initiatory booth.

Jeff: Companion Principle 3:  “…a reverent and orderly manner, with no needless motions or expressions that call attention to themselves.”

Particularly when we begin to officiate or follow in an endowment session, we may feel self-conscious and awkward at times.

1.  Stay focused on what you are doing.  85 and 70 sec. for 1^st and 2^nd MPH tokens.

2.  If you make a mistake, don’t make it more  obvious by grimacing or other self-flagellation.  Example of graceful officiator.

A few months ago, I officiated in a session with 28 patrons; 16 men and 12 women.  As I wrote the numbers on the report at the beginning of the session, it caught my attention because Sister Burkinshaw and I have 28 grandchildren; 16 boys and 12 girls.  I was reminded that the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “…The Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard,” for “His love [is] unfathomable.” 

We pray for each of our grandchildren by name at least twice each day and we love each one dearly.  This helped me better understand the unfathomable love Heavenly Father has for each of those patrons, His dear children.  I tried to smile and perform my duties so the patrons would feel the love and approbation of the Father of us all.  This has become a pattern that I try to follow.

Stacey:  President Oaks concludes by summarizing the elements of the Principle of Non-Distraction:

“All who officiate … should be well groomed and modestly dressed, with nothing about their personal appearance that calls special attention to themselves. In appearance as well as actions, they should avoid distracting anyone present from full attention to their worship and covenant making…” (Ibid.)

We can best follow that counsel by remembering in whose place we stand as we serve in the temple and the love and joy Heavenly Father has for His children, our temple patrons.

Stacey:  In performing our assignments, we should convey the same joy Adam and Eve expressed in Moses chapter 5, which has recently become more familiar to us all.

Jeff:  Said Father Adam, “Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.” (Moses 5:10)

Stacey:  And Mother Eve taught “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” (Moses 5:11)

We apply the principle of non-distraction best when we serve with joy for the message and love for the patrons.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder and Sister Burkinshaw