Tom and Debbie's Mission Blog: Learning Exaltation and Loving Grandparenting

We finished our Cousin Retreat for our teenage grandchildren in early August. We are planning a self-guided Church history tour in the first half of September. This blog covers the time in between. This was time of recovery and preparations. It was also part of our normal routine, where we strive to serve our family on both sides of the veil.

We have also been blessed so much by our Heavenly Father as we study the amazing revelations from the Doctrine and Covenants. He helps us to understand his will and his truth. He teaches us how to obtain His Fullness. He teaches us how to achieve exaltation.

This slide is an example of the depth of doctrine that has been revealed in these latter-days

In the past six weeks, we have studied incredible revelations such as Doctrine and Covenants sections 76, 84, 88 and 93. Although we have loved all of our studies, these sections have introduced truths that were beyond our previous understanding. We cannot share all of our learnings in this blog. However, we have learned about "The Vision" of the kingdoms that God has in store for all of His children. He has taught us how to see the "power of godliness" through the ordinances of the priesthood. We have learned about light and truth and eternal laws that preserve, perfect and sanctify us. Now we have had the plan of exaltation opened to us as we follow the perfect example of our Savior who showed the way, progressing by "grace for grace". Each revelation seems to build on the previous one and opens new understanding, additional light and truth. We have been overwhelmed by this blessing of knowledge that has been made available to us.

Another Grandparenting week:

When we finished our Teenage cousin retreat at the first of the month, we were pleased and exhausted. It didn't take long to get back into our other commitments, including the baptism of our grandson, Jasper, that very Saturday. Debbie was asked to play the piano and give a talk about the Holy Ghost and I had the privilege to be the voice for his confirmation as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These are the pay back days of grand-parenting. We were very pleased with his sweet spirit.

Jasper's Baptismal program

Jasper with his brother Joseph who performed the baptism

Payback time with our grandson, Jasper

Grandma teaching Jasper about the Gift of the Holy Ghost

Jasper with his siblings and his mother

The following Monday we got a call from Gina, asking if their family could enjoy time at Thanksgiving point using our Bonus Grandparent pass. Of course we were willing, but that required at least one of us to be there with them. So, on Monday I spent a delightful afternoon with Gina and her family as part of their summer staycation. The pass that we had bought for our Cousin retreat gives us unlimited visits to Thanksgiving Point venues with unlimited grandchildren and with a bonus of two additional guests. Perfect for bringing a complete family with us. We took advantage and introduced Gina and Danny to the Curiosity Museum. We had first gone there with Addisyn and Hudson on our grandchildren dates three years ago, before Grant was even born. It became a delightful afternoon for all of us. I quickly realized that Gina was spending time with the twins while I was enjoying time with the kids. I accepted, that part of my role was to watch the twins while the parents could spend time with their other three children.

This will buy us many visits to Thanksgiving Point in the next 12 months

Danny with his kids

Tending these twins is easy for short periods of time.

All three older kids in a hurricane wind

The whole family at the molecular climbing area

Enjoying the fish

First complete family photo since the twins had been born

My Selfie with the entire family

Three days later, we had committed to have our granddaughter, Serenity, spend a few days with us. We thought this was another good time to visit Thanksgiving Point, which we did on both Thursday and Friday with different cousins. We find that tending grandchildren is easier when other grandchildren are involved. We had her cousin Evelyn with us on Thursday (Curiosity Museum) and Kaleb on Friday (Museum of Ancient Life).

Serenity and Evelyn loved the Waterworks area!

Enjoying time with these two granddaughters and the silly mirrors

Serenity and Kaleb on their favorite dinosaur statue

In front of the ancient sea life

The four of us in the land of the dinosaurs

On Friday afternoon, I had a very special experience with Serenity. I took her with me to help set up tables and chairs at the Church for a ward breakfast the next morning. This was to be a neighborhood breakfast for members and non members alike. Serenity got into the work after initial resistance. After we returned home, I asked her to go with me to take some invitations to a few of our neighbors. She was so cute. As we came to the first door, she said excitedly, "Can you come to our party, it is going to be so fun!". This first contact was an absolute success. We were not able to invite the other neighbor because she wasn't home, but we left the invitation with a special heart that Serenity had prepared. To our joy, our neighbor came the next day. How can you resist an enthusiastic six year old!

Serenity helping set up the tables and chairs

Serenity with her new friend at the breakfast

We finished up the week that night with additional baptisms for the dead with our grandsons. They have such a great attitude about performing these sacred ordinances. These are some of my favorite interfaces with grandchildren, when we are working together to bless the lives of others on both sides of the veil.

After performing another 40 baptisms for our ancestors

Masks are back in the temple but the work moves forward:

During this same week, President Russell M. Nelson made a public statement, urging Church members to get vaccinated and wear masks in crowded places. This has been a sensitive subject in the United States as many have refused to get vaccinated, based on their freedom of choice. As a result, the numbers of Coronavirus cases have started to rise again, with a very high percentage of these cases to be with unvaccinated individuals. The rest comes from my journal that next day:

"As I sat in the temple with three grandsons, I noted that all temple workers were wearing masks. President Nelson had publicly urged members of the Church this week to get vaccinated and wear masks in indoor events where social distancing does not work. This is due to increasing cases of Coronavirus again. Some may think this is overreacting or taking our freedom away. However, the Spirit spoke to me the wisdom to “overreact” so that we can keep our temples open and our church meetings in person. Losing these privileges again is much more limiting than wearing a mask or getting vaccinated. I saw the wisdom in President Nelson’s words.

Then today we focused on D&C 90:5 in our family home evening discussion. It was again confirmed to my heart the importance to not take the counsel from the oracles of God lightly. If we do, we will stumble and fall as times get tougher. Many are already falling who have taken counsel lightly.

D&C 90:5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house."

So once again we are wearing masks in the temple, but I am very happy to do that so that we can continue to do this sacred work. During this past month, we have decided to schedule endowment sessions followed by sealing sessions. By doing this, after we are able to complete the endowment session, we are able to seal the individuals to their spouses and to their children. It has enhanced our temple service and joy in seeing our ancestor families being sealed together immediately after the endowment ordinance has been completed.

Still in the temples, but with masks. A small price to pay to continue this wonderful work.

This past week we had some very special temple experiences. Our friend, Gail Atkinson, had asked me to help out with some baptisms that she had been able to schedule in the Draper Temple. As Gail does, she had arranged for several individuals to be involved. The focus would be to do some work for her ancestors but also anything else that we could accomplish. As the time approached, Gail was exposed to someone with Covid and was not able to attend. On the day of, two other individuals were sick and cancelled. In the end, there were two young adult sisters and myself. However, the Draper Temple was super accommodating and said we could do all of the work possible within our scheduled one hour appointment. Gail had sent about 30 names and I had brought another 50 names. I was able to perform about 25 to 30 baptisms for each of the young ladies and then was baptized by a temple worker for another 25 male individuals. We then completed the confirmations for each of them. What started out as an opportunity to help a friend, turned into an additional opportunity to do the baptisms for about 50 of my ancestors and relatives. I left the temple energized and full of joy. One of the young ladies is one who had been doing many baptisms for us before Covid, so we were able to reconnect for future opportunities.

In front of the Draper Temple on Thursday morning

That Saturday we had a family temple sealing session scheduled in the morning. Unfortunately only my brother Jim and his wife, Becky were able to join myself, Debbie, and my mother. The sealer was a member of our ward. As we completed the names that we had brought, there was additional time available and he suggested that we do additional sealings. In the end we sealed 6 couples and 24 children to their parents. For the second time that week, the work that we were able to perform for our ancestors far exceeded our expectations. Even with masks, this great work moves forward.

As we have been able to return to the temples, I have also been able to contact many who have helped do our temple work in the past. Our friends in Meridian, Idaho were already doing our family names. Relatives from the Rueckert side were volunteering to do more and I was able to send or transfer over 100 names to others to do. Debbie's siblings each are working on the Moeller family names. We have much to do, but we are not alone in this work. It is the Lord's work and He will help us along the way.

During the Covid Pandemic, we were able to identify many ancestors for temple work but unable to perform temple ordinances. So, we do have a backlog to work on. My mother's backlog increased from 5,000 names to over 14,000 names. This in addition to almost 1,000 names in each of the accounts for myself and Debbie.

Screen shot of my mother's family search account with over 14,000 individuals whose temple work needs to be done.

Challenges amongst our blessings:

At the end of July we learned of a tragic automobile accident that impacted some dear friends of ours. In a 22 car pile-up, 5 of six occupants of one van were killed. These included posterity of our friends, Steve and Kaycee Sawyer. They lost a son and his young son, and another daughter-in-law with two of her young children. We were shocked as were so many who love and admire this family. The funeral for all five of these individuals was held at West Jordan High School in their auditorium. We attended this funeral on the weekend of our cousin retreat. We can't imagine the difficulty that the Sawyer family is experiencing and pray that the Lord will bless them. I served in the bishopric with Steve and Kaycee was ever-present in the lives of our children. Those whose lives were lost were known to many of our family members. At these times, we stop to ponder the realities of eternity. We know that in times of apparent tragedy we have two choices, to turn to the Lord or away. We know that there is no tragedy when we see with an eternal perspective, but the here and now is still so very difficult. Our prayers go out to this entire family.

From the funeral program

At the funeral where four coffins were present. One coffin had a young brother and sister together.

I was able to visit our daughter, Camila recently. Her life is another apparent tragedy as her health continues to decline. At this point she is unable to remember others, even her father, and her communication is nonexistent. We don't know what she understands, but she screams often without anyone at the care facility being able to understand her needs.

My best selfie of myself with Camila

Camila in her wheel chair, uncommunicative

The best photo of Camila when she finally looked up

As I sat with her this past week, my heart once again went out to her. it is beyond my comprehension to understand what remaining purpose she has on this earth. I know that all will be well with her when she returns to her Heavenly Father. I don't know what more I can do. I have felt the need to continue to visit her on a more regular basis. I am also including her more consistently in my prayers.

In both of these extreme cases, I know that the answer is to turn to the Lord and trust Him. There is so much that we do not understand. However, I know that He does understand and knows what is best for each of us. We learned this past week in our Come Follow Me study that "truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93;24). As I ponder these profound words, it is easy to know that God knows all and we are clearly lacking in this truth. Not only do we need to turn to him for understanding, but also for support and strength. I fully trust his understanding of truth and His ability to comfort. These are the moments that we need that trust.

Cornerstone Condominium Summer Social:

With Covid, it has been a long time since our neighborhood has been able to get together in person. Several months ago, we planned an Summer Social in our HOA management committee. The committee members were amazing, arranging entertainment, refreshments, communication, etc. This was scheduled for the evening of August 26 and even the weather was projected to be ideal.

Then, on August 24, we received an email from the family that was going to provide the entertainment, advising us that some of their group were sick, perhaps with Covid. Appropriately, they cancelled their planned participation. This created a bit of angst amongst us. We had two choices, to find a different entertainment on short notice or reschedule for later in the year when the weather would be more suspect. Fortunately, we had previously talked to another singing duet, who when approached, agreed to come on short notice to entertain us. In the end all was well and a wonderful time was had by all.

I am thankful for some excellent members of our Homeowners Association management committee. They step up and resolve problems. We work well together as a committee. The demands of this committee are significant, but I have felt a joy in serving with other dedicated committee members. It makes my role as the HOA President rewarding.

Nearly 100 residents were in attendance at our Summer Social

Another view of our residents, enjoying our entertainment

Photo taken by our treasurer, show yours truly sitting with my wife

Watching the entertainment with ice cream being served on the side of the building

Leatherby's served ice cream to all of the residents before and while they enjoyed the entertainment

Birthdays:

As always we had a few birthdays. Emily turned two, we traveled to Hyrum to enjoy this time with her. James and Henry had birthdays in Pennsylvania, so no photos. Tommy celebrated his third birthday. Even though Ammon was not there, the mothers of his two children were. This allows Tommy and Ariana to get to know each other well. We appreciate the mothers of these two grandchildren for inviting us to be part of their children's lives.