092515

Hey, it's 3 months till Christmas!  No, no no!  'Course, not a lot we can do from here...we've heard they don't do Halloween here but they do something called the "Pumpkin Walk" down the main drag. Pictures to follow...I hope.

So, had an eventful week.  Tuesday I managed to catch my middle finger on my right hand in the pulley of a windmilling exhaust fan at the temple, ripping off my fingerprint and most of the pad of the finger.  I haven't found it yet and don't think I will.  It makes typing this pretty difficult, to say the least.  Also, injured one other finger so my right hand is limited in how I type for a while.  I'm on Norco but that is like glorified Tylenol so I haven't been too impressed.  It still hurts a good portion  of the time. I guess if you do something stupid, you need to pay the price.  Oddly enough, I didn't break any of the finger bones so I was pretty pleased about that.  I kept the majority of the finger in tact.  I haven't had any kind of an accident in a long, long time so this is pretty rare.

We have been trying to see if we could get into a plastic surgeon but mostly getting "no" for an answer as to being seen.  The door to do any skin grafts is rapidly closing and despite efforts by everyone, it looks like that is simply not going to happen.  I tried another doctor today and they just said not this week or next and we're talking hours worth of driving to get there.  And this last one was one that had agreed to see me earlier...odd.  So, the one doctor's assistant that I did manage to see on Thursday said it would scar over and be OK but just look scared and disfigured.  Well, it'll give me something to remember Nauvoo by.  It'll be numb but it'll match the one on my left hand.  No biggy.  I mean, really, how long do I really have anyway?  It'll be fixed in the millennium, right?  I do get a lot of sympathetic comments from the late night janitor gals, though.  If I bring cookies...

On another subject entirely...We have a couple that is serving here with us.  They are the sweetest pair you can imagine.  The other day another sister missionary told a story about Elder Jenkins.  You need to get a picture of him first though.  He is about 85 (I thought you couldn't serve as a missionary past 80 but, apparently, you can).  He "shuffles" when he gets around and he does a mean shuffle getting from place to place.  He is always in motion going places and he serves the best he possibly can.  He seems to always be at the temple since I seem to always see him there.  He is very patient and always has a mile on his face.

So, the other day he was chastised by a much less patient temple worker about some minor "offense" he had done in the ordinances of the temple and, as you know, it's important for those of us that work in the temple, that we are as perfect as possible when we do things.  Brother Jenkin's response was not what you would expect in today's world but one of a humble servant of the Lord.  He simply said, "I will try to do better".  I know what my response would have been, the Natural Man taking over, but he sets such high bars for those of us that work in the temple to follow.  To be humble and patient with others and to remember how we should react to these kinds of situations.  God bless you, Brother Jenkins.

Sister and Elder Jenkins.  They are such great examples for the rest of us "youngsters" to follow.

  BTW, the nurse just called and I have an appointment Oct 8th to have my finger looked at.  The surgeon wants it to heal a bit before he does any work on it.  I guess that will hafta do, ya think?

091915

Happy "International Geek 'Talk Like A Pirate' Day"...Argh, Matey!

Well, now that that is over with...moving on...

We received our 2015 Temple Missionary Directory recently so had to share some of it with you.

Elder Glutz takes these interesting photos as he is a professional photographer.  Quite happy to have him around.

This is the summer missionary group.  Can you find Sister Seger and me in here?  Taken on the front steps of the temple.

This is our temple presidency.  President McArthur in the middle of the three presidency members.  Taken in the front of the temple during the short period the tulips are blooming.  

Here's our picture.  I wanted to include Elder and Sister Scott.  He is the brother of the Apostle Elder Richard G. Scott.  They are very nice people.  We talk a lot of times and have served together several times.  She's a sweetheart.  Like most of the missionaries here.

The summer missionaries are beginning to count down the weeks/days until they need to leave.  They will be departing the first week of November when the temple shuts down for winter shutdown and maintenance (the engineers big season of work).  That should be Monday, November 9th.  I guess they will all be going sometime around that date.  They are in sort of a panic as to getting the last of the things they want to see and do before they leave.  "Oh, we want to go to dinner and go here and see this or that".  Kind of funny.  "When do you leave"?  "Oh, we're here for another year or so"...not a problem.  We're also moving to another apartment mid-October in a few weeks but we have a lot of people offering to help us.  Shouldn't be all that bad of a move.  Don;t have all that much junk.

Next Saturday we are off to Kirtland, Ohio, if we don't catch the Nauvoo crud that everyone seems to be coming down with.  We are looking forward to a few days away and some relaxation, site seeing.  We were planning on a short temple trip but all of them are closed during the time we are in the area except the Chicago temple so we may swing up and hit that one.  Wonder if we could swing by a certain Elder Segers abode...naw, probably would be breaking every mission rule in every book we could find, I would imagine...but, who knows...I have a camera lens on order, hope it comes in before we leave...

So, at my job...

How in the world am I supposed to work on something like this?  That box is only 6" wide and maybe 10-11" high.  That little 2"x4" electrical box to the left behind the damper actuator in front is what I need to get at.  Also, I ned to pull the cover off the damper actuator and check to see if I have power to the actuator.  It faces to the wall to the right and it has Torx screws in it, 2 of them.  I mean, really, did anyone ever think anyone was ever going to actually work on this thing at any time in it's lifetime?  Seriously, are you kidding me?  I really dislike engineers....and that particular actuator is no longer in production...

091415

P-Day and another opportunity to get some stuff done and see Nauvoo at it's finest.  Last night we had a special fireside with the past General Young Women's President Elaine Dalton, and her hubby, that some to us for an hour.  He was pretty interesting as he talked about his family that worked on the original Nauvoo temple and how they helped put it all together.  Quite a family of craftsmen.

Today we were able to take Brother and Sister Dewey out for lunch at Kelly's in Quincy.  It is Sister Dewey's birthday and Mom wanted to do something nice for her.  Sister Dewey is the Head of the administrative staff for the temple and works closely with Arlene in the office so they have gotten pretty close.  Brother Dewey is an Assistant Recorder and is really a nice guy.  I like him a lot.  They told us about the cruises they go on each year and how they have figured out how to get the best deals out of the system.  Nice way to do it.

This afternoon we went to the stake center and had a get together with the other temple missionaries with a dinner.  Mom made her now "infamous" chicken noodle casserole that was eaten all gone.  For the activity we got to talk about experiences in our lives at the table of 8 missionaries.  Some of the things were pretty bizarre.  They then read the most popular ones to the whole group.

This is lucky table number 13.  Arlene, Sister Holmes, her husband is off doing something, Bro/Sis Creagh, and the  Lyman's.  

Most of the room.  Our table is in the far corner of the room.

We also got to hear from the Dallings, the Fitches, and the Leaches as they will be leaving before our next big get together.  We always give every couple a chance to speak to the group of missionaries and talk about how Nauvoo and their mission has affected them while they were here.  It is always special to hear heartfelt testimonies and see a few tears well up in their eyes as they express their love for their time in Nauvoo and their experiences here.  It's a nice touch to the evenings.  We, on the other hand, have another year, as we will just be completing our first 6 months here next Saturday.  Believe that?  We've been here 6 months net Saturday!  Weird, huh?

We had a pretty good time tonight.

Arlene got to talk to her sister one last time this afternoon but she was not responding at all.  She was not capable of responding.  She passed away this afternoon at about 3 PM after a long 5 year battle with cancer.  Arlene received the call when we got home after the activity tonight.  Arlene will not be able to attend the funeral.  Both Linda and Arlene knew this before we left on our mission.  It was their mutual decision when she visited her earlier this year before we came back.  Sad, but life goes on.  She is now enjoying a pain free life with her Mom, Dad, and many other family members that have passed on before.  She is probably doing lots of things and is busy as can be.  The rest of us and her family will carry on.  It is the way of things.  Till we meet again, Linda.  Blessings on your family.

090715

Labor Day 2015.  While not in Kalifornia this year, we are in Nauvoo.  Decided to just stay home and relax a bit, get some stuff done.  It was supposed to rain all day, but it didn't.  Not a drop.  The grass is showing it, too.  The corn is drying in the fields and some of the crops are not doing too well but I have no idea if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

We had a "Sociable" or get together this afternoon over at the Nauvoo State Park with all of the missionaries.

Some sitting out in the shade enjoying each others company.

 

Some packed in under the cover.

Picking up their food at the potluck table.  That's President Hansen, counselor in the temple presidency, on the left.

The open Bar-B-Que for everyone to cook their own whatever from veggies to steaks.  We had tube steaks and chicken breast.

We all gathered around the next missionaries to leave Nauvoo as their time has come to "abandon" us.  The Wilsons, on the left, will be leaving this Friday morning and the Fords, to their right, will be leaving the next week on the 15th.  Tears were shed as we've gotten to know these wonderful brothers and sisters as they serve in various capacities here in Nauvoo over their stint.  When you see them every day they become like family in a very short time.

The Fords and the Wilsons are the last of the 18 months missionaries here in Nauvoo.  The church will be limiting the length of stay, for the most part, to 6 months to 12 months for most missionaries from now on, with the exception of the engineers as we are so hard headed and take a lot longer to get trained.  It's a bit counterproductive to have an engineer stay for only a few months.  About the time he gets to know what's going on, he leaves.  That's not a good thing.  Both summer and winter missionaries.  We have a few coming in over the next couple of weeks to replace those leaving.  Odd thing is, some of them think this is a vacation and not a mission.  We haven't quite figured that one out yet.  We're putting in a 40+ hour week and doing a session once a week plus online work once a week so we're really doing about a 60 hour week.  I'm guessing that qualifies as a full time mission.  One of the other engineers always remarks that I am always here.  "Well, yeah, I didn't come here to play, ya know.  I'm here to serve."  However, it makes for some really long days.  Friday starts at about 6:45 Am and ends at 10:30 PM.  Pretty long day but worth it....

...and, of course, the obligatory Happy Birthday song to the September birthdays.  Note the change when they get to the names!  That was funny.  Couldn't get in everyone's name...  Well, we do try...

So, when I went out for my morning Flog, it was 75 degrees and 88% humidity since it rained last night, finally...argh, that was ugly!

BTW, it takes a lot of people to staff the Nauvoo Temple.  These pictures ought to prove it.  Come November 8th, or thereabouts, the summer missionaries will be leaving and we go to our winter configuration and hours.  Only a couple of sessions a day and closed on Mondays.  Open on Saturdays all day.  So, we should have a lot of time to get some engineering projects done in the temple.  Not so sure I am looking forward to it.  We'll need to shut down the chillers/cooling towers and get everything ready for winter.  The boilers are already running so that's no biggy.  Just the winterizing the other equipment.  Having been living in the West, this will be a new experience for me.  Haven't lived in cold weather in a few decades either.  So, looking forward to that...

090115

Last Monday night we said goodbye to the Houghtons.  They had been Temple missionaries with us for several months.  Sister Houghton was having some issues with her kidneys and stones.  When they finally got the stones figured out and she was on the mend, they found out she had evidence of cancer.  So, that forces an immediate end to the mission and a much more difficult future than a mission.  They had to report to the Huntsman Cancer Center in Utah last Thursday and we haven't heard anything yet.  We're hoping all is going well.  We got to spend a little time with them on their last night with us and say goodbye as only missionaries can.

The Houghtons

Doing what missionaries do when they get together...junk food!  Good stuff...

Over the next few weeks we will be starting to loose our summer missionaries.  The Wilsons and the Fords are leaving this coming week.  They have been here for 18 months and are the last of those serving that long.  Most are here for only 6 months or 12 months but that is only a few.  We do have one couple that is here for 18 months and are not an engineer couple but that tis not the norm.  Most engineer couples serve for 12 to 18 months.  It's harder to get those kinds of missionaries.

Tonight, Sept 6, we had "break the fast" at our house and we were able to have 3 other couples over for Mom's chicken noodle casserole.  I guess it went over pretty well as most of it was gone.  We then ran over to the stake center for a fireside for the missionaries where Robert L Wright talked about the symbols of the temple.  I just love listening to these people hat know so much more than I will ever know.  It just amazes me.

After dinner I was talking to Elder Bishopp who was in the Seattle Temple presidency a couple of years ago and knew my sister in law, Linda Alger.  Linda is going through a rough stretch with cancer and is not expected dot make it.  Any day we expect to get "the call".  At any rate, while talking to Elder Bishopp, I had mentioned that I had served on the USS George Washington, SSBN 598.  It turns out that he also served on her about 2 years before I did, prior to her going into drydock and rehab.  I caught her towards the end of drydock.  This is truly a small world.  One never knows who you'll run into in the church.  Just amazing.  Although he was not able to qualify as a submariner, he did do a 2 month cruise on the old "Georgefish".

We will be doing a Labor Day thing tomorrow night.  More to follow, I'm sure...

083115

I finished a couple of books recently that I thought I would mention to those of you that read this blog.

If you really want to know more about Joseph Smith and his early years in Kirtland, Ohio and the beginnings of the church, this is an excellent book to begin with.  The author, Karl Ricks Anderson, came to Nauvoo and spoke to the missionaries at a fireside when we first got here.  He talked about Joseph and how he started the church.  This book has a lot of the details back with finite details.  There are literally hundreds of citations on the bottom of each page, some taking half a page with lots of interesting details.  One of the wonderful things about being back here is the emphasis on the Prophet since he walked these streets and lived here for several years after the Kirtland years.  I can guarantee that you will come away with a much deeper appreciation for the Prophet once you finish this book.  I know I certainly have.

You can probably order this through the LDS Bookstore near the temple at the  outlet stores.

Another book that is on the top of my list is this one, also by Anderson.  The Savior in Kirtland.  It details the Savior's role in the building of the temple and Joseph Smith's efforts in it also.  It has all of the details of the first book and is a fantastic read.

Arlene and I have just gotten approval to visit Kirtland area the end of September so we are making preparations for that 10 hour drive.  We will be going during Women's Conference weekend.  As an Assistant Engineer, my time is very limited to take any time off so this seemed like a good weekend to do it.  I managed to get everyone to OK it.  Hopefully, we can slide in the new Indiana temple that was just dedicated as we travel past it.

There is a story in the back of this book that I relayed to Kevin this morning in his weekly letter from us.  As you may or may not know, this temple belongs to the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS Church) so we visit, pay the fee and marvel at what used to be ours.  Maybe one day they will sell it back to us, hopefully.  The story goes:

“On November 6, 1993, Elder M. Russell Ballard stood in the elevated Melchizedek Priesthood pulpits of the Kirtland Temple to preside over an exceptional sacrament service.  About 180 Church leaders, including General Authorities, regional representatives, mission presidents, temple presidents, and stake presidents, attended.  These leaders and their wives had come together for an area training meeting.  In addition to Elder Ballard, General Authorities attending the meeting were Elder Cree-L Kofford, president of the North America North East Area; Yoshihiko Kikuchi, counselor to Elder Kofford; and Joe J. Christensen, Marlin K. Jensen, and Rex D. Pinegar.

The Lord poured out His spirit in this sacrament meeting in a never-to-be-forgotten way.  Many present likened it to what it must have been like at the Kirtland Temple dedication in 1836.  This was the first sacrament meeting in possibly 140 years that LDS Church leaders had been allowed to conduct in the Kirtland Temple.  (note: the temple is owned by the Community of Christ or the formerly Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We don’t own it so this is a really significant meeting).  Elder Ballard and Elder Kofford blessed the sacrament.  Assisted by others, including all General Authorities present, they then passed it to the congregation.  People who were in the meeting have described the meeting as powerful, spiritual, not a dry eye, etc.

Al Walters, the representative of the Community of Christ who was present, said, “It was obvious that everyone was experiencing a great out pouring of the spirit.”  Elder Ballard said, “Deep spiritual feelings were felt by everyone.”  Elder Kofford added,  “It was a tremendous spiritual experience.”  Elder Pinegar stated that they were so strongly affected that “we were almost unable to speak or sing, although that opportunity was afforded us.”  Elder Kukuchi remembered, “We [the General Authorities] sat, possibly, right beneath the spot where the Savior appeared to Joseph and Oliver.”

Al reported his crowning spiritual experience.  Before the meeting, he had strongly objected to LDS Church leaders being given permission to administer and partake of the sacrament in the temple.  His objection was based on the fact that the Community of Christ was a “closed communion” church (meaning that nonmembers were not offered the sacrament during services.)  He told his church leaders, “The LDS have temples of their own.  Let them go to one of their temples to partake of the sacrament.  Why do they come to our temple?”  Community of Christ leaders had given formal permission, so they asked Al to support their decision.  They also assigned him to attend the meeting.

As the meeting progressed, Al felt a dark cloud come over him.  He even became physically ill.  As the meeting progressed, the dark felling intensified.  It reached the point that his head and heart were pounding so hard that he felt he might be having a heart attack.  At that point, Elder Kikuchi stood to speak.

Al felt the Spirit come over him.  An audible voice that only he heard made three statements:  “Alan, this is not your temple; this is mine.  These are also my Saints.  This is an acceptable use of this sacred space!”  Walters called this experience a “spiritual spanking” and felt that the Savior had spoken to him directly.  He then humbled himself and shared with the rest the wonderful spirit of the occasion.  Later Al said the Savior had completely changed his attitude.”

What a remarkable experience!  After 140 years, a sacrament meeting in our first completed temple.  It must have been a remarkable experience for all of those present.  

This last book is one we got at a small group Family Home Evening a couple of weeks ago.  Brother Craig R. Dunn is a local Chiropractor (and a good one at that) and a historian.  He specializes in Joseph Smith and a lot of other church history.  He is really good at what he does.  Exceptional is more like it.  He is amazing to listen to.  This book is out of print and hard to come by and the printer is out of business also.  Tough to find and hard to come by.  However, the info is pretty accurate and details the end of times.  In the book he lists what must happen before the end of times.  It includes the following:

(1) The Elders/Missionaries will all be called home from teaching the Gentiles in preparation to teaching the Jews (the Lord gives up on teaching the Gentiles, I guess)

(2) All of the world governments fail

(3) Build the City of Zion in Independence, Missouri 

(4) Return of the Lost Tribes

(5) The Council at Adam-ondi-Ahman, in Missouri

He said they could happen in pretty rapid succession.  I guess it's something to look forward to.  I'm hoping we get home from our mission before these things start to unfold anyway.  Probably won't happen in the next couple of years but looking at the field of choices for the next presidential elections, I'm not so sure.

Here's the book:

Quite a read with a lot of interesting information.  You might find it a bit scary.  No idea when this will be unfolding but some serious food for thought.  You won't hear this stuff in 3rd hour meetings on Sunday...

I'm working on a new book about the way the Book of Mormon was translated.  It's an offshoot of the Joseph Smith Papers project.  If you are not currently looking at that site, you are missing a lot of spectacular information.  We just got the first book.  It's pretty pricey but the 1st 50 pages is the introduction for the series.  Just the intro is the 1st 50 pages!  It's all online at http://josephsmithpapers.org.  You really need to be looking at this site if you are even remotely interested in church history.  Go for it...

082915

Walking through the thriving metropolis of Nauvoo, looking for a particular book on Adam-ondi-Ahman at the local bookstores, and I look up and see this:

Look closely.  That guy up there is an HVAC service tech.  He is replacing the condensing unit that is on the ground behind the Peters truck in front.  Note the yellow and gray refrigerant container on the roof.  He doesn't even have enough room for the container on that itty-bitty ledge he's perched on up there installing that unit.  I mean, really, seriously?  What a gosh awful place to work!  You can see how high that thing is up off the ground.  I used to do service work so I can really appreciate this but man oh man, what a place to hafta do service work?  Argh!  That really sucks!

Ok, moving on.  The other day we stopped at Culvers for lunch when we went for our dental appointment.  Thought this was interesting.

The burger is just a burger and not bad at that.  But, those little balls to the left?  Those are "curds" or deep fried cheese balls.  Kinda like mozzarella sticks but balls of mozzarella.  What will they think of next?

So, here is a project I am working on at the temple.  It is an electronic Honeywell combined modutrol/actuator for a variable air volume controller (VAV) for the stairwell outside one of the rooms in the stairwells.  It's got issues with the flow sensor and the indication on the PC screen.  It's kind of hard to get to and is even harder to work on.

The shaft is on the bottom, has the little two way arrows on it.

This is what I look at to see if something is functioning correctly then make adjustments to keep people comfortable.  

This particular one shows no airflow although we know it has plenty of airflow so I am trying to figure out why.  It's been a long serious of test and phone calls to the tech in Salt Lake to see what they can do to adjust the parameters.  We don't have the ability to make changes to some of the parameters.  We can change some of them but some of the input comes from the master schedule and that's set elsewhere.  It's kind of a learning curve here.  But, I am learning a lot.  I used to work on pneumatic controls so this is still controls, I just need to learn how to deal with electronic controls.  Same sort of thing different type of control format.  I hafta put on a different hat to make my poor head work right.  

Just one of the many things I do on a regular basis.  Last night I was refilling the glycol systems for the hot water, chilled water, and the heated walkways around the temple so we can nice, clear walkways come this winter.  Needs to have glycol in them so they don't freeze when the temp starts to plummet.  That's a few weeks away but coming, none the less.  Next week the forecast is for 90s.  So much for the good weather!