Oakland Temple Dedication: A Few Notes

The temple dedication was terrific.  Church News noted that this was the first time when the speakers changed from session to session.  There were three dedication sessions.  I attended two and watched grand babies for the third.  Sister Juanita Davis spoke at the first session.  I was very touched knowing her.  Her husband passed away just wo months ago.  He had been a temple sealer and to this point performed all of our family sealings, marriages and Tony.  Her discourse was very touching.  President and Sister Walton also spoke.  He is the Oakland Temple President and was in our stake presidency in Saratoga Stake.  Again very touching.  Sister Walton used the hymn “More Holiness Give Me” as a pretext for the blessing of temple worship.  Elder Oaks gave the concluding discourse as well as the dedicatory prayer.

The second session was also very moving.  A young sister, Sister Barlow, talked of her ancestors.  This piqued my interest as they were part of the Martin Handcart Company.  Sarah Ann Barlow Ashton who is my great-great-great grandmother passed away on the trip.  It is assumed that this family took in the Ashton girls and kept an eye on them after William Ashton left the company and joined the military at Fort Laramie.  One of the Barlow children also joined the military in a temporary assignment at this time.   I have looked in Family Search to find the link without success.  She talked of hop.  Scott Hepworth talked of the temple is the best way to keep our eyes single to the glory of God.  Elder Kevin Pearson of the Seventy talk of light.  He said we should become a light, we should develop charity, we should seek the influence of the Holy Ghost and we should share our light with others.  Elder Bednar shared his experiences as a youth with the Oakland Temple.  He played on the hill s during construction.  He mentioned that the goal of baptism is to lead people to the temple so our sheaves not be wasted.  He mentioned we should participate in the gathering as the hen gathers her eggs by bringing people to the temple,  on both sides of the veil. 

I was blessed to be able to participate in these ceremonies, even though remotely.  Our stake center was an extension of the temple for this meeting.  We were all  able to participate and feel God’s spirit in abundance. 

Memorial Day Weekend: Oakland Temple Open House

There are weekends that you wish would never end, but inevitable they do.  Memorial Day Weekend (we got an extra day) started Friday.  Mark and Elliott, Natalia and Ayden all flew in that day, and we met in San Jose for the Cupertino High School Spring Concert.  They kids had a chance to reacquaint with Mr. Aron.  And we enjoyed a good show.  They presented, as is their fashion, four mini concerts.  The men’s choir did Elvis Presley, The women, Hairspray, the advanced women’s Frozen and the cappella choir Grease.  It was a great show, and then after the kids spent time with Mr. Aron, and pictures were taken. 

Saturday Caleb also arrived.  Sheri went and gathered him from the airport, while Jeremy and Mark and boys went on a hike.  I mowed the lawn.  That evening Sheri and I watched grandbabies while all our kids did a sibling trip to an escape room in Modesto.  They ate ice cream after. 

Sunday Charity had arranged for she and Caleb and Jeremy and Natalia to sing in church with Miranda playing the piano.  They sang, “I Stand all Amazed.”  We had a family barbecue with Anthony and Caleb manning the hamburgers and hot dogs.  The Normans were out.  They too had a big weekend as Heather went through the temple for the first time in preparation for her wedding in August.  So we met her fiancé and Mark, Diana and Anna were also here, along with all our kids and 8 of 13 grandchildren. 

Monday we toured the temple with all of our children.  Mark went through with Elliott and it was fun to see him explain the pictures, including John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.  Jeremy and Kayla were able to tour the sealing rooms where hopefully they will return soon.  Haley Dawn and Camberly Rose were all dressed up in dresses.  It was a fun tour, and then pictures after.  We also did the walk around the top.  The Visitor’s Center was too crowded so we missed there.  It was a fun time. 

We went home separately as Mark and Caleb were headed back to the airport.  Natalia and Ayden stayed a few more days.

Temple Hill Events

If you are looking for something to bring the Christmas Spirit, don't forget Temple Hill Events.  They have nightly programs including Nutcracker ballet, choir concerts, hand bells, theatrical performances, story telling, live nativity, Messiah sing-along, etc.  You don't want to be left out, and what is even greater, it is all free.  Even those things requiring tickets are free.  And if the tickets are gone you have a good chance to get in with standby.  And the lights are wonderful.

Miranda and I Attended the Temple Saturday

The temple was so very full this past Saturday.  I have never seen them bring extra chairs into a session, and this was with already using one of the small rooms for over flow.  Every seat was taken and then there were a few extras added.  The women had the entire back row as they outnumbered the men.  (Isn't that usual?)  We got started a little late as they were trying to accommodate.  Mountain View Stake sent a bus.  Anthony's (son-in-law's) parents were there with the bus.  There were also many going through for themselves.  Maddie and Simon (who were getting married) saw me but I missed them.  The Celestial Room was very crowded.  This is a good trend, but it might be because the temple is closing for almost three months in a week.

Temple Trip Saturday

Saturday I did something I had never done, we drove up the hill after visiting the temple in Oakland.  We discovered a park, with an overlook of the temple.  The sun was in the wrong place for good pictures, but this would be a great place for pictures in the morning.

The Stevens Creek Ward was at the temple.  Caleb and I saw Stan Dye, and the Ures.  Also President Knudsen.  I saw Dennis Lange who went to Argentina with me for our missions, and is in the Los Gatos Ward now, and Brother Topham.

Days of Christmas 2015: Temple Hill in Oakland

Look what starts today and continues through the end of the month!  I have always loved the events at Temple Hill and they have an excellent line up this year.  Click on the view of the pamphlet at the Temple Hill Website to see what is happening.  Some events require tickets, but all are free and most do not require tickets. 

Oakland Temple Reflecting Pools

I visited the temple with Miranda 9/11/2015.  The flag was flying half mast.  The new reflecting pool is very beautiful, especially with the waterfall running off the side of the building.

Thanksgiving Weekend: 2014

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving

Temple trip

 We had the Spanish sisters over for dinner a week ago Saturday and had a good time.  Sheri made cinnamon rolls and breakfast. 

For Thanksgiving we were at the Normans this year.  There was a very small group.  Mark and Dianna, Heather Anna and Nicole.  Then we had Tony and that was us, eight in all.  Tony had a good time.  We played Skipbo.  I think that was sort of a silly game as you were watching most of the time unless you had a turn.  Tony played outside as we started to relax in Mark and Dianna’s room with a movie.  Tony I guess ran full on into the tether pole, and there was no one there to comfort him.  He had a pretty good cry before he got in the house.  He walked around to the front and rang the doorbell.  Sheri put ice on it; he had a good goose egg on his forehead.  After that Tony was ready to go home.  We didn’t get to play Rook as a result, but it was a good day all the same.

I made it to the temple Friday with the high priests. It was fun  I saw about ten people from the ward.

In family history work I found a couple new families over the weekend.  I was working on the Green line (my aunt’s husband) but have gone back to working on the Williams line (my great Uncle Leo’s wife.)  I was excited because I finally made the link to England for the Williams line.  I verified the same profession (blacksmith) and everything.  They settled in Chicago in the US.

Did home teaching and sang yesterday, which pretty much took the entire day.  Got the wood picked up outside which was a requirement for foster care review.

I have been checking the weather regularly.  Miranda is 10-20 degrees cooler than us, Caleb is 20 degrees cooler than Miranda and Matt is 20 degrees cooler than Caleb.  However, I have noticed you have had some pretty cool days, but relatively speaking this week is suppose to be nice. 

I miss my missionaries, especially when it comes to choir.  I am the only tenor in choir.  However, I persevere.

The Facade of the Oakland Temple

There is something happening at the Oakland temple.  There is something being done differently in the front, and currently their is no access to the roof gardens.  I have heard that they are making a waterfall coming off the temple.  I would like to know if this is true.

 

Oakland Temple: Ship Brooklyn plaque

Anyone know what happened to the Ship Brooklyn plaque at the Oakland Temple memorial.  This is one of my favorite spots, but I am not sure if it has succumbed to theft or is just being repaired or serviced.