Week 73: Temple Day!!
Going to the temple is a very important and sacred thing to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We go there to make covenants (two-way promises) with God and to receive instruction. We also participate in doing vicarious work for our ancestors (we stand in as "proxies" and do ordinances, like baptism, on their behalf (see 1 Corinthians 15:29), giving those ancestors a chance to accept or reject the work performed on their behalf). Before men and women leave to serve full-time missions for the church, they are invited to attend the temple and make covenants for themselves . Sister Fairbanks had only 5 weeks to enjoy the temple ceremonies before she left to serve in New York, and she has not been able to attend the temple since then. BUT! Since the Palmyra New York temple is only an hour and a half from Ithaca, and it is now in the mission boundaries after the Rochester and Utica missions combined, she finally got to go yesterday! When we had our video chat in the afternoon, she said that it felt like going home to be back at a temple. 💛 I'm hoping she will get to visit the temple one more time before she comes home in October, but it's great that she got to go at all!
Some missionaries have a temple nearby and are allowed to attend about once a quarter, and some get permission to attend temples outside their mission boundaries once or twice during their mission, but there are still many missionaries who don't get the privilege of attending while they are serving full-time missions. I'm so glad she got to go yesterday (they have to go on a Pday)! That means there was less texting back and forth during the day, but that's okay!
Also, poor Marissa broke her arm! She broke the upper humerus, just below her shoulder. the good news is that she will not have to wear a cast, and she should be out of her sling in about 3 weeks.
Bonus: Becca's new little cousin, Dominick James Litton was born to Jess and Brad on Becca's birthday!! I knew that would just tickle Becca to death! 😆 Here's some extra pics and videos and her email to me:
Hi Mom!!!
Right now we are on the road to THE TEMPLE!!!!! I'm so excited!! We're riding with a [ward] member, Sister Haney, and she's a blast. She has a daughter on a mission right now so she was more than happy to take us and she is almost more excited than we are. :D
That super stinks that Rissa broke her arm!!!! OW!! Poor kiddo. I hope she heals quickly. Is that the same arm she broke before? I can't remember.
ALSO AMAZING!!! Welcome to the world little Dominick James! Are they going to call him James? I should always be able to remember his birthday, haha!! On Saturday I thought, "Oh my gosh! Jess has probably had her baby by now!" And I had no idea, haha. How wonderful!!
Sounds like you had a pretty good week! I'm also really grateful to read your emails.
My week was pretty good! Monday we went to Cornell and I got a couple more souvenirs, and I'm super happy about that. I LOVED OUR PHONE CALL ON MONDAY!!! It was just fantastic and I have been drawing on that conversation all week. The rest of that day was kind of meh - let's just say by that evening I was looking forward to next pday.
Tuesday we had a Zoom call with President and Sister Vest. They wanted to talk with all the sisters in the mission about dress and grooming. They felt like they needed to reemphasize the dress standards. I honestly didn't think I would need to change anything, but after a little evaluation I will be sending some things home. ... .
Wednesday was WONDERFUL!!! It was a really great birthday!! Thank you so much for the package. I DIED with the tee shirt, it's perfect!! [The t-shirt had a drawing of a cat lying flat on its back with the caption, "Overthinking and also hungry." I figured she'd get a kick out of it 😊 ] I felt so loved reading all of the cards and letters. I got a pretty sweet box from Alison. It was full of golden stuff for my golden birthday! I'm still finding gold confetti around the apartment, haha. ... We had dinner with the new senior couple, the Nielsons, and I love them!!! They made my day so wonderful!! I know they took a picture that evening, but I'll have to get it from them later.
... The strain of this companionship is kind of starting to take its toll... and President Vest and I have been playing phone tag all week.
Friday was awkward. We had weekly planning that morning and it was just awkward. That night was fun though. We had dinner with a less active member and her husband that night and it was a blast. It was just a really good interaction with them.
Saturday was pretty good. We met some pretty cool people; ... one less active [person] that talks a lot and says he can't be saved, and one woman that KNOWS the gospel is true and loves to feel the Spirit. That was a pretty busy day.
Sunday was good, we sang in church in the Cornell Branch. That was a little scary. ... Well prayer works! I think it went just fine, thank goodness. It was kind of an off day. I was feeling more anxiety than I have in a while, but by the end of the day I felt better.
Today we're going to the temple AND I'M SO HAPPY!!!! I should be able call this afternoon and I'm so excited to tell you all about it.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
Some missionaries have a temple nearby and are allowed to attend about once a quarter, and some get permission to attend temples outside their mission boundaries once or twice during their mission, but there are still many missionaries who don't get the privilege of attending while they are serving full-time missions. I'm so glad she got to go yesterday (they have to go on a Pday)! That means there was less texting back and forth during the day, but that's okay!
Also, poor Marissa broke her arm! She broke the upper humerus, just below her shoulder. the good news is that she will not have to wear a cast, and she should be out of her sling in about 3 weeks.
Bonus: Becca's new little cousin, Dominick James Litton was born to Jess and Brad on Becca's birthday!! I knew that would just tickle Becca to death! 😆 Here's some extra pics and videos and her email to me:
Hi Mom!!!
Right now we are on the road to THE TEMPLE!!!!! I'm so excited!! We're riding with a [ward] member, Sister Haney, and she's a blast. She has a daughter on a mission right now so she was more than happy to take us and she is almost more excited than we are. :D
That super stinks that Rissa broke her arm!!!! OW!! Poor kiddo. I hope she heals quickly. Is that the same arm she broke before? I can't remember.
ALSO AMAZING!!! Welcome to the world little Dominick James! Are they going to call him James? I should always be able to remember his birthday, haha!! On Saturday I thought, "Oh my gosh! Jess has probably had her baby by now!" And I had no idea, haha. How wonderful!!
Sounds like you had a pretty good week! I'm also really grateful to read your emails.
My week was pretty good! Monday we went to Cornell and I got a couple more souvenirs, and I'm super happy about that. I LOVED OUR PHONE CALL ON MONDAY!!! It was just fantastic and I have been drawing on that conversation all week. The rest of that day was kind of meh - let's just say by that evening I was looking forward to next pday.
Tuesday we had a Zoom call with President and Sister Vest. They wanted to talk with all the sisters in the mission about dress and grooming. They felt like they needed to reemphasize the dress standards. I honestly didn't think I would need to change anything, but after a little evaluation I will be sending some things home. ... .
Wednesday was WONDERFUL!!! It was a really great birthday!! Thank you so much for the package. I DIED with the tee shirt, it's perfect!! [The t-shirt had a drawing of a cat lying flat on its back with the caption, "Overthinking and also hungry." I figured she'd get a kick out of it 😊 ] I felt so loved reading all of the cards and letters. I got a pretty sweet box from Alison. It was full of golden stuff for my golden birthday! I'm still finding gold confetti around the apartment, haha. ... We had dinner with the new senior couple, the Nielsons, and I love them!!! They made my day so wonderful!! I know they took a picture that evening, but I'll have to get it from them later.
... The strain of this companionship is kind of starting to take its toll... and President Vest and I have been playing phone tag all week.
Friday was awkward. We had weekly planning that morning and it was just awkward. That night was fun though. We had dinner with a less active member and her husband that night and it was a blast. It was just a really good interaction with them.
Saturday was pretty good. We met some pretty cool people; ... one less active [person] that talks a lot and says he can't be saved, and one woman that KNOWS the gospel is true and loves to feel the Spirit. That was a pretty busy day.
Sunday was good, we sang in church in the Cornell Branch. That was a little scary. ... Well prayer works! I think it went just fine, thank goodness. It was kind of an off day. I was feeling more anxiety than I have in a while, but by the end of the day I felt better.
Today we're going to the temple AND I'M SO HAPPY!!!! I should be able call this afternoon and I'm so excited to tell you all about it.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
Here's the group email:
Hello!
This week was great! Actually I don't remember much of this week except that it was building up to today when we got to go to the temple!!!! We went to the Palmyra Temple and it's been 16 months since I've attended the temple and I LOVE the temple. It was so wonderful. I loved every minute of it.
I'm so grateful for this gospel and this church. I can't express all of my feeling of gratitude and joy, especially for the temples of the Lord. I know that God is real and that He loves each and every one of His children.
I hope you all have an amazing week!
Sister Fairbanks
1 - oh! I also had a super awesome 21st birthday! Thanks for everyone that made it a special day.
2 - the temple this morning!
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