Temple Trip

President Harvey has a goal of having a temple trip once a month.  We had our first one in November.  A group went over early to do baptisms and then a few of us went over later to do endowments.  Elder Lovell has been encouraging the members to find family names to take or to send each time we go.  We helped one sister get her aunt’s name temple ready.  We sent her aunt’s name to be baptized but for some reason the temple couldn’t print it.  By the time we got there the girls were already done so we didn’t think her name could be done. Pres. Harvey wouldn’t let it rest that easy so after we got the name printed, they found a girl who hadn’t changed her clothes yet and came back in to do this baptism.  The baptismal font is behind glass doors that face the foyer of the temple. Sister Stanford was able to witness this baptism. There was a very special feeling there witnessing this ordinance. She was then able to do the initiatory and endowment for her. It was an amazing day!

A funny little thing happened that made the day more memorable in a different way. We went next door to Nephi Book and we purchased a couple things – which I tried to pay for with my temple recommend. We all have our days, right?



 

Standing outside the Columbia South Carolina Temple.
Sorry about the partial picture, it truncated!

Sister Stanford who was very excited about doing  her aunt's work

Cotton pickin'

Okay, so I love the cotton fields.  We didn't get out to pick the cotton for when harvest started, it went fast.We finally found some fields that haven’t been harvested yet so I could get pictures of one that the cotton bolls were still full. The bales of cotton were interesting as well, so here's a little more on the subject from the blog about harvest (posted Nov. 7).

Unharvested cotton

Cotton bale - you can see the cotton on the bottom, the tarp only covers the top.

Working with the Elders

Once in awhile we work with the Elders. We’ve had some great experiences with them. This one particular day was especially nice. We were headed to Conway when Elder Lovell thought we should stop to see a family who has had a rough week to see how they were doing.  When we got there, Sister Horne’s home health nurse was there who had previously asked questions about the church.  She has thyroid cancer and having her 4^th surgery this week. Elder Thayne had previously talked to her before about Priesthood blessings and asked her if she would like one. She said it would be good and he did a wonderful job. What impressed me was as we were ready to leave he sat down and talked to her about her faith in the blessing using the scriptures. It was a good experience. (Since I wrote this, we found that her husband doesn’t want her to have any more discussions about the church.  This is too bad, as we felt she was really interested.)

We then went to the hospital in Conway to see a potential investigator who has been in the hospital several times for long stays. Even though he was going home that day, we still had to dress up in a gown and put on gloves.  We were a sight. They have 2 teenage daughters who want to get baptized. The Elders set up an appointment for the next week to teach them about the gospel and about being baptized with the proper authority.(Update- they have had their first discussion and are setting up the next one. So far they seem quite interested) On the way down in the elevator a couple joined us and immediately started talking about prayer and faith, and without faith the prayer isn’t any good. What a wonderful experience! The people here aren’t afraid to talk about their belief in Christ. What an example for all of us.

How do we look?

Getting caught up

I have many blogs written, ready to add pictures and post them. So, in the next few days I hope to get caught up. They may be out of order, but hopefully you will enjoy them anyway, and if you get bored, come back to them later or just ignore them.  We love "ya'll" and excited to share this wonderful experience with you. 

We're learning the "language" a little at a time and really have some good laughs with it.  A couple of Bro. Weatherford's phrases we have to share - "Sensuous": "Sens you was" up anyway, please get me a piece of cake, and "dark thirty": She'll be home about dark thirty.  That's about a half hour after the sun is set, or whenever she decides to get home. A shopping cart is called a "buggy".

Morning walks

An overall view of just a portion of the  Old Magnolia cemetery. If you look real close in the background, you can Weatherford's home. We have our walk figured out to 2 miles.

We decided we better get some exercise so we decided to go for a walk each morning.  Bro. Weatherford told us to walk over at his neighbors - they are very quiet and don't bother anybody.  So, we decided he was right - they are very good neighbors. We really enjoy it there. It’s very peaceful in the Old Magnolia Cemetery. It's a good time for us to visit, plan the day, and just enjoy the spirit that you feel in places like this.  It seems a little strange to watch bushes bloom in November, even when there is frost on the ground or ice on your car window that morning.  There’s a camillia bush that was in bud when we first came, and over the past month, one by one, they blossomed.  Now the pedals are falling off and there are still buds waiting to open up. The leaves on the trees beside them have turned and are starting to fall.

Camillia bush with intertwined with 2 other trees.

 

Camillia flower close up.



We love to read the names, try to decipher their relationships and wonder about their story. In the south, most cemeteries have family plots designated by concrete outlines, rocks, etc. 

We go walking in the mornings for our exercise.  It was suggested that we walk at Weatherford’s neighbors.  He says they won’t mind, they’re very quiet and don’t bother anyone.    It’s a great time to talk, plan, and just think.  It’s interesting how much it changes so quickly.  There’s a camillia bush that was in bud when we first came, and over the past month, one by one, they blossomed.  Now the pedals are falling off and there are still buds waiting to open up. The leaves on the trees beside them have turned and are starting to fall.

We have also noticed that the grave decorations change often. We’ve watched people come and just sit and meditate. Some graves are visited daily. The tent from the mortuary stays up, covering the flower sprays and the grave, for about two weeks. It’s nice to know they are not forgotten. Since I am posting this a month later, we noticed that December is a month of remembrance.  There are a lot of wreaths, poinsettias, garlands, etc. On Christmas day it was very busy, cars going through all day long. We’re wondering if Memorial Day can be any better.

There are many small family cemeteries everywhere and they are well taken care of. Elder Lovell told Sister Woodard about the “Find a Grave” site. He then talked about her Dad’s grave which is in the Freeman Cemetery. We discovered it was in their back yard and contained 3 family graves. It is now registered on the site. On one of our p-days we’ll have to go check out some of the other little ones. 

Good days!

We had Leo over for lunch then he and Elder Lovell spent the next couple of hours working on his family history.  We then followed him out to Catfish Cemetery where his grandfather is buried.  It’s a beautiful cemetery. 

Bro. Leo Lane looking for his ancestors

There were 2 sections with headstones and between them was a section with no headstones and there are very dense trees lining half of the cemetery. This section seemed very peaceful to me.  The caretaker was there and I asked him if this was a new section.  He said that it was a burial spot for slaves.  They have no record of their names, but it was full.  It had grown over with weeds and trees and a man came over with his equipment and cleared it out, then planted grass.  It seemed a wonderful tribute to them.  This day was a very good day.

This is the slave section of the cemetery

We spent one day working with Elder Bethers and Elder Thayne.  The families we met were awesome.  Both families that we found home were a delight to get to know.  Another good day. 

Along with the good, comes those days when no one wants to answer the door, or  cancels the appointments.  We’ve had a few of those days.  However, we still have hope in meeting them again.

My Family

I am so grateful for my wonderful family. Not attending DelRoy’s funeral was very hard for me as well as for Grace (for those friends who don’t know, she is my sister who is serving a mission with her husband at the Laie, Hawaii Temple). Travis and my sister, Trudy, and her husband, Jim, took pictures after the funeral – the flag salute by the scouts as the casket was brought out of the church, and then the Air Force ceremony at the cemetery. Tianna also took a video of the Air Force ceremony. All of these were sent to Grace and I. These pictures were amazing! They made us feel as if we were there. James thought I needed a good laugh so he went back into his childhood days and jumped in front of Tianna’s ipod at the end of the video. Thanks, James! I needed that. We went to Columbia to attend the temple on the day of the funeral and took with us a family name in honor of DelRoy. However, the temple was closed for maintenance, but the ride was nice. There were also a lot of phone calls, and video chats with siblings, DelRoy’s wife, Alease, and our children. Grace and I did a video chat that day as well so we could have our family time. Thank you, family! You are the best! The branch was also very generous with their hugs. We are never alone, though miles apart from those we love for there are others to fill their place by proxy.

This is self explanitory. The children who he started this with brought some candy which they put in the casket with him.  They also made him a candy get well card when he was in the hospital.

 



They displayed his scouting stuff.  I loved this picture as it also represents some of what we shared.

Veteran salute

Folding the flag which was presented to Alease. It will be a family treasure.

Tribute to my brother

One of the things I am most thankful for is the knowledge that as families we can be together forever because of the sealing power available to us.

This week has been a very difficult but spiritual week for our family.  The morning of November 29, my brother, DelRoy Guymon, was called home to his Heavenly Father, and to a joyful reunion with parents, grandparents, and his son, Gene. He fought a good fight as he battled brain cancer since it was discovered in February. 

One of the hardest decisions I have had to make is whether or not I should go home to be with family on this solemn occasion. Before we left home we knew that it was a possibility that this was something we would be facing and that we would stay in the mission field. It was still an option to go home, but it was testified to me that we were to stay where the Lord had sent us to do His work and that is what DelRoy would want.

How can a person in a few words sum up more than 60 years of friendship that a sister & a brother have had the privilege to enjoy?   He has forever been my friend, my confidant, my scouting partner, my brother. The one thing that we were very proud to claim is that we have gone our entire lives without even one disagreement – not one argument between the two of us.

DelRoy honored me with a special pin for receiving my Woodbadge pin...

.....and a brotherly kiss.

 



We will miss this fine man, as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, brother, nephew, friend. DelRoy, until the time comes when we can be together again, know that you are loved and will be missed. Thanks for the memories. We love you.