30 October 2017

A few weeks ago, we were asked by Jordan McDonell, counselor in the bishopic, to speak in the Harlem YSA (Young Single Adult) Ward on the subject of Family History. We were told that he wanted us to create a spiritual connection for the members of his ward that would encourage them to want to get involved in Family History. W were given about 8-10 minutes to do it. I have learned that sometimes the five minute pep talks can be more beneficial that dumping a whole load on them.

We decided that I would speak on the Spirit of Family History and Golden would speak on the promise that Jesus made in the premortal life that He would redeem all on condition of following the plan.  He shared the importance of the scripture Moroni revealed to the boy Joseph Smith. Elijah came to bing the keys of the sealing power for all ordinances for this dispensation of the fullness of times.  So important a scripture, we find it in all four of our Standard Works.  We are a party to the promise and agreed that we would help the Savior keep his promise.

I shared some of my most cherished moments in my life on how it blessed my children and how I learned the power of prayer. I knew that the scriptures promised that when two or more are gathered in His name, He would be in our presence and that  if we asked in righteousness our prayers would be heard and we could experience a miracle. I have seen this happen many times while doing personal family history experiences and my faith in prayer has grown so much.

The meeting went really well, and we had some people come up and express that they really wanted to try and get involved. At least it will be a beginning that they can some day build on.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Sister Lee and her companion asked if they could have a photo, but Diane was elsewhere and they were headed up to Sunday School.  So this was the photo.  Sister Lee served about seven transfer rotations at the apartment on St. Nicholas Avenue where we were assigned for apartment inspections and she became quite attached to us.

Sister Lee (center) with her companion and Elder Adams - Harlem YSA Ward

As we were leaving the meeting, we ran into some people that told us that Elder Rasband, Elder Bennett, and Elder Buckner would be attending sacrament meeting in the next ward, as Harlem First Ward was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the formation of the Harlem Branch which has now grown into three wards.

Elder Rasband talked about how he was given an assignment to be in New Jersey a year ago, and he had no idea that the celebration on the 20th anniversary was going on until a phone call during the week.  Elder Rasband was so excited that he was close enough that he could make arrangements to be at the celebration as he is very much attached to the wards. He spoke of how there are never any coincidences in life, as the Lord knows all things.

Elder Rasband served his mission the Harlem New York area and then served as mission president in New York, approving the formation of the Harlem Branch,  before becoming an apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. We opted to stay for the next sacrament where Brother Anderson, the first branch president spoke along with Elder Rasband and Elder Buckner. It is such a wonderful experience to be in a sacrament meeting with general authorities, and the spirit is always very strong.

Elder Rasband told the members to not fear the future. He spoke of the challenging times in which we live, but also the promise that if we are faithful, we will stand in holy places. Our homes, the temple, chapels, of wherever we stand can be a holy place as we live the commandments. If we build our families and create Zion within them and within the home, that we could face the challenges and experience peace.

It is always a wonderful opportunity when we go to church and find ourselves in the presence of a prophet of God, Elder Rasband,  and two members of the quorum of 70, Elder Bennett and Elder Buckner. This is the second time that this opportunity has come so I got the courage to approach  Elder Rasband and asked if we could have a picture with him. He is so personable and welcoming and we were so blessed to spend time with him.

Elder Rasband, Elder Golden and Diane Adams 22 October 2017

On Monday, the 23rd of October, President and Sister Smith sponsored a trip to West Point for all the senior missionaries. We thought that we would be seeing the same tour as last year, but it was all different and we had a lovely time. Brother Fleek was our tour guide and is the West Point Historian at the present time.

Elder and Sister Adams, Elder and Sister Miles, Elder and Sister Honeycutt, Brother Fleek, Elder and Sister Young, Elder and Sister Pothier, Elder and Sister Pederson, Elder and Sister Hanson, Elder and Sister Goodier, President and Sister Smith, and Elder and Sister Smith (Parents of President Smith).

Our first stop was the West Point Cathedral, currently used as the main chapel for several denominations.

Brother Fleek, guide at the front door of the West Point Cathedral

As we walked in the front door, we were greeted in a large chapel lined with flags and a seating capacity of over 900 people.

This is the main chapel area lined with historical flags from all periods of time in American History

Stained glass window at the front of the chapel.

These are some missionaries looking at the flags and listening to the lecture. In the background is President and Sister Smith with Elder and Sister Pothier near the front with their backs toward us.

The organ has 23,235 pipes, and is awesome in both its scale and its unique character. The impressive four-manual keydesk is arguable the world's largest "Horseshoe" console. 

Organs Horseshoe console, world's largest

 Organ Pipes near the front of the chapel near the organ

 Organ pipes near the rear of the chapel. This is where the entrance is.

 After seeing the main chapel, we were taken down to the crypt. These use to be used to bury their dead.

Crypt in the basement of the Cathedral.  LDS services used to be held here for the cadets.

Elder Fleek, our tour guide, telling us about the  crypt.

After touring the Cathedral, we walked over to the "Olde Chapel".  This building was moved to this spot in the early 20th century and is located adjoining the West Point Military Cemetery.

This mural is at the front of the Old Cadet Chapel near the West Point Military Cemetery

 For an excellent commentary on this quotation on the mural at the Old Cadet Chapel, Click:   Old Cadet Chapel Mural Text

Entrance to the "Olde Chapel"

Interior of the "Olde Chapel"

Some headstones are distinctively LDS.  When families are serving here, members may be interred.

View of the West Point Academy Military Cemetery. Note fall colors in the background.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the edge of West Point by the river.  Elder Adams, Br. Fleek and the Goodiers.

After our tour, the Hansons drove us home by way of Tarrytown, New York.  North Tarrytown is now known as Sleepy Hollow and the cemetery there bears that name, as well.  Walter Whitman wrote the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and lived near here.  Although it was a bit early for Halloween decorations, we saw a few along the streets.

Sleepy Hollow, settled in 1640 as North Tarrytown, became Sleepy Hollow in 1969.

We stopped at Ossingen, New York and made a quick stop at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, aka Sing Sing Prison.

Several look-out towers surround the perimeter of Sing Sing Prison

Sing Sing is a large facility and this is the other portion of the same street as above.

On Tuesday morning, we scheduled two apartment checks with the Elders in Harlem.  The first was at 128th Street near the Harlem Chapel.  Two of the four Elders were at appointments but we got this one finished, and then decided to walk to the other Elders apartment on 125th Street and near Old Broadway, some eight long blocks away.

We had made the appointment to visit this apartment with Elder Mafi and his companion on Sunday, and they said it was a mess.  Elder Mafi took the blame.  But when we checked the apartment, they had repented and it was very clean, even mopped behind the stove.  Each time we see Elder Mafi, who is from Tonga, we are reminded how he likes to joke around.

A couple of weeks ago, when getting onto the train at Lincoln Square, Elder Adams was just past the turnstyle and on the platform.  He was putting some cash away in his wallet when Elder Mafi came from behind him and grabbed him.  The look on his face made Elder Mafi laugh so hard that every time he now sees Elder Adams, he is reminded of the look on Elder Adams face thinking he was being mugged and robbed.

Elder Adams and Elder Mafi at the NYNY Family History Center at Lincoln Square, NYC

On Wednesday, one of the patrons Elder Adams worked with was Luz Garcia who has been trying to get the records straightened out on her late husband, Carlos, who passed away in El Salvadore.  The branch clerk had not added the death information to Carlos' membership and she was able to get that done this weekend so we could prepare the family ordinance card for his ordinances beyond baptism and confirmation.  She was so excited to be able to have that completed and to be able to move forward with it.

This evening, we were able to meet with Abu Conteh, the high priest group leader from Harlem First Ward.  He is from Sierra Leone and he has been promised several times over some years to have help with his parents temple work.  But, apparently, time after time, the person(s) would take months to get back with him or the computers didn't work, etc. Elder Adams has been working with him since we began training in Harley in June.

With his memory, since the records his father had left for him, as the oldest living of the children, were destroyed by the rebels when they broke into their home and destroyed everything, we did the best we could to estimate dates for the family.

His parents were sealed to each other, he was sealed to them, and then the deceased siblings were also sealed to their parents.  He remarked that he felt real good, like when he was a school boy coming home from school and his parents were there for him.  He expressed it was the same feeling of being in their presence.

It was amazing to feel the Spirit as Diane and I knelt across the altar as proxies for his parents when he was sealed to them.  I don't know if Abu really understands the import, but he did say he knew it was important.  On a couple of occasions, during the early morning hours, I received the promptings that I needed to help him with his sealing to parents before we end our mission, as he is 82 years old.  A few ordinances still need to be completed before his parents can be sealed to their parents.  But beyond that, we don't have any information.

Abu Conteh, Elder and Sister Adams at the Manhattan Temple entrance

On Thursday, we served in the Manhattan Temple and then at the Family History Center.  At the temple, President Kem Nixon suggested that we do a sealing session and complete those I had prepared since we are winding down on our service here.

Diane had another appointment with Dr. Schottenstein at the New York Spine Clinic for injections in her neck.  She reacted to them in a manner that made it impossible for her to stand and not fall over backwards without someone holding on to her.  So they called Uber and sent her home.  I met her at the corner of Columbus Avenue and 65th Street, the corner where the Family History Center is located.  The block home was a challenge, as she was worse than a drunk trying to stay vertical.  After a couple of hours and overnight, she was able to get back to being able to walk on her own.

Friday, Diane manned the Family History Center while I moved the microfilms around in the microfilm room to make room for the films that had come in now that FamilySearch is no longer providing film rentals.  I was able to complete the move and ready the drawers and cabinets for final film numbers to be posted.

Arranging microfilms in the final drawers for storage in the Microfilm Room

On Saturday, we did apartment checks.  We were able to complete the 54th Street Elders after they weren't available in the morning and we went back in the evening after our service at the Family History Library.  Also in the morning, we took the C train to St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem and completed the apartment check for Sr. Leavitt, Sr. Hess, and their companions.

After retiring for the night, Zach (a grandson) called and I returned the call to find that he was to give a talk Sunday on an ancestor who had received their temple ordinances after they had passed away.  I wrote a narrative on Sunday morning regarding his 3rd great-grandmother, Willemke de Jong who was sentenced with her mother in the criminal district court in Groningen, Netherlands as a 13 year old.  She was placed in solitary confinement for a few days and her mother was in solitary confinement for 45 days for vagrancy.  In those days, homeless people had no place to go, and they had to live in the streets, which would have been a crime.

We had an appointment to do a "Helping Others to Love Family History" experience with Ryan Wood, the Elder's Quorum President in Inwood 1st Ward.  The Spirit was strong and Ryan was able to make the connection of his great grandmother, which he had been trying to do for quite some time.

In the process, he merged duplicates that were already in the system for his great-grandmother's parents.  The result was to link several more generations and fill his fan chart for this lineage as well as clear the temple work so he can complete the sealing of his 2nd great-grandfather's family and other ordinances.  It was great to feel the Spirit of Elijah as he connected with his ancestors and the same feelings he has felt as as Lenard Reeves, as both have experienced loss of spouse either through divorce or death.  Such experiences are miraculous.  Feelings always are a part of conversion, and it is such a blessing to be part of the process.

Ryan Wood and Elder Adams participate in a "Helping Others to Love Family History" experience

We began our mission being assigned to Inwood 1st Ward where we served to help build the Temple and Family History program in the ward.  It has continued to be very successful under direction of Maya Kite, Temple and Family History Consultant lead and the priesthood leaders of the ward.  As a result, their unit continues to lead the New York Stake in the major indicators reported.  The Ward Virtual Tree was pretty baren when we arrived, and as members have submitted baptisms for their kindred death, the tree has "grown" name leaves.

Inwood First - Virtual Ward Family Tree - October 2017