25 June 2017

On Monday, June 12th, after doctor's appointment with Paul Scheel in Harlem, Golden worked on a lesson plan for Abu Conteh from Sierra Leone, West Africa.  He is the High Priest Group Leader in the Harlem 1st (English) Ward.  This was for the following Sunday preparing the temple work for two brothers and a sister, his parents, and his personal sealing to his parents.  Apparently, some of this was previously prepared in 2015 but never completed.  I learned later that due to some learning disabilities, this may have been the reason.  With the youth going to Palmyra New York Temple for their youth conference later this month, hopefully we can get the baptisms done.

The evaluation and the sending of microfilms back to Distribution Center in Salt Lake was completed, so we will soon be able to move the microfilm collection into new cabinets and remodel the microfilm room so we don't have to move all the equipment to the next room on Tuesday and back again on Saturday.  This room is used as the nursery on Sundays.

Although things were business as usual at the Family History Center, a couple of very interesting problems dealing with Southern States African American and Caribbean problems dealing with both black and white families were brought in by patrons.  It is amazing how different cultural mores affect the types of records and the findings we get.  So many generations were fathered out of wedlock, sometimes by married men.

On Sunday, June 18th (Father's Day) we taught Harlem 1st Ward Temple and Family History Consultants that were in town and used Abu's family history experience as the lesson.  Bishop Micah Day had given information that Abu's abilities were somewhat limited so we weren't sure how much he really understood.  But the family file cards for his siblings and parents as well as a family group record that can be used by the temple recorder for his own sealing to his parents can be performed.

Baby Stroller Parking - Harlem 1st Ward Sunday Meeings

Diane worked with Line Berentsen, the TFHC lead for the Harlem Family History Center on her Norwegian, and she did very well merging records on her family.  It was exciting to see how she "lit up" with the experience.  Now she should be able to do much of this on her own!  She continues to be amazed that an American can teach a Norwegian how to do Norwegian family history.

Monday, June 19th as a late celebration of Father's Day, we stopped on 50th Street at TGI Friday's for lunch on our way  back from Diane's mamogram.  It's right by Radio City Music Hall and a few blocks north of Times Square.  We don't get out like that very often, so it was a great break!

From TGF Friday's looking Uptown from 50th Street.

From TGF Friday's looking Downtown from 50th Street

 On Tuesday, I went in to the FHC early and counted the microfilms in our collection so we would know if the number of drawers being built for the collection needed to be increased.  We have 1991 35mm microfilms and 371 16mm microfilms.  With more and more of the records being available to browse online through the FS Catalog or in collections, more and more patrons are able to access them from home, depending on restrictions imposed by the record custodians.

Wednesday was a huge day.  Pre-op at Hospital of Special Surgery (HSS) took most of the day.  Appointments were scheduled back to back for Physical Therapy instruction for Total Hip Replacement (THP), then a Total Joint class for about 1 1/2 hours, Pre-surgical screening: blood test,  EKG, etc, and finally meeting with Dr. Matthew Buchalt who went over all the results so far and past medical history. The back to radiology and imaging for a chest x-ray.  All this in preparation for THP on July 5th.  So we went from the 2nd floor to the 8th floor, to the 3rd floor, to the 6th floor, and back to the 3rd floor in New York City style!

View of east river from x-ray waiting room-Hospital for Special Surgery

Tired from being at HSS, instead of going back to the apartment to fix supper, we took a detour to Second Avenue and 90th Street to our favorite Mexican restaurants, Noche de Margaritas.  We split a supreme chicken burrito and fried vanilla ice cream for dessert.  YUM!

Fried Vanilla Ice Cream Dessert

Noche De Margaritas Restaurant

Noche De Margaritas Takeout Menu

It is amazing how small the world is.  Diane found, as she prepared a lesson plan for one of our TFH Consultants  for Harlem 1st Ward - Clark Sheffield, that they are 4th cousins through their Jolley line!

On Thursday, while filling in at the FHC for one of our African American volunteers, and serving with another -- Roger Parrish -- that both he and I have some of the same names of progenitors from Person County, North Carolina.  On the Brooks family line, he comes through black progenitors and I come through white but we haven't figured out the common ancestor yet.

Friday morning, June 23, after Diane's physical therapy session, we visited with two of our young sister missionaries and did their apartment inspection in Harlem.  Then we served our regular shift at the family history center. Diane met with Dr. Seecoomar, her gastroenterogist, to evaluate the esophagus to make sure there are no problems with it.  Spine issues that are affecting her swallowing  may be coming from her neck.  She will be meeting with the spine surgeon Dr. McCann,on Tuesday for evaluation.

We were all shocked to hear that my brother Lloyd had been admitted to the hospital again by his son Jeff and his request for prayers in Lloyd's behalf.  Then a few hours later, we were informed that he required surgery, but that he didn't make it.  So our family has been really blessed to have electronic means of communication to keep in contact with his family and all of our extended family as well.

On Saturday morning, we spent the morning inspecting apartments of four Elders on 54th Street, and then grabbed the subway to 125th Street to complete our 6 week inspections of four more Elders' apartment.  Two of the Elders serve as ASL (American Sign Language) Missionaries.

Diane at the 125th Street above-ground Subway Station. We over dressed as it was rain earlier.

We completed our week today by attending church in Harlem and training Temple and Family History Consultants in the Harlem YSA ward and Harlem 1st Ward.  Diane has continued to work with Line Berentsen, Harlem family history director temple and family history consultant with her Norwegian ancestors.

Line Berentsen (pronounced "Lena")