Our Time in the Temple

Our time in America has been wonderful, although a bit scattered and exhausting as we have scurried to cram in so many things.  We have had some very special visits with friends and family.  We also accomplished quite a lot:

* We got our car transferred from Arizona to Boise so it will be there ready for us when we are released.

* We got annual physicals from our long time doctor and were able to fill another year of prescriptions on all our meds to take back with us

* We talked with a CPA about doing our taxes

* We were able to check on our home we have rented out to be sure everything there was ok

* We both got new glasses (Larry's had broken and my prescription has significantly changed

* We were able to get interviews for our needed new temple recommends with our familiar leaders in our home ward and stake

* We had an opportunity to teach a family history lesson in our home ward

* We picked up some supplies to take back with us of things that are not available in New Zealand

The list goes on and on.  There were so many good reasons why getting to come home for this break at the mid-point of our 23 month mission was a good thing to do.

But all of that pales in comparison to the real reason for making this trip. We feel so very blessed to have been able to be with our son and his wife when they went to the temple.

                            

They have both come a very long way since the day they were married back in 2006.

In addition to the sacred time we had with them both before and during their day in the temple, a couple days later Larry and I got to go back to take Stephanie and Chesilee to do baptisms for the dead.  We also showed them how to find family names on FamilySearch so they can continue this important work.




We also took the whole family to the visitor center near the new Meridian Temple which is currently under construction.  We watched a presentation about the process of building it which including some key life-lesson analogies about having a strong foundation,  being flexible in times of strain and challenge, and the importance of protecting what we treasure from the storms of life.



I love the temple.  Over the past year we have been to the Mesa Arizona, Gilbert Arizona, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga temples.  In the coming year we will add the Fiji temple to that list once it opens back up after their long period of reconstruction and remodeling.   Each temple is special in its own way.  I have had many tender experiences in temples throughout the world as I have received answers to prayers, or simply felt an abundance of the reassuring love of my Heavenly Father and the Savior.

After watching my son go through near 20 years of complete inactivity from the church, I had pretty much accepted that it was highly unlikely that I would ever see him within the walls of a temple in my life time.  So for this to take place now feels like a parting-of-the-Red-Sea sort of miracle for our family.

I am so grateful for the wonderful home teachers and friends who have helped my son and his family feel ready to reopen the door to spiritual things.  I'm even more grateful for the amazing love of the Savior who gives us all second chances (or third, or fourth, or however many chances we may need).  I am grateful for the possibility of  repentance and change.   I am grateful for the power for good that temples bring to this world.   I am grateful for truths that I learn in these Houses of the Lord where the veil can get very thin, and where I can sometimes catch true glimpses into eternity.

                           

                                            

Holden Holiday

As we travelled from Las Vegas to Utah we were fortunate to have clear roads all the way.  We saw snow on the ground but never had any storms to drive through.

By the time we finally reached Holden, Utah we were tired of being in the car and more than ready to get out.  Our hearts were warmed by this cute sign that the kids had made for us:

Both because of the snow and because of the many decorations, this is where we finally began to catch a taste of the Christmas spirit.

We were able to stay in Holden with Larry's brother Ted and his wife Karen for two days.  While we were there we were able to visit with several members of Larry's extended family.  We truly appreciated the chance to spend time with each of them, young and old.

Aunt Phyllis 

                                                   

Carol and ElDon Frampton

Jerid

Sam McCall, Savannah & Austyn

 Of course, as is our custom, we went up to the field above town for a bit where Ted keeps his horses and where the alfalfa field is to savor some of the beauty there.

It was a lovely visit with wonderful meals, good company and much love all around.   We were very grateful to our Utah family for making us feel so welcome.  All too soon it was over and time for us to get back into the car to continue on in our grand USA adventure as we headed out for the final leg of our journey to Idaho. 

Life Long Friends

Another long time friend we got to visit with in the Verde Valley was Geneva St. Amour and her husband, Mike.   I've known Geneva since she was just a little girl and remember when her sister, Jessica was born.  I was just enough older than her to think of her as a child and myself as "big".  Back then she was really more my sister's friend.  But as the years tumbled by, the distinction of a few years difference in our ages didn't much matter anymore.

Geneva's dad, Bruce Brimhall, died a few years ago after a long battle with diabetes and hepatitis.  Her mother, Peggy, died just a short time ago.  This was my first visit since with Geneva since she lost her mom, someone I considered a friend.  It was obvious her heart was still heavy with mourning.  Still, the smile on her face when we hugged hello was priceless.  It was great to spend time with her and also to see her sister who dropped by while we were with Mike and Gen at her parents' place in Clarkdale.

Larry and I with Geneva & Mike St. Amour

The Brimhall Sisters - Jessica and Geneva

pThe Brimhall family - Bruce & Peggy with Geneva & Jessica back in the day
when they were our neighbors in Cottonwood

As we were getting ready to leave Geneva handed me a couple apples for the road - with a grin she told me these were Pendley apples that had been grown at Slide Rock State Park, my grandfather's old homestead.  It was another reminder that sharing time with people I've known for many, many years in a place where I have deep roots is a very special blessing indeed.

I will always have a deep connection with Arizona.  Boise is home for now (or will be when we are done with our mission).  But at some point down the road I could very much see us moving back to the southwest.  Only time will tell.

All too soon our visit in Arizona had to come to a close, as it was time to continue on to our next stop on our USA journey.    We went up through Flagstaff, where we got into a bit of snow - a BIG switch from our beach life in New Zealand!

view of the San Francisco peaks from just outside of Flagstaff 

 We drove past Hoover Dam which was interesting to see.  We didn't have time to stop, but if I ever go back again I'd like to take the tour that is available there.

Hoover Dam on the Arizona / Nevada border

Lake Mead which is created by Hoover Dam.
The water going through the turbines generates electricity

According to Wikipedia:  Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, measured by water capacity. It is on the Colorado River about 24 mi (39 km) from the Las Vegas Strip southeast of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. Formed by the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead is 112 miles (180 km) long when the lake is full, has 759 miles (1,221 km) of shoreline, is 532 feet (162 m) at greatest depth, with a surface elevation of 1,221.4 feet (372.3 m) above sea level, and has 247 square miles (640 km²) of surface, and when filled to available capacity, 26.12 million acre feet (32.22 km³) of water. The lake has not reached full capacity, however, since 1983 due to a combination of drought and increased water demand.^[1][2][3] Owing to current low water level, Lake Sakakawea holds claim over Lake Mead in terms of the United State's largest reservoir by total area and water in reserve.

The reservoir serves water to the states of Arizona, Nevada and California, providing sustenance to nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland.^[4]

There was so much stark, desolate land as we crossed into Nevada, serving to remind us how precious water is to these desert states.  It is clearly very different indeed from our emerald green Aoteara (Maori for New Zealand) where cattle are raised on grass pastures kept lush and thriving by frequent rains.

However, we did not stop at the dam or the lake because we had a schedule to keep.  Our whole purpose of going that way was to reach Las Vegas, NV so Larry could visit with his life-long friend, Fred Turner.  They have been best pals since they were just kids.

Larry Bennett & Fred Turner

They used to fish together every chance they got.   They are shown here from about 1960 when Larry was 14 and Fred 15 with fish they caught in Pioneer Creek.

Fred has had a rough go of things in recent months, struggling with throat cancer and ultimately having to have his larynx removed.  It was very difficult for him to communicate.  Still, it was great for he and Larry to connect again and reminisce over old times.  I also very much enjoyed visiting with his dear wife, Lonnie and the grandkids that were there.  I spent some time showing them some tips on FamilySearch and helped them find family names they could take to the temple.  (Even though we are on "vacation" from our assignment,  we LOVE showing people how to do family history!)

We went out together for a wonderful meal at a local restaurant (more Mexican food...YUM!  We don't get much of it in New Zealand so we are savoring chances to eat it here).  We spent the night enjoying good company.   Then early the next morning we were back on the road again!

We are doing a lot of driving but it is very much worth it to get times like thing with good friends.

My Kurtz Connections

On Sunday we were blessed with a gathering of my my mother's cousins.  We started this as an annual tradition a few years ago.  When my aunt and uncle in Colorado shipped me several boxes of family photos, letters, genealogy files and miscelaneous papers that had belonged to my maternal grandmother, I spent several months scanning as many of the photos as I could.  Once I got all the pictures digitized I took two suitcases of the original photographs with me to Arizona to pass them back to the various family groups that the pictures were of.   That first visit at Gloria's house was very special as we all shared family stories from over the years.   Our love for each other began to blossom that day, and has grown stronger with every gathering since.  

Last year we held our gathering in November at Don Goddard's place, right before Larry and I were to head out on our mission.   We assumed this year we would be skipping our annual get together due to our mission.  That had worried me since several of the people who come each year are getting up in years and some have had some serious health challenges recently. We never know how many more visits like this there may be.  When we learned we would be getting to come to the USA for this special trip, one of the joys of that was knowing I could be with these dear ones again. I love them more than I can say.  

I especially appreciated my aunt, Nina Lovett (pictured here with her youngest son, John), for hosting the gathering this year.   For many years Nina and I did not have a warm relationship.  The truth is, for a long time I chose not to communicate with her at all.  The reasons why no longer matter.   It is significant to me though, that right before our mission,  Nina and I reclaimed the opportunity to share each other's lives.  Both of us softened our hearts and let go of the harsh judgments that had caused bumps in the past.  I'm so grateful for that.   Life is too short for holding grudges over old hurt feelings or offences.  I feel richly blessed to have Nina back in my life.

Families can be complicated.  The Pendley clan certainly has been.  Yet the blessings of family connection offer a richness to life like no other.   I'm glad that I've learned that lesson before it was too late.

Our Arizona Family

We spent the first part of our USA visit in Arizona.   As we were preparing to land in LA after the 12 hour flight from New Zealand I was shocked to see how BROWN everything looked.   After over a year in a paradise of green, it was a big adjustment.   But once we had been in AZ for a couple days I was reminded that the desert has it's own beauty.

We had a bit of a bumpy re-entry as we had to deal with some car problems we had not anticipated, but once that was taken care of things were pretty smooth sailing.  

It was wonderful to see our family.  We had great visits with Darrin, Kris, Jacob and Troy in Maricopa.  Our annual tradition is to spend Christmas at their house.  They are always so gracious and welcoming when we stay with them.  This time I spent the the visit just savoring our time with them rather than taking photos.   but here are a couple  favorite picture of us from our 2012 Christmas visit.

                               

We couldn't believe how much our grandson, Jacob, had grown since we had seen him last.  We are fortunate that we have been able to stay close with frequent FaceTime Visits, so we see him on a regular basis.  Still, actually getting to be there to cuddle, read books together and play with him was absolutely wonderful!

We were also really glad it worked out that we were there when we could be of the most support to Kris and Darrin.  Troy, Larry's youngest son whom they have guardianship for, had been in the hospital with a serious infection.  He was back home and doing much better when we arrived, but he needed to stay home a few days before the doctors would release him to return to work.  Both Kris and Darrin had to get back to their own jobs, after having spent much time away to be at the hospital with Troy during his illness.  So it was a good thing we could be there to stay with Troy during that time.

There are no words to express how grateful we are to both Kris and Darrin for how well they care for our sweet son with special needs.  We are also deeply grateful for Troy's successful recovery from the basal cell carcinoma on his face that was discovered right before we left.  Although the cancer and the radiation both have left this nose significantly damaged, because of Troy's cognitive delays he does not seem to be self conscious of his appearance.  We are just glad to have him doing so much better. 
Here are a couple of my favorite shots of Troy:

                                       
                                                                    Troy in 2010

Troy at Disneyland earlier this year.  Kris & Darrin gave us a wonderful calendar as a Christmas gift with photos of their family on each page from their Disneyland adventure.  We were so pleased to see how much fun they had!

We also got some time with Gabriel, Jacob's older brother who is our GREAT-grandson.  We took the kids to see Santa Clause and very much enjoyed the lights and festivities - FINALLY helping me to get into the Christmas Spirit .

We had less time with Greg, Larry's other son who lives all the way over in Casa Grande.  But even though our visit with him was shorter, it was great to see him too.

Now that the visit is over, I do wish I had taken more pictures to hold on to the memories. However, I realize it can be annoying to family to always have a camera in their face. In the future I'll strive for more balance, hopefully getting a few more shots than this trip, but perhaps less than I have in the past.   With or without pictures to prove it though, we really were so happy to see them all and love them all to the moon and back.

Back in the USA!

We cleared customs in the LA airport without a single hitch.  I took a chance on bringing home a box of favorite shells from our New Zealand beaches, not knowing for sure whether US Customs would let us keep them.  I was surprised that they never even looked.  NZ has very tight rules for not allowing any biological agents in, but apparently the US is less concerned about something as simple as sea shells.  We of course declared everything we brought, but there was no issue.   So I was happy we could keep our reminders of favorite walks along the water's edge.  We were through the gates and headed over to the domestic terminal in no time.  First part of our journey accomplished!   One more flight to go.

Although we are taking a break from our mission assignment to tend to some family matters, we are still wearing our badges and mindful that we are representives of Jesus Christ in all we say and do.  Many people who saw our badges asked us if we were heading out or coming home.  There were a lot of surprised looks when we said we were still in the middle of the mission.

Many expect that Senior missionaries would have the same rules and structure that the young elders and sisters do.  That's what we thought when we first went out.   I certainly never would have guessed we'd be allowed a visit home like this.   We are so grateful for this opportunity.

Due to the International Date Line we actually arrived before we left - how crazy is that after a 12 hour flight?   We were stiff and bleary eyed from the long journey across the ocean, but ever so excited to be back on our own native soil.