Our Branch Temple Trip

As our time in the mission was coming to close, President Smith began to think alot about the wonderful members of our Branch and wondered how he might help them to be able to attend the temple. He had had several interviews with them and he knew their desire to have a recommend and be able to attend the temple, and in two cases to be married. We had a fellow (David) in the branch who was engaged to a young lady from New York (Elisabeth) and they needed the temple prep classes. We had a family (Alvaro and Monica Ramirez and their children Jennifer and Joshua) who were converts of almost a year and they wanted to be married in the temple and have their children sealed to them. We had an older sister (Diane Smith) who had been a member for several years and had never been to the temple. We also had another new convert (Stacy Steele) who had never been to the temple to do baptisms for the dead, which is an awesome experience for all new converts. All of this was a concern to him, he wanted to leave the mission and the branch with all who desired to attend the temple able to. It took him several loooooooooooong weeks to complete the temple prep lessons.... it was a slow pace as they each needed to be taught at their own level of understanding. Our temple day was planned for June 7th 2008, and the Branch was prepared ... we desired to have interpreters in the temple with us that the members knew and could relate with. We wanted it to be such a wonderful experience for them. Getting those interpreters was not easy. After many weeks of letters going back and forth between Pres Smith, Pres Reynolds, and the area authorities.... consent was given for our ASL missionaries to make the trip. We took Elders Waldon, and Wheeler and Sisters Ball and Salazar. Elder Lopez a deaf elder who had served in the mission/branch flew in from Utah to be at the temple with us. Transportation is always a problem for the deaf (few have cars) we purchased a second car so that we could make the trip. It was a wonderful day we had 5 members endowed (Diane, Elizabeth, David, Monica and Alvaro) two couples married (David and Elizabeth and Alvaro and Monica) one couple sealed to children (Alvaro and Monica/parents with Jennifer and Joshua/children), and a new member (Stacy Steele) who participated in baptisms for the dead. Many of our other Branch members were there as well. It was a WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL day. :)