IT'S CONFERENCE TIME!

IT IS CONFERENCE TIME THIS WEEKEND!

LET ME HIGHLIGHT OUR WEEK 

Tuesday afternoon we both served in the Palmyra New York Temple office and had a unstressful, peaceful, day.

Wednesday we were both Ordinance Workers in the temple, in the morning and I was assigned to a sealing session where Elder Bushman presided.  I served in the office in the afternoon.  While serving in the office this week I was able to get several batches of indexing and arbitrating done in Family Search.  That always makes me feel like I am succeeding in my Family History.

Thursday Elder Bushman and I got permission from the temple co-ordinators and skipped a day at the temple and joined the summer missionaries in their excursion on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad.  Twenty two couples met at Palmyra Inn at 6:30 A M and drove to Utica, New York where we got on a train and traveled the scenic route to Thendara, NY. 

We watched the sun rise.  We drove with Elder James and Sister Karen Dean as our passengers.  We are so glad they rode with us.  We got to know them both so much better.  They are from San Diego, California and reside in the Inn with us presently.

 Union Station was beautiful with all the marble pillars.  From this Station we boarded the train and were off on our great adventure.

 A scene from the open car of the train.

 Another scene from the train.

 A scene from out the train window.

 My entertainment this whole train ride was this door between cars.  The train porter kept coming in and shutting the door.

 It would stick shut and people would really struggle with it to get it open.  The refreshment car was in the next car over, so this was a busy door!  Elder Wheeler is trying to open it here.

 After several tries he bursts it open!  Yay, success...then the porter followed and shut it again...Ha!  This scene played over and over on our travels.  I know, I am easily entertained.

 We all arrived at Thendara, NY Station and then we took a shuttle to the waterfront in Old Forge, NY.

 Our shuttle driver had on a shirt that said Wade Tours CNY!  He drove us to Old Forge where we had a quick lunch...of clam chowder.  He then shuttled us to the McCauley Mountain Scenic Chairlift.

We enjoyed getting on this chairlift and remembering our fun days of skiing together when I was healthy enough to join Elder Bushman...

There were lots of boulders under this lift...not so good.  I would call this the mogul hill!

Our selfie on the lift!

Our neighbors, Elder & Sister Bardo are on the chair behind ours.

 This is the beautiful lake from the top of the ski slope.  The colors of the leaves have already passed their peak.

 Elder and Sister Bushman are enjoying being at the top of the mountain!

 A zoom lens lets us see a boat and the islands in this beautiful lake.

 I have always wanted an Adirondack chair...we had this photo taken so we could remember sitting in one at least.  It took all we had to stand back up and remove ourselves from this lowly seat!

 Another view from the other side of the mountain.

 All our friendly missionaries at the top of the mountain!

We had a "presently not attending member" take our group photo...he did a great job!  Isn't this the most awesome group of Temple Missionaries this mountain has ever experienced!  We should have shouted for joy!  We felt the peace of this temple mount.

I share a thankful smile to Elder Bushman before we travel back down on the tram.

We waited at the base forever before our shuttle returned and took us back to the depot...where we boarded the train and back to Utica, NY we traveled.

A view from the open air box of the train.

A final view taken inside the train.

This was, indeed, a lovely day.  Thank you, Elder John and Sister Lynette Neeley for all the planning  this excursion took.  "Thank's for the Memories!"  We arrived back in Palmyra long after the sun had set in the West.

Friday evening we were ordinance workers in the temple.  Then we rushed home to watch the BYU Football game against Utah State.  It didn't even start till 10:30 PM...I should have been concerned at this point as we were taught in our youth that "Nothing good happens after 12:00 Midnight".  This was the ultimate nightmare scenario.  The star quarterback Tayson Hill was tackled and fell and his left leg was fractured.  He is out for the season.  We lost to Utah State 35-20 and the game ended so sad for us at 2:00 AM and so joyfully for Utah State.  Congratulations Utah State...my daughter, Heather and her husband Michael, are thrilled with this outcome...Elder Bushman is in mourning for this conference weekend..and it is raining in Palmyra, and life goes on!  We will still be fans and cheer on as BYU plays Central Florida this coming Thursday evening in Florida!  Go BYU!

As the 184th Semiannual Conference began on our little IPad, in room 232, of the "Inn" Elder Bushman and I settled on our couch to share an intimate two hours on the small screen of our mobile device.  In the middle of the two hours the sun slipped from the clouds and began to shine!  "The Morning Breaks" was a good song to open this session with!  Thank you, President Monson for being the first speaker.

Elder Bushman decided to upgrade his Safari Page and he lost all connection to the Web on Saturday morning.  That is why we watched the first session of General Conference on the ipad.  He made frantic phone calls to our son's Eric and Ryan.  Have I told you what blessed parents we are to have these two son's in our lives?  Well, we are and I thank you both for being so patient with your dad as he gets so frustrated on his computer!  Eric had him download a whole new operating system.  It took till Sunday Morning to finish downloading.  I think the "Inn" doesn't have the speed on the internet required to do a faster job.  We are so blessed that our room has the internet...I'm not complaining here.  Elder Bushman said his computer now works faster, too, with this upgrade.   Anyway, there was a Yahoo shout from Elder Bushman this morning as he was able to again get "on line"!  Eric suggested I should probably upgrade too...but suggested I wait till I return home, next April, and he can help me...sound advice I would say!  

So bring on Conference we are much more ready to be in tune with the speakers on the Sunday Sessions...now that we have experienced a rescuing by our son's!   I am pondering this...on a glorious General Conference weekend.  Hurrah for Israel! 

President & Sister Cahoon had compassion on Elder Bushman's hearing problem and invited us to their quiet, beautiful, peaceful home to listen to the Sunday sessions.  This weeping willow is along their driveway to their home.

 President and Sister Cahoon dressed in regular clothing...we usually only see them in their white temple clothing.

 President Cahoon and Elder Bushman by Cahoon's dahila flowers.  They are just beautiful...good job President Cahoon at gardening.

 A garden of winter pansies.

This is a picture of the Presidency of the Palmyra Temple.  President & Sister Brighton, Broadbent & Cahoon.  I hope each recommend holder in this area get to know this great Presidency.  Elder Richard G. Scott counseled all of us to go to the temple during his conference talk.  I look forward to studying all I learned in this great 184th Semi Annual General Conference.  I hope each of you were able to listen and learn.  I am so thankful to Our Savior Jesus Christ for all of our leaders and those who give of their time and energy to make our lives better.  We are truly a blessed generation to be alive in this last dispensation.  May each of us stay on "ye old ship of Zion" as Elder M. Russell Ballard counseled us.

Elder Bushman wanted me to include his favorite leaf photo from last Monday.  This shot is fantastic!  New York State is beautiful.

We close this 43 blog with special thank's to Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for the opportunity to have direct communication with them through the Prophets of this time and season.

"GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN"