Bushman's Mission to Palmyra: FROZEN

Monday, 5 January 2015

We went to the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center where we watched the film Meet The Mormons. There were 6 great stories of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We thank each member who shared their story. We love this gospel and its world wide effect. We enjoyed this movie and shed tears of sorrow and joy for the struggles of others as we progress into the eternities. We thank President Monson for his direction and example in casting this film into the media. We hope those of you who watch this will realize, as we do, that all people on this earth are important to Our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Blessings be to those who are hastening this great work. We call this movie a good Home run! #Sharethegift

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Elder Bushman and I were at the temple by 5:45 AM for the 6:00 AM session. It was 15 degrees when we left the Inn. Our car complained and almost would not start...but we made it on time! (ha...I need to curb my pride...I left my temple clothes and recommend at the Inn. Not a good way to begin a perfect day!) We had a lovely day despite my forgetfulness. Elder Bushman served in the office after the 6:00 AM Session and I went on the 9:30 AM session as well. In prayer meeting the coordinator asked if we all were the Elite Frozen or the Frozen Elite? Ha...this cold weather has much to be desired. The temple is having trouble with the furnace. The High School Pool heater is broken and so the pool is closed all this week.

Wednesday, 7 January 2015
I conquered the cold, for me personally today. I put on my long johns and doubled the stockings! I'm staying indoors till serving in the temple this evening. "Let the storm clouds rage...."

The cold really bothers me...

Oh Yes, we do know who is in charge!

"Peace Be Still"

The temple closed early this evening and we drove home in snow and the 2 degree weather....burr!

Thursday, 8 January 2015
It's getting warmer here...7 degrees this morning. We serve in the morning and evening in the temple today. At the morning prayer meeting President Brighton closed with his own words from D & C 121:34 "Many are cold but few are frozen!" Too funny, but it is so windy and cold as we climbed the hill to enter the temple today. I thought my teeth were going to break off they were so frozen! It is so cold in Palmyra, New York. However, the temple was warm inside and the ordinances were warming to our souls also. It is almost time for BYU Basketball...It starts at 11:00 PM in Palmyra...Go BYU!
Friday, 9 January 2015
Elder Bushman watched BYU to the finish...I fell asleep just as the game started. BYU falls at home to Pepperdine 67-61 too sad... Art said the flu was roaming around in our team...maybe the pepper will help them heal...or better yet maybe they shared the flu with the winning team! Just kidding.
BYU needs our Sunday School student to teach them a thing or two! Congratulations to Victoria and her high school girls team. I love when her mom posts pictures of this winning girl! Go Victoria!

A bunch of the summer missionaries got together in Salt Lake and sent us these awesome photo's. They all look well rested and ready for new assignments. We miss each of you.

We are so thankful we got to know each of you. Thank you for your great examples. "Carry On"

President and Sister Brighton invited us to spend some time with them today. We went over to their home where we tried to help them with their Christmas Puzzle. We all worked for about an hour and got about 8 pieces in...ha, we weren't much help. Sister Brighton showed me a couple of quilts she is working on...they are beautiful and very intricate.

As we were working on the puzzle a herd of deer showed up for lunch. President feeds them corn and they came for their feast...it was fun to watch them out their window. They also have a couple of bird feeders in the back yard and the birds were having lunch. Sr. Brighton was playing a CD, in the background, of bird sounds. We got sort of homesick sitting there with the big picture windows. The sun was shinning and it was a beautiful crisp scene.

We finally gave up on the puzzle, for now, and we drove to Pittsford and we enjoyed lunch. We ate at the Cole Tower...a place that used to hold coal for the ships traveling the Erie Canal. Of course this photo was taken in the summer...it is snow and slush today as we walked from the parking lot.

Sister Brighton had salmon and the rest of us had fish and chips...of course today is Friday...fish is a good meal for today, right? We thank The Brightons for sharing their morning with us. We are so thankful for their friendship and example. They will be serving in the temple this evening. We have Friday off so will go home and nap now that we are comfortably full.

We ended our limited time together by stopping at Abbott's Frozen Custard Shop on the bank of the Erie Canal. Of course this photo was taken in the summer too. There was one other customer in the store...not many want Frozen food on this Frozen day! The Brighton's feasted on Chocolate Almond and Elder Bushman and I had Pistachio Pineapple...and it was so, so, tasty! It reminded me of Fred's Custard in OKC..now that is a toasty thought on an icy icicle day. We have good memories of Fish, Friends and Custard on a bright sunny Friday. We hope the Brighton's finish their puzzle before Valentine's Day. Ha. Thank's for the memories Brighton's.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent pondering and preparing our Sunday School lesson...if we can make it to Cortland on Sunday. Our lesson is "How can studying the scriptures help me learn about Heavenly Father"? Of course my mind went immediately to the scripture in Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (like my custard cone!)
I think Jesus would have loved Frozen Custard. We know He enjoyed fish!
I leave you with this Friday thought.

Luke 6: 37..."Judge not...."

"The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and arrives in Heaven.

He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper.

St. Peter said, 'Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast , and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven.'

Forrest responds, 'It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope the test ain't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was.'

St. Peter continued, 'Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions.

First:

What two days of the week begin, with the letter T?

Second:

How many seconds are there in a year?

Third:

What is God's first name?

Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, 'Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers.'

Forrest replied, 'Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begins with the letter 'T'? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow.'

The Saint's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, 'Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?' asked St. Peter.

'How many seconds in a year?

Now that one is harder,' replied Forrest, 'but I thunk and thunk abou t that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve.'

Astounded, St. Peter said, 'Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year ?

Forrest replied, 'Shucks, there's got to be twelve:

January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd... '

'Hold it, interrupts St. Peter. 'I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind... but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question.

Can you tell me God's first name'?

'Sure,' Forrest replied, it's Andy.'

'Andy?' exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?'

You are going to love this ....

'Shucks, that was the easiest one of all,' Forrest replied. 'I learnt it from the song,

ANDY WALKS WITH ME,

ANDY TALKS WITH ME,

ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN.'

St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: 'Run, Forrest, run.'"

Author Unknown

Lord, Give me a sense of humor,

Give me the ability to understand a clean joke,

To get some humor out of life.

And to pass it on.

MORAL: THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW.

Just because a person does not see or understand things the same way you do, does not mean they are wrong. They are entitled to their own point of view, and it should be considered as important as any other.

Saturday, 10 January 2015
Saturday was a special day. We served in the temple all day. It was a quiet and peaceful and warm and toasty day inside. The wind kicked up, the sun shown and it was a frozen 7 degrees outside.
Art stayed up and watched the BYU takeover 85-72 against Loyola Marymount. Good win BYU!

Sunday, 11 January 2015

Our day kicked off at 3:31 am with a phone call from "Sally". She told us if we could name 31 kinds of ice cream in 31 seconds we could win....we punched the number off! We decided to phone her back at 5:30 am when we normally get up on Sunday. The # was unknown and No Caller ID...I suppose we just learned, the hard way, that Jesus does like frozen custard! Ha!
We are having a heat wave in Palmyra that would melt frozen custard. It is 30 degrees today!
Yummy all around!

It is Arthur's mother, Genevieve's, birthday today. She would have been 97!

We had three hours of great meetings today at Cortland Ward. So thankful that we began our week by partaking of the Sacrament. The roads weren't too bad either...but it is still very cold outdoors.
I hope some of you were able to listen to Brother Randall Ridd #ldsdevo This devotional for Young Adults is worth listening to and pondering.

Monday, 12 January 2015
I went swimming this morning! It was snowing when I left and has been snowing all day. It is 31 degrees outside so at least it is tolerable. I must remember when I get back to OKC how not fun it is to have cars that are parked out in the open. I always complain about the leaves in our garage at home...hopefully this picture will remind me how I love a garage. Of course I had to clean off the car before going swimming.

Sister Kruckenberg came over this morning and has been helping me to do family search. She is showing me how to clean up records and find family names. She spent a couple hours with me. She then invited Elder Bushman and I over this afternoon for a salmon dinner. As she left I walked her to the Inn door. As I was going back to our room the fire alarm went off. Today is Patty Bowen's birthday. She is the diner server who's home burned down on Christmas Day. She did not like having an alarm go off. I could see terror in her eyes. The firemen found it was a leaky fire nozzle in a storage room. So once that is fixed all should be fine here again. Such an exciting day!