Mumford's N.Y. Manhattan Temple Mission: A"Different" Memorial Day for sure!!

First of all, we cannot believe it is really Memorial Day 2016!! Where has the time gone?! We arrived here in New York City on March 18, 2016 and we still find that we enjoy a new adventure every day! But this Memorial Day weekend has been quite different from those we've enjoyed . . . Back home. There has been no "gathering of family, no shopping for extra food to feed the masses, no flowers for the graves of loved ones passed, no 'golfing with 'da boys', no Memorial Picnic--come 🌧 or ☀️, and "kick-off the summer" party." But we have had a MEMORABLE DAY! Many temples in the Church in areas outside the Wasatch Front open their doors on some Monday holidays, i.e. Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day--for a few hours of Temple work. The New York Manhattan Temple was open for all temple ordinances including baptisms, 2 Endowment sessions and other associated work. Ours was totally "manned" by the Temple Missionaries and Presidency members and a few of the local ordinance workers. It was a wonderful experience!! It was a "rainy" morning--so not sure if that contributed to or detracted from attendance--but there was a large group of youth who came for Baptisms--early (like 7:00 am--so they would have been up quite early to get there at that time) and then we had to be there at 8:00 am for Prayer Meeting and be ready for patrons at 8:30. We had a full Endowment session at 9:00 am, lots of patrons for sealings and initiatory from 9-12 and a somewhat full Endowment session at 11:00 am. The doors were closed at 12:00 and we finished at 1:00 with a lunch provided by members of Temple Presidency in our little "break room". It was amazing to me that people would come and spend their morning in that way. Some we visited with said they come every year--as traffic is easier to navigate and it's a day "off" work. It does make the week "longer" for us Missionaries, as we have now lost our full Prep Day. But it remains to be seen how that will "affect" us "greenies".
Yet, I must report on something "amazing" that made this day all the more "memorable". I wish you could all see the Celestial Room in the New York Manhattan Temple! It is such a bright and lovely room--decorated in soft yellows and pale turquoise-covered furniture with lovely lamps and small tables around the room. (those tables look like the exquisite music boxes, made in Sorrento, Italy, that Marcus Mumford brought back to the ladies in our family upon his return from his mission to Rome, Italy). In the center of the room is a large oval table with a gorgeous floral centerpiece of beautiful white roses, callalilies, and other "fancy" flowers--so rich and aesthetically-pleasing. (My description DOES NOT do it justice at all😦!) Anyway, I was "assigned" to be in this room (hard assignment, huh!) as part of my duties on this day. I was in there alone for a few minutes before people starting coming in from the Session. It is so peaceful there--many love to go in this room and sit and pray or to just sit and look around and quietly ponder. As I said, I was alone--and sat looking around the room--when I 'looked up' and in my mind began to "see" faces of people whom I love, that have passed on--and an "inespeakable" (is that even a word??--well it should be--as I can't think of any other way to express it) JOY poured into my heart and soul!! Love of family spilled out of my body by way of my "teary eyes" and I remembered those "Angel faces smile, which I have loved long since, and lost (for) awhile!". ("Lead Kindly Light", Hymn #97, vs 3). Quite an experience for me and this different "Memorial Day" (in New York City) we were celebrating away from "Clifton and family" who were gathering for some food and fun!! I was so blessed to be where I was at that "moment" in time and though I "missed home", I will be forever grateful for such a choice experience of "remembering"!
Our daughter, Missy, has since posted her recap of the Memorial Day weekend in Clifton--which made us so HAPPY to hear of siblings gathering and carrying on with "TRADITIONS" so dear to me/us!! We love you all for that MEMORY!!
Later that night, I went up to the "Rooftop Garden" of our apartment building to see some of the "light" in the City. Some buildings had red, white and blue lights in honor of the day. But it was quite cloudy so my pics didn't quite capture the "colors" but I'll share them anyway.