Missionary Journals of a Merry-Weathered Grandma: Issue 1

Hi everyone,

I am doing one of those group letters to day. I have a difficult time getting around to writing everyone because I am still working on sending family names into the temple as well as working on writing the Bailey Parramore History.I submitted 68 Ingram and Bailey names this past week. It is difficult to get enough time to do everything I want to do.

On Tuesday after working at the temple I go to the family history center to help people. On Friday nights I have been playing for a group of sister, temple missionaries. They are singing a beautiful number called "Take my Life and Keep it." The director came up with a new one for me on Thursday. She said the number was too short so would I mind going back to the first a second time. That sounds easy enough except the first part is written in the key of F and goes into the key of G and then in to the key of A flat. Well not being one who can play by ear I had to write down several measure to modulate back into the key of F. Of course my manuscript paper is all at home so I had to make my own.

This Sunday I have to play the organ in church and the director picked out two songs I HAVE NEVER HEAR OF That meant extra practicing.

They are training me to be a endowment director and so this morning I had to be at the temple before 7 AM. Last week I was working so hard trying to remember everything. About that time I was asked to guard the door to the mans side until the officiator came back just at that point a brother came up and whispered in my ear "You better guard that door well". I paid absolutely no attention to whom was speaking to me, but pretended to pull out a sword to guard the door. Later on his wife passed me and said I am Don Juhasz's wife. I didn't even recognize Todd's old Friend from Akron and he was a temple worker with a badge on. Next time I look at every bodies name when they speak to me.

For you that don't know, 16 of the single woman who work here were driven up to Harmony PA by me and three other sisters. Our goal was to be where the Priesthood was restored. We stayed overnight in a motel and in the morning while eating breakfast I suggested to them that we go to Colesville where the first Branch of the church was started. No one seemed to know about it so I explained to them the sections of the D & C which talks about the people meeting in the Joseph Knight home in the town. We all decided that we would go up there. We could not find the town. Two car loads got discouraged and left. My companion said stop I will go in this house and ask. She soon came out with a young man and introduced him as a direct descendant of Martin Harris. He was interested in History and could tell us all about the lost manuscript and other things. He said he knew about Coles ville and told us how to get there about 6 miles away by a little lake. We drove quite a ways and then stopped to ask direction of a man in a truck. He knew nothing. About that time another little truck skidded up and stopped. There was the same young man. He had looked on the inter net and discovered exactly where we needed to go. Can you believe he chased us down like that? He led the way and stayed while we looked in the windows. Then showed us the way back. We arrived at the Knight home and the church is renovating the place. I looked around at the beautiful country side and wondered at the Saints who were so faithful. They left the area for Kirtland and became desperately poor. It was exciting to stand on the property and remember them. One of the sister who was in the car that left told us later that this was her 3rd great grandfathers home. Enough said, have a great day. We are all fasting for Margot today that she wont have to have a rod put in her back. After I had received her letter I called Todd he is also having a lot of pain in his neck and has been trying desperately to find out the cause. The next day in prayer meeting I was a little early and I opened up the book of Mormon and the page opened up to Mormon 9:19 and my eyes fell on these words. "And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God.

For you that don't know, 16 of the single woman who work here were driven up to Harmony PA by me and three other sisters. Our goal was to be where the Priesthood was restored. We stayed overnight in a motel and in the morning while eating breakfast I suggested to them that we go to Colesville where the first Branch of the church was started. No one seemed to know about it so I explained to them the sections of the D & C which talks about the people meeting in the Joseph Knight home in the town. We all decided that we would go up there.

We could not find the town. Two car loads got discouraged and left. My companion said stop I will go in this house and ask. She soon came out with a young man and introduced him as a direct descendant of Martin Harris. He was interested in History and could tell us all about the lost manuscript and other things. He said he knew about Coles ville and told us how to get there about 6 miles away by a little lake. We drove quite a ways and then stopped to ask direction of a man in a truck. He knew nothing.
About that time another little truck skidded up and stopped. There was the same young man. He had looked on the inter net and discovered exactly where we needed to go. Can you believe he chased us down like that? He led the way and stayed while we looked in the windows. Then showed us the way back. We arrived at the Knight home and the church is renovating the place. I looked around at the beautiful country side and wondered at the Saints who were so faithful. They left the area for Kirtland and became desperately poor. It was exciting to stand on the property and remember them.

One of the sister who was in the car that left told us later that this was her 3rd great grandfathers home.

Enough said, have a great day. We are all fasting for Margot today that she wont have to have a rod put in her back. After I had received her letter I called Todd he is also having a lot of pain in his neck and has been trying desperately to find out the cause. The next day in prayer meeting I was a little early and I opened up the book of Mormon and the page opened up to Mormon 9:19 and my eyes fell on these words. "And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God"

The only time I have been homesick this whole time is this week when I talked to Maralee about thanksgiving. I am going to miss you all!!!

Love ya. Grandma J