Sunday Thoughts

 Wash Before Entering

We navigated our way to our new ward, North Ridge and parked in the parking lot. We were the only car (since it is a small SUV, maybe it's not a car) in the parking lot. There were people there. As we approached the building, I noted a big, blue barrel of water raised with a spigot and a bucket to catch water in front. Soap and paper towels were close beside. Though it is a normal sight as every major building requires washing hands, as I washed my hands today I thought about the temple in Moses' time that had the washing accruements just outside in a symbolic message that we need to cleanse ourselves before we go before the Lord. (Exodus 40:31-32)

I hope I am ready to work for the Lord.

This is at the Area Office, I forgot to take a picture at the church building today
There is a hand washing station at churches, malls, government buildings, etc. 

I should have thought about it, but they asked us to give our testimonies today - first thing. It was nice to look out at this small ward (or maybe its just the ones willing to come) and see partial faces. They looked happy. We met with Bishop Addy after church and introduced ourselves to Beatrice, Vivo, Dumevi (who is a tour guide and has places to show me), and the Relief Society President - I have forgotten her name but her dress and hat/turban were unforgettable in violet and white. We met a few others like Prince and his son Daniel. With masks it will be hard to identify them all later. The RS president said she would show me how to make the dress and how to wind a turban! I am looking forward to it.

So to give you a flavor of how the chapel is set up, they had folding chairs that were comfortable for a chair and they were spaced two meters apart except for a row that had three chairs together for families. We didn't want to take a family place so we sat in the single chairs. Back to the beginning, after we washed our hands, a young woman at a desk took down our names, took our temperature and had a disinfectant to wipe our hands with. People were respectful, quiet as they came in. There were about four or five families and about 25 or more single chairs filled up. I'll bet some of them were part families as they were together though seated apart. I guess there is no need for a clerk to count out people because our names, why were were there and what our temperature was is all recorded in that young woman's book. 

Picture taken early before meeting. To the left were a row of three chairs together for families. To the front and right are chairs all 2 meters apart for the rest of the congregation. 

It was a lovely meeting. The sacrament was given with a toothpick in each piece of bread and the water was given in a little cup that was thrown in another tray and all the empty cups were put in one tray at the Elder's table, then taken out to the trash immediately.  The message was from the Book of Mormon about Lehi's family going back to Jerusalem to retrieve needed things. All the music was from pre-recordings that were piped over the microphone from a computer. 

When we went out to our car, there was another car and a taxi. I think most people walk to church. Other Area missionaries have gone to this ward and have left a good impression - big shoes to fill.