Hugh Nibley & Black Friday
Hugh Nibley once remarked that, every time he went to the Temple, he learned something new.
And so this also has been true for me, but even more so on Friday, November 28th at the Washington, D. C. Temple.
Instead of competing with commercialized and crazed customers at the malls on that "Black Friday", my alternate experience at the Temple was ever so much better.
This began during the wee hours of that morning, during my drive to the Temple from my Falling Waters, West Virginia home.
Multiple promptings about various personal decisions quickly began to crystallize for me, as I prayed during my solitary journey on the Inter-State highways.
Upon arrival at the Temple and prior to participating in a session of eternal sealings and marriages, my knowledge of and appreciation for Temple symbolism was greatly enhanced by some personal instruction from a kindly Priesthood Patriarch, who was visiting from South Carolina to visit his children in Virginia.
During this session, the grateful presence of those on the other side of the veil, some born in the 1600's, was keenly felt.
Afterwards and while walking out from the Temple, it was my dumbfounded delight to unexpectedly encounter Doris "Emerick" (her previous surname), who lept from her chair and gave me an enthusiastic hug.
Doris quickly led me to meet her youngest son Jason, who I have not seen in almost forty years, and his son Frank, who I met for the first time that day.
Frank was on his way to receiving his Temple Endowment, prior to leaving his family in Pennsylvania to serve a full time mission in California.
It then was my profound privilege and pleasure to relate, to both Jason and Frank, my enduring gratitude for the example of humility and compassion exhibited by my personal hero. That man was an older Frank Emerick, who served as a counselor in multiple presidencies in a tiny LDS Church branch in Cumberland, Maryland. This elder Frank was taken early in life by cancer, and is the grandfather that Jason's son never met.
During my travel back home, my heart was full (almost to bursting) and the personal promptings continued.
But, there still was more to come.
While stopping by my hometown Post Office, to mail a few LDS Church DVD's to non-member friends and associates, the postmaster was curious about those multiple mailings.
When he learned that those DVD's were the 25th Anniversary edition of "Mr. Krueger's Christmas", starring Jimmy Stewart and also including other presentations, his interest and questions intensified.
So, I gave him one of the DVD's as a Christmas gift.
Hugh knew.
You betcha!
Larry D. Kump, High Priest
Hedgesville, West Virginia Ward
Martinsburg, West Virginia Stake
And so this also has been true for me, but even more so on Friday, November 28th at the Washington, D. C. Temple.
Instead of competing with commercialized and crazed customers at the malls on that "Black Friday", my alternate experience at the Temple was ever so much better.
This began during the wee hours of that morning, during my drive to the Temple from my Falling Waters, West Virginia home.
Multiple promptings about various personal decisions quickly began to crystallize for me, as I prayed during my solitary journey on the Inter-State highways.
Upon arrival at the Temple and prior to participating in a session of eternal sealings and marriages, my knowledge of and appreciation for Temple symbolism was greatly enhanced by some personal instruction from a kindly Priesthood Patriarch, who was visiting from South Carolina to visit his children in Virginia.
During this session, the grateful presence of those on the other side of the veil, some born in the 1600's, was keenly felt.
Afterwards and while walking out from the Temple, it was my dumbfounded delight to unexpectedly encounter Doris "Emerick" (her previous surname), who lept from her chair and gave me an enthusiastic hug.
Doris quickly led me to meet her youngest son Jason, who I have not seen in almost forty years, and his son Frank, who I met for the first time that day.
Frank was on his way to receiving his Temple Endowment, prior to leaving his family in Pennsylvania to serve a full time mission in California.
It then was my profound privilege and pleasure to relate, to both Jason and Frank, my enduring gratitude for the example of humility and compassion exhibited by my personal hero. That man was an older Frank Emerick, who served as a counselor in multiple presidencies in a tiny LDS Church branch in Cumberland, Maryland. This elder Frank was taken early in life by cancer, and is the grandfather that Jason's son never met.
During my travel back home, my heart was full (almost to bursting) and the personal promptings continued.
But, there still was more to come.
While stopping by my hometown Post Office, to mail a few LDS Church DVD's to non-member friends and associates, the postmaster was curious about those multiple mailings.
When he learned that those DVD's were the 25th Anniversary edition of "Mr. Krueger's Christmas", starring Jimmy Stewart and also including other presentations, his interest and questions intensified.
So, I gave him one of the DVD's as a Christmas gift.
Hugh knew.
You betcha!
Larry D. Kump, High Priest
Hedgesville, West Virginia Ward
Martinsburg, West Virginia Stake
posted by Larry D Kump | 12:07 PM
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