The Other Temple

The Other Temple

March 22, 2015

   Girls, I finally talked your dad into going to the Other Temple down the street from our office and across the street from our Visitor's Center. Do you remember that place? The Seashell building. Not much has changed there except it is even more empty. Ted (not your Uncle Ted) was our guide and he didn't make much eye contact as we moved from the meditation room up the path to the sanctuary. Since we visited there many years ago the name of the place has changed from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple to the Community of Christ Temple. They also have added newer pictures of some of their apostles. I noticed a couple of ladies hanging up there with the gentlemen. There were only four guests on this tour, us being number three and four. As we came to the end of the tour and Ted was pointing out The Plaza for Peace out the window, I could hear this clip-clip-clop of high heel sandals walking across the floor. It was loud and echo-y. There was such a hollow sound to it. I looked over and it was the other lady that had been at the desk passing by. I do believe the four guests, us being number three and four, outnumbered the workers in the temple on Saturday, March 21, 2015. By the way, number one and two tourists were two other missionaries from our mission.
     Can you imagine our temples being run by a skeleton crew of workers who sat at the front desk just waiting and hoping a tour group would appear? Especially on a Saturday morning? Can you imagine a tour group even showing up at our temples and going on tours inside?  For that short while my elder and I got to work on Saturday morning in the Snowflake Temple before we came on our mission, that place was always hopping. Plus I could have never gone in there wearing my Pday green Converse and black  pants. Girls, our church is becoming more and more different from the world. It is so noticeable. I love that reverence and respect that is instilled in our people for sacred things.
     It rained here steady for two days and nights this week. What would we do with that much moisture in Arizona?  The weather is fickle. Oldtimers out here say if you don't like Missouri weather, wait five minutes and it will change. My heart, along with all of yours,  has been in Utah with Lorraine, Ted, and their family. I am so very thankful for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ that has offered us and all the world Hope through Temples. Teach and Preach it to your kids. We are blessed with the true gospel. I have the dearest, fondest memories of my mom getting her temple bag ready to go to the Mesa Temple. She would lay it out and neatly refold it back up, I knew she loved that clothing. I knew that sometime during our trip to Grandma's house in Mesa, she  and Dad would go off early in the morning to the temple. I love when you send me pictures of any of you coming or going from the temple.  Keep it up! Make it a tradition, a way of life. When all is said and done, I have never heard anyone wish they hadn't spent so much time in the temple.

All my love,
Sister Seaman

  Old Rascals...

     Sister Seaman and I were just walking down the sidewalk over by the Mission Office and she said to come and look at something in the sidewalk.  Low and behold, there in the sidewalk is a brass plaque designating lot 131 as being the location of the Dishonorable Lillburn Bogg's house.  There is nothing there now but an empty grassy lot.  But it was the location where apparently somebody tried to assassinate him.  Boggs claimed it was Orrin Porter Rockwell and they tried him in this house.  Rockwell was not convicted.  This is the same Boggs that later became Governor of the State of Missouri and signed the extermination order on the Mormons.  I hope he can be forgiven for what he did.  I heard at a fireside at the VC recently that Governor Boggs has ancestors who have since joined the church.  He certainly was an old rascal.  On the other hand, we were in Liberty yesterday and visited Alexander Doniphan's grave site.  He was a great friend to the church and is attributed to saving the Prophet Joseph's life.  He is not a rascal, but he does have a large monolisk (sp).
     We attended Stake Conference today out in Warrensburg.  It is an hour's drive from Independence.  Some of you may wonder why we went to Warrensburg.  Because that is the Stake our ward is in, even though the ward meets here in Independence.  Kinda weird.  Anyway, I am sure it was like all of your stake conferences lately.  It was a good meeting.  I almost feel like doing more genealogy and missionary work.
     The trees are blossoming now.  It sure feels like spring. We walked across some grassy areas this afternoon and I wondered about the ticks and jiggers.  The Sam's Club RV park was bustling with motor homes and house trailers.  Kids were playing ball and smoking weed.
     The Other Temple was sooo weird.  I felt like it (and everything else the RLDS do) is a cheap imitation of the real thing.  They have no idea.  They are prouder of the fact that they now have women apostles and women can hold the priesthood than they are of their own church doctrine,which is becoming more diluted by the day.  But their trees sure are pretty.  I think their church is now led by rascals who make a lot of money.  Too bad.
     Sister Seaman and I are sure that you're tired of the same old stuff.  Our mission is pretty routine.  But we love you all and think of you often.  Stay the course.

Sincerely,
Elder Seaman

 

 

Can you believe these blooms?

Community of Christ Temple (The Other Temple). Spring is getting pretty.



Plaque in sidewalk.

Alexander Doniphan's gravesite.  This thing
is over 25' tall.