P Day in Manhattan

You can't leave New York without seeing the Empire State Building.  So that is where we went yesterday. We took the subway to 34th street and walked to the Empire State Building passing Macy's department store. We also got the ticket for the New York Sky Ride.  It is kind of like a ride at Lagoon.  They call it a MOTION ride.  It is a synthesized experience of flying in a helicopter around NY.  They pull the lap bar down to hold you in and then you take off.  The floor tips and bumps to give the feel of really moving up and down.  Verae wasn't so sure she wanted to go on it, but after paying $78 for our 2 tickets, I wouldn't let her out of it.  She closed her eyes part of the time, but she lived through it and did like some of it.  We then went up to the observation deck on the 86th floor to take pictures.  You can go to the 102nd floor, but that costs more.  The view was spectacular as you can see by the photos. Click on the Photo to see the other pictures.  After that we walked to Time Square and then past the Trump Tower and home again a total of 2.5 miles.

In Manhattan

• We are finally in Manhattan.  We landed on Sept. 11th the 9th anniversary of the attach.  We were met at the airport by the President Frost and his wife.  They are so nice.  They took us to dinner and then brought us to our apartment.  We were surprised in was a large as it is.  Pictures are included in the photo album below. We found that the fridge was stocked for us already by the other missionaries who are here.  We had things like milk, oatmeal, OJ, bacon, lettuce, cheese, bread, grapes, pineapple, bananas, plumbs and a lot more. Such great people and we are getting to know them.
• We went to church Sunday around the corner from our apartment at the Manhattan 1st Ward Chapel which is on the third floor.  The temple is the 4th 5th and 6th floor.  That evening there was also a general priesthood meeting which I attended.  Monday was the unpack and rest day and we tried to go shopping for a few things like Frosted Mini Wheats and Life.   Monday they had arranged for a family home evening for all the temple missionaries to get to know us and another couple who will be serving in a public relations capacity.  Then on Tuesday we went to the temple for our 1st day. It was wonderful.  We went on the a session and later I was able to baptize 2 sisters who came in to do proxy baptisms.
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From -Manhattan

Please see our Photo Album click HERE

Devotional Experience

Well we have completed our 1st week of the 2 weeks here at the MTC.  I must say it has been more wonderful than we could have ever imagined.
The 1st week we were instructed and tutored by Elder Rex Pinegar and his wife in the Provo Temple.  They are the Temple Training Coordinators for the church.  Elder Pinegar is an emeritus  General Authority from the 1st Quorum of the Seventy.  We had three and one half wonderful days under their instruction.  We met 5 other couples going to temples in the US, Chile, and Nova Scotia.  We came to feel so close to them in those 4 days.  On the last day we were instructed by Elder Kikuchi and also Elder Zivic of the 1st quorum of Seventy.
In addition to these great men, we have been able to addend two devotionals. One in which Elder Richard Hinckley was the speaker, and another where Lowell Snow, of the 2nd quorum of Seventy, was the speaker. This week we are now learning Preach My Gospel, another great experience.  We have to leave our comfort zone for this one.