P-Day Paradise

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 For our P-Day on Monday the 18th of April we took 7 car loads of the temple missionaries to a private retreat. The owner used to live on the property with their family and now they rent it out for family or company party.  We didn't know what to expect, but we certainly didn't expect this paradise.
We planned on leaving at 8:00 AM but ended up leaving at 9:30 to go and have a bar-b-que and return about 4:00.  It was only about a 30 minute drive and I wondered why we were leaving so early and not coming back until late in the afternoon.  After seeing all that was here and the sheer natural beauty,  I wanted to stay longer.  The meal was a real Brazilian barbeque with pork, chicken and beef.  Better meat I have never tasted.  We started eating shortly after noon and I ate like it was thanksgiving.  Then I played some pool and ping pong.  Verae and I got a tour of the gardens by the owner.  They used to raise chickens, pigs and cows and had crops to feed the animals.  Now that the family is raised, they rent it out to help pay the costs of upkeep.
After returning from the feast and party, we prepared for the Family Home Evening which was held outside around the fountain in front of the temple.  Such a beautiful setting for a spiritual feast which was the close of a wonderful day.

Caravans Fill The Temple

These are some of the buses that come to the temple on a given day.  On Fridays and Saturdays the temple is full of patrons.  We had more that 12 large buses this weekend.  Some come with entire families so they can be sealed.  There are places for them to stay while here during the week.  It is really special to see the little children enter to be sealed.  We are getting used to walking around the temple grounds seeing these family with small children in their arms.   Caravans are organized by stakes and come with their own ordinance workers to help with the work.  We have a skeleton crew of workers during the week to make sure the temple functions.  In the evenings and on Saturday when the caravans come, then we are able to fill the temple and a lot of work is done.  It is difficult to plan when you don't know how many will be coming.