Service

The thing that kept me busy this week was service, as in church service.
Last week I was asked to teach the lesson in High Priest Group for today on Priesthood Organization. A great subject for me, but how to teach it to this group is a little more challenging. I thought about it and prepared for it all week. I decided to do something a little out of the ordinary. But maybe that's just ordinary for me. Anyway, for part of the lesson I asked them to describe the organization of the priesthood by drawing it on a piece of paper, instead of describing it with words or in writing. Then I had a couple of them tell about theirs and I told about mine. It was interesting to have to think about it in a different way and I think it was effective.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday after work, my home teaching companion and I went to the hospital to give a blessing to someone we home teach who just had a baby. We stayed for a while and I got to hold the baby. I think this was one of the first times in my life that I have given a blessing without being dressed in my white shirt and tie. I try to always do that because I think it is important to respect the priesthood and its ordinances. But, unfortunately, I couldn't find a way to do it this time since my companion was picking me up from work and I do not have transportation of my own. Anyway, it was good to be of service in this way and did I mention that I got to hold the baby?
Then on Saturday morning, yesterday, I had the opportunity of helping to deep clean the Washington DC temple while it's closed for maintenance for two weeks. I got a ride with another member of our High Priest Group who picked me up at 7:00 am. We were the first volunteers there, on time, at 7:45. We worked for 4 hours cleaning. Most of the time I cleaned/dusted the recessed lighting that is at the top of the wall near the ceiling and some lights in the ceiling of various offices and hallways. I also replaced some burned out bulbs along the way. A lot of climbing up and down and reaching up. I think it is always a special experience to clean the temple like this for several reasons. One reason is that it makes me feel a closer connection to that temple. I know it a little more intimately and so I feel more of a connection to it. This may be true of anything you have to care for carefully. Also, I think it is special to be doing deep cleaning and remodeling with a group of temple-worthy members while remembering that it is still a dedicated temple and keeping our conversations appropriate to a house of the Lord and quiet and dignified even while we work.
In other notes on the week, I also went back to the zoo. I also worked a fair amount with more language, other training and on-line training. It's not too taxing, but I leave home at 6:45 am and get back home at about 6:00 pm, (and it's not that far). But the positive is that I did well on an exam I took this week at work. Hopefully that means I'm learning something.
Service.