Stake Conference, 26 April 1998, Sunday Session
Julie: I am grateful for the opportunity to bear testimony about our experiences in the temple. Last October, Wayne was at a priesthood meeting, came home, and told me one of the stake presidency talked about RSOWs (Restricted Service Ordinance Workers–this was back in the days when our temple was Chicago–6 hours away.) Wayne had told the bishop afterward that we both wanted to do it. I was apprehensive at first. I feel like I don’t memorize things well. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. We went and trained. It was one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. The Spirit I felt there surpasses anything I’ve done as a patron. I’m grateful to serve as the Lord asks. I’m looking forward to the stake assignment in September and the opportunity to do ordinances for our ancestors.
Wayne: When my wife was set apart, she was given a wonderful blessing by President Dahlgren to do ordinance work for many of her ancestors. He had no way of knowing she’s a convert and the only member in her family. This gives her the opportunity to do genealogy work for her family. A great blessing in our lives. At the temple as patrons we do work for the dead. As RSOWs, we actually serve Heavenly Father. An added blessing in my life was to feel the Spirit within me. I am grateful for the temple. I find myself thinking about the temple more often than before. President Krueger asked us to go monthly, and mentioned that he thought, “There’s no way I can do that.” Me too. Two jobs, a few days off a month but I have become more organized, so I can go. Before I went to the temple only about once a year; now we can go almost once a month. I find myself thinking of the temple almost every day. I review the ordinances to try to remember, I find myself closer to Heavenly Father because of that.