Saying Goodbye

Erik Gray's journals
#journalgems
End of his 1 year mission service at the St. George Temple

Saturday, July 18, 2015
We took some pictures of our shift all together.  I said goodbye to lots of people today - in fact, all week.  It was sad to say goodbye to the ladies in the laundry. Tamara and I always get along good.  Janice, kinda stern, gave me a nice goodbye, too. She is actually very sweet.  It made me regret not feeling very happy and loving towards her at times, but I did my best and did show her lots of love and I'm glad I did.

It was bittersweet walking out of the temple today.  On my drive home, I listened to some Hymns, and it got me teary!  Especially "Ye elders Of Israel".  I'm excited for new adventures, but really extremely sad that my temple service mission is just about over.  I don't want to stop serving! But all missionaries feel like that.  It means I loved my mission and loved serving the Lord in that aspect.

Journal Gems: Sealing blessings & Reflections

Erik Gray's journals
#journalgems

July 18, 2015
The sealing session I was in was very neat.  The sealer taught us more about the covenant that the sealing entails.  First, we covenant to each other, and then a covenant with God together!  The sealing of blessings and other, etc, that the sealing ordinance contains is given after a couple is pronounced husband and wife.  

I sat in the sealing room that is next to the Celestial Room. I saw a couple come up and look in the mirror.  I heard one say to the other, "it's interesting- that if you look at yourself in the mirror, you can't see beyond in the reflections. But if you look at the other person, it allows you to see into the eternities!" 

Interesting principle.  By putting my wife first, it will help me grow and be a better husband and father and help me prepare for the eternities!

Because of Temples and the plan of our Heavenly Father, 

I know I will see my son again. *jgray

I love this song so much....
"I'll see you Again, You never really left, 

I feel you walk beside me, I know I'll see you again"

A conference talk about Temples

and another great talk about Temple Mirrors

Journal Gems: A Connection

Erik Gray's journals
#journalgems

Saturday, July 18, 2015
Wow.  What a day.  I woke up at 5:30am and left right at 6am to get down to the temple (St. George).  Today was great  working in the Cafeteria!! The Pallocks are such great people.  And Sylvia is an amazing woman.  She ate breakfast with me today and she talked about always having a connection...."It's when you think you know too much or that you don't need God or that you're smart enough, that you don't allow a connection - but when you let yourself have that connection with God, he'll guide you and bless you and help you in your life!"  So don't lose the connection!!!!

#qotd from Erik's phone
(quote of the day)

Post-Mish & Pre-Logan

Wow. It's still weird to me that my mish is over. In fact, a month ago today, I was released.

July 15, 2014- Day I was set apart

July 19, 2015- Day [after] I was released

I loved the time I served. Absolutely loved it. And if I had the chance, I'd go back and do it all over again! I learned so much about the gospel, about myself, and about life. Here's an update of what I've been up to in the last month:

• I got a job. I'm an "Office Assistant" at Precision Development. I scan, file, clean, do odd-job tasks, and advertising. I'm the one that's been posting on social media lately! Huzzah. And yes, this is a job I got from my dad. It still counts. It's a legit job. Someone asked me yesterday if I got paid "under the table", and the answer is no. I'm on payroll, I get taxes taken out. (booo)

• I still love photography. Oh, guess what? I bought a new phone. My old S4 has a majorly cracked screen, and I found one for $20. Well, the $20 phone sucked. It did it's job, but I hated the picture quality. So, I spent $120 and bought a new S4 off of eBay. It's worth it to me, because it's basically like buying a new camera as well. And I love having a phone with a nice camera again. Here's some of my cool pictures.

• I'm still working on my Book of Mormon reading. Can I tell you how IMPORTANT it is to read the Book of Mormon every single day!? This book is many things: it is another testament of Jesus Christ, a great teacher for us, and most importantly-- truth. I love this book so much and I just want to share it with the world. Every time I reread it, I find new lessons and truths all the time. It's almost like God put something in there that wasn't there before. But that's the joy of it-- I learn something new every time I read. I've recently discovered a new way to study the Book of Mormon, and I love it. I've learned so much. I won't give you the details today- it deserves it's own special post. I will tell you this, though- it's really helped me focus more than I ever have on this blessed book.

• Prepping for Logan. I told you I'm moving to Logan, right? Well, yeah, that's next week. Time flies. I seriously am really excited. I'm so excited to move, but I am going to miss the heck out of my family and home. I've never lived more than 10 minutes away from my parents, so it'll be an adjustment. But that's life, right? Learning, growing, and experiences that teach us how to become like God. I'm jumping right into my major, I'm going to live in the most social apartment complex on campus (at least what I've been told), and I'll be in LOGAN. I mean, come on... Logan. I've been applying for jobs like a mad-man and hope to at least get something. I'll sure need it- I just paid the rest of my tuition last week. :/ [PS.... the greatest gift of moving to Logan is that the temple is a minute drive from where I live.]

• I've still been able to keep on my goal of attending the temple at least once a week. I cannot tell you how much I miss going four/five days a week, but one day is still really amazing. I love the blessings that come from the temple, and I know that we are blessed when we give service. Temples exist on the earth for a reason. Utilize it.

• RUNNING! Half marathon here I come. It's so great to get back into shape again. And health update: I've truly felt the best I have in months. I feel like the "same old Erik" again. Aah I love it. And as you can see from the picture above, my hair's grown in quite nicely. I still haven't cut it since chemo.

I have been so busy since my mission ended. Seriously, I get up, run, go to work, come home, play with the nephews, eat dinner, play with the nephews some more, read, go to bed, and repeat. But it's been a blessing. During my temple mish, I had no idea how slow/fast/busy/not busy the month between mish and school was going to be. But I'm grateful that I've stayed busy, made some money, and even went on a date. ;)

Once again, I'll testify to you that Heavenly Father loves us. I know that He knows me; He knows my strengths, my weaknesses, what I need to become, what I need to learn and grow. I am beyond grateful that He is involved in my life every single day. Not a day goes by where I don't notice God's hand in my life. If you look hard enough, I promise you that you'll see it, too.

Life is not all easy, but it is good. It's good with God.

Keep running.

The Cafeteria

What I learned from

... working in the Cafeteria

This is another part of a fun installment I decided to do. Because I worked for a year in the St George Utah Temple, I got to experience a lot. Some of the experiences I had are sacred, and I keep those experiences to myself. I've also had really fun, enjoyable experiences in the temple. I would serve every day for the rest of my life if I could- and if I lived closer to a temple. The history of Temple Cafeterias is kind of interesting. At least for St George, it used to cover a much larger area than it does now. Sometimes people would have to travel long distances to attend temples. As they did so, the temple provided a cafeteria so that patrons wouldn't have to go hungry or go without food. In that sense, it's really kind of humbling, isn't it? Today, the goal of the temple cafeteria is to make enough so that it can sustain itself. We aren't looking for profit. We're just trying to serve and provide a home-y meal. Because of the larger economy and that there are so many restaurants out there now, the newer temples don't have a need for cafeterias, because frankly- they're fine without it. And that's okay. If you're in Utah, the Monticello, Vernal, Brigham City, Oquirrh Mountain, Draper, and Payson Temples do not have a cafeteria for you to eat at.

I'll say it right off: THE FOOD THERE IS SO GOOD! 99% of the food there is homemade. Most of the workers there are volunteers. If you haven't gone there to eat, you seriously need to go try it now.

All of the soda is Caffeine-Free. I found that funny when I first started.

We have daily devotionals. Also known as prayer meeting. Such a good start to "work".

We bless the food. In prayer meeting, one of the things we make sure to pray for is a blessing on the food. Seriously, where else have you eaten that the workers all meet together and pray for the food?

The head chef, Joe, lives in Cedar. Need I say more? ;) [Go Cedar.]

Everyone there wants to be there. As I said above, most workers in the cafeteria are volunteers. They don't get paid. And everyone who is there truly wants to be there. There isn't the stigma of "I'm just working here so I can get paid- but I hate my job." And it's beautiful.

Sometimes you get free food. Technically, we're allowed to have a bowl of soup and a piece of bread free-of-charge. But sometimes you get a little sample of foods. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY I'M TELLING YOU TO EAT THERE, IT'S SOOOO GOOD.

Sometimes a lady you work with brings stuff to make cool desserts. Ckaz is so cool. She brought stuff to make Lava Cake once, and then stuff to make Trifle on my last day in the cafeteria. Request the Wednesday 8am-12pm shift. ;)

They give good portions. The server will make sure and give you a good amount. No skimpy plates here.

The food is moderately priced. Yeah, you've got your entrees that are usually $7-$8, but those come with sides as well. You can also get just a side, a bowl of soup, a sandwich, dessert, bread, salad bar, etc. And you can grab it yourself. The only thing you'll be served is the entree if you choose that.

Don't get a carton of milk. The batch we've had lately tastes a little sour before the expiration date. I'm not telling you to not get something, but maybe re-examine this issue in a few months.

Look at the napkin holders. Out in the seating area, all the napkin holders have a quote or scripture on one side, and a picture of a temple on the other. Different temples on each one.

If you're working there: Don't forget that you're serving in the temple. You may not be completing temple ordinances, but you are still in the House of the Lord. Your service helps those who come to the Cafeteria to eat. It is such a GREAT place to serve.

You should work in the temple. I recommend to everyone (that can) to work in the temple sometime in their life. You might work as a greeter, staff at the Family File Desk, recommend desk, Baptistry worker, Cafeteria worker, Grounds Worker, Ordinance Worker.

If you don't work at the temple... then be a patron. That's a GREAT way to serve! Doing the temple work itself. You are blessing others, and providing a reason to receive blessings for yourself by serving in the temple!

Keep running.

Last Week in the Mission

The time is upon us. I've got FIVE days left as a missionary.

I'll be released on Saturday, July 18th, after my day at the temple. Interesting fact, July 18th, 2014 is the day I met with President Arnold to start my mission.

On Sunday, July 19th, I'll be giving my mission report in my home ward. Right now, all I can feel is...

Taken from "David After Dentist"... Look it up!

Is this real life? Is time really going by this fast?? Like I've heard my friends who have served full-time missions say, "The days are long, but the weeks are short." I couldn't agree more.

I am so so so so SO grateful for my mission. It has been tailor-made by the Lord to teach me things that I need. The biggest blessing from my mission is that I've learned to better recognize promptings, feelings of the Spirit, and the Lord's hand in my life. I have never regretted choosing to serve the Lord.

It's been an interesting year. I served in the temple for not even half of my mission period, but that's okay. I thought in the beginning, that I must have some really important things if the Lord is allowing us to pause my mission and my time in the temple. I fought cancer (again), and I ultimately feel stronger. My aunt said something interesting last December, "Maybe the reason you are a missionary right now is because people pray in the temple all the time for missionaries." I have made goals and habits that I hope to continue, such as a better scripture study, prayer habit, and not watching inappropriate shows. The best thing about my mission is what someone talked with me about one day. Missionaries always talk about how they want to continue their habits they learned from their mission, but it's a little harder because they perfect those habits in a different place, so when they come home, it's kind of easier to revert to our pre-mission self (which doesn't mean that missionaries don't come back better and with better habits, because they sure do). For me, it's a little easier to stick to my mission habits because I'm already living at home and nothing will really change.

In honor of my last week as a service missionary, I thought I'd put a little something together about what I've learned from working in the temple, which will be continued more next week, so stay tuned.

What I've learned from....

... driving to St George every day

The left lane is for passing. You can stay in the left lane if no one is behind you, and if there are no cars coming faster than you. Otherwise, stick to the right lane.

Use your blinker. PLEASE. It doesn't really affect you, but it does other people. It's being a courteous driver. I understand not using it if no one is around you, but if you are around other people, use it. Especially if you are merging in front of another car.

Don't be a psycho driver. Slow down. You're not in that much of a hurry.

I will sing while I drive. Don't judge. Thanks for being humored by it, though.

Cruise control is awesome. I laugh at people that I keep passing. They go fast, then slow down. Then fast, then slow down. I've been going the same speed the whole time, bro.

Best way to get to the temple: Take the St George Blvd exit. Drive down all the way to 200 East and turn left. It will take you right to it with the least amount of turning. :)

You are in a car. A car is a very powerful and scary thing. Be wise.

Also in honor of my last week as a missionary, here's the last year in pictures.

Look for the little things in your life. It will bless you!!!

Keep running.