11 Hour Temple Day

Hello! Man, wasn't conference awesome!?!? I loved it this year! I didn't get around to emailing on Tuesday. But you'll see why in a second. This was a good CRAZY week! My shift on Fridays in the baptistry is from 1 to 4. At about 3:30, it started to get busy, which is a GREAT thing by the way. :) When the people from the next shift got there at 4, they asked if I'd stay for a little bit, they were shorthanded. And it was really, really busy at this point. With me there, there was barely enough. So I stayed, and they had me help in a confirmation room. It was a really, really good thing I stayed. At about 5 pm, I realized that it wasn't going to slow down, and thought that I needed to let Mom and Dad know my plans (since I am dependent on them and all, ya know?). It was so busy, that I barely even had time to run to the bathroom. Haha. So at that point, I said a prayer. "Heavenly Father, I'm here. It's busy. I would call home if I could, but I can't. Let mom and dad know I'm fine!" And I left it it that. A ward from New Harmony came in. I met siblings and children of people I knew, like Wiggins, and even Mr Prince's boys. At the end of that extra shift, at 8, I ran into Hayden's dad! He works the shift that starts at 8. That was cool!! I left the temple and went to In-N-Out. I saw the same kids that were from New Harmony inside the store. Haha. I talked to Mom and Dad, Mom said that around 5:30 (around the time I said my little prayer) that she was like, "Hmmm. Where's Erik?" and then she thought that I met up with some friends or something, and that I was fine, but still a little worried. So you see? Prayers are answered! I was in the temple for 11 hours on Friday. And it was actually pretty awesome. Haha. --- Mom, Dad, Justin and I went to General Conference the next day. We stayed in a hotel Saturday night. We saw the Priesthood session from the tabernacle on Temple Square and had tickets to the Sunday afternoon session. Conference was seriously AMAZING! There has never been a conference where I've had so many questions answered, and questions about things I need to improve on that I didn't even realize I had. Isn't personal revelation awesome?? My favorite talk was Elder Robbins from the first session, on which way do you face? Am I trying to please God or others first? --- Monday, I helped on the grounds, we gutted out the flowerbeds that are by the entrance of the temple. That was kinda sad! Just today though, they planted a whole bunch of stuff that will last through the winter... well, winter for St George. I had a Dr appt up in Salt Lake on Tuesday. Mom and I went to the Ogden temple that morning. MAN IT IS AWESOME! Such a beautiful temple! It was a crazy, long day, and I even got to stop and say goodbye to Kesia. She's gonna be so great!! --- Well, that's my week! Hope things are going well for you all. See ya around (still can't get used to saying that to family and as a missionary, haha)! Elder Gray