Working full time in a temple is an experience few people will ever have so I thought I would share some interesting things that have happened or are ongoing here, randomly chosen by me. Some things have been just strange and weird, for instance:
In temples we have lists of names of people for whom someone has requested special prayers. Every day, every hour, a group of people will pray for those on this list called the "prayer roll". It can be a person having surgery and may include the doctors. It can be a legal issue for adoption proceedings or a messy divorce. Sometimes it can just be a personal struggle. Requests for additions to the prayer roll are written on pieces of paper inside the temple, e-mailed to the temple, or called in on the phone. In the office we take calls for the prayer roll. When we're busy we connect the caller to voice mail then when we have time we type the information directly onto the prayer roll. Some of the strange ones have been just "the judge" when a person doesn't know who will be presiding in court for an adoption or other legal procedure. The strangest one so far was a caller who asked if they could put the name of their dog on the roll. I know pets can be really important to some people. Some even consider their pet a member of their family. However, animals are God's creations, but not His children. The woman calling was kindly and pleasantly told that we don't put pets' names on the temple prayer roll but it would be appropriate for her to say a special prayer for her pet and even ask family members or friends to pray. There was an unexpected call to the temple this week from someone who was calling all churches in the area looking for a used wheelchair accessible van. We also get calls from people asking about the weather in Nauvoo or for recommendations for hotels or restaurants. Once in awhile we will get an inappropriately dressed "tourist" walk into the temple and loudly ask what the charge would be to be given a tour of the temple. The temple is, after all, an historic reproduction of a pioneer era edifice. Yesterday, I found a damp washcloth on a wood railing by the stairs between the 2nd and 3rd floor of the temple. Washcloths are used down in the baptistry or on rare occasions if needed in a dressing room and are laundered down in the laundry. Why was the washcloth there????
As uplifting as it can be working in the temple, there are some things about it that are really hard. Depending on your assignment, you may have to get up at 3 or 4 am to be in the temple then fill a 6-9 hour shift. It's difficult to have a clear head when you are tired. I realize shift workers in many occupations have to manage it, but it's hard when you're in your 60's, 70's, or even 80's. Also, in the temple we strive to speak softly but most of us are at the point in life when we are losing hearing, many already have hearing aids. It can be a strain to hear people, it's tiring to be making that effort all day, and sometimes it's a temptation to speak louder but that would destroy the quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Also, during this season in Nauvoo, there are literally hundreds of people in the temple every day and things can get hectic when people don't know where to go because they have never been here, or things get lost. As workers, we strive to maintain calm, pleasant countenances even if our minds are racing, we have to run up and down the stairs where you can't be seen or repeatedly tell people that we're working on something so they'll have to wait a few minutes. Everybody is a priority but it's hard to make that work. Some day Heavenly Father will have to teach us all how to make everybody equally important and answer everybody's prayers.
One of the most wonderful things about the temple is equality. From the first time I entered the Washington, DC temple in 1975, I have loved the fact that everybody dresses in white and excessive jewelry or decoration is discouraged. You can't tell a ditch-digger from a senator from a CEO. Among the temple workers, we rarely know who is wealthy or who is uneducated. And it's not a union shop! You will find any temple officiator down folding towels or clothing in the laundry. Everybody fills in for anybody whenever the need arises. The temple president or matron will humbly sit or stand in a position in the place of a newly trained worker when needed. If not for the name tags, you would have no idea what position they held. Also, because it is the Lord's house, there is revelation or inspiration going on all the time. If we can manage to stay calm and exercise our faith, even trying situations get resolved without our own ability to plan a solution. One small example- I mentioned taking phone calls for the prayer roll. Callers who reach the voice message system are requested to speak clearly and slowly and spell names. It's amazing how many ways names can be spelled! We were having a very busy day and one of many calls came in requesting to put names on the prayer roll. Normally I just sweetly tell them I will transfer them to the prayer roll so I can get back to other things I'm doing, then take time in the quiet moments to listen to messages and type names on the roll. This time I felt impressed to open the prayer roll "page" on the computer and offer to take the names right then. Boy, am I glad I did! The caller was apparently on a cell phone in a crowded room or vehicle. There were lots of loud voices all around all speaking with heavy Spanish accents. She had about half a dozen names to add to the prayer roll and I had to ask her to repeat herself several times. I even had to have her repeat spellings! And I had to apologize that I couldn't get anything she was saying because of all the background noise, several times during the call. It took longer than usual but if I had been trying to get the information from a voice message, it would have been impossible. I certainly didn't know that from her first opening request for the prayer roll. Also, I got a phone call from someone on their way driving back out of state after visiting Nauvoo. They had left scriptures on the base of a statue across the street from the temple and were calling on the chance that someone had found them. It seemed a miracle to the scriptures' owner and wife and to me that they were sitting in the temple office because someone had found them (before they were soaked with the frequent and plentiful rains here) and, not having any idea whose they were, placed them on the steps of the temple. Someone entering the temple brought them inside and they were put in the office. Now they will be mailed to the person who called and gave me her husband's name and address. There are other wonderful things and I plan to do a blog tomorrow because it will be a longer story.
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