AZ PHOENIX TEMPLE CELEBRATION AND DEDICATION PLUS VIDEO LINKS!! November 2014

 We made our second trip back to AZ since our release July of 2014.

Last month we flew down for the Phoenix Temple Open House...and this time was for the Dedication.

We are lucky to have a flight from Provo to Mesa.  Looks old school, right?

 We arrived Friday afternoon and had a lovely evening with former Phoenix Mission Presidency Members.

The Matsons from our old ward hosted it and it was just delightful!


We realized that Katie matched the flowers in the family room...

 Taylors and Morris'

 3 sets of former Phoenix Mission Presidents!
Taylors, Becks and Gills.  We have the last 9 years covered between the six of us!

 Becks with Lopez and Morris'

Lopez, Gills and Morris'

 And finally, Lopez, Becks and Morris'

Can you tell the Morris have served FOREVER?

Here were the treasured tickets we were blessed to be able to receive.


DEDICATION





CULTURAL CELEBRATION

Saturday evening we attended the Cultural Celebration held at our son's old high school in Peoria SUNRISE MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL!

As we came in to find our seats, we were able to greet our dear friend Ed Janulis, who lived near the mission home and was baptized by President Taylor a year after we arrived.  What a blessing to be able to serve at the Temple Open House and Celebration!  He has a strong testimony of this service!

We also met our dear friend Diane Broderick whose family was in charge of the props for the celebration...a HUGE undertaking that they did SO WELL!  It was impressive in every way!

And...of course we met up with some of our Mission Sons and Daughters!


Sisters Brown and Jackson

Elder Enkhjargal

Elders Frost and Hall

The missionaries were stationed outside the fence of the football field to watch the performance and be ready for their part in the program.

We hustled back to our seats as President Thomas S Monson, President Uchtdorf and Elder Oaks took their places in their stand.


This is what the field looked like with over 4300 youth performing!  It was so impressive and the Spirit was so strong!

If you want to watch the whole thing, here it is!!





I loved how the whole thing started with reference to the POOLS OF LIVING WATER which is from our MISSION SCRIPTURE!  "And in the barren deserts there shall spring forth pools of living water, and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land."  D&C 133:29

Cultural Celebrations celebrate the history of the area the temple is built in.

Arizona was founded by the Hohokum Indians so this was the starting point for the celebration.






They went through the history of the developing of Arizona and the LDS culture as it was a strong influence in the settling and development of Arizona.

We learned the 5 C's of Arizona...
Copper Cotton Cattle Citrus and Climate

We had the tribute to the 40's, 50's and modern day music and dance.
The great Mexican culture was celebrated and was a beautiful and colorful dance.

Each branch of the Service was honored as they celebrated the war years.

Our own President Morris was there and joined in as the Air Force was honored.

The costuming was spectacular!  We know how many wonderful people spent months creating and serving to make both the Open House and Cultural Celebration come off so beautifully!'WE THANK THEM ALL!

The flags that they carried were held together to make a large flag...it was really cool!

The force for good of youth that choose the right was enforced by the warriors from the Book of Mormon coming down into the crowd as early day soldiers.

Cute 50's dancers.

A tribute to the educational opportunities that are available here in AZ for all youth.

And then our own missionaries came onto the track and up on the stage singing "CALLED TO SERVE."

Here is a VIDEO taken from the track and you can hear them singing and see individuals better.  Thats our kids!!!

At the beginning, President Uchtdorf told the youth that they added 5 more C's to the original 5 C's!

Creative

Caring
Cheerful
Courageous
Cool

And they truly did!


It was a wonderful tribute, and great opportunity for the youth to strengthen their own testimonies as they practiced and performed together in the presence of a prophet of God.

Everyone wanted to get as close as they possibly could as the Prophet left the stadium.

I got to hug my dear neighbor Dana, Ed's wife, and wonderful convert neighbor.  We love and miss them!

We got to see a few more missionaries after the performance.

This one was dear to my heart as he came back to the mission after we had left, so I got my goodbye and hello hug from him tonight!

I think Elder Safford was glad to see us too.

Or maybe not?

We had fun meeting new missionaries who we will only get to know as they come to reunions while the Griffins are still serving!  They are all wonderful!


I found a safe spot below Elder D Jensen where I knew I would not block anyone...he is so tall!

WE LOVE THESE GREAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR LEADERS THE GRIFFINS!  We testify again that they are all where they are supposed to be right when the Lord needs them! 

Sunday we got to attend the last session of the temple dedication.  It was a sweet experience for us!  The promises of the temple are sure.  As we are obedient to the sweet commandments of the Lord, those promised blessings play out in our lives...especially having the Spirit to guide us as we attend His house weekly for Sacrament and as often as possible to the temple!

As we were leaving, your great missionary men were coming to move all the chairs out of the temple and get it set up for sessions starting the next morning at 7 AM.

We happened to be there as the authorities exited the temple...I did not get to my camera quick enough, but Elder Bryan is tall, and took it for me and got this great shot! 

We waited til about everyone had left and then got permission to take a traditional shot we like to take at temples that are dedicated...by the CORNERSTONE.

Of course, the missionaries followed suit, so we got some shots for them.

 













As we walked to our car, we saw two more Elders we had not seen yet but were glad to see!  Elders Hamilton and Parks!






That night we had a wonderful get-together with all our former office missionaries in the area and President and Sister Morris.
They all shared their experiences and special experiences of working on the temple Open House.  It was such a sweet meeting!

The Elcocks and Rodgers show the very cool CHOCOLATE NAIL given to them by Porter Brothers for their service on the Open House.  We devoured it immediately after!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is here to bless our lives and make them sweet...busy, but sweet!
We are grateful for eternal relationships formed as we served in Arizona!  May the Lord bless you all!