St. Patricks Day Parade NYC

It was a cool day but clear.  We wanted to see the St. Patrick's Day Parade... live.

 So us, E/S Rogers, Hawkins and Melanokos' walked through Central Park over to 7th Avenue where the Parade route would pass by.

 The Police were out blocking off and securing the route.  NYC has some 35,000 policemen to handle the affairs of the city and to make sure parades, etc. are in order.

 Everything is ready, now where's the Parade?  Finally...

 Here they come.  We have never seen so many bag pipes in one event.  Of course, it is St. Patrick's Day!

 Each bagpipe group had it's own colorful kilts.

 The armed forces were all proudly represented...Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines!

 My personal favorite was the Revolutionary Soldier band playing their flutes. They were great!

 There were lots of horses in the Parade.  These guys are the law enforcement group from behind us- Central Park Police.

 And the real hero of the Parade...the guy who follows the horses.

 The good man was friendly to us.

 Somehow we kept looking for 'Richard Kimball'....character from the movie, "The Fugitive".  I thought I saw him way in the back.  He kept appearing and disappearing.

 Stan thought he saw Captain Gerard jumping up and down looking for someone.  Probably Richard Kimball.  Maybe it only happens in Chicago.

 The New York St. Patrick's Day Parade is the biggest marching parade in the world...Over 150,000 marchers participated this year. No cars or floats are allowed. Over 2 million viewed it this year. The first St. Patrick's Day parade held in NYC was on March 17, 1762....14 years before the Declaration of Independence! It is truly the 'grand daddy' of American parades!

We ran into some our friends, the Arnett's, from Mesa.  Greg was there with his family before his oldest daughter heads off on her mission in a couple of months.

It was an eventful morning.  We decided after 90 minutes we had seen enough.  We understand the Parade lasts for nearly six hours!

 

We went back to our apartment, got things in order, and prepared for the temple tonight.

We had a really neat experience.   Stan was in baptistery and a brother was there with his three teenage children.  He started a conversation and found out he was from Gilbert and originally from Queen Creek.  Come to find out his grandfather is Newell Barney.  A great family friend who Stan knew from years ago.  What a small world that the McClure family would be in the temple at this time.  Happy Birthday, Newell, who turned 90 last week.

We love Manhattan and serving in the Temple.

Monday, P-day in Manhattan

An upgrade to our Apartment: We received a new mattress for our apartment this morning! This will help Stan's back tremendously.  President and Sister Bennion ordered three new mattresses for three of us Temple Missionaries and they arrived this morning. They take such good care of us here in Manhattan!

We then headed out to the Statue of Liberty- I LOVE icons, and this is a special one!

 

"Lady Liberty" was a gift from the French in 1876 to celebrate America's 100th year of freedom. The 10-story base was to be provided by the American people.

When the 'wealthy' people of  New York did not contribute, a plea was sent out to the masses. People gave pennies, nickels, dimes....whatever they could afford. The base was funded by the hard work of the working class...rather fitting.

I remember climbing to the top of the crown when I was a young girl. But not today...even the 'Pedestal' tickets were sold out! I'll be back! The Statue of Liberty has always been a favorite to me.

Our next stop was Ellis Island. Built in 1892 and used until 1954, it was the port-of-entry for the majority of immigrants settling in the U.S. during those years. (Over 12 million). Note to our posterity: Neither mine nor your grandfather's ancestors came through Ellis Island. They had come to America 40 years earlier when they joined the Church in Europe.

                 The view of the Grand Hall (officially called the 'Registry Hall') today.

           

The Registry Hall in 1906 with people lined up as they passed through the tests and check points.

I just passed through the Physical Test.  They had 6 doctors watch people as they walked up the stairs.  If you could walk up to the second floor, you passed.  If you had a limp they would pull you aside and check things out.  If you couldn't walk up the stairs you failed and were deported. (No one-way tickets were sold to America. It was always a 'round-trip' incase you had to return to your homeland.)

 Next was the mental competency test.  You were give 7 blocks of wood and you had three minutes to figure out how they all fit together. A doctor observed you.  If you looked like you were thinking and reasoning, you passed.  If you put the "puzzle" together you passed.  About 3% failed and they were deported.

                                                        I aced the test!!!!!

                            Leaving Ellis Island and back to Manhattan.

For lunch we hit Carnegie Deli on 7th Ave.  We got off the subway at Columbus Circle and walked here and then on the way home we walked through Central Park. 
Tonight we had FHE at President and Sister Bennion's apartment.  President and Sister Seely told about their experiences when he was the Mission President in Puebla Mexico.  A fun night.
We love Manhattan and serving in the Temple.

Sunday in the Jamaica 1st Ward

We spoke in Sacrament Meeting this morning.  We left our apartment at 7:40am and arrived at the Church building at 8:50am just in time for the meeting.  We both spoke and attendance was a little down from last week.  Maybe the members heard we were going to be the speakers!
Afterwards we met with Bishop Ramsey and went over some needs of the ward.  I think I am going to receive a ward calling next Sunday.

On the way home we ran into the Sisters who serve in the Employment Center. They live way up North (because the rent is cheaper there) and have to travel one hour each way every day to where they serve.
It was a great Sunday.  Tonight we gathered with some of the other Senior Missionaries and visited and planned out events and activities in the ward, stake, temple and mission.  We love serving in Manhattan and every day is a blessing.  To finish the evening, Stan visited with Elder Will Stoddard (Area Seventy) tonight about some items relating to the Las Vegas Temple.

Cleaning the Jamaica 1st Ward

We headed out at 7:30 Saturday morning to Queens to assist our ward, Jamaica 1st Ward, in their cleaning assignment.  They have such a fantastic building.  It was raining and cold.

We have been to the ward building one time.  Stan thought he knew the way but somehow got us going in the wrong direction.  I hate to say that I saved the day, but I did and got us where we were supposed to be.

 We arrived on time but the building was locked.  So we had to wait just a few minutes.  This is in Queens, New York but there are so many things that remind us of Poland.  We love it.  One thing we have here that we didn't in Poland was a beautiful building like this. 

Stan started out with Brother Hawk vacuuming the Chapel (then the third and fourth floors).

 I did what I know the best.  All of the bathrooms on all floors.  Seems like the Brethren don't like to do the bathrooms.  I think that is Church wide.

 We finished up and made the last few finishing touches- like collecting the trash.

The completed the task and ran into the Elders who were finishing up there morning planning and studies.  These are great missionaries-  Elders Shippen and Ashby.  On our left was Brother Nick who was on a mini mission for the day.  Baptize!

We made it back to Manhattan with about on hour before our temple shift started at 1:00pm.  A great Saturday in NYC.

In the temple we met a young couple from Brazil that spoke impeccable English.  He served a mission in Japan, they met in Utah, he now works at Price Waterhouse in Manhattan.  Her mother is from Poland. Stan was sealing them acting for her family members.  Another blessing that just comes from being here daily.  Judi ran into Elder Gore from Las Vegas and we know his mother Marianne.  He is going great!  You can tell by his look that he is a great missionary.  We also run into missionaries from New Jersey that know Elder Thresher.  We haven't see him yet but the missionaries tell us he is their Zone Leader and a great missionary.  Stan served in every assignment in the temple today except in the laundry- which I covered for him.

Another great day in Manhattan and in the Temple!

Another great day in NYC and at the Temple

We went to Radio City Hall this morning and looked around and even took a tour.  We start at 4:00pm today since it is Friday.  We had some amazing experience in the Temple today.  Our shift coordinator is Brother Hockenjos who is a good friend with Kim Smith (Kim and I grew up in Mesa and in fact Kim called me today since he read about our calling in the Church News) and a great man.  We met Brother Slaugh how serves on our Friday shift and he is a good friend with Erv Nelson in Las Vegas and he lived in Vegas while working for Steffen, Simmons and Vanna some years ago.  We also met a Sister Bushman who served in Poland under President Whipple and Taylor Knuth and his wife up from Penn State.  We met someone each day that we have connections with.

We went to Radio City Music Hall (located across from NBC Studios) this morning, looked around and even took a tour. This iconic theater was built in 1932, cost $8 million dollars and was the first of the Rockefeller Building complex to open. At the time, it was the largest indoor theater in the world holding 6200.

 Inside the grand lobby of Radio City Hall. These light fixtures are 27 feet long, lower to the ground level when needed and take 8 hours each to clean!

 The famous Radio City Music Hall stage...spectacular!  During the dedication of the Manhattan Temple, some 2500 LDS youth performed here for President Gordon B. Hinckley.  The theater was packed!

 "The Rock" the Rockefeller Center main building with the observation deck on top. (We will explore it another day!)

 Here I am in front of the famous ice skating rink.  With weather like we had today, I am sure this place is going to be history soon.

 The exact spot where they stand the Christmas Tree each year at Rockefeller Center.

 And a photo of just a few and of the many skyscrapers in the area.

After a busy couple of hours it was back home to our apartment and we finally found LaVains Bakery that all the senior missionaries talked about. (NOT easy to find....but worth the hunt!) They did have delicious cookies ( and everything else).   Back home, Stan talked to the Temple Department for an hour. Many things are ahead for him.  We walked to the Temple (around the corner) to start our shift at 4:00 pm and walked out of the Temple after 11:15pm. Friday night is our big cleaning night.  We usually help vacuum nightly but Friday night is the night when we stay late and clean everything.  Another great day and night in New York City.

Metropolitan Museum of Art via Central Park.

We have the most amazing experiences each day in the temple.  We meet people from all over the world.  We are surprised how many have been to Poland, know one of our missionaries or are good friends with someone we know in Las Vegas.
Last night Stan worked with a Brother Maready.  On his way to the temple, about 3 blocks from the temple, Brother Maready saw a couple drop some papers and the wind started blowing them down Broadway.  He realized by the colors and size that they were family names file cards for temple work.  He helped the couple retrieve them and was late to the temple.  Later that night, Stan was performing sealings for this same couple. Brother Maready walked in and assisted as one of the sons.  The family cards were a little dirty, but we felt Brother Maready helped save these desceased family members twice.  Once by saving them from the wind blowing their card away and again by being proxy.
We also met a Sister from Berlin.  She knew Poznan and all about Poland.  What a nice visit and Freiberg was her temple as well.
This morning we headed off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It's a giant- 1.6 million square feet complex which competes with the Louvre in Paris for stature and content.   On the way there, we went through Central Park located a block from our apartment.

Waiting at a crosswalk, Judi was interviewed by a local TV crew.  The weather was gorgeous and they were out visiting with people.

 Central Park starting to thaw out.

 The horse drawn carriages were out in full force.

The skating rink with some of our senior temple missionaries.  E/S Hawkins and Rogers.

 The main entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 Inside the great hall and main entrance.

 George Washington crossing the Delaware.  This was magnificent.  It made you proud to be an American.

Another famous painting of our First President.

 Degas' famous bronze sculpture, "The Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer". The skirt is made of cotton and satin hair ribbon.

 Lunch time in New York City. After a trip to the museum, Stan needed one of these! Street vendor  Hot Dogs are the best!

As you walk through Central Park you see all kinds of interesting attractions and people doing everything.

Back to the apartment and ready to start at the temple by 3:00pm...the best part of our day!