Brother Angel Moroni meets The Church Ladies

Dear Brother Angel Moroni

I always feel a little bit bad that I do not drop you a note until after these events, but since you can’t climb down from your perch to join in the fun, it seems kinder in the long run. 

 Speaking of long runs (running of any length seems long to me) there has been a lot of excitement about the Temple Fun Run of last month.  I have met people who even are planning their attendance for next year, so I hope you are in the mood to host another one.  Word is out that you know how to get your “Mr. Fun” on.

 And speaking of hosting, I wanted to give you a little background of why there were some ladies at the temple a few days back. I know you saw them.

Carrying lawn chairs.

Sipping cold lemonade (sorry we were rude and didn’t offer any to you…but your hands were otherwise occupied).

Wearing sandals.

 Of everything I figured you would connect with, I knew you would like the barefoot look…given I have never seen you in shoes.

You know they say you should have good shoe support if you are going to be on your feet all day.

All day?

I think Salt Lake Temple Brother Angel Moroni could tell you a thing or two about being on your feet a long time.  Try 118 years.  He doesn’t seem to be any worse for wear so I think it will work out ok for you as well.

 It is part of the job description I am sure.

 So, these ladies are sometimes known as “the Church Ladies.”  They belong to a local congregation (although I don’t know how “local” it is when you have drive 20 minutes one way to get there) of the LDS Church.  They are part of the church’s formal organization of women known as the Relief Society.

They have been meeting almost monthly for years for a journaling class.  They have written about all sorts of topics from their own perspective.  Stories of holidays.  Travels.  Family stories.  Anything that gives them a chance to record their story for their own personal histories.

They meet together to read their story out loud.  Some write pages of experience.  Some write a very little.  Some don’t write at all but come along anyway…(hey! I resemble that remark).

This month the theme was sharing a special story related to the temple.  The leader, Tina, thought it would be nice if we met together at the temple grounds.

She was right.  It was nice.

These are humble ladies who were not there to show how “super Mormon” they were.  They were there because they all had something to share. 

It was a lovely evening. 

No rain.  No big wind.  No scorching heat (hey, wait!  Are we still in Missouri?  J)

 I thought you would especially enjoy their activity given you yourself were a big journal-er in your earlier days.

I mean you were the last to record writings in the Book of Mormon. 

You carried those plates (journals) all around the land with you. 

You did some abridging work as well. 

Millions of people have read what you have written.

That makes you, my friend, a writer.

As a matter of fact, when I was a full time missionary, one of the most effective scriptures we would share with anyone we talked to were words encouraging people to pray and ask God to know truth for themselves.  Words your wrote.

Super great advice, by the way.

After the story time was over, a couple of us went over to see the temple up closer in the dark. 

I don’t usually come to see you in the dark of night because most photography doesn’t come out so great when there isn’t light. 

However, it was our lucky night. 

Not only did we get to enjoy the “light” that these ladies shared with their sweet smiles and sunny stories earlier in the evening, the temple was lit up from the inside out. We could actually enjoy the beauty of the newly placed pieces of stained glass in the windows. 

Way cool.

Brother Angel Moroni, we sure are enjoying you.  Just so you know you are a topic of conversation around the whole Kansas City area. 

I met a non-Mormon fella named Dave at the grounds recently who is doing the electrical work on the inside of the temple.  He said the number one question he is asked is “What is the story with the golden angel blowing that horn?”

No worries, Brother Angel, I explained you. 

And he liked your story.