A Wonderful Day

I called Shonda Queen last Tuesday and found out that they have “walk-in” baptisms for the dead every day from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm and then the wards in the area do them every day from 4:30 to 6:30. We went to the temple Friday and went thro’ the 2:00 pm session. Before going to get ready for the session I took the temple submission disk to Shonda and she printed up the cards that needed work done. We had submitted Johannes Rufener’s whole family. It turns out that some of his children were done and some were not. There were two baptisms that needed to be done and three initiatory and endowments that needed to be done. All were men. It was a very nice session. My allergies are bothering me more now than they have since I was 16 years old! My eyes have been itching more this year than since then. They feel better especially in bright light when they are closed. So I closed my eyes a lot during the session but did keep awake. After the session we went down to the cafeteria and ate. While we were eating I told my sweetheart that I tho’t we should get the cards out of my suitcase and check out the baptistery and see if there were someone there who could be baptized for Johannes Rufener, my great-great- great grandfather and his son, Johannes Rufener. He said he would go with me. We didn’t know where the baptistery was or how to get there. I asked Sister Barzee whom I know from the FHC and she told me the women get there thro’ the women’s dressing room and it’s down the long hall before the cafeteria in the basement. I told Karl he’d have to find his own way, but it would probably be thro’ the men’s dressing room. I went down there looking for it. I went thro’ the door at the end of the hallway and entered another hallway with many doors on each side. I saw the baptistery but no one was in it. I went out and went up stairs and looked for Karl. I could not see him anywhere. I went downstairs again and headed down that hallway again. I saw Walt Mickelson who lived next door to us more than 30 years ago. He noted that his wife Donna was going into the women officiators changing room at the other side of a sitting area up the hallway. He told me to go in there and talk to her while she was changing. I hadn’t seen her for more than 20 years as close as I can figure. Karl has seen her a few times there at the temple but I hadn’t. I had to introduce myself to both Walt and Donna. It was sooo good to see her. We caught up on each other children and how many grandchildren we all had. Then I knew I needed to go find Karl for sure. I went back down the long hallway, saw the entryway into the women’s dressing room and peeked in but couldn’t see anyone to question. I tried the door that was next to it but the door knob was stiff and appeared to be locked. I peered into the baptistery but there still wasn’t anyone there. So I went back upstairs to see if Karl had gone back up there. I still couldn’t see him anywhere. I went back to the reception desk and told Sister Nield that there was no one down there. She said she had just talked to someone down there so she knew someone was there. She said she would walk me down. When we got down there she pointed to the door that I tho’t was locked and said to go in there. I opened the door and there sat Karl patiently waiting for me. Dorine and David Adams were the officiators who were over the baptistery. They are very good friends of Karen & Kent and were instrumental in helping Kent to becoming active in the church and going thro’ the temple. The ward who was assigned to that time slot hadn’t shown up. David said that any time he could help with baptisms there he jumped at the chance because he just loved to do them. I told him that Sister Nield had suggested that maybe they could get some of the other officiators to witness the baptism etc. and Karl could be baptized for them. Karl wasn’t too happy about getting completely undressed again but he knew how important it was to me and since Dave said that he would be glad to do the baptizing he consented to do it. Kim had volunteered to baptize Nathaniel for them but I wanted to be there and witness it so I chose to do it this way. If we end up with many names sometime then we can go that route. Anyway, it was a wonderful experience. I’m sure Johannes Rufener, born December 22, 1780 was there. I felt so emotional when Karl was being both baptized and confirmed for him and had such a warm feeling again. I didn’t feel as much as when his son was done. I tho’t maybe his work had already been done so maybe that was why. I checked on the IIGI when I got home (It had been down all week long so I couldn’t check before; I had tried that morning and couldn’t get it.)….and there was no record of the son’s work having been done. Samuel Rufener’s baptism & confirmation had been done but not the initiatory or endowment. I felt sooo good afterwards. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that his work is finely being completed. And it is sooo neat being instrumental in it. It is wonderful being part of this important work. While Karl was in getting his clothes changed, President DeMordant of the temple presidency came down to see how they were doing there in the baptistery. I introduced myself to him and told him I am an RN (I didn't explain that RN now stood for Retired Nurse instead of Registerd Nurse) and had worked with him at the hospital a few times. (He was a radiologist there at EIRMC when I was there.) He asked if I were still working. I told him no that I hadn’t worked for 6 ½ years but my husband and I were now serving as service missionaries at the Regional Family History Center here in IF. He asked me how I liked it. I told him I loved it and am learning so much. He told me that the work we are doing is a very important work and that we were serving where the Lord wanted us to serve. It was wonderful to have that confirmation again. I know that this work is very important and I know that the Church is true. I’m so thankful to be alive in this day and age.