A Rare and Hallowed E'en

Autumn in New England, and the Saints here can think

of no place more beautiful than the Boston, Massachusetts Temple.

We think about it often in the NHM Mission as well, but because it is

out of our mission boundaries, it remains ONLY a wish to get there soon.

As the end of October passes this week, we will

encounter the Halloween holiday. I admit I have been waiting!

This is George Reischer, a valuable man serving his fellow

Saints in Manchester, and much farther afield, too.

We met George shortly after our arrival in June,

and as soon as I heard some of his remarkable stories, I tagged this one

in my mind as the 'perfect' subject for my post this week.

George has a depth of experience and service that I will NOT

be able to adequately explain in the limited space I have here.

But background will help before we get to the heart of his 'tale'. 

In the photos above and below, George is serving

in his capacity as director of the regional Bishops' Storehouse,

which is a welfare-of-the-Saints operation that makes food and

other commodities available to members who may need

a little extra assistance to live comfortably.

Twice each month, George helps the process go smoothly

for those coming to Manchester chapel from across three states

to collect items they need.

This he does at 10 a.m. (preparation begins much earlier!)

on those Saturday mornings, AFTER

having completed his Friday overnight cleaning job

at the Boston Temple (near Boston, 70 minutes away).

I asked George if I could share his experiences from

an other-worldly encounter at the Boston Temple.

I have condensed and edited his transcript 

for the purposes of this blog

(photos were selected by me to add interest):

In 2013 I was working at the temple during shut down in [early] July.  

It was about 10PM on a Friday night when volunteers usually don’t show up. 

As I was talking with fellow worker John M at the security desk, 

I heard three bangs on the dock door, even though there’s a phone 

that volunteers can use to call us.  

When I answered the door, there was a woman in her late 50’s 

dressed like a temple Matron, wearing a nice white gown 

with elaborate makeup and her hair was piled on top of her head.

I let her in and asked her to sign in the book, which all volunteers have to do.  

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her sign in.  

We walked by the security office door and I continued speaking to her, 

though she really wouldn’t reply.  She only nodded her head 

and I did all the talking. I gave her the first assignment and 

she came back within 45 minutes. I wondered at her speed. 

I was surprised because the way she was dressed I thought 

that would slow somebody down, but she seemed to do it in record time.  

I continued to give her assignments which she seemed 

to complete very quickly. After one task was given, 

I decided to check up on her again. 

I saw her on her knees with a pair of scissors in her hand.  

My supervisor, Annette L had purchased seven or so pairs 

of the special scissors and no one was supposed to touch them.  

She hid them and only she and the laundry supervisor knew where they were. 

The scissors were specifically used to cut those threads 
that had a tendency to fray where the chair rail meets the paper,
so that you wouldn't damage the wallpaper. As I turned the corner at one 

of these places, the lady had a pair of the scissors in her hand. 

I could not imagine how she even knew about them, 

but surely she didn't know where they were kept. 

She just seemed to know everything and she was kneeling on the floor 

and she was cutting little threads off the wallpaper.  

I asked, "how do you know how to do all this?"  

She continued trimming the threads, then looked up at me. 

She said, "The temple is to be perfect." 

That was the first time I had heard her speak all night. 

Usually she would just nod her head.  

When she said those words, it just chilled me to the bone. 

I didn't see her leave, but I heard the door and then I went 

to the security office.  I asked John, “Did you say anything 

to her before she left?  Did she say anything to you 

as she passed the security office?”  

John looked at me and said, “What are you talking about?” 

I said "The woman -- the volunteer. She just left.” 

John replied he didn't remember seeing any volunteer.  

I explained we had stopped in the office and I said hi and 

you looked right at us.  He denied seeing anybody.  

I remembered seeing her sign in the book, but I didn't see her sign out. 

I definitely know she opened it. I had showed her the book and 

she took the pen. But when we looked at the sign in book 

and the sign out log there was no name there.  

The last name in the book was a man who volunteered earlier.  

To this day I'm still looking to see her in the temple. 

When I relayed the story to NHM Mission President Blair's wife, 

she was touched to the point of tears.  

She said that I was probably talking to an angel. 

Sister Blair is the granddaughter of President Hinckley. 

She looked at me and said, “that's what my grandfather used to say”. 

President Hinckley dedicated the Boston Temple in 2000.  

Sister Blair had accompanied him there. He arrived three days early 

and had a little plastic case of pink stickers which he would use 

to mark things that needed attention or correction as they went 

through the Temple.  Sister Blair asked him about why he was doing that. 

He stopped and looked at her and said “The temple is to be perfect”. 

I've been working for the Boston Temple since 2012. 

At the time of this encounter, I was at a stage at my job 

that I did not get along with my supervisor.  

I was at a point where I was really doubting if Heavenly Father 

wanted me to be there or not.  I was going to leave.  

When the lady told me that the temple is to be perfect, 
when she looked at me, I felt she was telling me that it's my duty, 

my obligation, and that Heavenly Father wants me there.  

I need to be there and to stay there and I ended up staying 

and I am still there.  It's 2019 and I'm still there. 

* * * * *

I share this wonderful story, because it touched my heart,

and filled my lamp with oil in those early days of our mission in New Hampshire.

Brother Reischer concludes his story with his powerful testimony: 
I’ve had many experiences and the Temple is in my blood, it’s a part of me.  
The temple is not just a building; it's not bricks and mortar.  
It’s not granite and drywall and paint. It's people, the testimonies that are born.
The temple is more than that, it's a living breathing thing.  
The temple is the house of the Lord, it was built so that Jesus Christ 
could manifest himself there and he has.  

I can feel the presence of Jesus Christ and God there, 
I have seen them in what I do daily.  
I pray that they think my work is acceptable and if I'm doing the right thing.  
I’ve felt reaffirmed that I'm still there and I hope to retire there. 
I love working for the Lord -- he is the best boss that you could have.  

I love Jesus Christ; I know that Jesus is the Christ and he's our Lord and Savior.  

He carries me and definitely shares our burdens.  

I’m grateful to be working there and I love the temple.