Temple moments: Hope realized
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In 1990, during the early days of the Internet before it became a
popular meeting ground for people around the world, two members of the
Church became acquainted through the electronic exchange of mail. One of
these was David Birley, currently ward music chairman in the Rock Hill
Ward, Charlotte North Carolina South Stake. Brother Birley often discussed
his work in family history and other gospel principles with the other,
Andrew Rosser, now a counselor in the bishopric in the Newcastle-Under-Lyme
Ward, Newcastle-Under-Lyme England Stake.
In 1996, Brother Birley informed Brother Rosser that he and his wife, Linda, were traveling to England to do family history research. Brother Rosser passed along his phone number. While in England, the Birleys had a successful trip in gathering nearly a thousand family names, some of which he had sought for up to 10 years. However, they were too busy to visit Brother Rosser.
The Birleys' efforts were blessed a second time at the dedication of the Columbia South Carolina Temple on Oct. 16, 1999. The new temple provided a means whereby the Birley's could personally take their large collection of family names to the temple. They began attending the temple on a weekly basis, and even invited other temple patrons to assist them.
One evening as Brother Birley was doing initiatory work, a visitor at the temple from England accepted the invitation to assist, and joined him. For the next hour or so, they proceeded with the work. After finishing that batch of names, the visitor identified himself as Andrew Rosser, the one with whom Brother Birley had communicated on the Internet a decade earlier.
So, "two brothers in the gospel finally had the opportunity to meet each other, and enjoy fellowship" and at the same time, do ordinance work for those who were only a hope in discussions they had via e-mail a decade earlier, said Brother Birley.
Another in a series of Temple Moments
Illustration by John Clark
