by Leisa Parsons and Kristen Pack, Area Media Specialists
It’s probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear ”temple service,” but it’s effects are enjoyed by all who visit the San Antonio Temple grounds. Twice a year, in the fall and the spring, the grounds of the temple are made ready for volunteer gardeners to plant flowers.
Last week all of the temple’s flower beds were turned over in anticipation of the many volunteers who would show up this weekend to plant flowers. 4,990 plants loaded on 251 flats were delivered to the temple grounds. The plants are then placed around the temple grounds to await the volunteers.
Paul and Paula Linnemeyer are Service Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ currently in their fifth year serving as the temple’s chief landscapers. Paul said, ”When we started, we didn’t have a lot of direction, about an hour of instruction, so we studied on the internet as to what we could use. Since then, I have learned to appreciate design.”
The ”temple standard” is to not have any dirt showing, it has to be covered. Mulch isn’t a solution because it tended to get tracked inside the temple. So the plants get cozy with each other as they are planted only six inches apart, or as volunteers are instructed “four knuckles and two fingers” apart.
Paul said, ”We do this every six months, on Sign Up Genius and send out the sign up.” The sign up is sent out to all of the local congregations. He said, ”We didn’t get as many volunteers this time around as we have had in the past.”
One family from the Heritage Ward showed up for this fall’s planting. Sofia and her children helped last fall. Sofia said, “It’s enjoyable, we don’t garden at our house …” Her husband chimed in ”Whenever we try to garden it all dies.” She continued, ”We don’t water it so …everyonce in a while we’ll plant a plant…. We moved from Utah six years ago, they have the prettiest flowers at Temple Square, they have full time gardeners. Patrons don’t do any of the outside work, or ground maintenance, so it’s nice to come and participate a little bit more at the temple. I didn’t have those opportunities growing up.”
Paul Linnemeyer says when they get volunteers, they put them to work! He said, ”We had a guy here, he worked with us for 30 minutes, we asked him what congregation he was from. Then we learned that he wasn’t even a member!” Apparently he’d just been passing by and wandered in while they were planting and he was put to work.
Linnemeyer said ”I feel sometimes like I’m tending to the gardens like Adam and Even did — we get all sorts of thoughts as we work on the temple grounds.” He continued, ”We encourage those who come out to help us to prepare themselves to go inside. We had one brother, he’d been married for like 20 years, and he came out to help us. My wife said, you really need to go inside, or at least start doing baptisms. The next week we were coming out and they were going in.”
Linnemeyer said, ”People will hang out here, either missionaries or members, because it’s peaceful.” That is exactly why Jose and Monica Leonardo were on the temple grounds while the planting was going on. The Leonardo family is from Roundrock and were in town for an immigration appointment. Jose said, ”It’s always good to be close to the temple. If you have any stress or problems, they are gone, that’s my feeling.” Their son was the one that reminded them this morning to stop by the temple. They had finished their appointment and were heading home when he said, ”No, we are going to the temple.” Leonardo continued, ”Of course, he has the same feeling as we have.”
All of the efforts to keep the San Antonio temple grounds beautiful are to help those who visit, feel the Spirit more readily. Linnemeyer said, ”We see people around here, they say this is really beautiful.” It is, but he adds, “ It’s beautiful out here, but it’s really beautiful inside.”
