Vision in the Boston Temple

Yesterday began with me waking up at 4am with a strong desire to attend the Boston Temple. I initially thought, they have sessions at 6:15am on Wednesdays, so I could make that session. I quickly realized that those only occur on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. Yesterday was the first Wednesday in March. I had to work and so I would have to wait until the 8pm session, once my kids were in bed. Even making that session was put in jeopardy as Kristen called me early in the afternoon saying she was sick and needed me home ASAP.

Once the kids were asleep she gave me the OK to go to the temple. I made it to the Boston Temple around 7:45pm and quickly dressed and was ready for the 8pm session with time to spare. However, I found out I was the only patron and so they would not be holding the 8pm session. It was at this point that a temple worker and then one of the temple presidency suggested I do sealings. This is where the fun began.

I enter the room and join two other couples, both actually from my Arlington Ward. They however had no idea who I was at first, but we quickly became acquainted. After a brief time, the sealer asked about me as the others apparently knew each other quite well. Here is a paraphrase of our initial conversation.

Sealer: What do you do?
ME: I am a researcher at Harvard.
Sealer: What type of research?
ME: Vision resarch.
Sealer: What kind of vision research?
ME: I study the development and disease of the eye?
Sealer: Oh really, can you be more specific?
ME: I currently am studying the role of retinoic acid (Vitamin A) plays in retina development and disease.
Sealer: Interesting, I study light and dark adaption in the photoreceptors (part of the retina) and in particular retinol and retinal in the visual cycle at Boston University. Who do you work with?
ME: I am a postdoctoral fellow in John Dowling's lab.
Sealer: I know him quite well, we'll discuss more after we are through.

I was floored! Usually I meet someone and never get very far with my research interests. Most hear something about eye, disease, vitamin A and I get a that's interesting. I also never would have thought to meet a fellow colleague in the temple was the reason for my prompting at 4am in the morning. That night we finished the session about 10 minutes to 9pm and then I spent the next 30 or so minutes talking with the sealer, Brother/Dr Carter Cornwall. We had an amazing conversation. I am just amazed at how the Lord directs us if we but listen. Who knew at 4am that I would meet Bro Cornwall in the temple and make a wonderful contact in vision science?

As it turns out I am quite interested in his work and even had included part of his research in a draft of my dissertation, though it was nixed by a couple of my committee members. He knows my current boss, John Dowling, and Steffie, John's assistant, and many others whom I work/have worked with. I am so glad that I heeded the prompting that woke me at 4am. I look forward to meeting with Bro Cornwall in the future. This was my interesting discussion of Vision in the Boston Temple.