Marjorie Brim at the Washington DC Temple with Elder & Sister Lindsay
During the month of December, Marjorie Brim went with Elder & Sister Lindsay to the Washington DC Temple where she received her personal endowment. After teaching her the temple preparation class lessons, Sister Brim became the fourth member of the Chesapeake Ward whom we have had the privilege of taking to the House of the Lord for their first time experience since we arrived on our mission in September 2011.
It was a wonderfully happy experience for us to help Marji Brim prepare for this sacred priesthood ordinance, and her enthusiasm and joyous anticipation of this event seemed to grow with each meeting we had with her over several months. Once she had received her temple recommend from local Church leaders authorizing her to enter into the temple, Sister Brim announced to us with delight, "I will be there with bells on." Good to her word, on that special day that is exactly what she did (small bells were on her earrings)!
So often we use phrases in everyday conversations that have been around and in common use for many generations without ever knowing the origin of the words. After checking multiple sources for the origin of this particular familiar term, I have found two plausible explanations for its origin, which are both quite interesting:
To "be there with bells on" or "arriving with bells on" means that someone is happy and delighted to attend a party or some other important festive event. It goes back to the days before the automobile, when it was the custom to deck out the horse that drew the carriage for special occasions with the fanciest available harness. That, of course, was the harness "with bells on." Bells were often added decoratively to the harnesses of horses in parades and especially circuses. Sleigh bells have been depicted on Christmas cards and old Currier & Ives lithographic prints as well.
A second plausible explanation, according to author George Stumway, involves the settlement of US immigrants in Pennsylvania and other states between 1750 and 1850. The preferred means of transport for merchandise were large, sturdy wooden carts called Conestoga wagons. These were drawn by teams of horses or mules whose collars were fitted with with headdresses of bells. The wagoners personalized the bells to tunings of their liking and took great pride in them. If a wagon become stuck, a teamster who came to the rescue often asked for a set of bells as reward. Arriving at a destination "with or without one's bells on" was a matter of professional pride.
Although Marjorie Brim did not arrive at the temple in either a sleigh or a Conestoga wagon, she certainly arrived "with her bells on" and was very happy to be there!
It was a wonderfully happy experience for us to help Marji Brim prepare for this sacred priesthood ordinance, and her enthusiasm and joyous anticipation of this event seemed to grow with each meeting we had with her over several months. Once she had received her temple recommend from local Church leaders authorizing her to enter into the temple, Sister Brim announced to us with delight, "I will be there with bells on." Good to her word, on that special day that is exactly what she did (small bells were on her earrings)!
So often we use phrases in everyday conversations that have been around and in common use for many generations without ever knowing the origin of the words. After checking multiple sources for the origin of this particular familiar term, I have found two plausible explanations for its origin, which are both quite interesting:
To "be there with bells on" or "arriving with bells on" means that someone is happy and delighted to attend a party or some other important festive event. It goes back to the days before the automobile, when it was the custom to deck out the horse that drew the carriage for special occasions with the fanciest available harness. That, of course, was the harness "with bells on." Bells were often added decoratively to the harnesses of horses in parades and especially circuses. Sleigh bells have been depicted on Christmas cards and old Currier & Ives lithographic prints as well.
A second plausible explanation, according to author George Stumway, involves the settlement of US immigrants in Pennsylvania and other states between 1750 and 1850. The preferred means of transport for merchandise were large, sturdy wooden carts called Conestoga wagons. These were drawn by teams of horses or mules whose collars were fitted with with headdresses of bells. The wagoners personalized the bells to tunings of their liking and took great pride in them. If a wagon become stuck, a teamster who came to the rescue often asked for a set of bells as reward. Arriving at a destination "with or without one's bells on" was a matter of professional pride.
Although Marjorie Brim did not arrive at the temple in either a sleigh or a Conestoga wagon, she certainly arrived "with her bells on" and was very happy to be there!
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