Sunday, January 16 2022

To Breathe or Not to Breathe....(that is the question)

This week was quite a bit slower in time intensity. We've had a few missionaries get sick with covid so they canceled ordinance work on our Tuesday 5 am shift. We did get to work Wednesday morning, Thursday evening and Friday morning. Although, a storm was coming in, so Friday they let all the "distant living" workers get home and all the temple missionaries assisted in an own endowment sister who came from Montana. They closed the temple Saturday for the storm as well but the temple missionaries assisted another own endowment brother coming from Iowa, an 8 hour drive away. Each of these own endowments had the temple all to themselves and the few family that came with them. We were able to be the officiators for both sessions. The Lord truly does minister to the "one". 

We have been assigned a branch to attend on Sundays which is 1.5 hours away. We drive in with another temple missionary couple who are really delightful to be with. The drive is lovely, the branch is very friendly. There is a sister in the branch that would always make sack lunches for the visiting missionaries to take with them on the road. She passed away a few years ago but her daughter asked us if she could do that for us in her mother's memory and we of course said yes! She packed us a delicious lunch today. We feel very loved already from this branch.

Thursday, we got a call from the temple, President Anderson. He called to ask Dave if he was alright with adding more temple shifts to his schedule because they felt like they had enough engineers working. Dave was very excited to be able to that. So, Tuesday we both have temple shifts from 5am to 9 am, Wednesday, we'll do office and engineer from 8 am to 2pm. Thursday we have temple shifts from noon to 6pm. Friday shifts from 8 am to 2pm and Saturday, office and engineer from 8 am to 2pm. 

In the same phone call he told me that my mask wasn't acceptable and that they would need me to stay home until the covid spike in the area settled down. Who knows how long that would be! I was so sad! I understand they need to follow state laws and temple department criteria but I didn't come on a mission to sit in the apartment so I really struggled with the frustration of governments controlling our life in such a personal way. Dave offered to give me a blessing....and after some time to humble myself I realized that I would rather be uncomfortable trying to breathe in the temple than not be in the temple at all. So, I wear an acceptable mask and breathe the best I can. It really is just fine. It's amazing what you can do with attitude adjustments...and priesthood blessings....

We haven't done much exploring of Nauvoo yet because of the cold temperatures but we did get to have dinner out on Saturday in the only eating place open in Nauvoo with our friends from Omaha, The Coffmans, and play a few games after.  

We had time to play the "Guess Who" game we made for our kids for Christmas this year. It is very fun!

Now those are a bunch of beautiful faces if I do say so myself!

This is the William Weeks' home here in Nauvoo. Both Dave and I are related to him down our lines.

One of the many pictures of the Nauvoo temple that will be taken this year. We still can't believe we are here!

Things are pretty cold here but it makes it beautiful...

Especially after a storm. On our way to church this morning, the sun was shining and all the trees looked like they had glitter sprinkled on them. It was so magical! We didn't get a picture of it though. 

So lovely!