May 31st 2022

Primary Lesson

Where do the days go? We got to be in the temple everyday but Sunday last week. It was wonderful and made us tired. I find it so amazing that I may not be feeling great, I have a bit of an ongoing earache but the minute I get into the temple I am infused with energy and well being. It is quite a wonderful phenomenon! The temple is getting busier and we are all gearing up for a very busy summer. There are a handful of district workers that know what that will be like but all the rest of us have no idea what is coming. It will all work out because it always does. Hopefully, people will be patient and humble with all the growing pains of a destination temple during the summer. 

We have been given an assignment to teach the youngest age class in primary in our branch, six 3 to 5 year old's. The branch is so small that the Primary President leads the music, plays the piano, and teaches occasionally and now is 3 months pregnant so we are happy to help. Dave was able to play the piano for her so she could lead. I love Primary and it is my first choice of places to be but it is a new experience for Dave and he is doing well.

Our lesson was on Joshua and the battle of Jericho. We told them the story and then had them make little paper trumpets with rolled up paper. We told them all the steps the Lord required of the people so they could win the war. Some of the steps seemed silly or unreasonable but it was so important for the people to be exactly obedient. We told the kids we were going to go outside and act out the battle and that if they did exactly as we told them they would get a reward (fruit snack) We told them that we really wanted to give them the reward and we would be sad if they didn't follow the rules exactly, because then we couldn't give it to them. 

We went outside and I clearly showed them where to walk, they had to be very quiet and then after 7 times we would blow our horns and shout. I told them again, we really want to give you a reward so please follow the instructions. 

Then we started marching around the piece of parking lot I had designated. They marched around. They were quiet. One little guy got distracted by a dandelion and I quickly said "oh, hurry and get back because I want to give you the reward" He did. We finished our rounds, blew our horns and shouted! We were so proud of them! Back in class we told them how well they obeyed the instructions and gave them their reward. 

This little experience has caused me to ponder a bit on the Plan of Salvation of our Heavenly Father. He has given us instructions on how we need to live our lives in order to gain the reward He so lovingly wants to give us. The instructions may seem silly or unreasonable but He does require our exact obedience. If we do get distracted or willfully go off the path, we can get back on and resume the course and still get the reward because of what our Savior has done for us. Heavenly Father wants us to choose Him, trust Him and love Him. And I believe with all of my heart, it is and will be worth whatever we are required to do. Exact obedience. What does that look like for you?   

This picture was taken in March but I didn't have any pictures for this week. These are all the wonderful, amazing people we started our mission with. The Temple Presidency will be changing as well as a few couples completing their missions in a few months. We also have 30 new temple couples who are serving until September. 

May 24th 2022

Eventful Week

Another late posting but better late than never right? Hopefully, I'll get back to a better schedule now that we're back to the temple all week long. 

It's been good to be back in Nauvoo this week. We got together for events with other temple couple missionaries on four occasions - no pictures- we welcomed, helped move in and hosted dinner for two new temple couple missionaries-no pictures- we had a wonderful visit from a dear senior couple, Mike and Patti Lehman from Rexburg Id. that we served in Guyana with-no pictures- I had an unfortunate hair cut but got it fixed, luckily, my hair grows fast- no pictures- we did get pictures from a few things this week though.

We are back in full swing at the temple today being our first day doing ordinances and it feels invigorating and incredible! We have 30 new temple missionary couples as well as a bunch of new site and performing missionaries so Nauvoo has come alive with more people and activities. It's going to be a great summer and we are excited to be a part of it!  Y'all ought to come to Nauvoo, it's gonna be great!  

We took a walk to Inspiration point. It's a beautiful walk but the bugs were out so that's why I have my head covered.

Some scenes on the walk

The Nauvoo horses are amazing

The Illinois state bird, Cardinal. They are fun to see

The fields used to be robed in purple, now they are robed in yellow

We had a temple mission dinner and we so enjoyed being entertained by President Marshall!

This giraffe is made out of forks, knives and spoons. 

This was one of the 500 pictures of our last road trip that 

didn't make it in the last post. 

Another fun picture from road trip

Nauvoo Brass Band has arrived! You can hear them play even when you are up by the temple.

Rehearsal of the "Sunset on the Mississippi"

These young adults are adorable!

The show is fantastic!

Our 5th grandchild, Brightynn, graduated from high school! 

Parents are Mark and Annie. They live in Colorado. 

We cheered her on from a far! 

 May 15th 2022

Eleven Days of Amazing!

On May 2nd we began our last road trip with the temple closure. Dave had preplanned every stop with google navigation and site attraction info attached, he had also reserved lodgings in the areas along the way. It is an amazing spread sheet! I am so grateful for all the time, energy and love Dave put into this amazing trip. 

We went with another temple missionary couple, Brenda and Alan Werrett. They were the perfect traveling companions. Eleven days together driving, seeing sites, walking, dining, playing cards, talking, laughing and occasionally weeping because of the sweet Spirit. The days flew by with much pleasure and enjoyment. 

The hours of driving were broken up so they were easier to manage. We had an App called Journey to Zion that gives little descriptions and stories of each church history site that you visit. It was so fabulous and we learned so much along the way and appreciated what we were seeing so much more. 

The early Saints were an amazing people and they suffered tremendously but remained solid in the faith. What a priceless gift to give all the rest of us who benefit from all their sacrifices. We are grateful to have the blessed opportunity to belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints and be counted among the followers of Jesus. 

We got home and immediately started our "window watching" shifts in the temple. There are two window crews that require a member presence in the temple as they replace each window. All missionaries who are available have signed up to take one or two 5 hour shifts each day until the temple reopens on May 23rd. Unfortunately, the supplies for the windows were delayed and the work on the temple cannot continue until the fall closure. The contractor said the crew will work longer days to get all the windows replaced in the allotted four week closure this fall.     

Warning: Picture overload ahead! 

 Starved Rock Illinois State Park

This was a beautiful place and the first stop of our trip. 

I found my name carved in a rock!

Shipshewana, Indiana Amish Community

This was a darling, clean, well kept community 

with very nice people.

We decided to go in a carriage shop and the owner was

 kind enough to give us a tour.

This carriage is almost complete. They do use power tools and batteries and computers in their business and many farmers use modern equipment to farm. They still do not have any televisions or social media in their homes which is very admirable and probably very wise.   

Family owned carriage building company

Kirtland, Ohio

We stayed in a wonderful bed and breakfast place in Willoughby Ohio. The town was very charming too.

It rained a good deal but it makes for lovely pictures

Alan, Brenda, April and Dave at the Kirtland Temple

Our tour guide invited Dave to play the Spirit of God on the piano in the temple and we all sang. It was very cool! Kirtland has a great site of other historic homes that you can walk through and hear stories of what occurred there very much like Nauvoo, only many more spiritual manifestations and revelations. It's wonderful!

This is a replica of the saw mill in Kirtland

An example of the workmanship of the saw mill

At the John Johnson home. Emma and Joseph lived here for a time and the prophet received 16 revelations here, most well known being Sec. 76. This is where Joseph was ripped from his bed, drug outside and tarred and feathered and then preached the next day.

Isaac Morley Farm. Emma and Joseph had a home here and the prophet received 13 revelations here.

Ark Encounter, Kentucky

The Ark Encounter is a Christian based theme park. It's a remarkable and cool experience to imagine what it may have been like. It's huge like a cruise ship. 

Since it is a Christian based theme park they have displays of the beliefs of this group all throughout the ark. Their opinions differ a bit from what we believe. I don't believe Adam and Eve rejected God or rebelled against Him. I believe God wouldn't force death on them and needed them to choose to either remain in the Garden without knowledge of good and evil and the ability to have children or to choose to experience a life with opposition while providing a Savior for them who would offer a way back through their choices of right and wrong. Adam fell that man might be, men are that they might have joy. There can be no joy if you don't have good and evil to compare and experience.  

 

We went to a lovely little botanical garden near Louisville, Kentucky

Saint Louis, Missouri

We climbed up many steps to get to the tram 

to go to the top of the Arch

Pretty tight quarters

One view from the top

The other view. It was pretty rainy that day 

but we could still see a little.

It's a beautiful park

More Missouri

Along the way we went to the Bonne Terre Mines. The pillars you see are what's left after they blasted the mine

You get to ride on a boat through the water. At one time they were going to dam up something and it would have permanently flooded the cave. Glad they didn't. 

Pretty cool (literally) place

Another stop in Missouri is a State park called Elephant Rock 

which you can see why.

These rocks are mostly made from a rose colored granite

Thankfully, it was a beautiful sunny day for a walk in the park

We stayed in a bed and breakfast called Arcadia Academy which used to be a catholic school for girls. IT IS AMAZING!!

It's actually owned by an LDS family. They said they made newspaper headlines in 1999 when they bought it. 

"Mormon Family Buys Catholic Church School!"

There is a chapel there for weddings and then beautiful 

grounds for receptions

The owner allowed Dave to play the 100 year old organ.

He played The Spirit of God

It was very stirring emotionally

It made him happy

Next stop was the Onondaga Cave State Park, MO

It was amazing!

Branson, Missouri

Me with the Guinness book of world records tallest man in the world

We went to three shows. One at 10 am: George Dyer. An amazing singer of Broadway and opera. Highly recommend it.

 5pm show was British Invasion with songs of British bands like Beetles, Queen, The Who, Dusty Springfield etc. It was pretty good.

8 pm show was the Duttons. An amazing family of singers and string instruments. Very enjoyable!

Still Missouri

We went to the Fishing River where Zion's Camp miracle happened where the mob was going to eliminate them and a huge storm came and flooded the river and made it impassable.

 Liberty Jail

Richmond, MO has a monument commemorating the 3 witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Oliver Cowdrey is buried here.

Independence temple lot

Farwest corner stones

So many things happened in Missouri with lots of church sites 

Eight witnesses monument

Hawn's Mill

Hawn's mill stone in Breckenridge, Missouri 

a broken down little town of population 57

It's interesting that these very important monuments are all in very 

obscure and out of the way places.

Adam-ondi-Ahman

Dave stood on the rock on the left and "preached" while we were listening in the grove of trees below. We could hear him very clearly. You have to look hard to see us...

The Facilities Missionaries have done a ton of work here and pictures do not let you feel the magnitude of this very special place!

You stand on Tower Hill and you are surrounded by this beautiful valley with a ring of trees along the edge. Like I said, pictures don't allow you the experience of it. 

We got back to Nauvoo and Kaylene (Dave's sister) and husband Steve surprise us with a nice visit!