July 27th, 2022

Lots of Visitors!

We got back from Utah and hit the ground running and had a great week. We had quite a few people we love come to Nauvoo and we connected with some and missed a few others. Like I said in last weeks post, the Montgomerys, (no picture) and grandchildren McKinney and Brenner came. We got to see them a couple times, which was very fun! My cousin Ron Barlow from Utah came out to support his sweetheart Julie who is in the pageant. We had a family who has ties to the Welches (my brother Robert's wife's family), and a district temple worker couple....shoot, I can't think of their name right now, but we love them...then two families we love from our Bountiful ward came, the Cowleys and Scheisses whom we didn't see but they left us notes. It's been a fun week for visitors!

We seem to be always tired when we aren't in the temple...grateful we aren't tired there but we seem to have lots of energy and good spirits. This is the last week for the Pageant and it will be interesting to see what happens to Nauvoo next week. Already our appointments for baptisms have dropped way down, going from 25 patrons per hour every hour to zero. Hopefully, they will get filled up. 

We are one week past our half way point on our mission. It has been wonderful to be here and participate in this great work. We're so grateful we get to see all the season's of Nauvoo and associate with some pretty amazing people. 

We attended " The King Follett Discourse" today with two performers representing John Taylor and Joseph Smith. It was in a grove of trees not far from where it happened originally. When the actor playing Joseph Smith walked out and started speaking, we were taken back in time. It was very soul stirring. The most valuable thing I have received from this mission is a rock solid testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. To be here where he walked, taught, worked, played, danced, worshipped, received revelation, was killed and buried is truly a heart changing experience. I can feel his influence in the city he envisioned and motivated a people to work to clear and drain the swamp, on the roads that he organized in perfect blocks, in the temple that he visualized but never got to see, in the stories of the people that loved and supported him as a Prophet and a man. In regards to the Book of Mormon, there is a line in the pageant that says" No evil man could write a book like this and no good man would want to, unless he was inspired by God" If I got nothing else out of the 13 months here in Nauvoo, that would be plenty but, of course there has been much more received than we could ever have anticipated.  

This winter was frigid, this spring couldn't make up it's mind if it wanted to be here or not, this summer has had moments of smothering heat and humidity and we are looking forward to experiencing autumn, but mostly it has been a daily wonder and pleasure to be here in this beautiful sacred place.  

Brenner and McKinney Lawson. Two of our darling grandchildren, here with a group of 400 from Parker Colorado. Thank you youth leaders for this amazing experience for them! 

We found Brenner and friend just before going to the temple.

We found McKinney getting her lunch after she went to the temple. 

Brenner pulling the handcart at the Country Fair before the pageant

Cousin on my mom's side, Ron Barlow

Ron and his sweetheart Julie after the pageant

This young mother is Wanee Welch's granddaughter and her husband's parents are district workers with us in the temple....

I can't remember their name... so sorry....

I am almost 5 feet tall so how tall is this corn? 

As high as an elephants eye! 

Cute pig for my friend Sandy. She collects them. 

This is what you see at the pageant 

but they really don't bother you much.

Sunset picture that Dave shared with our temple group 

Painting of above picture by one of our temple group

The lilies are all along the river bank. It's beautiful