January 30th 2023

Week Of Lasts

This is our last P day of our temple mission in Nauvoo, Illinois! It is hard to believe it is over...there may be no adequate words to describe this experience. I feel like it's something that you have to be here to truly understand. It really is like you are living in a celestial dimension of sorts. 5 days secluded from the outside world in the temple, working with people from all different situations in life but they are "like" minded and "like" hearted, immersed in the Spirit of love and the work. Then, because Nauvoo is so removed from most of the conveniences of our modern world, and our little village is mostly occupied  by the same people you see in the temple, you continue to live in another dimension of continuous love and service. It is an experience to be marveled at! I am in awe as I ponder with gratitude on this year. 

Dave had his 66th birthday and we decided to have a January birthday celebration and as always, it was so fun and we laughed as we played games and enjoyed each other's company. It seems like we have had all these months here and are now just getting together socially. Better late than never, I say, and we have created some very strong bonds of friendship and delightful memories.

This next week will be our last days. We have some large group gatherings planned, a game night and some dinners out with friends this week along with two more engineering days for Dave and one more office day for me along with our regular temple shifts. We did get to enjoy an endowment session with all the temple missionaries last week and we get to do a sealing session with our own Brother Cook as sealer and the other "old timers" missionaries who are leaving on Monday. 

It will also be our last Sunday with our sweet branch and primary class....we are leaving pieces of our hearts here!  

This blog has been a very different mission recording. We can't really expound on our days in the temple but we do know that God loves all His children and He wants them to choose Him and come home and Jesus made it possible if we so choose, to enjoy the same loving association and growth with our families and each other in the life to come. That is His work and His glory and He lets us be a part of it! When you think of it, We are His glory! 

It has been incredible, extraordinary, at times exhausting and wonderful, meaning, FULL OF WONDER!  We are full of gratitude for the experience and in the same breath, grateful to be going home.   

President Church and his angelic wife, Jane. 

So grateful we got to enjoy their leadership and love.

The group after a lovely session in the temple

Winners! The women won 2 out of 2!

Happy 66th birthday Elder Weeks!

Finished my moccasins! Thanks to Sister Druery for helping me learn how to do it and for all the supplies. I love them!

The snow does make everything pretty beautiful!

Here is a year at a glance! A year never to be forgotten and a tremendous blessing and honor!