Monday, February 28th 2022

Learning About Family and Ourselves

This week was kind of routine, although I don't like the word because honestly being in a temple every day should never become routine. Every person whose name appears on a card is a real person and is experiencing each ordinance for the first time, so it's anything but routine. People also called in for the prayer roll asking to put the Ukraine people on the roll, as well as specific Presidents of Countries. Prayer is a powerful thing!

No pickle ball or dancing this week out of pure laziness and fear of the cold...this week is supposed to be in the 50's to our great delight. Hopefully, we'll get some more outside activity in our week.

I have some down time when I work in the office in between recording and other things to do a little research on my ancestors. It has been very exciting to read about their lives, sometimes in their own words and discover what their lives were like. I won't go into the whole story but just give some highlights.

My 4th great grandfather Jeremiah Hatch born in 1766 in Vermont was a fifer in the Revolutionary war. He received the title of Captain. He joined at age 15 yrs. He married Elizabeth Haight born 1772. Their son Hezekiah Hatch born in Vermont in 1798 married Aldura Sumner born 1803. Their son Jeremiah born 1823, at age 16 was introduced to a new gospel by some missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. He shared that knowledge with his parents Hezekiah (42) and Aldura (32) and they in turn shared it with their parents, Jeremiah (74) and Elizabeth (68) and all of them were baptized in Vermont in 1840.

 They then sold all they had and moved to Nauvoo in 1842. Captain Jeremiah built a home in Nauvoo which still stands and the young missionaries live there in the summer. Hezekiah helped build the Nauvoo temple and bought a farm from Joseph Smith.  His wife Aldura died at 34 yrs before coming to Nauvoo leaving him with young children. Hezekiah died the next year 1843 at age 42, the day before he was to remarry. He is buried in the old Nauvoo cemetery. 

Capt. Jeremiah, Elizabeth and Hezekiah all received patriarchal blessings from Hyrum Smith. Capt. Jeremiah and Elizabeth were both endowed in the Nauvoo temple in 1846 prior to them being driven from their home. Elizabeth Hatch died (75) in 1847 and is buried in Winter Quarters Lot # 278. Captain Jeremiah died near Council Bluffs in Iowa (85).  Jeremiah the grandson eventually had three wives, the third being my 2nd great grandmother, Henrietta Clark. Jeremiah had 30 children and established the town of Vernal Utah. My great grandmother Henrietta was born 1881 in a wagon on the way from Logan to Vernal. She lived to be 101 years old and I did know and love her. There is also more interesting history from the grandmother's line that I will share another time. 

   Some words from Dave:

Our Perspective is Always a Choice

One of the many blessings I am enjoying here in Nauvoo is being able to work 2 days each week as one of the Temple Engineers and the other 3 days as an Ordinance Worker. This blend of responsibilities has blessed me with the unique opportunity to experience the many aspects of the work of salvation done in Temples. The reason I believe this is important is because we often only view the sacred ordinances themselves as comprising the work of salvation. However, when we pause to think in broader terms, we start to see the much larger picture which includes all the behind the scenes efforts vital in order for this great work to proceed. Take for instance, the cold January night one of the water lines froze and burst in the large city water tower just East of the Temple. The next morning, we had to close the Temple, not for lack of willing patrons or Ordinance workers, but because of insufficient water pressure to safely maintain the Temple fire suppression and sanitation systems.

Just last Saturday during my Engineering shift, one of the toilets in the men's dressing room became clogged. In spite of my diligent, though reverent, efforts using 2 different plungers, I was unable to completely clear the blockage after 30 minutes and resolved to complete the task on a day and time when the patrons were not present, and using larger equipment. The point here is, even plunging clogged toilets is a very real & essential part of this great work of salvation that we are anxiously engaged in. Since everything we do in the Temple is in some way part of the work of salvation, how do I choose to view the various tasks I am involved in? Do I express sincere gratitude for each opportunity to serve wherever and whenever I am needed. Fortunately, this answer for me is a resounding YES! I do find much joy in serving the Lord in His Holy House. I am also grateful to Him for blessing me with the opportunity to choose the positive perspective I strive to embrace each and every day.

Discovered another good place to eat, this one in Keokuk

Eagles!

We are fascinated by them! 

We can't seem to get a picture but we've seen as many as 

16 or more in one tree and it's amazing!

Something isn't right.....or left here.....

We have quite a lovely collection of pictures of the Nauvoo temple

  

 February 21, 2022

Mucho, Many, Beaucoup Blessings

More training this week to get ready for the summer season. We had a 9 hour day on Thursday. We will be Initiatory coordinators one day, endowment coordinators another day, sealing office and veil coordinators another and be on a baptismal team another. It should make for a very busy and enjoyable summer. We know our Colorado family, the teenagers, will be here sometime this summer with a youth conference so we are super excited about that!   

Dave's ankle has almost gone back to normal and I get to have something done on my tooth today! We both feel like there is a powerful phenomenon that happens when you work in a temple, you feel healthy and energized while you are there and then you kind of collapse with exhaustion when you get home. It is a pretty amazing blessing. I have not had any breathing scares since we've been here even wearing a mask most hours of the day. I have been amazed also with my shift in being able to wake up early and feel good, it's like I'm a morning person now!  

 There is a plant based eating group here that gets together for dinner once a month so we got to do that Friday. No pickle ball this week because of a storm though, hopefully we'll get to go this Thursday morning.

I had a tender mercy on Thursday with the initiatory. I was the coordinator and learned we had an own endowment arriving at 11 am. The hour already had 3 patrons with only two rooms, one patron per room and the area needs to be empty with an own endowment so there is no distractions or noise. I was feeling anxious about how it would work, but the Lord is in charge....my first 11am patron arrived early, my second patron didn't show and my third patron came at 11:30 after we had had a very sweet quiet time with the own endowment sister. I felt to weep with gratitude at the orchestration of it all. My desire now is to skip feeling anxious and just know everything will work out. 

Our branch had a linger longer yesterday (Sunday) and I got to work in the primary, (my favorite) so we feel like we are getting to know the members better each week.  

                                  Sunset at Nauvoo Temple

 Sunset on Mississippi

Photo credit Kevin Bullock

                                         Sunset at Nauvoo

                                         Only plants here

               Broken chair Dave is fixing from the Arrival Center

                 Mixing up Dave's 16 Whole Grain & Seed bread

                                        The yummy results

                                      An eagle and it's lunch

                                        Photo credit: Mary Norton

                                   Visitor to the neighborhood

 

 February 14th, 2022

Parable of the Broken Tooth

This week was pretty usual as far as temple work goes but we've had some unusual things with our bodies going on. 

Dave's foot swelled up and it was painful to walk on so he went to the doctor and was told it could possibly be the virus he had a couple weeks ago settling in his joint and it would need to work itself out. He got some compression sox which made him feel old but they really help with the swelling. 

The tooth that broke on Jan. 24th and I was keeping the piece in until I could get Mark to fix it in Co. stopped cooperating and I have an appointment to get it crowned next week. This wouldn't be noteworthy except for the things I learned from it. I mean, really who cares about a broken tooth.....

 Parable of the Broken Tooth

  January 24^th a few weeks ago, I was eating something and discovered that I had broken my tooth. It had snapped clean off at the gum line in one solid piece. I knew it would need a full crown to fix it but being on a mission I didn’t want to go to a dentist I didn’t know for something as long lasting as a crown. I was hoping I could just get some kind of temporary fix to last me until we could get to Colorado when the temple closed in 4 months where my son in law, a dentist could do the work. The tooth was slightly visible when I smiled but didn’t hurt and was on the top, so it wasn’t rough to my tongue.

  I was able to get in to see a local dentist that day just for a quick exam, x ray and treatment plan. Since it didn’t hurt, a root canal was not required, and she offered to place pins and build it up to get me by until I could get to Colorado. She stressed that she could not guarantee it would last. I thanked her and we made an appointment for the buildup the following week.

  Just for giggles, I tried to put the broken tooth back in place to see if it would stay knowing I would have to gentle with it either way and my real tooth would look and feel so much better, and I wouldn’t have to pay $400 for a temporary fix. Amazingly, it went back into place and stayed! I thought, I could have a mission miracle happening here, and in faith, I canceled the dentist appointment. I was amazed at this little tooth!

  After two weeks of amazingness, the little piece was not staying in as well and I would remove it to eat and then put it back in and on Feb. 8^th the day of the canceled appointment, as I was brushing my teeth to go to bed it fell off in the sink and before I could get it, went down the drain. Dave was kind enough to undo the drain and retrieve it for me. I cleaned it up and stuck it back in. A few days later I had a thought that it may come off in my sleep and I should leave it out, but I didn’t, and I woke up to it gone having most likely swallowed it. I now have an appointment on Feb. 23^rd to have it repaired.  

 One perspective:

  Even though there was no obvious evidence of a problem with my tooth, I knew it was broken, fragile and vulnerable but I had asked it to stay in its place for just a while longer, to just show up, just to BE.

  And because I knew it was broken and fragile and vulnerable, I didn’t put any stress on it, I didn’t require or expect it to chomp down on carrots or chew hard or sticky things. In fact, I was so aware and careful with it that I rarely chewed on that side at all. I tried to keep it clean and free of debris by gently brushing it. I was so grateful that it would do its little part of staying in place, of being still. Knowing that one day it wouldn’t be broken and fragile anymore. It would be strong and restored and would again be chomping and chewing to beat the band.  

  Aren’t we all like this tooth at times? Aren’t we all broken, fragile and vulnerable multiple times in our lives? I was giving my tooth grace and mercy because I knew what it was going through. I ministered to it by being gentle and keeping it clean. I was totally aware almost at all times how I treated this tooth because I knew if I chewed on anything that was too much the tooth would give way.

 Our Savior is this way with us. He gives us grace, mercy, gentleness, and He is constantly aware of us, especially when we are broken, fragile and vulnerable. I believe that’s how He wants us to be with each other and with ourselves. He is the great Healer and one day all of our brokenness will be restored through His atonement, and we will be strong, bright, and beautiful and be able to live an existence of unimaginable glory.

Another perspective:

 With a broken tooth I was limited to what I could eat and had to constantly be aware of how I ate and couldn’t relax and enjoy my meals because I would be afraid the broken piece would come off at any time. I was trying to see how long I could keep my tooth holding on, I was making excuses as to why I didn't want to get it fixed when I realized I was suffering needlessly. I needed to decide to stop the madness even to the extent of removing pipes. Stop the craziness of allowing it to be broken and get it fixed. Finally, I swallowed it (I wasn't going to go there!) and the choice was made for me. I needed to go to the dentist.

  Our teeth can be like our lives. We may have some brokenness in our behaviors, weaknesses, temptations, and sins that are reoccurring and persistent in our lives, and we try to appear normal, making excuses while trying to keep it together but in reality, we have no peace, we can’t enjoy our life to the fullest until we swallow our pride and decide to get things repaired or fixed. We just need to stop the madness of living with it, allowing what we can change to continue and suffering needlessly and repent. All brokenness is healed through our Savior by our humility and repentance. 

It was warm enough this week to take a walk so when Dave was elevating his foot, I walked around our neighborhood and ended down by the Nauvoo House and Redbrick Store both owned by the Community of Christ Church. They have not been opened since March of 2020 and it isn't known if they will be open later. I felt very reverent as I walked the streets that Joseph and Emma had surely walked and wished that we would someday own these properties so all could enjoy them on a regular basis. 

I joined a group of temple missionaries and played pickle ball with them for the second time in my life. It was great fun! Dave wasn't able to join because of his ankle but hopefully next time he will. 

Checked out the Nauvoo Quarry. 

We'll see it again when it's warmer...

Landscape of Beautiful Nauvoo

It's happening!

Sunset on the frozen Mississippi

Chunks of ice on Mississippi

Mysterious swollen foot

Brokenness waiting to be fixed

it wasn't a diamond ring but it was still nice to recover it

Don't know how it stayed on as long as it did...

 

 Sunday, February 6th

Sacred Ground

This week we had additional training, Dave as veil coordinator, me in sealing room office, and us both as initiatory coordinators. Happily, we both know the procedures well from previous temple service but just need to learn the "Nauvoo" way of doing things. 

The most exciting thing that happened this week was the mission call of our fourth grandchild Karaia Daly! She is the eldest child of my eldest daughter Emilie and son-in-love Kevin. Her daddy nicknamed her Sunshine when she was little and she is going to the sunshine state of Florida, serving in Orlando! We got to see her open her call via Live Instagram and will hopefully watch her speak via zoom. Can't be there for the temple but we will survive. We are so excited for her and so happy she is willing to serve this way! 

Wednesday morning we had a snow storm and the boiler for the snow melt system on the stairs leading to the temple failed and the ice was too thick to get to the temple, fortunately, there is a side door we could get in but sadly a few patrons came and then returned to their homes when they saw the gates locked to the front temple doors. Since we have appointments now, we were able to call them to let them know they could use the other door and still do what they wanted to do. I guess there is unforeseeable advantages to things we don't really appreciate right now. I'm thinking appointments will always be required from now on but hopefully, we will still have a "walk in" option too. Dave is looking at the blueprints of the ice melt system to try to figure out why it happened. 

We still pinch ourselves to see that we are really here, especially when we look out our window or drive by the temple. There really is not another place like this on the earth. To be surrounded by the history and spirit of this place but yet living in modern times. President Marshall shared this poem with us in one of our preparation meetings and it touched me at how blessed we are to be in this temple, (or any temple) every day. 

"Enter this door as if the floor were gold;

 and every wall of jewels all of wealth untold; 

As if a choir in robes of fire were singing here; 

Nor shout nor rush but hush... for God is here." 

 

We went to the second dance class and the heater hadn't been turned on so we had to wear our coats for the first little while. We do enjoy this activity quite a bit. I'm grateful Dave is happy to be there, other husbands seem to just be showing up because they love their wives...

Saturday was the reenactment of the Nauvoo exodus. We weren't able to participate because of our temple shift but we got some pictures shared to us. It really makes things real. All these people had suitable clothing and got to go back to warm homes after being in the cold for a couple hours but not so for the people 176 years ago. They were truly amazing, faithful souls. All they had to do was renounce the church and the prophet and they would be left alone but they didn't do it and suffered greatly for their choice to remain faithful but they have blessed so many lives because of it. That is the kind of spirit you get to feel here in Nauvoo. You walk on sacred ground where ever you go. 

We hosted a "break the fast" dinner with some fellow temple workers tonight and it was really pleasant and fun to get to know them better. Happily, one of the other couples is plant based as I try to be so I didn't have to worry about feeding them what I like to eat and everyone enjoyed the meal. I made African peanut stew and chia seed raspberry pudding. and Dave made a loaf of potato bread.  

My tooth continues to be a miracle..... 

Dinner with the Coffmans in Carthage

Statue at the end of Parley's street by the river

The reenactment parade going down Parley street to cross the Mississippi river.

The reenactment of the Nauvoo Legion and people carrying flags of their ancestral countries

Nauvoo legion

The temperature is -6 degrees

Fun dancing!

I should have taken a picture of it broken off but it's the tooth left of the canine

 or the first bicuspid or #5 if you know teeth numbers. 

This has stayed in place with out any adhesive but faith 

since Jan. 25th. we are starting on the third week of a miracle. 

The Wards, Us and the Jergensens

 Monday, January 31st

A Few Sights of Nauvoo

This week was a typical temple missionary work week. No sickness, storms, or temple closures. Very nice! It wasn't extremely cold either. So, what is there to report....I am pleasantly surprised by how well my body is handling this schedule. I'm not a great sleeper and when I'm not responsible to get anywhere or do anything, I let my body wake up as it will and at home that could be as late as 9 am. Now, we are out the door usually by 8 am and I'm feeling good! This is a blessing and tender mercy from my Heavenly Father. They are full days and I'm quite tired when we are done but I am feeling good! 

It is my privilege to record the names of all the people that receive their ordinances during the day. When I scan them, the other temples they have been to pop up on the screen, some as far as Brazil, England, Mexico and many other temples in Utah and other states. It's very interesting and tender to see how loved these people are and the great time and care that is being shown to them to help them on their continued journey to return to our Father.   

We started attending a dance class on Thursday nights which I think will be a very fun addition to our week. It's a Victorian era line dance instruction, so I pretend I'm one of Jane Austin's characters...it really was very fun and Dave enjoyed it too! 

Along the Mississippi during the months of January and February, the bald eagles come to feed so we have been watching as large groups of them fly down for fish and roost in the trees above the river. 

February 4th, 1846 is the day that the mass exodus of the Saints living in Nauvoo occurred so they have a re-enactment of this event with a parade of people, oxen, wagons, and militia marching down Parley Street to cross the Mississippi on ferry boats. Last night we went to a fireside where relatives of people who experienced this told their stories along with some beautiful musical numbers. It was very touching to hear all of what happened to them and how they responded. Truly, very amazing people! It inspired me to do some digging into my family history and find my Nauvoo stories, which when I find them, I'll record them here. 

As we drive back and forth to Keokuk I look out the window and see what I can see. I noticed some really unique round greenish, brown things the size of softballs under a tree. We stopped to investigate and brought one home. We took a picture and with an app it will tell you what it is. We discovered it was an Osage orange. It's inedible to humans and animals, although some squirrels will eat the seeds when it busts open. The wood of the tree is what is valuable. It is very flexible and doesn't rot so it's used for bows and wagon wheels. It's named after the Osage tribe who was famous for the finest bows. 

That's about it for this week, although I broke a tooth and it needs a crown but I stuck it back in and I'm praying for a mission miracle for it to stay in until the temple is closed in April and May and I can go to my favorite dentist (Mark- son in law) in Denver to get it fixed. It's been good for a week so far....

This is the temple model cut out. It has amazing detail.

lining up to dance

Osage orange. Exterior and interior

Eagle watching for food

Spotted something

A group at the Exodus re-enactment fireside. 

The gal in orange is our friend from Nebraska, Diane. 

She also told a story about her 4th great grandfather, Isaac Morley. 

The beautiful horses of Nauvoo

 Monday January 24, 2022

Settling In

Last Tuesday was Dave's 65th birthday! Since we're in Nauvoo, there isn't many places to celebrate so we made our own celebration and some temple friends were kind enough to come over short notice and play a game to celebrate his birthday. We have enjoyed getting to know these good people and feel grateful to be friends with them. It was a fun time. All of us had gotten up at 4 am for the 5 am temple shift but our brains still managed to function well enough. 

Wednesday we did our office/ engineer shift and the next morning Dave woke up with a fever, chills, aches and pains. The mission doctor brought over a covid test and Dave stayed home for the next two days. He tested negative twice and felt great for our Saturday shift. We are really grateful to be able to do both types of work: ministering and administering. It's a perfect balance. 

Dave has enjoyed settling into a regular routine of preventative maintenance and maintenance tasks. He has repaired a couple of vacuums, cleaned filters and replaced light bulbs. He is also setting up the audio visual system for endowment room 4 (terrestrial room) for the hearing impaired. He is in charge of the daily water analysis of the baptistry, which just for fun information, is the largest font in the whole church. It sits on the exact same footprint as the original temple and has two sets of stairs descending into it because they would do simultaneous baptisms for the dead when the ordinance was restored.

There is a man 90 years of age that is an ordinance worker here in Nauvoo. He and his wife could not have children. Several years into their marriage when they lived in Georgia, they were asked by a local leader to raise four siblings who had lost their parents. They took them on joyfully and raised them in the church. Not all remained active and his wife passed away. He realized he was getting older and would soon be joining her and wanted to give her the gift of these children being sealed to them. He asked the temple recorder what he could do to make this happen. The recorder gave the task to Sister Dewey who is the office leader. She worked through all the family records and arranged the sealing date of the children, one of which had passed away. The day of the sealing everyone was gather who could be there and the proxies of those who couldn't. Unfortunately, the sealing could not be done because the one daughter that had died had been excommunicated with out this father knowing. Now, a letter had to be written and approval from the 1st Presidency given for her work to be done. It was a very sorrowful day. But, the letter was written by sweet Sister Dewey and word came back from Salt Lake and this daughter was baptized and confirmed by proxy by her adopted father, and I got to record it and then put the date stamp on it! In fact, it was the first stamp I did as I started this mission.  Then the initiatory was done by Sister Dewey right after I stamped it and then the endowment. Now this long awaited for sealing will be done this week in the Nauvoo temple so that when this dear brother meets his wife, he will be bringing their children with him! I feel so blessed to be aware of this sweet story because I got to work in the temple office. I truly believe families are joined together forever because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, Priesthood power and ordinances of the temple and even though these parents did not bring these children into the world, they certainly raised them up and will enjoy the love and association of family through the eternities. 

I can't promise this will be the last time I speak of the cold but I will say this and then try to focus on all the other things. We can't seem to feel warm. I wear many layers in the temple and feel a draft everywhere, that's probably why all the windows are being replaced this spring. I'm sure it will make a huge difference in the temperature of the temple. Our apartment, although very nice is drafty as well. Our fingers and toes are always very cold. I'm sorry to say this makes me grumpy and my bones ache. It makes me reflect on the pioneers often and what they had to endure without any of the creature comforts we have of indoor plumbing and heating and being able to cook with electricity. The temperature is regularly single digits and we stay inside much of our off time from the temple. We anticipate with eagerness the changing of seasons so we'll be able to get out and enjoy this wonderful, beautiful place! 

These are the Werrets, Alan and Brenda. 

We travel 3 hours together to our branch every Sunday.  

They are a wonderful couple.  

We made a snow dragon to celebrates Dave's birthday!

Beautiful full moon above the temple

Dave's first batch of 13 grain bread on the mission

Thankfully, negative covid tests

 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!