Fireflies flying

We are enjoying the fire flies. What fun it is to walk along the streets in the evening and after dark and see these little lightening bugs. We see little lights all over. What fun. If you get really close and we do the light it green and you can see their little bodies light. We enjoy them for about two months and then they are gone. Would love to have a picture but don't know how that could happen.

Julie and Terrell with temple in the background
Swiss Belle's from Midway Utah
Gaylene and Mom at Frederick G Williams Memorial
Tracy and John, Jesse, Holly Shannon and Mark

This has been a very full week. Pageant started this week and we are really busy in the temple as they are at the sights. We have more people in Nauvoo this year. I suspect that could be because gas is not so expensive $4.00 last year as compared to $2.35 this year. We love it. And the people who come love it. Pres. Hinckley said everyone should experience Nauvoo sometime in there life and I fully agree with thim.

We have enjoyed family this year. Tracy and John and family came June 17 for a few days. While the older kids did Baptisms for the dead Mark and I went around to some of the sights. We had a great time together. He told me he wanted to live here. He really liked it. We had a good time while they were here. The BYU Ballroom dancers were here and they were great. We also went to Sunset by the Mississippi which is always fun. Also went to High Hopes and Riverboats, a musical put on by the Young Performing Missionaries. They also went to Rendezvous In Old Nauvoo and they did the Wilderness Trek.

The following week Gaylene came to see us. We really enjoyed her. She came so we could have our P-day together. We went to Hannibal (found a great quilt store there) then to Quincy to see Frederick G Williams memorial marker and had dinner. We also saw Sunset (never tire of seeing Sunset). The Swiss Bell's from Midway, Utah were in town when Gaylene was here so we got to see them too.We enjoyed having Gaylene in the temple with us. Then the following week Julie and Terrell came. We met them in the temple on Saturday and then went to Sunset. That actually is a fun thing to do on the 4th of July. It is very patriotic. We could have gone to see fireworks but Julie chose Sunset. Sunday night we went to the Sociable and watched the pageant core cast present "Our Story Goes On". They left Monday morning, much too short. Thank you all for coming. I think all will agree it is really beautiful here.

We have had a great week. Monday a couple here that owns the Adventure Zone and also some vacation Villas invited the Temple Missionaries for a barbeque and to see "Emma, My Story". They are great people, furnished the meal for all the missionaries, about 140 of us all together. Pageant opened Tuesday night. It was pouring rain. They delayed it for awhile then decided to go ahead. I couldn't believe they went ahead and did it. This is done outside. They wouldn't let them go up in the light tours so they didn't have spotlights but people stayed and got soaking wet but the show went on. We went to it Friday night. It was so good. It is so inspirational. I am so grateful for those early saints and the great sacrifices they made. What an inspiration they are to me. Like I said the temple has been very busy which has been great. Our greatest joy on this mission is serving in the Temple.

Just a big bunch of turtles ( I counted from 57 - 61)
A spring day in Nauvoo
A Great Blue Heron about to take off. He looks drunk to me

This has been a fun week. We're getting a lot of rain and it has caused some flooding here. That isn't what was fun just thought you would like to know. Cultural Hall and Brigham's home got flooded. I guess over 3 inches following 3 inches just a couple of days prior can do that. We had a lake by the side of our house but it is gone now at least for the time being.

Sunset was the BYU Ballroom dancers. They were incredible. What beauty and the costumes outstanding. What a blessing it is to live here where we can enjoy such marvelous entertainment and it doesn't cost anything. We will see them at least once more while they are here.

Saturday at the temple was a great day. Dad and I are initiatory coordinators on

Saturday afternoon. Well Saturday Gracia Jones came in. She is the first descendent of Joseph and Emma Smith to join the church. She lives in St. George. She was doing smith family names. Now is that exciting or what. I told her I was a great, great, great granddaughter of Frederick G Williams and she said oh he's one of my hero's. They named a son after him. Oh it's so fun to rub shoulders with these special people.

We 're doing well and loving it. Everyday I get to see the temple. Five days a week I get to work in the temple. Everyday I look out over the mighty Mississippi, I can even see it from my apartment. Everyday i get to walk the streets where Joseph and Emma walked and all those early saints that sacrifices so much. The spirit here is great. What a blessing this mission is in our lives. We are loving it.

A National Cemetery in Ft. Madison
Gary in front of the round barn
Leah in the Iron and Lace shop
This is the guy with his arrowhead collection but his wood is beautiful

We had our first P-Day activity with the new missionaries. Our P-day is Wednesday and we have 10 couples. Six couples were able to join us and we had a good time. I planned this activity and now they want to know what I am going to do next. Ha! someone else can plan the next one. I am going to have a planning party and give them ideas. They think I'm the Cruise director. NOT. Anyway we went to Bentonsport, saw a demo on pottery making and blacksmithing at the Iron and Lace shop. She had just made an oven with pottery and we got to taste some of her bread she had made in it. Delicious I must say, enough so I bought an oven. Now I'm starting to worry how we're going to get everything home. Then we went to see the Indian Museum where I had arranged for the owner to be open so we could see all his indian artifacts (mostly arrowheads) and the beautiful wood inlay he makes to display it on. The wood is what I enjoy seeing and he is a very interesting guy. He rides his bike 20 miles every Sunday to go to his church then comes back and opens his museum. He raises his own fruits and veggies and fishes. Then we went to Bonaparte to Bonaparte's Retreat for lunch. They named the place after the song "Bonaparte's Retreat" that is a very old song. One of our new missionaries has the sheet music for it at home. She was very excited. They had the sheet music in a frame there. Then we went on a tour of the Wickfield Round Barn. It was built in 1918 and is 4 stories. What a place that would have been raising all our kids. It had 8 bedroom in it. It only had one shower and one toilet so that could have been a problem, but a great place to have parties and dances on the top floor. We finished up our day in Cantril where we went to the Dutchman Store. It is run by the Mennonite's and has everything from shoes, clothes, fabric, clocks, tools, plants, food (much of which is in bulk). It is a fun place to shop and you can pick up things you never find anyplace else. All in all we had a very good day.

Here we are in Kirtland. This is the saw mill.
This is us with our good friends the Littles in front of the Kirtland Temple
The tree outside our kitchen window was just beautiful before we left, and was in full bloom. The petals had started to fall but were all gone when we got home. We had a big storm on our way home and if anything was left on the tree the storm wiped it out. It would have been nice if the new people could have seen it but oh well. If they are asked to extend they can see it next year.

We went to see Rich and Mindy and the kids before we went to Kirtland. I forgot to take any pictures. It was really good to see them and enjoy being with family. On Monday we went to Costco to spend our reward. Unfortunately we spent so much we didn't get much back but if we hadn't of had it it would have cost us a lot. We stocked up on meds and juice and a few snacks. It's good we had a good return. Rich and Mindy are doing well. It was so fun to spend the time with the grandkids. They are so cute. We'll see them again next week when they come down for Mindy's sister's wedding. I'll take pictures then.

We just welcomed in 40 new missionary couple's. We fed them Sat. night and yesterday I had the new people in our building over for dinner. I guess it's party time. We will begin training tomorrow and during this week, then the temple opens. We saw the first school bus today. That means we will be seeing them about everyday now until school is out. The tour buses have also started so we are off. The young performing missionaries will be here Fri. Can't believe how fast time goes.

Dad didn't mention going to Richards so I thought I better add a blog of my own so don't miss reading Dad's blog.

Gary and Leah at Whitney store
Example of how the pulpits were made for the Kirtland temple
Kirtland Temple

 

A Life Changing Experience – Nauvoo

During the temple break we drove to Kirtland.  We went on a tour of the temple which was really inspiring to walk through it and realize that Joseph and the other faithful saints had labored so diligently to build it and how the Lord accepted it.  And to ponder the marvelous things which transpired in there and feel a part of that bit of history was most humbling.  Then we toured the restored buildings (the Whitney store, the ashery and sawmill, the Johnson hotel, the Johnson farm in Hiram, etc.) and the missionaries told the histories associated with each.  It was a wonderful trip.  So what does that have to do with the title above?  It’s all part of this wonderful experience we are having here in Nauvoo.  There is such a peace and love that fills the air as you walk where sacred things have transpired.  We feel that each day as we work in the temple and walk the streets here in Nauvoo.  One of the missionaries commented to me one day that his 4000 sq ft home he left doesn’t have any meaning anymore.  He has never been happier than he is now.  We all have the same accomodations and furnishings (including the dishes).  Those things that were so important at home are not anymore.  The only thing that indicates worldly status here are the cars we brought with us and no one pays any attention to them (unless the break down).  Everyone you see waves, or stops to talk, or gives you a warm embrace.  We often comment that we are in a little mini Zion where the outside world is blocked out.  Our biggest concern is how we are going to maintain this spirit when we return home.  If anyone needs anything there are more that enough people who provide the needed help.  We had a lesson Sunday on tithing and its relationship to the law of consecration.  We saw the huge farm of John Johnson, which he deeded to the church for the poor saints who were pouring into the Kirtland area.  Could I do that?  But the Lord commanded them to care for the poor and the needy and that command is still with us today.  Here in Nauvoo we feel that spirit.  But living in the world as we do it is hard to not be caught up in worldly things.  I have compiled a list of scriptures that relate to our responsibility to care for the poor and the needy.  These are just a few: 2 Nep 9:30; Mosiah 4:26, 18:28; Alma 5:55, 34:28; Hel 4:11-12; Morm 8:37-39; D&C 13:15; 26:20; 27:30; 28:13; 34:28; 52:40; 56:16; 83:6; 104:10-18; 105:3-5.  Why did the early attempts at living the law of consecration fail? See D&C 105:3-5.  We must never lose sight of the fact that we are but stewards over the earthly blessings received.  “For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures.  I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.  And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, and all things are mine.”  D&C 104:13-15.  I long for the day when we will learn to love and care for one another as the Savior loves and cares for us.  As the prophet Joseph said, “Shall we not go on in so great a cause”.

 

So I blew it on the last post. I better let you know about the birds. I'm sure you're just dying to know. The one is a red wing black bird. They have just come and we have a lot of them. I have learned their song so I know when they are around. There is a place down by the river where there is a lot of them. The next picture is of some pelicans. The eagles are about gone and now we have pelicans. They are so much fun to watch. They soar in groups in the sky and almost stand still. It is like they are doing a ballet. It is different than anything I have seen birds do before. In California we sometimes see pelicans but not in large groups like they are here. We also have blue Herons. We went to Carthage today and I saw three of them along the river.