April 28,
Monday—first day to serve in the Nauvoo Temple.
We were assigned the following schedule:
Monday AM—Preparation Meeting
begins at 7:30 am. The first session
begins at 8 am. Sometimes we are scheduled to come in earlier for
assignments at what is called “key positions” which means workers are needed at certain places in the temple
to be ready for patrons coming for the first session of the day or just getting there early. In this temple many tours come in the summer
months as well as the Nauvoo Site Missionaries wanting
to come early so these positions need to be filled so that the patrons can be
accommodated. The temple closes early on
Mondays. The last session is at
3:00. Generally we are finished with our
shift on Monday’s at 1:00.
Tuesday’s is our “P” day. So far we have used this day to go to Keokuk,
Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, Burlington, Iowa as
well as do things here in Nauvoo.
Keokuk, Quincy and Burlington each offer different businesses that we
may need or want to go to
for shopping etc. Keokuk is the closest
about 20 minutes away. Quincy is about
45 minutes away. Burlington is about 35-40 minutes away unless
you get “barged”. Barged means that if
you are on the section of the bridge over
the Mississippi when a barge is coming or going and the bridge is up you cannot turn around and go another way you have
to wait. So far we have never been
barged but some of our fellow
missionaries have and they say it can last anywhere from 5 minutes to an
hour. You just have to sit and wait. There are 2 alternate routes to Burlington but most people would prefer
to take the chance because those routes
can add 30 minutes or so to the trip so it is out of the way in some sense.
Wednesday AM—the difference
between this day and Monday is that we stay an hour longer.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday PM—Preparation
Meeting begins at 1:30 pm. The last
session is at 6 pm until the summer
schedule kicks in for June, July and August when the last session will be at 5
pm because of the Nauvoo
Pageant. Not sure what that is all about
yet because it is not June yet so we shall see.
The presidency did add a 7 pm
session on Friday nights through the month of May so we did stay later on those
nights when we were assigned to
stay later but we did not have to come to the early preparation meeting.
One
assignment we have when scheduled is the arrival center. In May we worked on a Friday and in June we are scheduled on a Friday. This Arrival Center is a place where people
travelling long distances can come to freshen
up before going to the temple. There are
showers, a very small kitchen with a refrigerator and 2 large living room type waiting
areas. One area is designated for
children the other for adults only.
Children can be watched
there with anyone over the age of 18.
There is a DVD player where church videos can be watched, toys, books, puzzles, and pioneer
dress up.
We would say that all went well during our first week
getting used the logistics of the temple.
There are a lot of stairs but there is an elevator too. In this temple you move from room to room
during a session. Each room holds 48
people. The baptistry is huge. The font has two sets of steps going into
it. The Nauvoo Temple is decorated for
the period of when the first temple was here.
It beautiful. The flower
arrangements are some of the best I have ever seen and there are lots of them
on every level. There are 5 main floors
to the temple and then baptistry is on the basement or lower level so really 6
levels in all but the elevator doesn’t designate the baptistry level with a
number. The first floor is the entrance,
assembly room, offices. Second level are
the dressing rooms which includes the bride’s room in the women’s dressing room
as well as initiatory and name issue.
Third level are the endowment rooms and celestial room. There are 4 smaller sealing rooms on this
level also. The fourth level is the
marriage waiting room and two more dressing rooms for the ordinance workers
plus 2 study rooms for the workers. The
fifth floor has 2 larger sealing rooms.
Our president encouraged us to go to all of the sites in
Nauvoo as well as attend the lecture series by Susan Easton Black Durrant on
Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 8 pm at the Nauvoo Stake Center before the big
rush of visitors during the summer months.
We have tried to do that as well as our normal routine of cooking,
cleaning, changing sheets, laundry, haircuts, checking emails, Skyping and
talking with family, and down time which really hasn’t been much. We would say that it took about 2 weeks to
get fully settled into the apartment and get a routine going of some sort. The travelling on Sunday’s has added more
time away from our usual Sunday down time, which is what a mission is all
about.
We have missionary activities also that we go to. There is Break the Fast, Family Home Evenings
twice a month with all of the missionaries and one small group FHE a
month. We also try and walk at least 5
times a week. We found that from our house
on Partridge to Parley and down to the Mississippi and back is 1.4 miles which
is a little longer that we had been walking at home but that has been a good
thing.
The missionaries had been assigned to mow the lawns directly
around the apartment complex which Chuck did once and then we received notice
that we were no longer to do that because it had been contracted out to a
mowing service. That is fine with me I
didn’t want and chiggers coming in the apartment. The sister missionary’s all talk about how
they wish they could do a little gardening in the flower beds in front of the
apartment complex but they say that has been contracted out also. Elder Hepworth did planted tomato plants in a
side garden bed and he told us he would take full responsibility for any
repercussions. I wish everyone could
have an Elder Hepworth in their circle of friends. He is just quiet and sweet and then gets you
with a his sense of humor that can only be understood by being with him—it is
the look in his eye and the way he points his finger when he knows there is
teasing going on. His wife is just so
sweet and gentle. We love the Elder and
Sister Bass just as much. Their soft
southern accent is just great and they are just solid and good. We couldn’t have asked for better apartment
buddies.
When we are in the Flats, as they are called, where the
sites and apartments are we can where exercise clothing and even go to the
sites in casual clothing, but generally we wear out missionary attire to those
places. We had an event at the Arrival
Center for a missionary FHE where we were told we could non-missionary attire
as long as it wasn’t jeans. I actually
like wearing a skirt because of the humidity but occasionally I do wear pants. Around the apartment we can wear whatever we
would like.
The following is a list of the sites that we have visited so
far and a brief impression or learning experience we had there:
NOTE—this website
really gives a much better overview of the site— http://www.historicnauvoo.net/ —once on the site go to the “Experience
Nauvoo” link and note the historic homes and other links that can be accessed
here.
·
Scovil
Bakery—The size of this place is very tiny, but the spirit is so strong as
you learn about Lucius Scovil. After
exiting Nauvoo and going toward Salt Lake as a widower we learn the following—“Lucius
buried four family members before departing to serve a mission in England at a
very difficult time. You won’t find his name in many history books, but Lucius’
courage, faith, generosity and ingenuity set him apart as one of the great and
noble members of the early LDS Church.”
A good man to study and learn from.
I am not a particular fan of gingerbread cookies but at this site you
get one and it is really good. (Recipe is on the website above)
·
Lucy Mack
Smith Home—Sweet, young sister missionaries were there that day. In each site the missionaries assigned to be
in there give a very brief biography and story of the house or building that is
being represented. In the Lucy Mack
Smith home we are reminded of her love of her family and the gospel. This is one of the quotes from her home: “We must cherish one another, watch over one
another, comfort one another, and gain instruction that we may all sit down in
heaven together.”
·
Heber C.
Kimball Home—What a treat this was!
This is where we met our angel in Nauvoo. We walked into this home and there was Sister
Brockbank, a site missionary, to greet us with her pure white hair and happy
smile. She was by herself because her
companion was sick that afternoon. She
asked us where we were from and we did the vice versa back and she told us from
Utah. The spirit was definitely in that
home that day. As we began talking we
learned that she was a mother of 11 children and a grandmother of 71
grandchildren and that she had been a widow for about 30 years. She had raised most of those children by
herself and now she was serving her mission here in Nauvoo. She began telling us about the Heber C.
Kimball home and his life and somehow in the conversation we began talking more
about her life and challenges we all face.
She also told us that she had lived in President Spencer W. Kimball’s
ward. Chuck asked her if she could share
an experience she had with President Kimball and she said she sure could. She shared with us her husband’s challenge
with cancer and how he asked for a mountain to climb just like he had heard in
a talk from President Spencer W. Kimball.
The Lord did give Brother Brockbank that mountain and President Kimball
had many mountains to climb and both continually tried to climb the
mountain. What a lesson learned from
this brief encounter with Sister Brockbank.
We all have mountains to climb.
The test is being willing to accept the challenge to climb the mountain(s)
and then trying to continually climb it.
It is all about the trying and not giving up. Also in this home is a statue of Dr. J. LeRoy
Kimball, his great-grandson, who repurchased and restored it. The following website has great pictures of
the home. The day we were there it was
kind of dark and so we opted out of pictures.
https://www.lds.org/locations/heber-c-kimball-nauvoo-home#d This home of Heber C. Kimball was completed
and the family only had less than a year before they were forced to leave and
faithfully gathered with the Saints for the westward trek. Yet again, another lesson from
Nauvoo. Included next is the talk by
President Kimball. The site synopis will
continue on after this talk.
“Give Me This
Mountain”—Ensign October 1979 [on lds.org you can actually hear the actually talk—remember, President
Kimball had many health challenges, one was his bout with throat cancer—and he
continued to lead and counsel us through it all!!!]
Spencer W. Kimball
President of the
Church
Beloved brothers and sisters, is there anyone who doesn’t
know Brother LeGrand Richards, who has just spoken? Is there anyone who doesn’t
know the great missionary he has been? When I was a member of the stake
presidency in Arizona, Brother Richards came to our stake; and after all the
thousands of good things he had to give us, I remember so very well that he and
I both went down to Miami, Arizona, to conclude our conferences, and we sat
there and talked about the gospel most of the evening. I don’t know whether he
will remember that or not, but it was very impressive to me. The First Presidency
recently went with some of the General Authorities down to an area conference
in New Mexico and we got caught with a plane breakdown. They had to send back
to Denver to get some parts. While the rest of us were sitting around waiting,
Brother Richards started talking to the pilot and the stewardess, and he taught
them the gospel. That’s the kind of missionary he is.
I think he mentioned 28,000 missionaries, and I think we now
have 29,000 plus. Anyway, we are very, very grateful to Brother Richards and
all the other Brethren who have been as faithful as he explained to us in his
sermon.
It’s been a wonderful conference! It has been good for all
of us to be here. I’ve been grateful for the remarks of the Brethren who have
spoken. The Lord has answered their prayers for divine help in the preparation
and delivery of their sermons.
I express appreciation to all of you who have traveled so
far to come here, some of you at great sacrifice and inconvenience. We are
grateful for your devotion and ask the Lord to bless you with a capacity to be
touched in your hearts by the messages you have heard, long after we have sung
the songs and long after we have said our last amen. We realize so much depends
on what you as leaders do as you return to your homes to work again with those
in your stakes and wards and individual homes.
I should like to refer to the great story of the exodus of
the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land. In that story there is
an account of one special man that moves and motivates and inspires me. His
name was Caleb.
Shortly after Moses led Israel out of bondage from Egypt, he
sent twelve men to search out the promised land and to bring back word about
living conditions there. Caleb and Joshua were among the group. After spending
forty days on their mission, the twelve men returned. They brought back figs
and pomegranates and a cluster of grapes so large it took two men to carry it
between them on a pole.
The majority of the search party gave a very discouraging
report on the promised land and its inhabitants. Although they found a land
that was beautiful and desirable and flowing with milk and honey, they also
found that the cities were walled and formidable and that the people, the “sons
of Anak,” looked like giants. The Israelite scouts said that they felt like
grasshoppers in comparison. Caleb, however, saw things a little differently,
with what the Lord called “another spirit,” and his account of the journey and
their challenges was quite different. He said, “Let us go up at once, and
possess [their land]; for we are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30).
Joshua and Caleb were men of great faith, and they joined in
urging that the Israelites go immediately, to the promised land, saying:
“If the Lord delights in us, then he will bring us into this
land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
“Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the
people of the land; for … the Lord is with us: fear them not” (Num. 14:8–9).
But the faint-hearted Israelites, remembering the security
of their Egyptian slavery and lacking faith in God, rejected Caleb and Joshua
and sought even to stone them to death.
Because of their lack of faith, the children of Israel were
required to spend the next forty years wandering about and eating the dust of
the desert, when they might have feasted on milk and honey.
The Lord decreed that before Israel could enter the land of
Canaan, all of the faithless generation who had been freed from bondage must
pass away—all go into eternity—all except Joshua and Caleb. For their faith,
they were promised that they and their children would live to inhabit the
promised land.
Forty-five years after the twelve men returned from their
exploration of the land of promise, when the new generation of Israel, under
the leadership of Joshua, was completing its conquest of Canaan, Caleb spoke to
Joshua:
“Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord
sent me … to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine
heart.
“Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the
heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
“And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said,
these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses,
while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this
day fourscore and five years old.
“As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that
Moses sent me [at least in the spirit of the gospel and its call and needs]: as
my strength was then, even so is my strength now, … both to go out, and to come
in” (Josh. 14:7–8, 10–11).
From Caleb’s example we learn very important lessons. Just
as Caleb had to struggle and remain true and faithful to gain his inheritance,
so we must remember that, while the Lord has promised us a place in his
kingdom, we must ever strive constantly and faithfully so as to be worthy to
receive the reward.
Caleb concluded his moving declaration with a request and a
challenge with which my heart finds full sympathy. The Anakims, the giants,
were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said
Caleb, now at 85 years, “Give me this mountain” (Josh. 14:12).
This is my feeling for the work at this moment. There are
great challenges ahead of us, giant opportunities to be met. I welcome that
exciting prospect and feel to say to the Lord, humbly, “Give me this mountain,”
give me these challenges.
Humbly, I give this pledge to the Lord and to you, my
beloved brothers and sisters, fellow workers in this sacred cause of Christ: I
will go forward, with faith in the God of Israel, knowing that he will guide
and direct us, and lead us, finally, to the accomplishment of his purposes and
to our promised land and our promised blessings.
“And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).
I will “wholly follow the Lord my God” to the fullest extent
of my energy and my ability.
Earnestly and fervently I urge that each of you make this
same pledge and effort—every priesthood leader, every woman in Israel, each
young man, each young woman, every boy and girl.
My brethren and sisters, I testify to you that this is the
Lord’s work and that it is true. We are on the Lord’s errand. This is his
church and he is its head and the chief cornerstone. I leave you this
testimony, in all sincerity, with my love and blessing, in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
·
Wilford
Woodruff Home—Once again we were greeted by Sister Brockbank—see why we
call her our Nauvoo angel. She was with
a companion today and this companion was new and leaning. She did a great job. The site missionaries are just awesome. This lesson from President Woodruff—the
journal keeper—not only for himself but also as an apostle recorded much of
what Brigham Young spoke until he was called to be the President of the St.
George Temple. Consider this message
from the Woodruff home and see a picture his rocking chair that he sat in to
write in his journal on the website mentioned above:
“Upon leaving Nauvoo, Wilford wrote in his journal, “I was in Nauvoo on
the 26th of May, 1846, for the last time, and left the city of the Saints
feeling that most likely I was taking a final farewell of Nauvoo for this life.
I looked upon the temple and city as they receded from view and asked the Lord
to remember the sacrifices of His Saints.”
“Today, that prayer has been answered with the restoration of the City
of Nauvoo and the rebuilding of the beautiful temple on the hill. It is,
indeed, a fitting memorial to those who sacrificed so much for the gospel of
Jesus Christ.”
·
Brigham
Young Home—Wow, what a place. This
is where we learned of the “cracked
plates” as well as where many meetings were held as the exodus was planned
to leave Nauvoo. As we stood in the
kitchen of the Brigham Young Home we were taught a beautiful lesson on the
Atonement. When they were excavating the
grounds to restore the Brigham Young Home they found either in the cellar or by
the cellar dishes that were badly broken.
At the time a senior missionary serving in Nauvoo knew about restoring
plates—now remember, there are no coincidences right—the Lord is the conductor
of the orchestra. He took these plates
and set about to restore them as if they were new and had never been
broken. The process is interesting and
remarkable how they can make something that is so badly broken and unusual, new
again. The table is set with plates that
have just been glued together and plates that have been restored to look like
new giving such deep meaning to the serious observer. The missionaries compared these plates to
the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Each of
us is in some way a broken plate and through His mercy, grace, and
lovingkindness the Atonement was made for each of us so that we can be redeemed
and new again.
·
The
Brickyard—located just around the corner from where we live. So far in all the sites we have been too we
have had the place to ourselves like our own private tour. No different here. We did see a group of school kids going into
earlier that day, but then we heard the Nauvoo Brass Band playing and so we
went and heard them first and by the time we were done with that and went back
the kids were gone. Many early settlers
lived for years in log cabins while they built their brick homes, only to enjoy
them for a few short months before they left to begin their trek westward. Once again the sacrifice of the Saints is
shown.
·
Cultural
Hall—Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo plays every night except Sunday. This is where the Saints enjoyed dances,
plays and other public events. There are
3 levels. On the second level there is a
display of gorgeous quilts that have made and donated. The note about this is in regards to
Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo. Everyone we
talked to before coming and those we talked to when we arrived told us to go to
Rendezvous. This is a musical play put
on by the senior site missionaries. It
is absolutely hysterical. What made it
particularly special for us was when we went.
We had just had our week of training end on Friday afternoon with the
walk down Parley Street with Sister Susan Easton Black Durrant giving us a
private lecture. We were on a high to
say the least. Parley Street is the
street that represents 3 of the places that the saints went across the
Mississippi. Plaques have but put along
the way giving a testimony of some of the saints that left. A very moving experience in and of itself. We were on our way back to our apartment and
decided that this would be the night we would go to Rendezvous. We kind of knew what it was about, but you
have to experience to completely understand.
The room the stage is in is rather small and the children get to sit up
front. The play tells the story of the
Latter-day Saints who built Nauvoo in the 1840′s, and then had to leave the
city they loved. What is so wonderful
about the play is seeing these couples sing and act, especially the brother
missionaries. If they forget a line they
just face the audience and make up something to say. It is just funny. Many of them are hard of hearing and so they
work that into the story somehow. It is
precious. When the play is over they go
out the doors to the front of the building and greet the audience as they come
out. As we walked out and saw those
sweet missionaries we were overwhelmed with the spirit and what they
represented. They are here just like we
are trying to do what the Lord asks. It
was just the frosting on the cake of our MTC week of training.
·
Lyon Drug
& Variety Store—this is like the pharmacy.
Windsor and Sylvia Sessions Lyon owned and operated the store from
the time they arrived in Nauvoo until they left during the exodus. Four
children were born to the couple in Nauvoo, but sadly, three of their children
died before they reached the age of three. Joseph Smith spoke at their oldest
daughter’s funeral, giving comfort to the parents, and reassuring all people
that they shall, one day, be reunited with their loved ones. Windsor died in
Iowa City in 1849, but Sylvia and her children made the journey west in 1854
with her brother who was returning from missionary service in the British Isles. Sacrifice, faith and steadfastness show once
again from these pioneer saints.
·
Rise Boot
and Shoe—we thought the Scovil Bakery was small, this was smaller but it had an
upper level where the family lived. This
shop belonged to George Riser. He was born in Germany and owned a prosperous
shoemaking business in Ohio. When he was introduced to the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saint, he sold his business and with his wife, Christiana,
and infant son, John Jacob, traveled 500 miles to Nauvoo to learn more of this
new religion. Soon after they arrived, their baby became very ill. Joseph Smith
blessed him and he was immediately healed. This event greatly influenced the
Riser’s conversion. They were baptized in the Mississippi river in December
1842, when a hole was cut in the ice to
perform the baptism—need I say more when truth is received and understood.
·
Pendleton
Home & Log School—education was important to the saints and they had
several schools. This is one owned
by Calvin Pendleton. Calvin and his
family left Nauvoo in 1846. At Winter Quarters, he was asked to remain with
Jonathan Browning to provide guns and blacksmithing for the pioneers who were
headed west. While there, Sally gave birth to a baby boy. Sadly, their little
daughter, Emeline, died, followed by her mother in the fall of 1847. Calvin
married Phebe B. Smith who bore two more children before she passed away in
Winter Quarters. Calvin then married Sarah Ann Newberry. Together they had two
more children, and finally, in 1852, they departed for the West. Within
a 7 year period he buried a daughter and two wives and yet he never wavered and
kept moving forward to the west. He
dedicated his life to the service of his fellow man and his God.
·
Sarah
Granger Kimball Home--It was in this home that the idea for the Female Relief
Society of Nauvoo was born. Sarah Granger Kimball, wife of Hiram Kimball, was
an affluent young married woman who opened her beautiful home for social and
religious gatherings. She organized a Ladies Society to sew shirts for the men
working on the temple. From this
came the organization of the Relief Society.
The most impressive thing about this home is the garden filled with
peonies. Pictures prove the beauty of
the garden. We are also impressed with
what Barbara B. Smith said at the dedication of the home on March 17, 1982—“We
hope women will understand that within their own homes, things can happen that
can have great significance in the Church and in the world.”—and that includes
many meanings.
·
Patty
Session and Mary Field Garner—these
two log cabins do not have anyone in them as guides, but their stories tell it
all. Patty Session was a midwife and
faithful member of the Church. She crossed the plains with the saints and
remained faithful her entire life. She
recorded 3,977 births. Mary
Field Garner is known as the “Last Leaf”.
She lived in Nauvoo as a child, made the trek west to Utah, and was the
last remaining person on the earth to have known Joseph Smith, when she died in
1943 at 107 years of age.
·
Wagon
Tour of Old Nauvoo—this an hour ride around Nauvoo with narration by a sister
missionary and comments from the wagon master.
This was a very peaceful overview of the whole area. There was a very good narration. One of the things that we really haven’t
commented on yet is the peace that is felt here. The location lends itself to that peace but
there is an underlying peace of what Nauvoo represents. The peace that the Lord has his hand on the
reigns of not just the wagon, but the church and His kingdom as well. It is so peaceful knowing we are in the hands
of the Lord even with the commotion of the world around us. The birds, squirrels and geese can be heard
and seen. The beautiful landscape bring
peace to the soul. The peace that
through all the trials and sacrifice of the saints they kept their deep and
abiding testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ—why else would they leave
beautiful Nauvoo.
·
The
Promise, Sunset on the Mississippi and the Nauvoo Brass Band—three other performances that we have
seen. Memorial Day marks the
beginning of these performances in Nauvoo.
About 2 or 3 weeks before Memorial Day the Young Performing
Missionaries, as they are called, come to Nauvoo for the summer. These are performers from many parts of the
country. Each year 20 stage
missionaries, 3-4 technical missionaries, and 16 to 18 band members are
selected through a rigorous audition process, and will receive a four-month
Church Service Mission call to the Illinois Nauvoo Mission, assigned to serve
in Nauvoo. They wear their missionary
badges in all of their performances except The Promise. They are awesome and work their hearts
out. Each of the performances have been
filled with the spirit and a message of hope.
·
Susan
Easton Black Durrant lectures on the prophets—this was a perk of our mission
this year to have Susan and George Durrant serving with us. Sister Durrant (formerly Black) is a
professor of church history and is widely known throughout the church. Brother Durrant is a beloved teacher at BYU
and an author of many books. He is most
known for his sense of humor. Both he
and Sister Durrant were widowers when George asked Susan to marry him. They are now serving this mission together
and have just received another mission call when this one is up to the St.
George Visitor’s Center. Sister Durrant
was asked to give lectures in a fireside type format to the temple missionaries
and the site missionaries. They have
been every Tuesday and Thursday evenings beginning at 8 pm. In the winter she gave lectures on Joseph
Smith. For the new arrivals, that is us,
she began with Brigham Young. We have
enjoyed each lecture and her sense of humor.
The night begins with a song and prayer and then Brother Durrant gives a
10-15 minute talk that is always funny.
His main topic is usually a brief experience from his life or from one
of his books. He always includes that we need
to be kind to one another and to stay in the center of the gospel because the
edge can be very dangerous. They
are just a delight and it is a pleasure to have this experience with them. “Every day is his best day so far” is what he
loves to say too. He also loves to quote himself from his own books which he
finds funny and we do too.
As you may recall, the title of this chapter was The Work
and Fun is Underway. Temple work is
work, but fun and rewarding. How can we
not benefit by serving 5 days a week in the temple. So it is part of the fun of this mission that
we still are in awe of receiving. The
next chapter(s) will more than likely not be as long now that the routine of
the mission is underway.
We are trying to do as counseled by President Clyde to write
down our thoughts and feelings of our experiences for our posterity. Hopefully that has come through. We know we have sent emails out about some of
these experiences already but we wanted to have them all in one place and so we
came up with this format.
We would like to include here Chuck’s Nauvoo Moments for the
record.
May 13 Nauvoo Moment
This week we visited the restored house of Brigham Young
here in Nauvoo.
One of the things we were shown were dinner plates that had
been carefully put back together from many broken pieces that were found on the
property. The plates were set on the table as if dinner was going to be served
today.
The plates are now priceless & more precious because of
the work that has been done to bring the pieces back together in the places
where they should be. It was a
painstaking process well worth the effort to resurrect these shattered dishes.
If I were given one of those plates it would become the most
precious plate I have. It would have an honored place in my home so others
could enjoy the workmanship that made it whole again.
In the same way the Atonement of Jesus Christ will put our
broken lives back together as we trust in Him and follow His directions. We too
are priceless and precious because of Him. We can be put back together and
treasured for what we have become.
May 20 Nauvoo Moment
The Power of Waiting
The power and blessing of waiting came clear to me for the
first time in the Nauvoo Temple this week.
The Temple is the House of the Lord. The temple is a place
for the Lord to visit and rest here on earth. It is a place of revelation &
reflection. Peace is felt and love abounds in the temple. Time is put in an
eternal perspective.
The Nauvoo Temple is located in an area where there is not a
large concentration of church members. Sometimes an ordinance workers time is
spent just waiting and watching for a temple patron to arrive.
It came into my mind clearly this week that this waiting and
watching is a sacred holy blessing. It represents in a small way Our Heavenly
Father as he waits and watches for us to come to him. He waits patiently. He has high hopes and
great expectations for each of us. His waiting is filled with faith, hope and
love.
In contrast my waiting on occasion is filled with doubt,
despair & worry. What if no one comes? Will I get to go home early if no
one comes? Why are so few people coming to the temple? What is wrong with
everybody? Why are people so weak?
These thoughts dampen the spirit and deprive me of the peace
and perspective that lead to revelation and reassurance that the Lord desires
to give me.
Finally after nearly 9 years as an ordinance worker I am
beginning to understand the power of waiting. The joy and happiness you feel
when that patron or family comes through those temple doors is worth waiting
for. Patiently waiting is a heavenly virtue. Revelations come easily in the
temple if we know how to wait and watch for them.
The temples are a symbol of the Lord’s love for us. Time
& eternity intersect within those sacred walls. Waiting & watching in
faith builds strength and helps prepare us to be ready when we are needed. Some
of God’s blessings will never come to us unless we learn how to wait. The Lord
is patiently and lovingly waiting for us – We can learn to do the same for each
of his children & for ourselves as we wait patiently and faithfully on the
Lord.
One Scripture:
Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates,
waiting at the posts of my doors. Proverbs
8:34
One Quote: Many times
we say we are waiting on the Lord, when as a matter of fact, the Lord is
waiting on us. President Hartman
Rector, Jr., Conference Report, April 1970
May 24 Nauvoo Moment
Nauvoo Temple Star Round Windows (What do they symbolize?)
Joseph Smith saw the Nauvoo Temple in a heavenly vision and
he instructed the architect on how the Temple was to be built.
The Nauvoo Temple has these unique Round Star Red/White/Blue
windows.
What do they symbolize?
No one knows for sure. (It is not written down somewhere)
Some ideas that I have read about or have come into my mind.
1. The Star of Bethlehem
2. The Light of Christ that supports and lights the entire
world
3. Truth will Prevail (I like this one)
4. It is a symbol of Truth, Freedom and Power.
5. The spirit can guide you as you ponder what the windows
mean to you.
May 27 Nauvoo Moment
Temple and Priesthood
Power
Today at about 8am the electrical power was cut off here in
Nauvoo and in the Nauvoo Temple. When the power went off line the auxiliary
power available to the temple immediately started working. There was still full power to the endowment
rooms but all other parts of the temple had reduced lighting and power.
Every area of the temple continued to function and serve the
patrons who were present. No one was observed running around in a panic. No one
suggested that we delay the work. No one came around and told us when full
power would be restored. I saw one of the temple staff engineers & I did
not even feel it was appropriate to ask him when the power would be restored.
There was a feeling of full faith and confidence that the
situation would be taken care of in the best way possible. At 935am the power
suddenly surged on and temple became bright again.
Today in the temple I was reading in Mormon in the Book of
Mormon. Moroni teaches that when we depart from the right way (a faith power
failure) we can be brought back (faith surged on again) & be found
spotless, pure, fair, bright & white – because of Him.
I know that our Heavenly Father & His Son live today and
that they love us. I know that our redemption was made possible by Jesus
Christ. Through Christ we can be brought back to the presence of the Father and
enjoy endless peace, happiness & celestial power.
May 31 Nauvoo Moment
Motivation
It is 6:55am here in Nauvoo. I am looking out our front
window trying to muster the motivation to do my 15 pushups and our walk down to
the Mississippi River (1.4 mile round trip). What do I see? A temple missionary
senior couple walking in front of our apartment (they are between 75 and 80
years old). I like to watch them because
they move so s l o w l y. They actually had a pretty good clip going
this morning. I feel a surge of motivation because of them. What we do does
affect others whether we know it or not.
–Off to the Mississippi!!!
We also have to mention that the couples that have been
called to serve in the Nauvoo Illinois Temple Mission are just the best. They are giants in our eyes. As part of our training, the temple recorder,
Brother Marshall, not only sang “Oh, Divine Redeemer” which was just awesome,
he also spoke. To begin his message he
talked about his experience as a temple recorder which is his profession. He said what we felt, “he doesn’t understand
how he was chosen to be among giants”, but he is so thankful for it. That is how we feel. These good people, our temple presidency and
matrons and many of our fellow missionary couples have served several missions
already and have given lives of service that is such an example and they are
giants in our eyes. It is just such a
privilege and honor to serve with them and feel of their love and have their
example of service.
We heard someone say or ask how many connections have you
made so far—meaning have you met people that either knows someone you know is
from somewhere you have been etc. 8 of
those connections have been with (1) the Anderson’s our travelling companions
each Sunday who are from Covina and then a young couple, the Wilde’s who came
to the Arrival Center when we were serving there. The Anderson’ were here about 3 years ago
with a group of people from their home ward and one of the brothers was not a
member but had taken lessons. As he was
touring Nauvoo he felt the spirit whisper to him that he should be baptized and
so he went and asked Brother Anderson if that could happen here in Nauvoo. Brother Anderson told him that he didn’t have
the authority here but he would check into it.
Long story short, this was when President and Sister Jergensen were
serving the Iowa Des Moines Mission and Dean and Julie Hatch friends from our
Poway Stake were serving here in Nauvoo under their direction as a senior
couple assigned to that mission. Phone
calls were made and authority given and this brother was indeed baptized here
in Nauvoo. (2) In chatting with the
Wilde family from Iowa City Iowa we found out they were from Ventura, CA and
know Andy and Marcia Oshita. This family
drives over 2 hours to come to the temple with their 6 children, 2 of which are
twins. They take turns going to do work
in the temple and then travel back that night.
Such commitment and sacrifice is such an example. (3) I already
mentioned earlier when we learned that President and Sister Fortie had been in
this our apartment before us. So
connections are being made and the Lord is in the picture. (4) Steve Hall,
Chuck’s former roommate at college and a missionary who served in the same
mission, is from the same town as the Hansen’s and they know the Hall’s
well. (5) The Hepworth’s know Kirk Heaton, a next door
neighbor and friend of Chuck who were in the same dorm as Chuck in his freshman
year and was good friend to Chuck. I
guess at Deseret Towers at the time Chuck was there they had some sort of
porthole between the rooms that could open up and you could talk to the guys in
the other room. (6) We met the Swings on
one of PM shifts who live here in Nauvoo and had served in the San Diego temple
when they lived in Fallbrook and new President and Sister Finnigan. (7)
Stephanie Gwilliam told me to be on the lookout for a Sister Matlock at
the temple and we were able to connect on one of our shifts. (8)
The McKechnie’s are serving with us as temple missionaries and Susan
Glavinic from our San Diego temple shift asked me if I had talked with them yet
and Sister McKechnie was glad to hear that we both know Susan. (9)
The Wasmen’s came to our house for a Break the Fast Sunday and Norma Crowder,
long-time friend and member of the Elwood Branch, worked with her in the
Cincinnati Ohio Temple. The list will
probably get longer as time moves on.
Connections—something to ponder the connections we have with people and
how they affect our lives.
We can’t leave out what have become our favorite spots to
eat when want to grab a bite to eat. So
far Grandpa John’s has now become our favorite place for pork tenderloins. They really do it well. Annie’s Frozen Custard is really good
too. Lemon with raspberries on top is
really good. Plain Mango is good
too. Chocolate with Oreo’s is good
too. We went to an Italian Restaurat in
Keokuk, Angelini’s Pizza and Pasta House that was delicious also. We, of course, have tried several Mexican
places, but none of them get a very high rating. They were all edible but nothing special at
all. We also like the soft serve ice
cream at the Casey’s in Keokuk and Quincy.
Casey’s is like a 7-11 type store and not all Casey’s have ice cream.
We keep telling everyone that the spirit of Nauvoo follows
you everywhere and it truly does. The 3
words that keep coming at us again and again and again as we walk the halls of
the temple and the streets of Nauvoo are SACRIFICE,
ATONEMENT and PEACE. Lessons to be learned
for sure from each of those powerful words.
We would also like to add OBEDIENCE
and GRATITUDE to the list because
without the obedience of the saints they would not have been able to receive
the blessings the Lord and then be grateful for those blessings by doing all
that was required of them.
Since there is a bit more room at the end of this page we
would like to conclude with some additional thoughts that have come since beginning
this Nauvoo Illinois Temple Mission Book.
1—journal writing cannot be overstated—without the journals of those
who faithfully wrote in their journals or diaries about their experiences here
and crossing the plains we would have not had the blessing of their
experience. 2—Oct 2007 President Eyring
gives his classic “Oh, Remember, Remember” address at General Conference—we
must write down how we see the Lord’s hand in our lives or those “tender
mercies” He bestows on us which will keep our hearts filled with an attitude of
gratitude so the Lord will know we recognize His hand in all things which
President Uchtdorf’s April 2014 conference address spoke of so beautifully. What we become is our greatest gift of
gratitude we can give our Father in Heaven.
We are sure we have forgotten some things we wanted to add
but our mission isn't over yet and there are more chapters to be written.
The Picasa picture album, Arrival in Nauvoo, will have
further comments that are not included in this document.
