MISSOURI CHURCH HISTORY TOUR!!! (May 25, 2014)



Thought for the week:

"Blessed are those who snuggle and hug, spoil and pamper, boast and brag...for they shall be called GRANDMA'S.

"Sometimes when you wonder why you can't hear God's voice during your trials. Remember the teacher is always quiet during the test."

HAPPY MEMORIAL weekend! Hope you all are enjoying remembering you're loved one's who have passed on. I know I miss my family and spending time together usually at Bear Lake. I especially miss my dear mom who loved going with us and enjoying her grandkids and great-grandkids.

This week was a special week since we got to go on the Missouri trip to all the church historic sights. We spent Wednesday and Thursday on a small tour bus with Bro. Dunn, a temple worker and Nauvoo resident, who gives church tours as a side job. It was great to visit Adam-ondi-ahman extensively. We'd been there before but didn't see all the sights we saw this time. It's so beautiful there and a lot bigger than last time because the church has purchased many more acres and continues to buy more each year. Keep in mind how many people will actually gather there to hear the Savior speak. Its such a large space and the weather was perfect.

After that we went to Liberty Jail and who should we see but Anna Diederich. She is such a cutie and enjoying her mission so much. Good job Kenny and Becky, she's a wonderful missionary. Loved seeing the jail again after all these years.

We also went to Far West where the property was dedicated for a temple back in Joseph Smith's time. Very peaceful spot! There are four cornerstones in place just waiting for the construction of a temple someday.

We spent the night in Independance, and then went to the L.D.S.visitors center and across the street to the Community of Christ Temple. We also saw the place where someday the 24 temples and temple where Christ will reign during the millennium will be built. Its amazing to know that someday hopefully I will be able to say I stood in that exact location. The Community of Christ temple was a far cry from the gorgeous Kansas City Temple. We spent the afternoon doing a session in the temple. I loved how beautiful the temple was! But then I love all the temples for different reasons. The chandeliers were so lacy and unique. The celestial room was so special for me. As you enter it two brothers open these 12 to 15 foot doors for you as you enter. I felt like a princess being welcomed into the celestial kingdom. I hope it's like that someday for us. It was such a wonderful trip and nice experience to go on while being this close to all the historic sights.

Last Monday evening we had a bar-b-que with our smaller group. We enjoy being with these people because they live the closes to us and we chat all the time across the street. It reminds me of home and our wonderful neighbors.

The temple has really picked up the attendance this week. Being Memorial weekend a lot of visitors are in town. I love seeing the temple so full of patrons excited about being in the Nauvoo Temple. I keep waiting to have someone I know from home come up behind me and surprise me. I get so excited about my family and a few friends coming this summer. On Saturday almost every endownment session was full. Everyone keeps telling me, welcome to summer!

I finally found a swimming pool in Nauvoo! I try and swim 3 to 4 times a week depending on my schedule. It opened the first week of May and closes the first of November. It feels so good to finally get a workout in. My joints are so sore from inactivity all winter long. Maybe I'll be able to work off some of this 30 pound mission weight. Rudi rides his bike a lot and tries to walk whenever possible. The weather is gorgeous right now but who knows how long that will last before the humidity hits.

We still experience changes in the temple each week. The new presidency is trying to see how many missionaries are needed this winter to keep the temple running up to par. We aren't suppose to act as patrons just endowment workers. That means that we can't take our own ancestor temple cards through the temple. I've got quit a few ancestors that are going to have to wait a little longer for their work to get done. Hopefully my kids and grandkids will be able to do a lot of temple work this summer while they are here in Nauvoo. If not I'll send cards home to have my family help me this winter.

Today in Canton the mission president, Pres. Fenn spoke in sacrament meeting and a combined priesthood/relief society meeting. His wife is Bro. Joseph McConkie's sister. She was unable to come with him today but I got to talk with him after our meetings and when he found out we were from Orem he asked if we knew Joseph and Brenda. Really small world! Because he spoke today I didn't have to teach relief society. Rudi helped out with the Sunday School lesson but next week he's on his own. Rudi also helped with the sacrament prayer. He did wonderful as usual. Don't know why he ever worried about it when he was young.

Tonight I have choir practice and then we have a sociable at the visitors center. The young sisters here in Nauvoo will be performing and speaking. Should be interesting. The young women serving missions are so darling and knowledgeable. They come to the temple almost every week and just glow with the gospel. Hope my granddaughters will consider a mission someday. It's such a growing experience and a wonderful way to serve and enlarge your testimony. I wish I had gone when I was younger. Way to go Tiffini, Alison. Isabella, Elfriede, Anna and all the young women in the church ready and wiling to increase the force of missionaries throughout the world.

We still are amazed at this wonderful opportunity we've been given to serve in this historic and sacred place. I'm not sure we could top this calling if we serve another mission. I know all missions are the best to the one serving but this is the cream of the crop for us. I'm not sure how many missionaries will be serving here in Nauvoo as has been in the past. Rudi loves what he does and I love being involved in all the temple areas. Each one is so special and uplifting. We look forward to this summer and all the activities available here in Nauvoo. It's going to be crowded but we're ready and excited about all the faithful saints coming to serve in the temple. Think of all the people who have waited so long to progress eternally who will finally have their work performed. I'm so thankful we get to be a part of that happy reunion in heaven. I've been working on my grandpa Thomas's genealogy. There's a lot of work to be done and so little time for me to do it alone. I hope to get my kids involved in researching and helping me out. I have no room to criticize since I didn't get interested until I came on this mission. I know how busy they are but the time is getting shorter and shorter for so much work to get done. We all need to pick up the pace.

Once again I've written a book length email. I have so many things going on and I don't want to forget anything about our mission.

We love and miss all of you so much, but know you're evolved in doing good things. We've started counting down the days till we see family and friends in Nauvoo.

With love always,

Rudi and Kathy
Mom and Dad
GRANDPA AND GRANDMA

 FHE bar-b-que with neighbors across the street. Hall's, Lindholm's, and Hullinger's. Rudi doing the cooking as usual!

 Enjoying the great food.

 Love these people. All of us are in a small FHE group. We meet together once a month. Guess who's in charge? Yup, the party animals, Diederich's!

 Kathy in front of the Liberty Jail in Missouri.

 Anna Diederich, Kenny Diederich's daughter serving her mission in Independence Missouri. So good to see her.

 Monument in Far West.

 Kathy at Adam-ondi-ahman.

 Great trip due to these fun people. All three engineers and their wives were able to go on the Missouri historic trip. The couple after the single lady on the left is Bis. Flints son Mark Flint, from West Layton Ward. His dad was bishop when some of my Call relatives were growing up. He said he was Carolyn Call's age. His wife is the one in white pants. They live in Syracuse Utah.

 Corner stone for the Far West temple site. It was laid back in Joseph Smith's period.

Picture taken from the preachers rock, at Adam-ondi-ahman, with Rudi 200 yards away. He could hear us just fine without yelling.

NEW CALLINGS IN CANTON (May 18, 2014)

Thought for the week:

"As I look back on my life I realize that every time I thought I was being REJECTED from something good I was actually being RE-DIRECTED to something better."

I can't believe it's Sunday again so soon!  I think Sundays are our busiest day of the week.  Today we left at 8 A.M. for Canton to our church assignment, and got home at 6:45 just in time for choir practice. While in Canton we received assignments from the branch president.  Rudi has been asked to teach the Gospel Principles class each Sunday.  I was asked to teach the 4th Sunday  Relief Society lesson each month.  Since we can't accept callings because we are missionaries they decided to just ask us to help out for the next 6 months.  It's fine with us, but I think Rudi is a little nervous and thinks I'm going to be teaching half his lesson.  I'll help but he's the teacher and I have an assignment too.

After the three hour block we attended a baptism of a young couple, Jesse and Jessica, that have been converted in the branch.  They have two little boys who are very lively but darling.  The baptism took place in the relief society room.  It is small and just in the back of the room.  Like I said everything is small but works just great.

Gary and Robin Melton, a family in the branch fixed us a beautiful and delicious lunch today after our three hour block.  She serves in the temple two Saturdays a month.  She also knows our daughter-in-law Kristin.  Kristin dated her oldest son T.J. Hanson when they lived in Tremonton.  She's so kind and welcoming to us to the branch and her home.  They live on a beautiful 3 acre lot, with tons of manicured lawn, trees and flowers.  We fell in love with the yard.  So big and spacious.  I could just see my grandkids running wild and loving it.

We once again attended Susan Durrant's lectures on Tuesday and Thursday.  Since she finished the life of Joseph Smith we are now studying the life's of each president of the church following him.  It's interesting and fun to learn about their lives before they became prophets.  We are so lucky to be here during their stay in Nauvoo.  It makes for a long day when we don't get out of the temple until eight at night and have to hustle to the 8:00 lecture a little late. But it's all worth it. Oh well, we can rest when we come home!!!  HaHa

Friday night the Todd's invited us and the Willis's to a southern type dinner.  They heard that I don't like grits.  Bro. Todd wanted me to try his.  I must admit they weren't bad with cheese and butter mixed in.  They also fixed a shrimp and sausage type sauce to go over the grits. Not bad at all.  They also had a great cole slaw and bread.  The company was good to be with and I tried real southern food.  They're from Florida and are really fun people.

Saturday after our early, early, 6A.M. morning shift at the temple we went to the German Festival in Nauvoo.  So good to eat German food and listen to the Oomph Band.  We also toured a German home that is now a museum.  It had in the cellar a wine press.  Nauvoo at one time was a large producer of wines at one time.  Many German immigrants lived in Nauvoo about 4 years after the Saints left to go West.  There are still a lot of grape vines here in Nauvoo.  In the fall they have a wine festival. I think we'll miss that or  just observe.

Well its getting very late and we've been up way to long.  I'm tempted to write this on Monday P-day when I'm more alert.

Before I close I want to mention the passing of a dear and loving friend.  Jim Mason was a giant of a man.  He was such an example of living a good life with meaning and purpose.  He was not only a dear friend but a second father to our son Troy during his growing up years.  Chris, their son, was Troy's best friend and partner in crime.  Jim and Lynne provided the cultural life, with all of Jim's connections at B.Y.U.  and the Harris Fine Arts building and the Museum for the boys and Rudi and I tried to make sure they had fun snow skiing, playing tennis, boating, and water skiing.  We seemed to balance each other out.  Thanks Jim and Lynne for being such great examples to our son and to us.  We love you dearly Lynne and will miss Jim beyond words. We wish we could be there to give you a big hug of support and attend the funeral but The Lord has other plans for us.  Our prayers are with you and your family.

I hope your week is full of memorable events and good times with your families.

We love and miss you all.

Rudi and Kathy
Mom and Dad
GRANDPA AND GRANDMA (In capitols because our grandkids are the best thing we could ever have next to our fabulous kids).

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CADEN!  This cute grandson will be 11 years old on Tuesday May 19th.  He's a soccer star and great kid.  Can't wait to see you in Nauvoo in June.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARSON!  This wonderful grandson is turning 12 on May 21st.  He receives the Aaronic Priesthood so he can do baptisms for the dead in the Nauvoo Temple and all the other special things priesthood holders do.  Congratulations!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!  I think he will be 46 on May 28th.  He looks around 30.  A wonderful son-in-law and fantastic father and husband.  He's Tiffini's husband. His youngest son Jensen on his lap.

 Our FHE at the Arrival Center.  Things started out great and then the rains came.  We ended up inside, soaking wet, but having lots of laughs!

 Our party inside.  Very crowded but so much fun just to be together and in casual clothes.  My bright shirt gives me away!

 Looking out the door of the Arrival Center at the down pour.  Of course the  the temple is always beautiful.

 Rudi at the German Museum in Nauvoo.  There's a wine cellar in the basement.  Many Germans migrated to Nauvoo about 4 years after the Saints left.

 Oomph Band at the German Festival.  I look like one of their music stands!  All square and boxy.

 At our Canton Ward Chapel.  I told you there were only four rows of benches.  Its small but very cute and functional.  We love being there!  I'm in front with the pianist.

 The Glassett's and us at Gary and Robin Melton's home.  They invited us to lunch today after sacrament meeting.
Beautiful super large backyard.  We had such a great time with them.

 Gary and Robin Melton our host and hostess for a delicious dinner and visit.  Very warm and loving people.  Kristin, does she look familiar?  Kristin use to date her oldest son in Tremonton.  Small world!

Shedding a tear for our dying tomato plant that we managed to kill.  I guess we weren't meant to be farmers!  We sure tried hard.

SEEING A LOT OF ILLINOIS (May 11, 2014)

 

Thoughts for the week:  Especially for Mother's Day:

"Sometimes when I open my mouth my mother comes out."

"A mother is a person who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take."

"Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do."

"I believe in love at first sight, because I loved my mom since I opened my eyes."

"Love is blind because your mother started loving you before seeing your face."

"The best place to cry is on a mothers shoulder."

"The more I grow the more I realize that my mom is the best friend that I ever had."

I apologize for the many quotes, but I love to save them and I only choose the best for Mother's Day.  Just remember that this is my journal and I'm crazy about quotes and flowers.

Once again we've had a busy but fun filled week.  We began the week with our P-day activity by going to Pella, Iowa.  Every year they have a Tulip Festival.  Pella is a Dutch community where they hold onto their Dutch heritage fiercely.  There are windmills, tons of beautiful tulips, village displays, parades, a queen and her court of native born descendants, fun shops to go through, and just a charming old world atmosphere.  We left Nauvoo at 7:00 a.m. and got home that night around 8:00 p.m.  It takes about 2 and half hours to drive there and we spent a lot of time looking at everything.  We had lunch there and ate way too many pastries at the cute bakeries. They have whats called Dutch Letters that are like a turnover shaped in the shape of an S and filled with an almond paste.  Oh my!  So good and I would imagine so fattening.  Love those Dutch bakers.
So glad we went there and spent the day.  On the way home we had to stop in Cantrell at the Dutchman store.  Rudi loves their homemade pies and pickled mushrooms.  Its a really old store run by the Mennonites but so clever and full of different things to buy.

Our week in the temple on Tuesday was much busier than usual. Slowly the tour buses are arriving.  There were a lot of young students traveling through Nauvoo on senior trips and spring break tours.  As usual the baptistry was loaded.  Since I've been working in the temple office I've booked a lot of baptisms in July.  So I decided I best reserve some time for my grandkids when they come in June and July.  So glad I did.  July is completely full, but with my pull I got some slots reserved for the grandkids.  I also reserved times for endowment sessions.  I had no idea how busy the temple gets during the summer months!  I'm so excited to see so much temple work being done here in Nauvoo.  After a long and slow winter it is great to be working at capacity level in the summer.

I love working in the office, but there is tons to learn and not mess up.  Thanks to working at Provo High I have a few skills.  I'm getting better at endowment coordinator also.  I work straight through my shift without even a break for fear something will go wrong.  I just have to make sure that I never open up a door where the room is still full of people and interrupt the session.  Always look through the peep hole first is my motto.  My favorite place is in clothing.  I know it the best and I'm most comfortable there.  All the temple workers are so kind and helpful that I really don't need to panic anywhere thanks to them.

I love it when Rudi pops up out of nowhere in the temple and surprises me.  He reminds me of the Hunchback of  Notradom,(however you spell it) he knows all the secret passage ways and ins-and-outs of the temple.  This week he actually took me to the sub basement where all the pipes and controls are located.  Wow, there's more under that temple than I knew.  At the end of all the maze of pipes and chillers and who knows what I got some ice cream from the stash the engineers have for themselves.  Lucky me!

On Friday I had an appointment in Springfield to check on my stent.  The surgeon gave me a clean bill of health and said to come back in a year for another CT scan.  I quickly informed him I wouldn't be here in a year, so I need to check with a Dr. when I get home. The surgeon said I need to check to make sure no scare tissue forms around the stent. My blood pressure was 140/80 which is very good for me.  A far cry from 230/120.  I've come a long way and feeling a lot better.

While we were in Springfield we decided to visit some more of the Lincoln sights.  We went to his home where he and Mary Todd lived and raised their family before he became Pres.  It is a lovely large home on a beautiful street with restored homes on the street.  It's free to go inside his home and visit the sights.  The state of Illinois acquired the home with one stipulation, that they would never charge to visit the home.  They say it now belongs to the people.  What a neat idea!  Wish more places were free to visit.  From there we went to his tomb.  A very inspiring place to visit.  The actual monument is huge and very beautiful.  Inside there are a lot of bronze statues of Lincoln during different stages of his life.  There is also his tomb and his wife and three of his four children's tombs.  It's so quiet and calm inside it makes you stop and think of all he did and gave for our country.

We rushed home to make it to a special event called the Moving Day.  This is when the Saints moved from Quincey to Commerce which is now know as Nauvoo.  It was held at Camp Eastman between Hamilton and Nauvoo.  They served a dinner and then there was a program where George Durrant spoke and a band played mountain music.  That night I was beat from a long day of super activities.

Saturday morning we were back at the temple at 6:00 a.m. for the way early shift.  Yes, we do work at the temple!  We love serving there and look forward to the coming months of lots of patrons coming to do work in the famous and historic Nauvoo Temple.

Today we spent a wonderful day in Canton.  The branch there is so kind and welcoming to us.  Their meetings are well organized with inspiring speakers.  The lessons are very well prepared and the discussions are up lifting.  I told the sister who taught R.S. that the eight sisters in her class were all involved and it was very easy to make comments.  These members here are very knowledgeable in the gospel.  I'm very impressed.  One sister invited us to dinner next week after the block of meetings.  Of course we quickly accepted and look forward to getting to know her better.  She serves twice a moth in the temple on Saturdays.  She drives by herself to Nauvoo to serve in the temple.  This is the kind of commitment these people here have.

Life is always exciting whether we're in the temple or out.  We are so excited to see family and friends this summer.  We promise to slow our pace down a little when we come home, but until then, we only get one chance to serve in Nauvoo so we're making the most of this wonderful experience.

May you all continue to grow in the gospel and love one another.
We miss you but are so involved with serving and exploring this wonderful area.  Can't wait to show any of you around.

With love always,

Rudi and Kathy
Mom and Dad
GRANDPA AND GRANDMA

 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TROY AND KRISTIN!  May 12th marks 19 years of marital bliss for this fun couple.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRACI!  This is the big 40 for her.  Hope your birthday is special.  Do something fun in Chicago for your birthday.  May 17th she shares her birthday with Jensen, our youngest grandson.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENSEN!  Hope your 4th birthday is full of fun and adventure.  No more
getting any older until we get home!

This is what I see out my kitchen window.  Beautiful dark purple lilacs against a flowering white tree.  Love Nauvoo in the spring!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE SPECIAL MOMS!  Flowers delivered from Tiffini and her family.

 Love this picture Tami framed and sent for Mothers Day.  I'm so lucky to have had such a wonderful mom.

More flowers delivered from Traci and her family.  How did they know I loved flowers so much?  Thanks to all my kids for making my day so special.  Troy emailed and said his gift is in the mail.  Love his family so much and all his kind words.

Our trip to Pella, Iowa on Monday was so exciting and beautiful.  Rudi got carried away with the windmills.  He just had to climb up and try to put the sail on the windmill.

Some of the sisters that went with us to Pella.  Sister Tanner, Bassett, Gorrell and yours truly!

Pella is a Dutch community in Iowa.  Rudi enjoyed the old sleds they used in that town years ago.

Kathy trying on the wooden shoes.  Just a bit too big!

 

The tulips were beyond beautiful!  They have a tulip festival every year the first week of May.  We'd heard so much about it that we went there on our P-day.

 

 

More beautiful tulips.

 Inside one of the wooded shoe shops.  There was a village of old shops showing what the village looked like when it was first established in the 1800 hundreds.

 So many colors of tulips I was going crazy taking pictures.

 

 

 

What we might have looked like back then, minus the sunglasses!

Way to close of a close up of beautiful flowering trees.

 The same tree at a distance.

 Outside of the village entrance.  What a fun day and beautiful sunny day.

 More windmills in the village.

 Rudi's favorite stop!  Their pastries were fabulous!  The turnovers were the best, no frosting on the top, just the way Rudi likes them.

 The five couples who went with us  on the trip.  Tanner's, Bassett's, Diederich's, Princes's, and Gorrell's

 More colorful tulips.  Can't get enough!

 I sort of clash with the orange and yellow tulips.

 I know, I'm tulip crazy!!!  But the colors were gorgeous.

Still more!  At least I'm color coordinated with them.

 On Friday we had to go back to Springfield for a CT scan so we decided to see more of Lincoln's attractions.  This is his home where he lived before he became Pres. of the U.S.  Yes I'm in pants for a reason.  They told me to dress in loose fitting pants for the scan.

Next we saw the Lincoln Tomb.  So awe inspiring and huge.

 Inside and under the monument is where he is buried.

 Thought my grandkids would love to see this three seater outhouse behind Lincoln's home.  Pretty fancy for those times.  I just don't know who wants two others accompanying them to the "John"!

Rudi being jealous of Abraham Lincoln's nose!