Thoughts for the week:
"It's nice when you pray for someone, but it's better if you become an answer to someone's prayer."
"Be sensitive and try to understand other people's pain. Sometimes that's all they need to heal."
"If you can't be happy for other people, at least don't ruin their happiness."
"Make sure your words are sweet, you never know when you may have to eat them."
This week went by so fast! Troy and his family arrived on Monday evening and it's been a whirlwind everyday since. It was so exciting to finally have some of our kids come to Nauvoo. We've been so homesick for them. As they rounded the corner on Hotchkiss Street I started to cry tears of joy. Rudi was so excited to see them that he walked up the street to make sure they turned in on the right street. I think he just wanted to be the first one to see them! They all looked so great and hugs and kisses were being passed around to every grandchild and Troy and Kristin. Our biggest surprise was Joshua towering over grandma and almost as tall as grandpa. Little Ainsley just wrapped her arms around our legs and wouldn't let go. What a cutie and so full of love for us. Carson and Caden were absolutely so charming and grownup. Tieler was darling and beautiful as usual. She's so loving and kind to us and very interested in a cute perspective missionary back home, so you can imagine where most of her thoughts are!
Rosey and Steve were still here so they also welcomed them and enjoyed seeing them. They left the next morning for their daughters in Virginia. We've had a fabulous time with them and the fun times kept going on with Troy's family.
Troy and family stayed in a cute log cabin here in Nauvoo. We ate all our meals together at our cottage. Grandma stocked the freezer, fridge and cupboards with all the grandkids favorite food and treats. I think everyone enjoyed spending more time with us than having grandma spend time making everything homemade. It sure was much easier on me!
I think they saw all the plays and performances going on in Nauvoo right now. We went to most of the sites. One day was spent seeing Carthage Jail and in Burlington. I had arranged tickets for them to see Rendezvous, Just Plain Anna Amanda a puppet show, Sunset on the Mississippi, and a special Jazz band and dance group from B.Y.U. Everyone was so agreeable to all the performances and seemed to enjoy learning more about the early Saints in Nauvoo. We also went to the Family Search Center and made fan charts of their ancestors so they could know the names of their blood line back five generations.
The highlight of their visit was being able to see my grandkids baptized and confirmed for the dead in the Nauvoo Temple. Troy baptized them and Rudi helped confirm them at the fonts edge. Troy and Kristin then went upstairs and did all the initiatory work for those ancestors that were just baptized and confirmed. The next day Rudi and I officiated an endowment session that Troy and Kristin were the witnesses in. It was wonderful to know all the work they did was their ancestors also. A lot of long awaited work being done for our family last week. My heart is full of gratitude for their desire to help me with this important work. Kristin even took home a stack of family file cards that her family can work on at home. What a sweetheart she is and just possible the best daughter-in-law any one could have. After the session Rudi took them on the tour of the temple. Troy and Rudi were like little boys checking out all the neat pipes and mechanical workings of the temple. Rudi misses his son so much and loved having him here to see all his toys and playground (the temple).
I asked them before they left what was their favorite thing in Nauvoo. Everyone's answer was different. There is so much to see and do here. We will always cherish our time with them in this City of Joseph. Hopefully their testimonies of the Early Saints and the sacrifice they made for us will be forever imprinted on their minds and hearts. We feel so fortunate to be able to serve a temple mission here and have our children come and see and feel some of what we experience everyday.
Since Ainsley will be starting kindergarten this fall we had our German tradition of celebrating her with giving her a sugartutan (spelling not sure) filled with treats and surprises for her. She also wears a dundal dress (spelling again) and we take pictures of her. I have a wall in my house at home with all the previous grandchildren who have started school. Ainsley will now join that hall of recognition. What a sweetheart she is and so special to be the only grandchild to have her picture taken in Nauvoo. Kristen brought all the clothes and sugartutan with her so we could honor Ainsley. I'll send more pictures next week of her with grandma and grandpa.
Right now it's raining, lightning, thundering harder than we've ever experienced in Nauvoo yet. The little ditch in front of our place is flooding over with excess water. It's only 5:30 and it's as dark as if it were 9:00 at night. Midwest storms are a lot more severe than Utah storms. Everything when it comes to weather is a lot worse in the Midwest. I'm so grateful we are back from our Sunday assignment in Canton. Speaking of Canton, my Relief Society lesson went really well and the spirit was so strong. One of our newly baptized sisters bore her testimony of how Heavenly Father knew her personally and guided her to the correct church. Our lesson was on "Fear Not; I Am With Thee" and her testimony really brought it all together. Rudi's lesson went well also. He lead a group discussion on keeping the sabbath day holy and what we can do appropriate on Sunday. He's getting to be a natural at teaching. We're so thankful for this opportunity to serve in the Canton Branch. I think we're learning more from them than they are from us. The blessings just keep coming! Life is good and the gospel is so true. It blesses us in so many ways. I also shared my homemade caramels with the Relief Society sisters as a thank you for being so SWEET and welcoming to us into their branch.
We're getting so excited to pick up Ellie in St. Louis one week from tomorrow. What am I going to do when all my company goes home and I have to go back to reality. It will be O.K. since we live in a bubble here in Nauvoo. We really haven't missed that much time of temple work while Troy's family was here. We try and work around our schedule and meet them after for more quality time together. The only draw back is the high humidity and hot days. We try and do inside activities during the day and go outside in the evening and early morning. So far I haven't melted yet like the wicked witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz.
So much to email about, but I'm sure you're getting tired of reading. Just know that this week was so special and the memories made will last forever. Nine more months until we see them again. By then Joshua will be driving and Tieler will be getting ready to graduate. They're growing up way to fast. I'm so glad Rudi and I are not going to get any older! Don't I wish!!!
Until next week, have a lot of summer fun. Be sure and make memories and be kind to each other.
We love you all and appreciate your support in this wonderful mission.
Rudi and Kathy
Mom and Dad
GRANDPA AND GRANDMA (miss our grandkids beyond words, but know you're being great examples of living the gospel).
"It's nice when you pray for someone, but it's better if you become an answer to someone's prayer."
"Be sensitive and try to understand other people's pain. Sometimes that's all they need to heal."
"If you can't be happy for other people, at least don't ruin their happiness."
"Make sure your words are sweet, you never know when you may have to eat them."
This week went by so fast! Troy and his family arrived on Monday evening and it's been a whirlwind everyday since. It was so exciting to finally have some of our kids come to Nauvoo. We've been so homesick for them. As they rounded the corner on Hotchkiss Street I started to cry tears of joy. Rudi was so excited to see them that he walked up the street to make sure they turned in on the right street. I think he just wanted to be the first one to see them! They all looked so great and hugs and kisses were being passed around to every grandchild and Troy and Kristin. Our biggest surprise was Joshua towering over grandma and almost as tall as grandpa. Little Ainsley just wrapped her arms around our legs and wouldn't let go. What a cutie and so full of love for us. Carson and Caden were absolutely so charming and grownup. Tieler was darling and beautiful as usual. She's so loving and kind to us and very interested in a cute perspective missionary back home, so you can imagine where most of her thoughts are!
Rosey and Steve were still here so they also welcomed them and enjoyed seeing them. They left the next morning for their daughters in Virginia. We've had a fabulous time with them and the fun times kept going on with Troy's family.
Troy and family stayed in a cute log cabin here in Nauvoo. We ate all our meals together at our cottage. Grandma stocked the freezer, fridge and cupboards with all the grandkids favorite food and treats. I think everyone enjoyed spending more time with us than having grandma spend time making everything homemade. It sure was much easier on me!
I think they saw all the plays and performances going on in Nauvoo right now. We went to most of the sites. One day was spent seeing Carthage Jail and in Burlington. I had arranged tickets for them to see Rendezvous, Just Plain Anna Amanda a puppet show, Sunset on the Mississippi, and a special Jazz band and dance group from B.Y.U. Everyone was so agreeable to all the performances and seemed to enjoy learning more about the early Saints in Nauvoo. We also went to the Family Search Center and made fan charts of their ancestors so they could know the names of their blood line back five generations.
The highlight of their visit was being able to see my grandkids baptized and confirmed for the dead in the Nauvoo Temple. Troy baptized them and Rudi helped confirm them at the fonts edge. Troy and Kristin then went upstairs and did all the initiatory work for those ancestors that were just baptized and confirmed. The next day Rudi and I officiated an endowment session that Troy and Kristin were the witnesses in. It was wonderful to know all the work they did was their ancestors also. A lot of long awaited work being done for our family last week. My heart is full of gratitude for their desire to help me with this important work. Kristin even took home a stack of family file cards that her family can work on at home. What a sweetheart she is and just possible the best daughter-in-law any one could have. After the session Rudi took them on the tour of the temple. Troy and Rudi were like little boys checking out all the neat pipes and mechanical workings of the temple. Rudi misses his son so much and loved having him here to see all his toys and playground (the temple).
I asked them before they left what was their favorite thing in Nauvoo. Everyone's answer was different. There is so much to see and do here. We will always cherish our time with them in this City of Joseph. Hopefully their testimonies of the Early Saints and the sacrifice they made for us will be forever imprinted on their minds and hearts. We feel so fortunate to be able to serve a temple mission here and have our children come and see and feel some of what we experience everyday.
Since Ainsley will be starting kindergarten this fall we had our German tradition of celebrating her with giving her a sugartutan (spelling not sure) filled with treats and surprises for her. She also wears a dundal dress (spelling again) and we take pictures of her. I have a wall in my house at home with all the previous grandchildren who have started school. Ainsley will now join that hall of recognition. What a sweetheart she is and so special to be the only grandchild to have her picture taken in Nauvoo. Kristen brought all the clothes and sugartutan with her so we could honor Ainsley. I'll send more pictures next week of her with grandma and grandpa.
Right now it's raining, lightning, thundering harder than we've ever experienced in Nauvoo yet. The little ditch in front of our place is flooding over with excess water. It's only 5:30 and it's as dark as if it were 9:00 at night. Midwest storms are a lot more severe than Utah storms. Everything when it comes to weather is a lot worse in the Midwest. I'm so grateful we are back from our Sunday assignment in Canton. Speaking of Canton, my Relief Society lesson went really well and the spirit was so strong. One of our newly baptized sisters bore her testimony of how Heavenly Father knew her personally and guided her to the correct church. Our lesson was on "Fear Not; I Am With Thee" and her testimony really brought it all together. Rudi's lesson went well also. He lead a group discussion on keeping the sabbath day holy and what we can do appropriate on Sunday. He's getting to be a natural at teaching. We're so thankful for this opportunity to serve in the Canton Branch. I think we're learning more from them than they are from us. The blessings just keep coming! Life is good and the gospel is so true. It blesses us in so many ways. I also shared my homemade caramels with the Relief Society sisters as a thank you for being so SWEET and welcoming to us into their branch.
We're getting so excited to pick up Ellie in St. Louis one week from tomorrow. What am I going to do when all my company goes home and I have to go back to reality. It will be O.K. since we live in a bubble here in Nauvoo. We really haven't missed that much time of temple work while Troy's family was here. We try and work around our schedule and meet them after for more quality time together. The only draw back is the high humidity and hot days. We try and do inside activities during the day and go outside in the evening and early morning. So far I haven't melted yet like the wicked witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz.
So much to email about, but I'm sure you're getting tired of reading. Just know that this week was so special and the memories made will last forever. Nine more months until we see them again. By then Joshua will be driving and Tieler will be getting ready to graduate. They're growing up way to fast. I'm so glad Rudi and I are not going to get any older! Don't I wish!!!
Until next week, have a lot of summer fun. Be sure and make memories and be kind to each other.
We love you all and appreciate your support in this wonderful mission.
Rudi and Kathy
Mom and Dad
GRANDPA AND GRANDMA (miss our grandkids beyond words, but know you're being great examples of living the gospel).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my oldest grandson Joshua. He is Troy and Kristin's oldest son. He'll be 15 on June 29th. Such a good kid and so much fun to be around. Just three years and he'll be wearing a badge like ours.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our oldest daughter and child, Tiffini. Wish I had a picture of her alone, but as usual she's always with her kids and husband. What an awesome day June 26th was when she made us parents for the first time. We love and appreciate all she does for us and our family.
Troy and Kristin's family at Carthage Jail. What a fantastic fun filled family they are. Thanks for a wonderful week of memories.
Girl power at the Carthage Jail. Tieler, Kristin, Ainsley and yours truly, grandma.
Inside the jail room where Joseph and Hyrum and the others were staying right before Joseph and Hyrum were martyred.
Waiting for a wagon ride around Nauvoo.
Steve, Rosey, Troy's family and Rudi and I right before Rosey and Steve left for Lori's in Virginia.
Caden and Carson up close and personal with the statues of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum.
Out seeing the sights of Nauvoo.
Troy's family at the Nauvoo Temple. Best spot in Nauvoo.
All of us together before Rudi and I went to work at the temple.
Ainsley in her drundal dress. I'll send more pictures of her with her sugartutan next week. German tradition when children start school.
In Burlington at the bridge going over the Mississippi River. Check out grandmas big hat almost blowing away.
Grandma, Tieler, and Kristin at Gypsies trying on hats. Just what I needed!
Our last meal together before they left for Utah. I miss them already! Loved having them in Nauvoo.
