"When my arms can't reach people who are close to my heart...I always hug them with my prayers."
"You don't have to look over your shoulder when you know God has your back."
"If you choose to give up, make sure it's only because you're starting over."
"Be surrounded by people who APPRECIATE your GOODNESS and help you work on your FLAWS, not by people who IGNORE your goodness and see only your FAULTS."
Another busy week in Nauvoo! The week started on Monday with our small FHE group getting together for appetizers and games at our cottage. Since Rudi is in charge of our once a month activity we decided to just get together and eat (what we all do best at) and play some fun games. The food was so good and we settled on playing dominos. Tiffini gave us a double 15 set of dominos for Christmas. Everyone loved just kicking back and enjoying each others company. We have a great group that gets along so well together. Thinking of it we all get along really well. No bad apples in the entire temple missionary bunch.
This week was our last week of the Durrant lecture series on Joseph Smith and the early saints and then all the prophets after him. I don't know what we'll do on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from now on. George and Susan Durrant were so interesting and delightful to listen to. They really know how to bring history of the saints to life. We'll miss them so much when they go home in August.
On Friday June 27th we went to Carthage to a special commemoration of 170 years since Joseph and Hyrum were martyred. It was so well done and very touching. Before the program we went across the street from the jail and went thru a museum. It was so interesting. It had church history and other history of Carthage. They had a wonderful display of miniature trains, artifacts of the early settlers and a lot of Lincoln displays. We couldn't get over how much they had on Lincoln's life and his visits to Carthage. It was fascinating to learn that Lincoln's body was one of the first to be embalmed back in that time. I know, pretty gross, but it made it possible for his body to travel by train all over the U.S. for 19 days before he was buried in Springfield, Illinois. The whole museum was full of interesting facts and displays. Glad we had some extra time before the program. The actual program was held outside at 5:00 p.m. at the exact time of the martyrdom, 5:15. They had the Nauvoo Brass Band play hymns. The young performing students from B.Y.U. gave a beautiful reenactment of the saints reaction to hearing about the Prophets death. The sister missionaries sang and the young men in the performing group sang, A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Then they had two horses without riders march down the path leading from the jail, so touching and brought tears to many an eye. At the end Pres. Gibbons, site missionary president gave a beautiful tribute to the Prophet and his brother. Rudi and I both commented that we wish we had a copy of his talk. So powerful and timely. The program only lasted one hour, but was packed with a lot of memory making moments. After the program we went with a few couples to Keokuk on our way home for dinner at Angelinin's one of our favorite Italian restaurants. I didn't take pictures of us eating because some people (I won't mention their names) say we take a lot of pictures of us eating. One of our funnest pastimes in Nauvoo.
Last night after our shift at the temple we supported the Methodist Church social. They have dinners in all the different denominations throughtout the city during the year and the missionaries try and support them to encourage goodwill among all the faiths. They had a pull pork dinner with all the trimmings. It was very good. Its amazing how many L.D.S missionaries were there.
Another example of our helping to promote good feelings with all the community, was on Wednesday night. I made brownies for Fort Madison to help with their community dinner they do once a month for the homeless and under privileged people in that city. The L.D.S. church was in charge this month so we try to help whenever and whenever we are needed. As you can see our missionary assignment just isn't in the temple but everywhere.
Today we went to Canton to serve the branch there. We took the Glassett's with us. We're really getting to know them a lot better and enjoy their company. We had Pres. Fenn from the Chicago Illinois Mission speak in sacrament along with his wife (Joseph McConkie's sister). They both gave very inspiring talks. Today was bring a friend to church Sunday. All the talks were centered around what we believe in and the Book of Mormon. He also spoke in our combined 5th Sunday priesthood and relief society meeting. After the block we went up and introduced ourselves and told him we are good friends of the McConkie's. We told them that we went on two trips with Joseph and Brenda to Israel and the church historical sites. We also asked if they had heard of Ron Hawkins who Joseph served with in the stake presidency, they said that they remember Joseph mentioning his name. So Ron your reputation gets around!
After the 3 blocks we had a Potluck Dinner. Everyone brought so much to share with everyone. I took my fudge mint brownies, and yes they disappeared quickly. The president of the branch said they have their problems but they sure know how to cook and make great food. Food again I know!!!
Well tomorrow is a big day for us. Being our P-day we will be traveling to St. Louis to pick our granddaughter Ellie up. She's flying in a few days early to spend some extra time with Grandpa and Grandma before her mom and brother arrive on Friday. Tiffini and her family will also arrive on Friday. We're so excited to see them all. They'll be here during the pageant and all the excitement of Nauvoo.
Yes, we still find time to serve in the temple. We love being there and seeing all the people spend some of their vacation time doing baptisms and other endowment work. We really are getting busy now. It's finally happening. Nauvoo is in full swing! So many tourists everywhere. We have to remember to always lock our doors, because so many people think all the period looking houses are open to the public. Now if we could just figure out how to teach the deer that our tomato plant is not a community feast. We finally got our first ripe tomato and I was going to pick it when I got home from the temple Friday only to find it gone. Solution, chicken wire all the way around the plant. The deer are cute but not welcome to my tomatoes. Rudi and I have babied that plant and look forward to fresh tomatoes if the deer leave it alone.
I included some more pictures of Ainsley and her special time in Nauvoo. We miss Troy and his family already but look forward to more family very soon.
Thanks always for all you do for us. Serving in Nauvoo has been a wonderful experience and continues to bring so much joy to our lives.
We love you all,
Rudi and Kathy (failing at being farmers)
Mom and Dad
Most importantly Grandpa and Grandma
Love all your pictures, emails, Facebook entries, calls, and texts. Keep them coming.
Ainsley with Grandpa and Grandma at the temple.
Ainsley with her sugartutun in front of our cottage.
Troy and Kristin with Ainsley. Such a sweetheart.
She makes us smile! Love that girl, Ainsley.
Rudi and I at the Lincoln display in the museum.
Judy Moller and I in front of the burial carriage.
Judy, and her husband David with Rudi in front of the train displays.
Rudi viewing the table they used in embalming. Yuck!
Our FHE party at our cottage. Lindholm's, Hall's and Hullinger's.
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