"The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply."
"Most people turn to others for encouragement, not for judgement. So if you can't say something positive, there's an option called SILENCE."
Another year is about to come to an end. What a year we've had! So many cherished memories. I'm so grateful I've never missed one week of sending out an email. Almost all of my memories are saved because I followed through with something that meant a lot to me. Hopefully my children, grandchildren and many generations after I'm long gone will enjoy what experiences Rudi and I had in Nauvoo.
This week has been full of parties, food, late nights, and most important an increase in patrons to the temple. Friday and Saturday after Christmas was really busy with lots of visitors to Nauvoo for the holidays. Because the weather has been so mild many people traveled long distances to make an endowment session and many young people did baptisms while in Nauvoo.
We had a fun Christmas Eve party at the Visitors Center. Missionaries love to just gather and talk and eat and laugh a lot. Most of us hurried home that night to Facetime or Skype our families. Rudi and I enjoyed being a part of our kids traditional Christmas Eve Party. Everyone was there but Tami's family and us. Everyone is growing up so fast. Josh our oldest grandson is now taller than his dad Troy at 6 ft. plus. Along with that his voice also made a giant step down. Josh is just happy to be taller than Ellie, Traci's oldest child. Ethan, Traci's son also is growing like a weed and his voice also is way deeper. Tieler, our oldest grandchild is a senior. How did we ever get old enough to have grandkids that old? All the other grandkids were adorable to see and listen and watch their talents. So proud of our family and miss them terribly. We're so glad they are keeping up the Diederich traditions.
Tami is struggling to be away from home for the holidays for the first time. They are making friends and making new traditions in Wyoming. We all miss being together but we'll soon be home and Tami plans to spend a month this summer in Utah.
Christmas Day was spent being together and a huge Christmas Dinner. After dinner we again Facetimed our kids and got to see their Christmas presents.
Today has been especially long but wonderful. We had dinner with Gary and Robin Melton after our regular meetings in Canton. They're so kind and a lot of fun to be around. She fixed a yummy roast pork with all the trimmings. It tasted so good! She even sent home the left overs with us. How lucky are we!
We taught our last lesson in Gospel Principals class to day. It was on the Millennium and the Final Judgement, we combined two lessons. Rudi and I team teach the lesson together. We've really enjoyed studying together and especially in the car on the long drive out to Canton. It's been great to review the basic gospel doctrines and discuss them with our devoted class members. We had a newly baptized sister in our class today. Her husband was baptized in October and she followed him on Christmas Eve and was confirmed today in sacrament meeting. So excited to now be able to teach them in our temple prep class that will start next week and have about four or five other couples join us. I guess we're really involved in not only temple work but missionary work also. I think we could do this and love it longer than just this mission. Don't worry grandkids we'll be home for a while.
In our lesson we ended with this thought that really choked me up.
"Imagine what joy each of us will have when we return to our Heavenly Father if we can say: "Father, I lived according to Thy will. I have been faithful and have kept Thy commandments. I am happy to be home again." Then we will hear Him say, "Well done....; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord" (Matthew 25:23)
I've loved these lessons, and truth be known, we've learned more than our class members. That's what usual happens. Teaching temple prep class will be challenging but exciting to see these wonderful people come to the temple.
Once again I've been long winded. We want to thank the many friends and loved ones who remember us at Christmas time. We loved and enjoyed reading your cards and family updates. Thanks for making our holidays so special. May you all be healthy and happy in the new year. We continue to love our experience here in Nauvoo and we realize our days here serving in the temple are quickly coming to an end. We will have mixed emotions but look forward to our new challenges that await us back in Orem.
Oh, by the way my right hand has healed beautifully with very small incision marks that will disappear in a few weeks just in time to have the left hand done on Wednesday. When I get home I'll almost be a new woman! Too bad I can't work on the looks!
Bring in the New Year joyfully. We love you all.
Rudi and Kathy (The Nauvoo Missionaries)
Our Christmas Eve party with all the temple missionaries. Great food as usual and three short videos. The Gift, The Nativity, and another one I can't remember the name. So much fun to be with our family away from home.
A Christmas drive through Keokuk Park all lit up. Very well done!
More lights along the road. So many lights all to music.
Our Christmas dinner with the site missionaries. They went all out with delicious food, super table decorations, and a program (1and half hours) way, way to long but pretty good!
Our table of friends. From left to right Rudi, the Jacobsons, the Heighchews, and the Bassetts.
Bro. and Sis. Marriott. Laura these wonderful people are Dora's oldest daughter and husband. He's a sealer at the temple. They've also been temple president and matron in a South American temple.
Pres. and Sis. Depperman and their daughter. He's president of the Canton Branch. Great people! Their only daughter has birth defects, and they are so patient and loving to her. We sure think the world of these people.
Sis. Jensen of the Canton Branch. She is a counselor in Y.W. She is adorable and so dedicated to the gospel. She's in her late seventies and drives herself to the temple twice of month to do the work for her ancestors that she has searched out. Love and respect her determination.
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