Thoughts for the week:
"Most of the time we have to tell people about our needs. NOT WITH FAMILY. They already know what we need before we open our mouths."
"Remember that part of your success is the people around who either helped and motivated you, or challenged you. It's never on your own. Be humble."
"A true friend picks you up over and over again even though they keep stumbling on their own."
Where do I begin to express this week. To begin with the reason this email is so late is due to my having to write it three times before it actually worked. Keep in mind this is the longest email thus far that I have written. The first time it was completely finished and I went in the other room and when I came back the screen was blank. I tried everything to retrieve it but with no success. After a few tears I started again. This time I thought I could beat the battery life of my ipad. Suddenly the screen was blank again with only two sentences left to included. When Rudi got home from the temple and found me in a heap of stress he no problem its still there. Well, it wasn't so this is the third time I'm trying to get this email finished. Wish me luck!!! Maybe I'm not suppose to send an email this week????
Besides this major stress it's been a very emotional week. Saying goodby to 100 temple missionaries who mean so much to us is very hard on it's own. We are now left with just 10 couples. We are getting 7 new couples in November. Skeletal crew is what it seems like. Winter is very slow so they only keep at the most 20 couples. I'm lonely all ready. All of the missionaries on our street have packed up and left. Hopefully they'll assign some new across the street soon.
I'll start with last Sunday. Two days after my sweet brothers left Donna and Ken Biberston arrived. Love having company! They brought with them the true missionary spirit of Zimbabwe Africa. Love hearing about their mission. It was so good to see them after two long years. We tried to show them different sites in Nauvoo since they had been here twice before. They went with us to church in Canton and enjoyed our little branch of faithful saints. They also brought small toy cars and trucks for the primary kids. They were the kind that the sisters in the R.S. sent to Africa for the children. Such a sweet memorable gift for our kids in Canton. We had a nice
Sunday dinner with them and enjoyed hearing about their missionary experiences. Sure will miss not having them live next door to us when we get home. They've moved to Boise to be near their family. I kow how important that is!
Monday being P-day we spent the whole day seeing the sites of Nauvoo with the Biberstons. We went to Burlington and went down Snake Alley, went shopping in old downtown Burlington and had lunch at Gators one of our favorite restaurants there in town. I love shopping with Donna, she has such great taste in clothes and decor. That night was our farewell dinner and testimony meeting with the missionaries at the sake center. The Biberstons went to the play at the Old Cultural Hall here in Nauvoo while we were gone. The dinner was so yummy, with the best pork chops I've ever had. Found out they were cooked in a crock pot. The choir sang Dear Nauvoo and then we went into the chapel for our testimony meeting. What a beautiful experience to share our love for our missions and each other. Many tears shed, but much love felt. The choir then sang Nearer, My God to Thee, and I had a really hard time as many others did also singing. It was wonderful to really feel the words. Our choir leader change some of the words on the second verse that made it very personal to our mission experience. They were, Time passes swiftly on, our mission over, memories and cherished thoughts, forever more. Labors of selfless acts, binding posterity, in scared walls we feel, nearer to thee! And serve thee ever more, nearer to thee. These words are very tender to me and will always bring back memories of my mission experience and love for the choir and its members. After the closing prayer the choir sang Go Now In Peace as we slowly left our choir seats on the stand. Choice memories and very emotional. I'll never forget.
Tuesday we went to see the local cemeteries. We felt such a calm in that sacred place. Brigham Young said, next to our temples, cemeteries our the holiest places. We need to always remember how many saints gave their lives for our membership in the only true and lasting church. We then spent time in the temple. We hope everyone who visits us will feel like the temple was the highlight of their stay here. Thanks everyone who has come to Nauvoo to visit us for enriching our lives and hopefully catching the true spirit of beautiful Nauvoo.
After having breakfast with the Biberstons we sent them on their way and made our way to the temple. We were very fortunate to able to have a special endowment session with all the winter missionaries that afternoon. The room was almost completely filled with our closest friends and fellow missionaries. We all had the opportunity to participate in the prayer circle together. I can't begin to express the emotional high that was felt as we completely circled the entire room. What a great memory I'll always have of that day in the temple. Rudi and the other engineers were also able to attend making it even more special for us. After the session and the tears were once again wiped away I returned to my shift as endowment coordinator just in time to welcome and help the mission presidents through out the midwest and Canada and their wives with their special session. We also had several general authorities and their wives on the session. As I stood there with Pres. and Sis. McArthur and Bro. King who helps with endowments with me, I had to pinch myself to take it all in and realize I was really there in my bubble world again. Pres. McArthur told Rudi later that I made great "window dressing". I think he meant it as a compliment but really "window dressing". I've been called a lot of things but never that. He told us to be very friendly and make them feel welcome so I did! I guess I was radiating or something!!! Great Day!
Thursday after our temple shift we went to Burlington for dinner with some more special friends before they leave to go home. With all the eating and crying this week I'm exhausted!
Friday was a very busy day at the temple. So many local saints trying to get a last session in before the three week shut down of the temple. Lots of baptisms, sealings, and endowments performed. Pres. McArthur said we set an all time high
Friday and
Saturday for that time of the year. Great news, I love it when we are busy. That night was our crab night in Burlington with our Crab Buddies. I guess we need to find some new missionaries who love crab!
Saturday was our last day serving in the temple before shut down. Lots of hugs from everyone even though we aren't leaving. So much love felt at the temple!
Later that night once again we ate with some friends in Keokuk at Angelini's for the last time. So many memories have been made at that restaurant. Yes, we eat out a lot, but we also share a lot of love and support for each other over a good meal. When we got back in Nauvoo we went on the Pumpkin Walk with the Lindholm's and the Hall's. What an exciting way to display over 500 lit pumpkins. Many are professionally done for stores in town. So clever and beautifully displayed. Pres. Nelson of the temple presidency over sees it and it is spectacular! Love the way the whole town comes out and supports all the activities.
Sunday was the climax of a week of so many highs and few lows. The tears are the lows, went thru a lot of eye makeup this week.
Sunday morning we went to sacrament meeting with the site missionaries. So good to see them again. Elder Perry spoke which was such a highlight. He spoke about his mission in his youth to the Nauvoo area. It was so touching and heart felt. What a giant of a man, not only spiritually but literally a very tall man. He must be at least 6'5''. He just had hip replacement surgery so he was a little slow on the up take. He's aged a lot and seems quit frail. He is now the oldest member of the apostles. I still remember my mom telling me about him being a witness at my parents wedding in the Logan Temple. He had just returned from his mission and was at the temple that day. They needed another witness and asked him if he would be willing. How wonderful to have his signature on their wedding certificate. His wife was also a graduate of my moms nursing class when she become a registered nurse from the L.D.S. Hospital. I've meet her a few times at their reunions when I've taken mom. Great memories of them.
Well I really have rattled on long enough. It really has been a wonderful, spiritual, and emotional week for us. I keep wondering why I had to type this email three times, but each time I do it refreshes my memory bank and helps me to never forget this choice week.
We continue to love serving in the City of Joseph. Our lives are so rich with loving friends and family. We love you all so much and appreciate your love and support of us. Have a great week, I'm going to rest after so many hours at the keyboard.
With love always,
Rudi and Kathy (forever Nauvoo Missionaries)
Enjoying having my brothers and Stan and Janet Call for dinner at our cottage.
Rudi, Ron, and Don at the Stone Quarry in Nauvoo.
The Three Thomas's. Love these two brothers of mine so much and appreciate them visiting us in Nauvoo.
My brothers doing what they do best, making us laugh! Winner, winner, chicken dinner at Ogo's in Keokek.
Couldn't pass up this picture, Ron and Don and their sleeping arrangements in our small cottage.
A trip to the temple. What a special memory I'll always have of us in the temple. Rudi made sure they saw all of the temple from top to bottom.
Ken and Donna in Canton with us for church. Couldn't pass up a beautiful tree like this.
Floral arrangement at the stake center. Robert Saint who does my hair puts up two new arrangements every Sunday.
Donna and Ken at the drainage bridge in Nauvoo. This is where the early saints drained the swamps.
War memorial honoring the war hero's of the Nauvoo area.
Old Nauvoo cemetery. These two guys look pretty old themselves. Hope they aren't ready to stay here too long.
A beautiful statue in the cemetery representing the early saints, especially children, who died during the early period of Nauvoo.
These special people are responsible for our temple choir. Left to right, Sis. McCellen our chorister, Sis. Henderson and Bro. Rementisch our pianists, and the Terry's our presidents.
The six Chatty Kathy's serving as temple workers. Only one is very quiet, do you think it is me???
Candid shots of our farewell dinner in the stake center. Love all these people so much!
Donna and I at an old church in Burlington. Since its for sale we thought it would make a beautiful reception center. Any takers?
Rudi and I a the same church. Love the old buildings in Burlington.
It was so sunny that day that the pictures aren't very clear. The four of us at Snake Alley.
Our last trip to the casino with our crab bubbies. Bro. Todd takes his crab eating very seriously. He brings surgical scissors to get the crab out better. He's trying to cut the rest of my cut off finger off with his scissors. Super fun people that will be missed so much. The Wilson's also love crab.
Eating at Angelini's for the last time with these great ladies. Brenda Lindholm, Judy Moller, Peggy Hall.
Our better half's holding our left overs. Husbands are good for a lot of things!
I love this picture of the temple. I took it so I could remember the beautiful fall leaves.
Night picture of the temple. You can never have too many pictures of this temple.
Another front door picture!
Beautiful tree on Hotchkiss. Our cottage is right in the back of the picture. Love this street we call home.
