Sleigh Ride, Group Family Home Evening, Temple Work

This past Friday we decided to take a sleigh ride here in Nauvoo.  When it snows enough, the teamsters (who are Church Historic Site Missionaries) will hook up the horses to the sleighs and offer sleigh rides down here close to the historic sites.  It was a nice morning for doing this.  It snowed about four inches the day before.  We rode on the sleigh for over 30 minutes and went close enough to take a picture with the Nauvoo temple in the background.  It was a lot of fun being with two other temple missionary couples and being on the sleigh on the snow.  

This is Elder and Sister Handy (from Ogden, Utah) who came here at the same time we did.  They decided to build a good looking snowman.

This evening we attended a Group Family Home Evening.  The topic focused on four houses (fairly close to the temple) which are being restored.  Three of these homes will be part of the a new walking tour which will focus on the temple and these people (in these homes) who played a big part in the construction of the temple.  Elder and Sister Willmore (Special Project Missionaries) gave this presentation.  They are part of the Nauvoo Historic Home Restoration Project (which is in year two of a thirty year master plan).  They said they didn't know when the homes and the rest of the tour area will be completed.  We hope this tour will be available when we return to Nauvoo in July for 5 days.  Below are two links that talk about this project:
https://www.whig.com/20180314/lds-church-outlines-project-to-extend-visitor-experience-in-nauvoo
https://www.whig.com/20190617/restoration-work-begins-for-new-historic-nauvoo-master-plan

And here is a link that talks about the Nauvoo Restoration Project:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1980/03/nauvoo-today-building-again-the-city-beautiful?lang=eng




We continue to serve in the temple five days a week.  This past week was another wonderful week.  Each day we see the Lord's hand in the work that is being done in the temple.   

We have some patrons who come every day.  We have some district temple workers who travel up to three hours to serve here.  They often come 1-2 times a month, but some come every week.  We are inspired by their faithfulness.

We are enjoying the chance to get to know the temple missionaries who work every day.  We also love and appreciate them.  

Temple work brings out the best in everyone.  There is a feeling of peace, love and order in the temple.  The temple is the House of the Lord.  His Spirit dwells there. 


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Church Historic Sites in Nauvoo, Very Cold Weather and the Geese

This past week we visited some of the Church's Historic Sites in Nauvoo.  Last Tuesday was a pleasant day, weather-wise, here in Nauvoo, so we decided to visit the sites on this day.  We visited the Stoddard Tin Shop, John Taylor Home, and the Post Office (and the Merryweather store next to it).  We had a splendid time seeing the sites, and learning more about them, including learning about the owners of the sites (Stoddards, John and Leonora Taylor, and the Merryweathers).  The historic site missionaries do such a marvelous job telling us about these sites and these people.  Below are some pictures we took at these sites.

 







On Friday the weather changed.  It started off raining, then turned to snow, then the snow melted a little, then over the weekend the weather turned very cold.  The temperature reached single digits on Saturday, and on Sunday it got down close to 0 degrees Fahrenheit.  Our Temple Presidency decided to close the temple on Saturday due to the icy road and sidewalk conditions.  Many of our ordinance workers and patrons travel long distances to come to the temple.  Most of the side roads do not get cleared very often when it snows.  So this is a safety concern for everyone.  On Sunday, Church was cancelled in the Nauvoo wards (and many of the other wards/branches around here) so we stayed here in our apartment.  


Below is a picture of the Nauvoo temple I took on Sunday.  Notice the icy road and sidewalk.
  


Below are two pictures of a lot of geese (there are hundreds and hundreds of them) on the partially frozen Mississippi River:



Today I took a picture of the geese now in a corn field on the flats - next to the Historic sites:

Below are two pictures of the snow on the ground near some Historic sites on Main street.

Temple Endowment, Nauvoo Historic Sites, Group Family Home Evening

The Church just released the video "What is the temple endowment?".  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints go to temples to worship. The Endowment Ceremony teaches about God's plan.  We are frequently assigned to participate on endowment sessions on our shifts.   It is wonderful that the Church has released this video.  Here is the link to this:  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2018-12-1000-what-is-a-temple-endowment?lang=eng

We haven't said much about this for some time, but we have different assignments every day, going from one area to another every hour or so, unless we are in any leadership role (e.g., trainers or coordinators).  We are getting a new schedule every day. Wherever we are at, it is just wonderful to be in, and serve in this beautiful temple.  The Spirit is always very strong.  There is peace, comfort, love and order in the temple.  It is indeed the House of the Lord.

A few days ago we took the opportunity to visit two of the Church Historic Sites in Nauvoo.  There are 26 sites that the Church maintains in Nauvoo. Here is the link to the Church's website on the Nauvoo Historic Sites:  https://www.historicnauvoo.net/historic-sites

We have visited most of these sites and have always enjoyed the time we spend at the sites.  We also appreciate the wonderful thoughts and background that the site missionaries give at the historic sites.  This time we visited the Heber C. Kimball Home, the first historic site home purchased and restored in Nauvoo.  We also visited the Wilford Woodruff home, known for its many fireplaces.  Both houses are very interesting and more importantly, the lives of Heber and Vilate Kimball, and also Wilford and Phoebe Woodruff were truly remarkable.  We have an increased respect and admiration for these great people.  Below are some pictures we took at these sites.

We had a Group Family Home (FHE) Evening activity tonight at the Church's Visitors' Center for all of the Temple Missionaries and the Temple Presidency.  We, along with Elder and Sister Handy, were in charge of this activity.  Brother Scott Sumner, a wonderful photographer who lives here in Nauvoo gave a presentation on some of his experiences in taking beautiful, meaningful, and Gospel centric pictures.  His photos focus on the Savior.  He bore his testimony of the Savior.  We have these Group FHE activities at least once a month.  

Temple Blessings, Pickleball, Break the Fast Dinner, and the Nauvoo Temple

This has been a wonderful week, primarily because two sisters who are in the Kewanee Branch received their temple blessings this past Tuesday in the Nauvoo Temple.  We taught them the Temple Preparation classes last year.  Marilyn was their guide in the temple.  We were privileged to be with them while they were there.  Their names are Antoinette Hall and her grandmother, Joanne Turner.  

After they received their temple blessings they both said they were very happy to be in the temple and said they felt peace there. They both want to come back soon.  We are so happy for them and feel so blessed that we could be involved with them receiving their temple blessings.  Below is a photo of them with us at Church yesterday.




This past week I decided to play pickleball again ( I played many months ago) with some of the temple missionaries.  We have a fitness center here (Motley's) where we can play.  They also have many weight and aerobic machines which many of us use.  It was a lot of fun playing with these wonderful fellow missionaries.  Below is a photo of us.




Yesterday we had dinner at President and Sister MacKay's home.  It was our monthly Break the Fast Dinner, which is held in different temple missionaries (or Temple Presidency) homes.  We had a very pleasant time with these wonderful people.  After dinner we played a version of Catch Phrase with index cards in a bowl, with Gospel topics listed.  It was a lot of fun.  We have hosted this dinner in the past.  Below is a photo of all of us who were there yesterday.



We continue to feel very blessed and honored to be able to serve in the Nauvoo Temple.  Every day we see tender mercies in the temple as individuals and families come to participate in temple ordinances.  The Spirit is strong in the temple.  Every temple is "The House of the Lord".  What a wonderful opportunity we have to serve as ordinance workers and sometimes as patrons in this beautiful temple.