Our Days in Nauvoo Sept 21 - 27 2014

Dear Family,

We have had a really fun, full week with lots of pictures.  I may not be able to do all of the pictures this week. 

Sunday, Sept 21 – I love our Ottumwa ward.  We have made some wonderful friends there.  The speakers got done a bit early this morning so they called on Dad and Clair Davis to share their testimonies.  We ate dinner with Clive and Linda Parcell again today.  We walked around their beautiful yard while we waited for lasagna to cook. She is the perfect hostess – the kind I would like to be.  They are a wonderful couple and we will really miss them.  We stayed there until after 3:00 and then had our drive home.  The leaves are just starting to turn.  Some of the tall trees have a  red Virginia creeper climbing up the trunk.  It is so interesting and pretty.  We had a missionary report meeting tonight.  President Nelson told some of his experiences with the building of the Nauvoo Temple.  It was so interesting.  He said that SLC thought there would be about 20,000-30,000 visitors to the open house.  President Nelson told them it would probably be much higher.  They ended up having 330,000 people to the open house.  Lofthouse cookies (who the owners aren’t members but knew someone involved the the open house) furnished all the cookies for the open house.  He said they brought them in, in refrigerated semis and as soon as one was emptied another one would appear.  One of President Nelson's personal miracles was that the Palmyra Temple was dedicated just before the Nauvoo and they did the first broadcast of a temple dedication (so Nauvoo wasn't the pilot one) and several bugs were worked out before the Nauvoo dedication.  

Clive and Linda Parcell   They were called to be temple workers this past week and will start after the temple opens in November. They will be wonderful and we are thrilled for them.

Monday, Sept 22  – The temple was nice.  We did have a tour bus come so that made for one bigger session.  We had one of the most enjoyable activities of our mission tonight.  We went as an apartment to Irene and Tomasi Tukuafu’s home for FHE.  They live in a dome type or round home.  She builds harps and plays every kind of string instrument.  They gave us a tour of their home (small) and it is incredible – full of every kind of everything.  They played instruments for us and sang.  Irene had baked several loaves of  herb bread in tin cans in a 100 year old stove.  The roof of their home is built like a Mongolian yurt with a sky light.  The walls are barn wood.  The floors are all small wood pieces pieced together.  They have big tree trunks that were going to be burned as pillars in the middle.  They also have a railing made out of aspen trees that had been in a fire.  Irene sanded off all the black.  She has built almost everything inside their home or found it on ebay.  She is from Hawaii and he is from Tonga.  They have 14 children.  He knew Marsha Morton’s Dad, Ermal Morton when he was the principal at the Liahona High School in Tonga. This night was almost magical!

 

             

Tueday, Sept 23 – Today was a bit slower.  We didn't go to the temple until evening so we did some deep cleaning.  We got some baseboards washed and cleaned the windows.  I’m glad to have that done.  We did our evening shift at the temple.  We were assigned the 8:00 session and no one came so we finished earlier than we thought we would.  

Wednesday, Sept 24 - Haircut today - too short.  The temple was very busy this afternoon but we are short workers on the afternoon and evening shifts now since they split the one afternoon into two shifts.  The Durrant's are gone but now our treat is Doug Brinley, the author of family and marriage relations books.  He and his wife are here in Nauvoo as new site missionaries.  He is teaching a marriage fireside each week for 8 weeks.  We will go to the ones we can but we will go home before they are done.  They are going to be wonderful.

Thursday, Sept 25 – What a great day!!  We were busy in the temple.  I was able to be a patron on a session and then spent over 2 hours in initiatory.  We had one sister that did 26 names.  After the temple we went with 6 couples to Carthage with Dr. Craig Dunn.  He is a chiropractor here and runs Nauvoo Tours.  He took us on the Martyrdom Trail and it was wonderful!  We learned so much about Joseph and Hyrum's last days.  On the way home, as we were driving along the Mississippi, we saw a river boat.  We decided to drive back to Keokuk with the Ricks' and watch it go through the locks.  It was coming pretty slow so we drove in and got dinner at Taco Bell and then drove back out.  We still waited about 45 minutes but when it came through it was so worth the wait. It was dark by then and our pictures weren't as good as I'd hoped.  It was a huge river boat with a paddle called the American Queen.  People have private rooms with patios.  They said that sometimes, depending on the length of the trip, that it can cost $4000.  It was such a beautiful boat - at least 5 stories.  We watched it go into the lock and then drove so we could watch it come out the other end.  It was great!

            

 Friday, Sept 26 – We went on our P Day tour to Kalona today.  We left t 8:00 and drove almost 2 hours.  They were having their Kalona Festival.  It is kind of like the Blackfoot Fair – lots of people, food booths and lots of craft booths. They had lots of old machinery and a man doing chainsaw sculptures.  We walked around and ate lunch and then left at 3:00 for a tour of an Amish Bakery with delicious baked goods, JK Creative Wood, a shop with beautiful handmade Amish furnishings, quilts, etc. and then to an Amish Country Store (which Dad thought was a lot like the Menan Coop.  As we were driving to the Country Store I realized I couldn’t find my phone.  I remembered having it as we got off the bus at the Wood Shop.  We called the store back and they found it and said they would bring it to the Country Store.  We didn’t realize there was 2 stores and they took it to the one where we weren’t.  They ended up taking it to the fairgrounds and leaving it at their booth there.  I was so thankful to get it back.  We had dinner at a little 81 year old Amish lady that had cooked for the 16 of us. We had a wonderful roast beef dinner.  She cooked it all and her 15 year old granddaughter served us.  She served 26 two nights before and 12 the night before us.  Her husband was killed in a tractor accident about 20 years ago and she has been doing this ever since to provide for herself.  There was a wonderful spirit in her home.  We had an older gentleman in his 80's, that drove our little tour bus.  He was kind of a scary driver, backing into a delivery truck at the bakery on the tour before us and sideswiping a barricade pulling into the fairgrounds when we got back.  We were all worn out by the time we got home. 

  

           

Saturday, Sept 27 – The temple was very busy this morning.  I was Initiatory Coordinator for the first time on a morning and it was kind of crazy.  But I survived. The only little grocery store in Nauvoo is struggling and may be closing next week.  They have been trying to find investors to help keep it open.  We have had some credit there and we went there to buy our groceries and use up the rest of our credit.  I went to the Visitor's Center for the RS Broadcast. 

We are starting the countdown for having our mission end. It is bittersweet.  A month from now we will be on our way home. This has been a beautiful experience and we are so thankful for this blessing.  Our testimonies have grown and we will be forever changed because of this mission.  We love it her!  But are really looking forward to coming home.  We love each of you so much!  Choose the Right!!

Love, Mom and Dad / Grandma and Grandpa / Elder and Sister Hall

Our Days in Nauvoo Sept 14 - 20 2014

           

 Sunday, Sept. 14  – Loved church again today.  Elder Epperson was transferred- we felt bad about that – but Elder Wilcken is the new Elder with Elder Hensley.  I took pictures of them after church and sent them to their Mom’s and have heard back from each of them. Elder Wilcken has a cleft lip and palate.  It made me so homesick for Kade.  I just wanted to give him a hug.  Sister Howell went home this week and now they have a threesome – Sister Egget, Sister Zomora and Sister Felix.  It will be fun to get to know them better.  We stopped at the Gothic House on the way home and got some fun pictures.  Dad and Elder Davis were good sports and put on the costumes.  We had our choir picture taken on the temple steps, then choir practice at the stake center and then a Carthage Crime Scene fireside by Dr. Dunn at the Visitor’s Center.  It was full, interesting evening.  

             

Monday, Sept 15 – We had a good day at the temple.  We led the 9:00 session – only 7 people though.  We came home and then went back to do 2 family baptisms.  I ended up doing 4 names for Sister Wilson and Sister Hanson. Dad was baptized for 1 but he baptized Brother Thaxton for about 7. These 2 are names that we will take through for our “white Christmas.”  We have been encouraged by President McArthur to take a name through from baptism to sealing.  We have found a family, Fred (father) whose work is done, but not his sealing to his wife Lilian.  Lilian (mother) whose work has not been done and Ernest (their son) whose work has not been done.  We will do the work for Lilian and Ernest and then seal Lilian and Fred to each other and then Ernest to them.  Getting involved in family history has been a really rewarding part of our mission for me.  I forgot to take a brush to the temple with me so I looked a bit scary when we left after the baptisms.  It was our big temple group FHE cowboy wiener roast at the end of Parley Street. It was so much fun, but a little cold.  We had rain this morning and we were thankful we didn’t get wet.  Our temple president, President McArthur is in the BYU sweatshirt in the second picture.  He is wonderful!

Tueday, Sept 16 – Believe it or not, but I am still trying to figure out a schedule for living life here in Nauvoo.  I decided last week to do housework all on the same day so this morning was spent cleaning.  I went to Sister Robison’s art class from 3:30 – 5:00 and Dad picked me up a bit before 5:00 for our temple shift at 5:30.  We had 2 sisters that came for the 8:00 session so most of us were there until 10:00.  There are only 7 on our evening shift and one of those is our coordinator.  One sister went home sick and they sent another couple home a bit early because they have to be back early in the morning.  We were working with a pretty slim crew.   

Wednesday, Sept 17 – Kathy Crockett woke me up with a phone call to walk at 8:30.  I got to bed pretty late last night and didn’t set an alarm.  We still got a walk in.  The only thing I accomplished was to lift weights before we had to leave for the temple at noon.  We had a quiet afternoon.  I missed a prayer circle because I didn’t get released from initiatory in time.  This Tuesday went much smoother than last week.  We came home, ate and then went back for our 2nd cleaning assignment at the temple.  I did lots of vacuuming and cleaned 9 big silk flowers arrangements with a blow dryer on low.  There were still patrons in the temple so I had to carry them to a room where I could close the door before turning anything on.  We have to be back early in the morning. 

             

Thursday, Sept 18 – The temple was good.  Dad and I were able to do Lilian and Ernest's initiatory.  I had the Celestial Room at 9:00.  I love going in there early in the morning.  It is so beautiful with the sun coming in.  There was a beautiful young sister that came in to sit for a little bit.  We visited for a minute as she was leaving and she shared with me that she is overwhelmed with being a mother.  I tried to encouraged her to enjoy the journey, that her children will only be little once and then grown and gone.  She gave me a hug as she left and told me that she had needed our conversation.  There are so many sweet experiences that have come as we've been in our different assignments.  I'm so thankful for each of them.  We also led the 11:00 session.  That always makes the shift seem faster. We also went to the Community of Christ Visitor's Center and watched the video there.  We missed that when we did their tour - their machine wasn't working.

Friday, Sept 19 – Day off.  We went on the carriage and wagon rides this morning.  We had such a gorgeous day.  We also went to see the Old Arched Bridge.  It is so pretty.  We decided to go to Rendezvous again tonight.  And it must be about time to come home.  I think I’m getting on Dad’s nerves.  Well, I've probably been on his nerves long before now  . . . . .

Carriage Ride - King Follett well

  

Wagon Ride - Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store 

Dad at theStone Arched Bridge by the Nauvoo State Park 

         

Saturday, Sept 20 – We had a really busy day at the temple.  The session we were supposed to follow was small but the next few sessions were so big they couldn’t fit everyone in.  They have asked me to be the initiatory coordinator every other Saturday morning.  I’m nervous about that.  There has to be a happy medium between nothing happening on Tuesday nights and crazy busy on Saturday mornings.  We also had a sister go through initiatory this morning for her mother-in-law who passed away 1 ½ years ago.  It was a really tender time for all of us involved.  We invited our neighbors (the Johnson's and Andelin's) over tonight to watch the movie "God Is Not Dead." McKechnie's didn't come - they had company from CA.  Good movie and even better company!!

Love each of you!  We are so thankful for the gospel and for our testimonies.  Thank you for being so wonderful!  Please "make good choices!"

Love, Mom and Dad / Grandma and Grandpa / Elder and Sister Hall

 

Our Days in Nauvoo Sept 7 - 13 2014

Dear Family,

We can't believe that September is almost half over.  The weather has been much colder the last few days.  Tourists here aren't prepared for the cold.  Usually it is still very warm through September.  The weather isn't their normal for sure.

Sunday, Sept 7  – Church in Ottumwa.  They had to open the overflow again this week.  It is awesome!  They have so many new people coming.  I'm getting behind in my goal to try to meet at least one new person each week. We had our Break the Fast dinner tonight with 3 other couples.  This has been a great way to get to know people better.  Dad came out from the shower this morning and said “these garments don’t fit at all.”  No wonder - he folded the clothes last night and had put my long temple slip in his drawer with his things.   I'm putting that on the list with when he thought he was putting biofreeze on his stiff neck (in the middle of the night) and found out after that it was shoe polish.  

 Monday, Sept 8 – I worked in the laundry today for 30 minutes.  I love it down there.  It was a good day with a variety of assignments.  We went to El Camino Real Restaurant with the Crockett’s for lunch after we finished at the temple.  It was a fun afternoon.  Dad sort of did the ice bucket challenge.  Kathy reached across the table to hand Dad a napkin and knocked her big glass of ice water over right into Dad’s lap.  It was pretty funny – and pretty cold and wet.  We went to Land and Records for a few minutes and found out where some of Dad’s relatives lived while in Nauvoo, and got a CD.  We had a fireside / FHE – Lane Wright talking about his book “Symbols of the Temple.”  It was interesting but so warm. 

Tuesday, Sept 9 - We tried to walk with Paul and Linda Ricks this morning but we got rained out.  They ended up coming here for breakfast and visiting and it was fun.  Our last session each day has been 6:00 PM since the pageant ended but they have decided to offer a 7:00 and an 8:00 Tuesday - Saturday hoping the attendance will come up.  They are having 2 afternoon shifts instead of one and dividing the workers between the two, so now the afternoons are working with half the staff midday and evenings.  The coordinators are trying to figure out how to do the 2 afternoon shifts using less workers.  It has been a struggle for some of them.  We did a double shift today because of the shuffling.  We had the Arrival Center at 12:30 and then the temple at 5:00.  We weren’t very busy at the AC but it is fun to visit with those who come through. Dad and I will be the initiatory coordinators on Tuesday nights now.  I found out when we got there that we are over the whole 2^nd floor – dressing room, name issue and initiatory.  It made me a bit nervous but it was so slow that I ended up being a bit lonely as I was the only one on the whole floor for part of the time. They canceled the 6:00 and 8:00 sessions but they had a 5:00 and we had a 7:00.   Hopefully the word will get out that we are open later and people will come.

           

Wednesday, Sept 10 – We were the officiator and follower for the 1:00 AM session.  We only had one couple on the session so it ended up being Dad and I and them.  It was different.  We went out to dinner with Johnson’s.  We went to Keokuk and ate at the Ribeye Restaurant.  It was delicious and the company the best.

            

Thursday, Sept 11 – Busier day at the temple.  We led the 7:00 AM session with 4 brothers and 3 sisters.  I had other assignments that kept me busy and it was good.  I came home and worked on family history until about 4:00 then Sister Bonnie Fairchild met with me and Linda Ricks and gave us some great family history tips.  It was great.  I think I’ve found a few more sealings.  We went to do one of our two turns at cleaning the temple tonight from 8-10.  Among other things, we sanitized the stair rails and dusted the Presidency and Matron’s offices. They are beautiful! 

Friday, Sept 12 – OUR DAY IN NAUVOO – It was our P-Day today and I spent a really lazy day.  I stayed up until after 1:00 AM working on family history.  I don’t know what I’m doing but it’s fun.  I woke up and started working on it again before breakfast.  Dad went to an auction with Jim McKechnie.  It was cold and rainy all day – wish I had a nice jacket.  

Saturday, Sept 13 – We were guides at the temple this morning for a wedding and it was a fun morning.  Dad saw Kent and Elaine Ward in the temple this morning.  They are from Rigby and worked with us in Idaho Falls and are in Grandma Chandler's FHE group.  They stopped here for a visit this afternoon after we got home.  I went to the Family Search Center this afternoon and had a few questions answered and printed a few more names for Dad and I to do.  We will have time to do our own work with the temple being more slow.  It has been fun looking for ancestors.  I went to the Women's Garden on the way home to take a few pictures of the flowers that are still blooming.  It felt like Idaho fall weather here this afternoon.  We walked this evening and it was beautiful.  We went for pizza and drove to David’s Chamber.  David Smith is the prophet’s youngest son, born after the prophet was killed.  He was a poet and painter and went here to this beautiful little Falls to meditate, paint and write.  It is such a beautiful place.  Usually there isn’t much water going over the falls but we had a lot of rain yesterday so it was so pretty this evening. 

Flowers at the Women's Garden

 

Here are some pictures from our walks tonight.

Parley's street

David's Chamber

Sunday night Sister Nelson shared with us the closing line in the movie “God is Not Dead.”   A man says “God says no a lot doesn’t he?”  The priest’s answer is “God gives us what we would ask for, if we knew what he knows.”  I love this thought.       

Know that we love and miss all of you.  We pray for you every day.  Please be happy and do good!  We have a testimony of the restored gospel and temple work.  We are so thankful for the blessing of being here in this beautiful place.  

Love, Mom and Dad / Grandpa and Grandma / Elder and Sister Hall