Too humid but not enough to keep from serving.

I agree with Elder Andrew Talbot in his last letter from Canada!!!  It is tooooo hot and humid!!!!!   (which leaves my hair wet and straight).  But, what a small challenge to face considering all the experiences we are having at Nauvoo.  We have known the history of Nauvoo for a long time but it seems more real, more touching, and we are much more appreciative of what our ancestors faced during their stay in Nauvoo.

Tomorrow (June 1^st) we will start our summer schedule which will mean more days and longer hours.  Our p-day will still be on Monday.  We will serve from 1:25 pm-8pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday and 7:25am-2pm on Thursday and Friday.  Already we have seen an increase of visitors to the temple, especially over the Memorial Day Weekend.  Bus loads from Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Missouri, just to name a few.  It was fun to see numerous school buses this last week from surrounding schools bringing students for field days at the sites at Old Nauvoo.  Elder Talbot even had a couple and their young daughter from England who entered the Temple and approached the recommend desk and wanted a tour. 

Our community service continues along with our temple service.  For me this past week included working in the Tourism Office again where a gentleman had brought a friend from Germany to learn more about the Germans who had contributed so much to the development of Nauvoo after the Saints had left. This last Monday we donated cookies to the Community Memorial Picnic.  Then this Wednesday I did story time at the Public Library which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I hope they call me again.  Elder Talbot got to help clean the doors and windows at the Temple which was a special treat for him as he has been fascinated with the windows.

We had a special treat on Friday afternoon.  Jeff, our youngest son, and his family flew into Omaha and drove to Nauvoo to spend the weekend with us.  (And we are also excited because Kevan and his family will be here on Friday with Maylee, our great granddaughter!).  It was good to see our three granddaughters (and of course, their parents).  The first thing the girls wanted to do was go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead.  It was good to be in the temple again with our family. 

While they were here, we visited several sites and attended several programs put on by the Young Performing Missionaries.  These missionaries are very talented and have a very strenuous schedule.  We have watched them in the shows Sunset on the Mississippi and The Promise.  On Sunday night we walked along the Trail of Hope, lite by lanterns and torches, as the YPM’s took on the characters of some of Nauvoo pioneers and shared parts of their journals.

On Sunday, we took Jeff and his family to the Canton Branch for church where Elder Talbot and I had been asked to speak Sacrament Meeting.  Then we also taught the teenage Sunday School class which consisted of three young men and three young women (which included Annie and Eliza, our granddaughters.)  I was impressed with one of the young men who shared about his experience as he baptized his sister for the first time.  He also shared with us that the steps leading up to the Font (the steps where those being baptized use) have a rough surface but the steps that are used when they leave the font from the other side have a small, polished surface and is smooth.  I was impressed that he had compared the steps to coming out of the water clean and pure.  We had not noticed that before, but I checked today, and he was absolutely correct!!

After church we came home through Carthage and toured the Carthage Jail.  We both had been there before, but it was still touching for us to sit in the room where Joseph and Hyrum were killed and see the bullet holes in the door.  Elder Talbot was impressed by the following statement he read on one of the plagues.

“I never feel to force my doctrine upon any person; I rejoice to see prejudice give way to truth, and the traditions of men dispersed by pure principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Joseph Smith, Jr. – 1844

On Monday morning all the Temple Missionaries met at 8:50 am for a group picture in front of the temple. Sister Irion had sent out a standing chart, so everyone knew where to stand so all could be seen.  I was surprised to find us on the 4^th row behind a lot of tall people.  We were about to take the picture when 6 six reams of paper appeared for me stand on – 3 per foot!  Everyone got a good laugh.

Nauvoo is filled with “knowing someone who knows someone else”.  This past week we have connected with a missionary who lived in Chinook, Montana and knew the District President, Wesley Maddox that called Elder Talbot to serve as Branch President two different times.  Another missionary couple said that their daughter was talking in her ward about her parents serving and someone else said that his aunt and uncle were also serving – that was Nathan, our nephew from West Jordan.

This connection also happens while serving in the temple.  I have connected with Sarah Wadsworth from Winnemucca, President Brent Wadsworth’s sister-in-law, and Sister Done from Tucson who lived in our son,Jim and April’s old ward.

We love all the sites, shows, and people, but we most love serving the Lord in the Nauvoo Temple.  Thank you all for your love and support.

Henderson Family at the private tour of the brick yard.

Annie, Eliza, and Lydia enjoying the beautiful sunset on the Mississippi River

Our family outside the Canton Branch Chapel

Annie, Eliza, and Lydia looking up at the window Joseph Smith fell out of when he was murdered.

Three per foot!

Young Performing Missionaries during one of their performances across from the Post Office and Printing Shop.

Sister Moss and Sister Done (if you zoom in - look for two blondes with braids) during the finale of the Sunset on the Mississippi show.