PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD

Weather, weather, weather!!!  We thought the weather in Reno was unpredictable but this past week we experienced temperatures from over 100 to the low 60s.  Monday it was hot and very humid then Tuesday was full of rain, wind, thunder, and lightning.  When we came home from the temple a big tree across the street was down.  If the neighbors would have been home, their cars might have been hit.  On Wednesday, there was another storm which included a tornado warning.  We were also in the temple, so we missed most of the excitement.  However, no tornadoes were sighted but the tornado siren stayed blaring loud and clear for a while.  As we drove around there were lots of trees down all over town, especially in the flats where we live.  A huge tree landed on the back porch of a home just a few blocks from the temple.  The tree took the porch off but missed the main part of the house.  Wednesday was one of the few times they had to cancel the show “Sunset on the Mississippi”.  By Friday the temperatures were back in the 80s, however, the humidity is always high!

Tree across the street.  Look close at the trunk.

Monday afternoon we had the opportunity to listen to a presentation on the history of the Kirtland Temple given by an apostle (Lack MacKay) from the Community of Christ Church (formerly the Reorganized Church of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) at the monthly missionary meeting.  At first, we wondered why President Irion would schedule him for our meeting, but it was very interesting.  He spent a lot of time on the design of the temple, the architect and structure.  MacKay also told us how the ownership of the Temple was decided.  It finally was decided because of the Ohio law about who currently occupied the Temple.  There was a couple of LDS members who were holding meetings in the temple after the majority had left Kirtland but then they also left.  If they had of stayed, we would own the temple today. He also shared what it is being used for today - conferences, tours, meetings, etc.  He shared that a local Superintendent (LDS) arranged for the high school football team to have prayer in the temple before their state game.  They did and have had for years they have always won.  This last year there was a new Superintendent (Non-LDS) who didn't ask to use it and they lost! 

We finally found a local gardener who will sell us some fresh produce.  We got a huge cabbage, cauliflower, two kinds of broccoli, and some beets.  Elder Talbot was in 7^th heaven as he looked at the garden and all the vegetables that were planted and growing.  Gardens sure do grow with all the humidity in this climate.  (If they can keep the animals and critters out).  We shared some with the Taylors and the Pecks who also live in our complex.  They sure tasted good.  We do miss our garden and flowers.

Have I mentioned that I love being here because I have met a lot of women and some men that I can look eye to eye!!!  Some I can even lower my eyes to look at them!!!  A lot of short people are here on missions and then a lot of the local people are short.  Whenever I see them I just stand a little taller and smile a lot more.

On Saturday morning I had a pleasant surprise.  I knew Annie, one of our granddaughters, was coming on a tour in Nauvoo but I was actually able to watch her bus pull into the parking lot of the Community of Christ Visitors Center through our apartment window.  I hurriedly got in the car and drove over to catch her before she started the tour.  As she saw me, she got the biggest grin and ran over to give me a big hug.  We also saw her later that night, Sunday after church, before the Trail of Hope, and early this morning just as she got on the bus to continue on her tour.  We loved getting the hugs!!!!

On Sunday, the Kellys invited all the temple missionaries to their place in Fairview for dinner.  They live about 20 minutes outside of Canton.  (In fact, most members live outside of Canton).  It was super kind of them and nice for us to eat a square meal on Sunday before we drive all the way back to Nauvoo as we usually just take some protein bars to snack on the way home.  They also had a large garden with all kinds of fruit and veggies.  Sister Kelly also was growing all kinds of berries including a cranberry blueberry.

This week will be a busy one for us.  Not only do we have our five days at the temple, we clean the temple on Wednesday night, start practices for the British Pageant, and work on the homeless project. Today the main cast for the pageants arrive in town. 

As we have looked at the fallen tree and stump across the street this week, we wondered what had happened to the tree.  It was green with lots of leaves with squirrels running up and down the trunk.  It didn’t even have any dead branches on it, however, as we looked closer we could see dead spots in the center of the trunk.  It was alive and green on the outside, but the inside was full on dead and dark spots.  As we pondered this, we compared it to how Satan works on us.  He is very clever and subtle.  He tells us that we are not good enough or someone else is better or once won’t hurt or why bother, it isn’t worth it or that we just can’t do it or we are just too tired or we can do it tomorrow.  He continues to work on our self-confidence and testimonies so that when we face a challenge, we fall just as the wind was able to push the tree over.  In reading the Doctrine and Covenants this week, I was impressed with section 27:15-18 and felt it applied to our fallen tree.  If we all put on the whole Armor of God, we will be able to withstand the trials and challenges we face in our everyday life.  Satan is not happy, and he does not want us to be happy.

 

15 Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.

16 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;

17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;

18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.

Of course, the highlight of our week was serving in the temple and the feeling that touches our hearts as we enter the doors.  As Sister Nancy Devocht, an ordinance worker who drives two hours from Iowa City to serve, said Saturday night, “There is a feeling of peace and a feeling light as we helped the patron.”  It is definitely a peaceful, calm, full of hope, and faith in the future atmosphere here in Nauvoo.

We love you all! 

Elder and Sister Talbot

Beautiful cloud formations here in Nauvoo!

Tree that took out the back porch during the Tuesday storm

Fresh cauliflower from Mike's garden.

Awesome fresh cabbage!

Box of fresh produce we bought.  Check out the size.

Big hug and grin when I met Annie as she got of the bus in Nauvoo on Saturday.

Another hug on Sunday.

Plastic bag mat - about 1/4 done but I'm out of bags.  Hopefully, someone from our FHE group tonight will share some with me

Lunch at the Kelly's on Sunday in Fairview, Illinois

Elder Talbot feeding the baby oxen.

Elder Talbot is excited about the miles per gallon we are getting here in Nauvoo.  This was from our trip to church on Sunday.

TIME IN NAUVOO!

We survived our second full week with the summer schedule.  We serve 5 days a week averaging 7-8 hours per day.  We rotate responsibilities every hour serving in various parts of the temple.  We have had some special experiences in serving the patrons from all over the country.  It is surely a spiritual high to be in the House of the Lord for all those hours.

Sunday, we attended the Canton Branch in Canton, Illinois.  The Branch members are so close and look out after each other.  Us and the other three Temple Missionary couples fed the regular missionaries who are assigned to the branch after the meeting in the cultural hall.  We also invited the Branch President and family and the Relief Society President.  Her husband serves as the Branch President of the Havana Branch which is an interesting situation, but the branch didn’t have the priesthood needed for that position, so the wife and son attend Canton as the husband serves the people in Havana.  Small branches require a lot of dedication and flexibility.

Later that night, we attended a Parley Street “get to know you” dinner at the park.  One of the site missionary couples organized it so we all could meet our neighbors and know where the tornado shelters were located.  Ours is in the white house next door.  Hope we never have to use it.

Yes, we have talent!!!  Not!!!!  For our Family Home Evening on Monday, two FHE Groups organized a talent show.  Since none of our six-couple group had a talent, we did a funny skit based on the song “Sweet Violets” sung by Dorothy Collins.  (If you want a good laugh Google the You-Tube Video).  We added our own verse at the end written by Sister Hawkins.  It depicts our work here in Nauvoo.

Time in Nauvoo

Time to get work done for

Relatives, ancestors waiting for us…

Work to be done with our

Time in Nauvoo

There once was an elder who came to Nauvoo

He thought he’d retired but he found lots of work

To be done in the temple and more

His ancestors found him and asked for his wife

To work with him and help them progress

Do work for their family connect them

In heaven to cousins, relations and all

To be a strong line by work done with their

Time in Nauvoo

Time to get work done for

Relatives, ancestors waiting for us…

Work to be done with our

Time in Nauvoo

On our visit this week to the Blacksmith Shop where the wagon wheels, horseshoes, and oxen shoes were made, I compared our preparing for our trip to Nauvoo with our ancestors preparing for their trip to the West.  As I was listening to the presentation on how the wheels where made I kept looking at the size of the covered wagon.  It was only 3 feet wide and 11 feet long.  That was not very much space to carry all the equipment, food, clothes, cooking utensils, seeds, flour, salt, lard, and even a beehive, etc.  The wagon was full and that didn’t even account for family members.  As we packed our car, we struggled to make everything fit and we only brought clothes, a printer and computer, and a few cooking utensils such as my Instant Pot.  I marveled at what treasures the mothers had to leave behind in order to make room for the essential items needed for the trek.  Again, we both are very touched with the faith and courage of the pioneers.  The primary song, Pioneer Children, has a different meaning for me now as I sing, “they walked, and walked, and walked, and walked” because there was no room in the wagon!

Also, as we visit the sites, I have discovered the history of some of our phrases, such as “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”.  In reality, the pioneers had to put grease in the hubs of the wooden wheels to keep them from breaking so when the wheel squeaked, they added grease.  In other words, whoever yells the most, gets what they want.

Our service project for now is crocheting plastic bag mats for homeless.  One of the sisters (who is a few inches shorter than me!!!!!) from the Nauvoo 1^st Ward, has started this project.  I take plastic shopping bags and cut them in strips, tie them together, then crochet the strips (plyarn) together.  I love crocheting again but it sure takes a lot of bags for one row.  The mats will be 3 x 6 feet.  It is amazing who comes up with these ideas but I’m glad that it might help someone stay a little dryer and a little warmer.

Again, someone knows someone is Nauvoo.  Thursday night, we invited the “Nevadans” to dinner.  (Which we didn’t even take pictures – will next time).  Sister Moss from Sparks, came with her two companions, Sister Bush from Texas, and Sister Jones from Montana, and Sarah Wadsworth from Winnemucca.  Sarah, President Wadsworth’s granddaughter, talked to Brent Weed from Wisconsin, who is President Weed’s son.  Brent was here with the youth group.  Sarah is here from BYUI doing an internship with the Facilities Management Group (FM) who do all the landscaping on the church grounds.  They even take care of the Smith Family Cemetery on the Community of Christ property.  The last couple of weeks three baby oxen (calves) have been born so Sarah is even helping to fix their meals and feeding them.

Yes, the big buses keep rolling in from all over the country.  There has been a lot of groups from Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Wisconsin, and of course, Utah, just to name a few.  Our granddaughter, Annie, from Henderson, Nevada, will be here the end of June on one of those buses. One morning a few adults came to the temple and said they had brought 260 youth.  Most of them do baptisms at the temple, visit the sites, and some work with the FM for service projects (which Sarah helps to oversee).

Every day as we enter and leave the temple, we look at the heroic-sized statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith’s final moments of freedom as they started their journey to Carthage. It was placed Dec. 8 in the pedestrian plaza west of the temple.  Sculpted by LDS artists Stan Watts and Kim Corpany, the piece is entitled "Calm As A Summer's Morning." The sculpture, more than 11 feet tall, stands atop a granite pedestal and depicts Joseph in an easy-going conversation with his brother. To both of us this sculpture shows their willingness to do the Lord’s work.  This is a great example for all of us.

We love Nauvoo! (but miss you all!)

Feeding the missionaries at Canton after Sunday meetings.

"Calm as a summer's morning" Statue of Joseph and Hyrum

Blacksmith shop where wagon wheels were made.  Check out the size of the wagon.

"Sweet Violet" skit and song for entire group at FHE Talent Show.

Elder Talbot's artwork depicting the lecture on horses for the talent show.

Baby "Oxens"

Sister Bush, Sister Moss, and Sister Jones

Service project - plastic bag mats for the homeless.

FAMILIES ARE WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT!

I have had a lot of time this week pondering about families and how important they are in our lives.  I have witnessed quite a contrast between the love and support we have in our family and extended family and between a family I have met here in Nauvoo.  As she was telling about her family that included non-supportive parents with no siblings, a daughter with a strained relationship, two deceased daughters, and a son who has gone off the deep end, I felt very blessed to have our family. That doesn’t mean our family doesn’t have their struggles but there is so much love and support to help us all through our trials.  I have been very touched this last week as the J. Andrew Penman family have rallied around Lori and her decisions concerning her cancer treatment. We are so blessed to be part of a loving family.

It couldn’t be any better than to have another family visiting us last weekend.  Maylee Spencer, our great granddaughter, arrived about the same time as we finished our shift at the temple last Friday.  Of course, she also brought her parents, Jonathan and Heidee Spencer, her aunt, Allison Talbot, and her grandparents, Kevan and Jamee Talbot.  The weekend was full of lots of activities, shows, and visiting more sites (and some of them again and we could go again!).  But best of all was being with family and holding Maylee. 

The first place visited was the temple for baptisms and this time Allison could go with the family instead of spending the time at the Arrival Center across the street.  It was heart warming to see three generations of Talbots in the temple two Friday nights in a row (Jeff and his girls went last week)!

 As you listen to the site presentations they always connect it with a gospel principle.  One not only learns about the history of the Nauvoo Era but also receives tender messages of hope and strength.  Two of my favorites are the Brick Yard and the Print Shop.

We attended church in Nauvoo 1^st on Sunday which was another different experience.  They have so many visitors during the summer that the cultural hall had chairs setup clear back to the stage.  Another Sacrament table was set up in the cultural hall so a total of 16 deacons passed the Sacrament.  Heidee met a gal who was a high school classmate.

We have now completed the barge experience (almost).  We have been barged, watched several barges, saw the Ft. Madison Bridge swing out, and two barges go through, but now we have also watched the locks being filled at the Keokuk Bridge with a barge going through the lock.  We were told that we could drive down close to the locks and watch the barges go through.  We will have to put that on our bucket list before we leave.  We both have been fascinated (mostly me) every since our first Wagon Ride where the teamster told us how the barges need to stay in the middle of the river between the safety buoys or they could get grounded in the shallows.  He compared that to our own lives and staying in the middle of the safety of the gospel and not choosing to float to the sides where there are more temptations.

We have decided that Nauvoo is one of the crossroads of the church.  Not only did Heidee meet a classmate visiting Nauvoo, but Kevan met a hunting guide (Elder Thatcher), Dad met a Stake President (President Taylor) that Jeff served under when he was in Omaha, and today I connected with our neighbor across the street (Elder and Sister Burton) who live in the Glenmore 3^rd Ward and knows Kevan.

Our first week of the summer schedule has been a little taxing, serving 5 days a week and 7-8 hours a day but it is well worth it.  Just before closing on Saturday night, a sister dressed very casually, came with a worried and troubled look on her face.  As we helped her, the other two sisters and I felt a special spirit come over all of us.  The sister left with a change in her countenance which now showed comfort and peace.  This is why we are serving this mission. We love our mission.

Thank you for all your love and support!

Maylee Spencer, our first great grandchild.

Crazy selfie after Baptism appointment Friday Night.

Allison took this picture of the Joseph and Hyrum Statue across from the temple with the beautiful sunset in the background.  I couldn't resist another sunset picture.

Sunday we made another trip to the Carthage Jail.

Another visit down the Trail of Hope presentation Sunday night which we all came away feeling thankful for all the sacrifice our ancestors made for us.

Oxen ride for the family.  The wagon is not very big to carry all the supplies needed for the trip West.

Outside the Brick Yard.  I love the bricks they give everyone but most of all the private tour they give the missionaries of the actual room they make the bricks.

They compare fixing the cracks in the bricks to the touch of the master's hand and Christ heals all our cracks and mistakes.

Jamee's beautiful picture of the Temple.  She caught the reflection of the base of the Joseph and Hyrum Statue.