CLOSING MISSIONARY EVENTS

Attending and participating the closing missionary events brought lots of reflection and mixed emotions about the last week in Nauvoo.  When we received our call, we knew it would not be for the full six months and at the time we just felt very grateful for the time we would serve.  Now, that we are packing to leave, we want our “full six months”, but again we are grateful for our time Nauvoo.

It started on Sunday night (September 9^th) watching the live Worldwide YA Devotional with Elder Quinton L. Cook which was broadcast right across the street from the Temple just north of the statue of Joseph and Hyrum on their last ride from Nauvoo.  As we left the Temple on Saturday night, the street was blocked off and a “dress rehearsal” was in progress.  As we were watching the broadcast, we were touched knowing we were here and that several of the YAs in the audience we knew either as Ordinance Workers and/or patrons.  As the discussion progressed, several of the topics were imbedded in our hearts as we could relate and visualize the places of occurrence.  Words cannot adequately describe our feelings.

 Late Sunday afternoon, we had received an email from President Irion, inviting us to a special meeting at 8 am with Elder and Sister Cook.  Our meeting included both the Illinois Nauvoo Mission and the Nauvoo Illinois Temple Mission and was held in the east theater in the Visitors Center.  Elder Cook wanted to shake all our hands, so row by row we walked on the stage and shook both Elder and Sister Cook’s hands.  Their message to us was “Thank you for your service.”  He stressed how important our work is.  We are emissaries of the Savior, but He is the one who converts.  He referred to D&C 31 which was a revelation to Thomas Marsh as he left on his mission.  He reminded us that the Savior organized the Church, but we are his hands.

Elder Cook then asked his wife, Mary, to speak to us.  I especially loved her talk as she stressed the importance of music in our lives.  She quoted Sister Dantzel Nelson, “Music brings the spirit and words teach the gospel.  The only thing stronger than truth is truth in the music.”  Sister Cook shared with us what she did with the attribute activity sheet for chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel.  She took each attribute and linked as many hymns and primary songs as possible to the attributes.  Then the Holy Ghost brings back to us that music when we need them.

Elder Cook testified that President Nelson is truly a Prophet and watched as he received his mantle.  Elder Cook also testified about the revelations President Nelson has been receiving and hoped he was getting full nights sleep now.  He also testified that Christ leads our Church today. 

As we were listening to Elder Cook, we definitely felt the spirit and were so grateful for this opportunity.  President Nelson spoke to us the first of our mission and Elder Cook the last of our mission.  It couldn’t get any better than this.

At 2 pm that afternoon our last missionary meeting was held.  George and Susan Easton Black Durrant spoke to us.  As usual, George presented in his delightfully wry humor but left a powerful message about being prepared in the gospel.  Susan talked about Joseph Smith and his Temples.  She shared a lot of information and now we have a great timeline of his temples.  Her last message was: “You can leave Nauvoo but you can’t get Nauvoo out of you!”  We totally agree!!!!!!

As President Irion titled his email – Monday will be a BIG day!, and he was right.  Immediately following the Durrant presentation, I attended the last temple missionary choir practice.  I have loved being in this choir under the direction of Sister Irion as she was a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  We sang a very touching song about Nauvoo.

Monday night was the Farewell Dinner and Testimony Meeting at the Pageant Headquarters– one final time all the Temple Missionaries were together.  The meal was delicious, company superb, music was awesome, and the spirit was strong.  A great ending to a long, busy, but spiritual day.

Choir at Farewell Dinner

Choir singing Dear Nauvoo

Farewell Dinner at Pageant Headquarters

Tuesday morning we had our exit interview with both President and Sister Irion.  It has been such an experience to have served under them.  President Irion has such a sense of humor yet a very spiritual leader.  Sister Irion is so warm and caring.  We expressed some of our memorable experiences in our service.  Words cannot express the blessings we have received serving with the Irions and their counselors.  We were impressed with them from the start when we received a personal call from President Irion the night after we received our call.

The next few days were spent trying to pack, organize ourselves, and find places for all the food and supplies that were left from our stay.  At first, we were tried of traveling to Iowa to the store every time we needed something to take to another “food” event that I had over bought “just in case”.  As I said in the last blog, Sister Moss and her companions gladly came over and took a lot of the food. Then Sister Bush came over and brought us some of her famous Brazilian Fudge and took the rest to the DI located in the back of the mailroom.  We sure appreciated her service to us.

On Friday night we experienced a very touching and spiritual temple session.  We attended a special temple session with 52 other temple missionaries (the other half had their special session on Saturday night) with the Temple Presidency officiating.  It will be a spiritual experience we both will cherish forever.

We entered the Temple at 12:45 pm on Saturday afternoon and left the Temple at 8:45pm for the last shift of our temple service.  It was with mixed emotions as we served the patrons of the Nauvoo Temple for the last time.  Again, we can leave Nauvoo but Nauvoo will never leave us.

Last sunset as we left the Temple for the last shift on Saturday night.

Sunday, we attended Nauvoo 1^st Ward and soon decided that Bishop Gérald Caussé from the Presiding Bishopric was sitting on the stand and he was one of the speakers.  His favorite place in Nauvoo is the statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on their horses.  On one side is the Temple and the other side is the Mississippi River.  He loves the quote that is on statue plague: 

Bishop Caussé said reading this quote is what life is all about – the ups and downs.  Last Sunday he attended Sacrament Meeting in Park City which was a completely different setting than Nauvoo.  An Elder reported on his Italian mission.  Since coming home his brother passed away and his family was on a roller coaster ride between joy and sadness but were comforted knowing their family was sealed for eternity.

He also shared an experience at the Paris France Temple open house tour for the community leaders and church leaders from other churches.  In the Sealing Room, one Priest from another church said he was impressed that our church prepares for eternity which helps members handle adversity.  His church did not.

Bishop Caussé's main message for all of us was that if on our roads with bumps and turns we have thoughts of eternity, and have faith that all these experiences are for a purpose, we can handle adversity.

Sunday afternoon we attended the Temple Devotional for all (not just missionaries) in the Assembly Room in the Nauvoo Temple.  We came early at 2:30 and it has given us a lot of time to listen to the prelude music and ponder about what would have occurred in the first Nauvoo Temple.  I wondered if Joseph saw this part finished?

As I looked around the room (which I have many times during our time of service), I was touched by all the stars, the semi-circle arched windows that reminded me of the rays emitted from the sun and the love that is emitted out to all of us from our Savior.  All the endowment rooms sit above this room.  Also, around the room are several pillars with the sunstone on top.  There are also two oval windows with the sun like image in the middle with rays coming out of them.  I have been asked several times what all these symbolize, but both President Irion and President Weed have said:  “whatever they mean to you”.  We can all receive our own revelations and store them in our hearts.  All this pondering left our hearts open to the messages we received from our Temple Presidency.  Our hearts are still spiritually overflowing.

Thank you for all your love and support,

Elder and Sister Talbot

PS.  One more blog will be posted on our journey home

Talbots, Ashcrafts (Texas), Pritts (Florida)

DeSimons (Utah) Talbots, Hales (California)

Talbots, Allens (Oregon)

Talbots and Ashcrafts (our very good friends)

Talbots with Alma La Riva, (Nauvoo)

Leaving the temple grounds for the last time with the "small peoples" - Sue Ashcraft, Sister Thompson from the Quad City, and Sister Talbot.