Sunday, November 20, 2016 – Cold Snap,  Lucy Mack Smith Historic home

We woke up to 23 degrees this morning. This is only the 6^th day this fall we’ve had frost on our windshield but this time it was finally cold enough to freeze our tomato vines. It looks like Fall may finally be here in Central Illinois. Sis. Johnson and I left for Sacrament meeting a little early this morning so I could help at the sacrament table. It seemed a lot colder than 23 degrees.

At noon it was our assignment to give tours at the Lucy Mack Smith home. In case you didn’t know, Lucy Mack Smith was the mother of the Prophet Joseph Smith and she was one of his strongest and most ardent supporters. On one occasion Lucy and some fellow Saints were waiting to board a boat in Buffalo bound for the Fairport Harbor in Ohio, she was asked, “Is the Book of Mormon true?”  Without hesitation, she replied, “That book was brought forth by the power of God and translated by the gift of the Holy Ghost; and if I could make my voice sound as loud as the trumpet of Michael the Archangel I would declare the truth from land to land, and from sea to sea, and the echo should reach to every isle, until every member of the family of Adam should be left without excuse.  For I do testify that God has revealed himself to man again in these last days.”

When Sis. Latimer and Sis. Pierson walked in, Sis. Johnson recognized them immediately as the same Sis. Missionaries that had helped us on a couple of occasions researching our ancestors. Sis. Latimer recognized us immediately as the couple that had been to their building a couple of time cleaning the flowerbeds, bushes and hedges. We had a nice visit with these two hard working dedicated Sister Missionaries.

 

Late this evening Sis. Johnson had another meeting to attend. She went to the visitor’s center and met with the Witbecks over set up, the Beechers over the program, Sis. Lowe over Music and Sis. Hacking her Co-Chair to finalize some of the “Christmas Walk & Tree Lighting” program details.  Sis. Johnson still has a few loose ends to tie up, but she is organized and has most of the event under control. Hopefully there will be no surprised in the two weeks between now and the event.