Wednesday, November 09, 2016 – Mission-wide Training in Carthage, Work in Carthage

Our weekly mission-wide training meeting was a little different. Half of the mission went to Carthage to be trained on giving tours in the Carthage Visitor’s Center. The other half of the mission stayed in Nauvoo and received training in the Nauvoo Visitor’s Center. Sis. Johnson and I were assigned to the Carthage Visitor’s Center.

Elder & Sis Moench were our tour guides for our training. (The Moench’s live in the same home on the grounds of the Carthage Jail as Sis. Johnson and I lived in for six months.) They did an excellent job giving the training. Sis. Johnson and I have taken the Carthage Jail tour many, many times and we’ve given the tour many time. And, EVERY TIME I’m in that sacred hallowed spot I have the same feelings and the same whisperings of the Spirit. This is the very place where Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum testified with their blood that God the Father and His son Jesus Christ did indeed appear to a 14 year old boy in a grove of trees in New York; that the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood of God have been restored on the earth today; and that the Book of Mormon was brought forward by the power of God and is the word of God.

Since we normally go to Carthage at least once a week, we decided it would be a good idea to just stay in Carthage after the training and do our weekly cleaning of the grounds. It worked out very well. We spent the whole day there removing leaves from the grounds. It’s a huge never ending task but the grounds and the parking lot look 100% better now.

After we finished work we drove to the Carthage Post Office to mail a package. While I was inside Sis. Johnson noticed the “Christmas Shop” across the street was open. It is only open in November and December each year. When we used to live in Carthage Sis. Johnson mentioned that she hoped to come back when it was open. So, Sis. Johnson  took advantage of the opportunity to do some shopping.  

After finished mailing my package I joined Sis. Johnson in the Christmas Shop. And wow, I’ve never seen so many Christmas trees in one place or seen so many Christmas ornaments and decorations in one place before. This place was fabulous.