Wednesday, December 07, 2016 – Mission Trg, Mtg., Words of the Christus, Elder Johnson’s Broken Arm, Coleus Haircut, Pussy Willows & Tulips

Once again the Wednesday morning Mission Training Meeting was very good. One thing I would like to share was a gift from Pres. Hall to each of us in the meeting. It was a card with the picture of the Christus.

The Christus is a marble statue of the resurrected Jesus by Bertel Thorvaldsen. Since its completion in 1838, the original statue has been located in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. Reproductions of The Christus are featured in all LDS Visitor’s Centers. Here in Nauvoo, guests taking the Visitor’s Center Tour listen to a recording of “The Words of the Christus.” It is short, less than two minutes but visitors feel the spirit of the Lord as they listen and ponder the words:

Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. (3 Nephi 9:15)

I came into the world to do the will of my Father. My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; that I might draw all men unto me. (3 Nephi 27:13-14)

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my spirit, and you shall have peace in me. (Doctrine & Covenants 19:23)

Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet. (Doctrine & Covenants 6:37)

For behold, I have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent. (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16)

Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)

A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. (John 13:34-35)

In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

“The Words of the Christus” are indeed the words of our Savior Jesus Christ and they are very powerful.

Yesterday evening at our performance of “Rendezvous” we found out that one of our fellow cast members, Elder Ron Johnson (4) fell from the horse drawn wagon and broke his wrist. This morning he was at the Mission Training Meeting. He’s a little skinned up still but he’s doing very well. It was good to see him up and about so quickly.

After our Training Meeting Sis. Johnson and I spent the rest of the morning doing the same thing we did yesterday, we finished giving the Coleus plants a haircut. After lunch we finally got to work outside again. We pruned and cleaned up the pussy willow bushes on the east side of the greenhouses.

 

When we finished cleaning out the pussy willow bushes, Richard brought out a surprise, he had several bags of old tulip bulbs he saved from last May when we tore out all of the tulip beds in Nauvoo & Carthage. Richard has been looking for a location to put the extra tulip bulbs and this spot looked like a nice place. The pussy willow bushes will all be trimmed back next spring and that will leave a nice display of tulips to see as people enter the FM Compound.