Wednesday, March 22, 2017 – Mission Training Meeting, Welcome New Arrivals, Chris Billings, Scovil Bakery, Sis. Spradlin’s Shawl

This morning’s Mission Training meeting was great. President Trythall (1^st Counselor in the Mission Presidency) spoke to us first. His talk was very touching and we all felt the spirit as he talked. He quoted Elder J. Devn Cornish of the Seventy from last October’s General Conference who said: “. . .  we must stop comparing ourselves to others. We torture ourselves needlessly by competing and comparing. We falsely judge our self-worth by the things we do or don’t have and by the opinions of others . . . . The only opinion of us that matters is what our Heavenly Father thinks of us.” Pres. Trythall’s message was very good and heartfelt.

We also had a special guest from Salt Lake with us this morning. He is Chris Billings, “Manager of Visitors' Centers Operations” throughout the church. He is here in Nauvoo with others from the Church History Department. He pointed out that he and the others from Salt Lake are “. . . not here to judge or critique us but to learn from us.” During his comments he also pointed out that, “There are thousands of Senior Couple missionary positions that go unfilled every week!” 

Sooo. . . As I mentioned last Wednesday, your homework assignment is to spread the word; the Lord wants more Senior missionaries. Everyone, contact your ward, your stake, your family, your parents and grandparent.  Tell everyone the need is desperate. If you know someone that might be considering a Senior Mission, please encourage them to do it, now is the time.

Also at this morning’s Mission Training Meeting we were introduced to the newest group of sixteen Seniors that just arrived from the Provo MTC. They are excited, enthusiastic and have a bounce in their step. They are a great group; they are rip-roaring ready to go. Six of them have already been assigned to perform with Sis. Johnson and I in the “Emma Hale” cast. We are excited to have them in our “Rendezvous” and “Sunset” performances.

Today at work we tackled a very tough project. The “Scovil Bakery” historic site has a pretty white picket fence all the way around it. It is very picturesque but the fence acts as a barrier and all of the Fall leaves are trapped inside and they stack up over time. Periodically we have to go in with the blowers and move them into a corner and then throw them over the fence where they can be vacuumed up by the mowers with their grass catchers attached. After we finished the Scovil Bakery lot looks much better.