Sunday, May 21, 2017 – Sacrament Meeting, Interview with Pres. Hall, Rehearsal, Carthage with Debbie & Ray

We had another very special Sacrament Service this morning. Ray & Debbie Quist were with us and they enjoyed it too. The theme of the meeting was on the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. Even the special musical number was taken from the Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood. A choir of all the Elders from the Sarah Granger Cast sang a beautiful hymn titled, “Priesthood of Aaron.” The lyrics to the song were taken word for word from the entire text of the thirteenth Section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Put to a beautiful and moving melody, D&C 13 is a wonderful, powerful and very spiritual hymn. 

D&C 13

1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

After our final meeting this morning we had an interview with Pres. & Sis. Hall. Sis. Johnson requested the meeting because she feels very strongly that she and I should extend our mission. She feels we have a commitment to fulfill our promises and obligations to so many that have made it possible for our grandson Kyle Johnson to be called here to Nauvoo on a service mission. Several people have really gone to bat for us like FM’s Director Jordan Bodily, our boss, Richard Hancock and even Kyle himself.  We told the Mission President we wanted to extend our mission by about two months, until December 1^st.  

This afternoon we went with Debbie and Ray to the Carthage Visitor’s Center and took the Carthage Jail tour. I’ve reported this before but it bears repeating again. The “Martyrdom Room” in the Carthage Jail is one of the most significant and sacred places in all of Church history. It was on this hallowed ground that Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum sealed their testimonies with their blood of the truthfulness of the restored Gospel, the divine origins of the Book of Mormon and the restored Priesthood on the earth today. 

It is impossible of me to be in the Martyrdom room without feeling the power of the Holy Spirit testify to my soul that Joseph Smith was indeed a Prophet of the Lord, that he was an instrument in God’s hands to restore the original church of Jesus Christ back on the earth.