Sunday, May 7, 2017 – Fast & Testimony Meeting, Carthage Tours, Elder & Sis. Black, Jay & Kristin

Today was a special fast and testimony meeting for a couple of reasons. First the chapel and overflow were full back into the cultural hall.  During the past week the mission has received its full complement of 20 YSM (Young Sister Missionaries) and 45 YPM’s (Young Performing Missionaries) plus their support staff. With their arrival the mission is completely staffed for the summer season except for a few more senior couples that are expected to arrive during the next month.

The second special thing about the meeting were the testimonies. Many of the YPM’s & YSM’s that served here last year have returned for their second year. They bore wonderful heartfelt testimonies of the Savior, the restoration and the work of the gospel.  President Hall was conducting so he was the first to bare his testimony, before he started his testimony he said: “This is a special day in the mission when all of our missionaries are all together for the first time. Our YSM’s and YPM’s are all here. The average age of the mission has just dropped by 20 years!”

While giving tours in the Carthage Jail I had another “First” for my mission. A family came to take my tour and they were all bilingual except the mother who only spoke Spanish. Since I speak Spanish I got to give the whole tour in Spanish. Fortunately for me a Spanish script of the tour was available for me to refer to. It was a very fun, interesting and a spiritually moving tour, at the conclusion in the martyrdom room the Spanish speaking mother was so moved by the spirit she was in tears. 

This evening my nephew and his wife, Jay & Kristin Wilson, arrived from Oregon for a three day visit to Nauvoo. They are on a business trip in the Chicago area and decided to take a side trip to visit Sis. Johnson and I. Our home in Nauvoo has plenty of space with three bedrooms.  We are thrilled to have them stay with us.