Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016 – Mission Training Meeting, Shortage of Senior Couple Applications

Bright and early this morning Sis. Johnson and I were off to our weekly mission-wide training meeting. For part of the meeting Pres. Hall asked the YSSM’s (Young Single Sister Missionaries) to share with all of us some of the success stories they’ve experienced while working at the “Teaching Center”.

The YSSM’s can use the “Teaching Center” in the visitor’s center computer room in Carthage as well as in the visitor’s center in Nauvoo. They use the computers and “Chat” on LDS websites with people from all over the US and around the world. They also contact people on the telephone if they have the phone number from a referral card. During these teaching opportunities they discuss the gospel, teach lessons, answer question, follow up on previous chats and collect referrals.

Seven of the YSSM’s got up to speak in the meeting. They said people contact the church for lots of reasons. Some want to know about family history work; some ask about eternal families, others want to know about the history of the church. Some have LDS friends that have set good examples and want a change in their own lives. One person called and asked if they could buy a Book of Mormon! 

One of the YSSM’s reported chatting with a lady from a little village in Kenya. The lady said there was a senior couple that came through and testified of Christ. She said she wanted to know more about the gospel. The YSSM took her information but couldn’t get through to the Mission Office in Kenya because all of the phones & internet were down. It took some time before she was finally able to have the full time proselyting missionaries visit the sister.

A number of the YSSM’s reported that their contacts have already been baptized.  A man that was baptized said that before he found the gospel he had no family and no friends, not even at work, now he has a whole ward family and lots of friends. All of the YSSM’s love working at the “Teaching Center.”

***** IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ *****

At the end of the mission training meeting Pres. Hall announced that he received a phone call from the church mission department in SLC. They called to tell our mission that there weren’t enough senior couples applying to serve missions and unless there were more applications, our mission, the Illinois Nauvoo Mission might not have its complement of senior couples next year! So . . . Here’s our passioned plea . . . To all of our family, friends and acquaintances that follow Sis. Johnson and I on Face Book while we serve our mission, please consider the option that you and your spouse CAN serve a Senior Couple Mission here in the Illinois Nauvoo Mission. It’s a perfect time to see your Bishop and start the paperwork. Serving the Lord in the mission field comes with a promise; it will not only bless your lives but the lives of your entire family as well. If you have a question, need help or encouragement, please call me, Elder David Johnson on my cell: 480-822-0828. Thank you.

Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016 – Church History Sites

Elder Rober gave the spiritual thought at our “Rendezvous” prayer meeting. He took his comments from a Church News article on Elder Steven E. Snow of the Seventy. Last January Elder Snow was teaching all of the new Visitor’s Center and Historic Site Directors and Mission Presidents. Our Mission President, Pres. Hall and his wife were there. The title of his message was, “Church Historic Sites reinforce Faith and Help Us Remember.”

Elder Snow is the Church Historian and Recorder and Executive Director of the Church History Department. The Church makes a substantial commitment to historic sites. Elder Snow said, “Our Heavenly Father is desirous we remember.” He pointed out that the word “remember” is used 230 times in the Book of Mormon alone. Elder Snow said, “Clearly God desires us to remember His words, His Works, and the works of His people. From the very early days of the Church, scribes have kept a record.”

Here in Carthage I estimate about 80% of the visitor’s are members of the Church.  In Nauvoo it’s a little less, probably 70%. Elder Snow said that members come to the historic sites for a variety of reasons, but two of the main reasons are to remember what took place there and to reinforce faith.  Parents bring their children so they feel the spirit of these sacred places.

“It is one thing to read about a handcart, but quite another to pull a handcart. Being in the Sacred Grove is a much more powerful experience than being taught about the Sacred Grove.  Families want to feel the spirit of the places, and parents want their children to remember what others did who went before.”

I agree. It’s one thing to read about the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum and quite another to be in the very room and stand on the very same old wooden floor they stood on. Then, to feel the spirit testify to your soul that this is the very place and those men really did seal with their blood their testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Christ. I encourage each of you, as you plan your vacations, to consider visiting one of the many church history sites available to you. And, if you can make it to Nauvoo, Sis. Johnson and I will even sing and dance for you!

Monday, Aug. 22, 2016 – “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo,” Departing Missionaries, Elder & Sis. Hyte

We are performing in “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” twice a week now and tonight we only had one show at 7:00pm. Tonight was a bittersweet performance by some of our cast members. Some of them performed their last show because they are going home the first of next month. In fact the mission will send home 14 couples in the next three weeks.  One of the sisters in tonight’s show had to sing her part through tears she was so emotional; this was her last performance. 

In “Rendezvous” there are several vignettes where husbands and wives play opposite each other. Almost all of the vignettes have been played by couples that have been doing the same part for most of their missions. In the past few weeks new couples have been rehearsing to take their places and by next week some of them well start to perform their new parts for the first time.

“Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” tells the story of the last few months in the city of Nauvoo in 1845 and the hard choices the Saints had to make as they prepared to leave their homes, their farms, their town and their beautiful Temple. Acting, singing and dancing in “Rendezvous” is one of the ways we missionaries testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the inspired mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Sis. Johnson and I love this opportunity and we love performing and serving here.

Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016 – Heber C. Kimball Home, District Meeting & Dinner

Usually Sis. Johnson & I have Sunday after church off but every second or third Sunday we are assigned to be tour guides at one of the historic sites in Nauvoo for the whole afternoon. Today was one of those Sundays. Our assigned site was the home of the Apostle, Heber C. Kimball and his family. We enjoy these special Sundays because Sis. Johnson and I get to meet and teach visitors as well learn new things about the early members of the church. In this case, an Apostle, his family, his home and the eight missions he was called to serve by the Lord.

One of my favorite stories about Heber C. Kimball was the time he and Brigham Young were leaving on a mission to England from Nauvoo.  Heber left his wife in bed shaking with Ague (Malaria like symptoms) and his children sick.  It was only by the assistance of others that Heber, himself also very ill, could climb into a wagon.  He later remarked:  “It seemed to me as though my very inmost parts would melt within me at leaving my family in such a condition, as it were, almost in the arms of death.  I felt as though I could scarcely endure it.

“Hold up!” said Heber to the teamster. “Brother Brigham, this is pretty tough, but let us rise up and give them a cheer.”  Brigham, who was also ill at the time, rose to his feet and joined Heber in swinging his hat and shouting, “Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah, for Israel!”  Heber’s wife Vilate and the wife of Brigham Young, hearing the cheer came to the door – Sister Kimball with great difficulty.  The two women waved farewell.  The two apostles then continued their journey without purse or scrip to England.

It is a testimony to me that the sacrifice for the cause of Christ provides direction for our lives and the strength to endure. The blessings we receive for the sacrifices we make not only bless us in the eternities but throughout this life on earth as well. Heber C. Kimball was a valiant servant of the Lord throughout his whole life. He was not only blessed to be an apostle of the Lord while the Prophet Joseph Smith was alive but he also served as a counselor to the Prophet Brigham Young until his death in 1868.

One of the visitors to the Heber C. Kimball home was a father and his 18 year old son from St. Louis, MO. The young man had received a call to serve a Spanish speaking mission to San Jose California. He commented that he will be reporting to the MTC in Mexico City, not Provo! He said, “My route to the mission field will be a big “V” as he gestured with his finger in the air and made a large “V”. This young missionary will have the blessing of learning Spanish immersed in a country and culture of all Spanish speakers.

Tonight Sis. Johnson and I attended our monthly District Meeting and Dinner at the home of Elder & Sis. Walton who live in The Bushnell House. These District Meetings & Dinners are as much a social event as they are a training meeting. We always look forward to them.  The dinner was great, the company was wonderful and the meeting was good too.

 

Saturday, August 20, 2016 - Bed & Breakfast, Adam-Ondi- Ahman, Far West, Liberty Jail

Yesterday evening we arrived at The Marydale Inn Bed & breakfast, in Jameson, MO. What a great place to spend the night! The home was built as a private residence but with the intention of it doubling as a bed and breakfast at the same time. So it wasn’t a typical residential home, each bedroom had its own bath. The construction of the house spared no expense in the fine woodwork used throughout. For breakfast we were served a meal like a five star hotel. The property is over 700 acres and includes its own private lake.

Our day of church history sites started with the beautiful Adam-Ondi-Ahman. It lies on the Grand River in northern Missouri, about 70 miles north of Kansas City. On the highest elevation of Spring Hill, 124 feet above Grand River, a temple block was dedicated in 1839. No cornerstones were laid or temple constructed, however, as just days later, the Saints were ordered to leave the settlement. The Church has since acquired the site and much of the surrounding area, which is leased to local farmers.

The name Adam-Ondi-Ahman is an English rendition of a phrase from the pure Adamic language, which means "Adam in the presence of God." The valley of Adam-Ondi-Ahman was revealed to Joseph Smith to be the place where Adam blessed his posterity after being driven from the Garden of Eden.

Elder and Sis. Van Horn served here a couple of years ago so they are very familiar with everything there is to see and do here. It was great having them as a tour guides. They are very knowledgeable about everything; they even took us to the back of the property where the public is not allowed to see some of the hidden treasures of this precious and sacred part of church history.

I don't have time or space to tell you everything there is to know about this place. You will have to research Adam-Ondi-Ahman on your own to learn all of the rich church history that is here.

Our next stop was at the "Far West" temple site. Sis. Johnson and I have never been here before so this was a real treat for us. This site is another of the sites dedicated for the construction of a temple that never took place. But here, in Far West there were cornerstones laid and they are still here today.

Our last stop was at the very sacred and hallowed Liberty Jail in Liberty, Missouri where Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum and other church leaders were wrongfully imprisoned for about 5 months (from December 1, 1838 to April 6, 1839) during the 1838 Mormon War. While in the jail, he received three very significant revelations that are included in the Doctrine and Covenants today. A person cannot be in this hallowed and historic site and not feel the power of the Holy Spirit testify of the sacred significance of this place.

Friday, Aug. 19, 2016 – Rabbit, Trip to Liberty Jail & Adam-Ondi-Ahman

This morning, right where he is supposed to be, our resident rabbit was hiding in the same terracotta pot he is always in. Unfortunately I had to water all of the planters, including his hiding place. He did have to leave. 

This Friday evening and Saturday we have a fun excursion planned. Sis. Johnson and I will be traveling with three other senior couples starting this afternoon. We plan to spend the night in Jameson Missouri at a bed and breakfast. Then on Saturday we will visit the church history sites of Adam-ondi-Ahman and Liberty Jail. We should be home sometime late on Saturday.

 

All four couples have Saturday as P-day and we all get off duty early on Friday afternoon. This way we can make the long trip on Friday afternoon and have all day Saturday to visit the church history sites. Jameson, Missouri will take us between three and four hours for the drive. We asked for and were granted special permission for our excursion.  The mission has a travel distance rule, any travel more than three hours distance from Nauvoo requires approval for the trip.    

It’s been many years since Sis. Johnson and I have been to these sites so we are looking forward to the trip. I will post stories and pictures tomorrow evening.

Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016 – Resident Rabbit, Invite to our Mission Blog

This morning we were cleaning as usual and Sis. Johnson spotted one of our resident rabbits in his favorite hiding place. In the past we’ve always spooked him out of his hiding spot with our leaf blowers as we’ve cleaned the sidewalks. He has always taken off like a bolt but we didn’t know exactly where he was hiding.  This time Sis. Johnson saw an eye and two long ears in one of the terracotta planters. 

It is interesting that the rabbit has chosen to climb up into one of the planters instead of hiding in one of the hedges or flowerbeds. There are plenty of good hiding places all over the grounds but for some reason he likes climbing up into this particular planter. He is there every morning.  This morning we were careful not to spook him.