July 21, 2015 - Tuesday in Carthage

Mom and I got an early start on the day with a good nights rest and ready to press forward this morning.  The morning air was cool and drier than usual.  We had a wonderful walk around Carthage and felt invigorated and ready to enjoy our day.  We love reading the Scriptures together each morning and praying together.  It always starts our day off on the right foot.

We arrived at the visitors center at 8:15am and we were ready for our first group who arrived at 8:45am.  Mom and I both had some early tour groups that were fun to lead.  Mom was especially blessed to give a tour to Elder Kim Clark of the First Quorum of Seventy.  He was very kind and complimentary to her after the tour and asked to take her picture.  She enjoyed talking with him for a few minutes after the tour.  He seems like a very kind man.

The tours filled up fast this morning and we were all kept busy.  That is when the time goes by very quickly and we feel like we are helping more people enjoy the Spirit of Carthage.  In a tour in the late morning, we had Erin the daughter of my friend Ellen Clason  and her family in attendance.  Ellen is responsible for introducing my sister and I to the Gospel back in college.  It was such a pleasure to have them come to Carthage!  I had to take a picture of Erin and her family;

The other missionary couple in the picture are the Toomers.  They are the parents of Erin's husband and we met them near the very beginning of our mission here in Nauvoo where we are serving together.  

This is a family that came to Carthage today.  The girls are students of Stacy Huston, a member of our ward back home and their ball room dancing coach.  They were missing one of Stacy's dance camps so I wanted to give them a legitimate reason for not being with her this week!

And finally we have the Cameron Taylor Family, also members of our ward back home.  Cameron and I served together in the Bishopric for almost two years.  It was a real treat to have them come and see us here in Carthage!

We have been richly blessed to be here in Carthage.  We love our family and friends who come great distances to see us and help us recharge our service batteries as we are away from home.  It means so much for them to make this kind of an effort for us and to experience the spirit of Carthage with us!