July 23, 2015 - Thursday in Carthage

We had a wonderful plan for today and got it started off with our customary devotional and prayers.  Then we took our walk around town and came home ready to begin the day at the Visitors Center.  Our plan was to be home by 3:30pm, at the end of our normal shift, and get ready for a super in anticipation of an early day tomorrow.  You see, we volunteered to help our with the mission breakfast tomorrow by setting up tables and making the pancakes.  The whole project begins at 5:30am tomorrow.... in Nauvoo!  Sometimes I wonder what I am thinking when I offer my services!  But we are so willing to help!

Well, we had a pretty steady morning and tour buses were coming right on time.  We were staying right on schedule and were in great shape for the sisters coming in for the 12:00noon shift.  The only problem was that at 12:00noon, when a companionship came in, we were informed that the other companionship was sick.  So, that left one companionship to close.  And that meant that mom and I had to stay until we had the coverage to close.  The P-day sisters came in at 6:00pm, so our day that began at 8:15am ended at 6:00pm and I am so very tired.  And we still have that service project at 5:30am tomorrow in Nauvoo!

By the end of the day, mom and I were pretty tired and came right home.  It is 7:15pm and mom is already in bed.  I got to make some cookies for the Nauvoo Brass Band and I hope they enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed making them.  

We had several tour groups come in today and it is always interesting to note the way the groups are managed by the tour companies and guides.  Some come into Carthage and couldn't care less about the missionaries giving the tours.  One such company came today and they had some headlined speakers in the group that seemed to be very proud of themselves.  I won't mention any names because they are all very well known, but I would rather not see these folks in this kind of arrogant light....

But in most cases, tour guides come in and ask us what would be the best way to serve their group here in Carthage, and you just want to bend over backwards to insure the best tour ever!  I had a group of young men come in who work the Nauvoo Pageant.  They were dressed in their white shirts and ties and came into the Visitors center and began singing hymns of the restoration as they waited for their tour turn.  Guess which group I wanted to take through the jail?  They were ready to learn and appreciate the Spirit of Carthage!

And in another group there was a young man who was very polite and kind who asked if it would be alright to play the piano while he waited for his family tour.  Of course we made the piano available and he just played some of the most terrific gathering music I have heard this year, and it was a treat to have him play for us!

It is such a good lesson for me to see the differences in the kinds of leaders we have seen.  Some will actually maximize the experience here in Carthage by engaging the missionaries while others will settle for a marginal tour where they feel the missionaries aren't good enough to lead their group.  I wonder what they would do if they came to the realization that the missionaries working here have been set apart to fulfill sacred responsibilities?  I guess only time will tell for them.....  

In some cases, it is sad for what some people will settle for, but we have, for the most part, some of the most wonderful experiences.  And I know that the least of the full time missionaries and Young Performing Missionaries can be monumental to any guest coming to Carthage or Nauvoo, because of their willingness to serve, and the authority they have been given by those with Priesthood authority, to serve as full time missionaries here.