August 18, 2015 - Tuesday in Carthage

The pace is really slowing down here in Carthage.  We had about 100 guests yesterday and we were on track for even less than 100 today.  However, I had some wonderful families on my two tours and I enjoyed connecting with the youth.  In both tours I got to emphasize the importance of brothers and sisters staying close together and being kind and helpful to each other.  

There is an oak tree right outside the Martyrdom window, close to the well, that I love to end my tours by.  I have already told them that the jail building is 174 years old.  When we get to the tree, I tell them it is the oldest tree on the Church property and then ask them to tell me how old they think the tree is.  I get all kinds of guesses from over 175 to 400 or 500 years old.  It is about four feet in diameter,  and a huge shade tree over the area.  After the guesses , I tell them it was a seedling in 1951 making it less that 70 years old.

Now, here is my point; the tree drinks a lot of water due to the high water table here in Carthage.  In fact, it drinks so much water that the bark has splits in it and the core of the trees similar to this one in this area, have a hollow core of 8" to over 12" in diameter.  The reason is because the tree doesn't keep its life 'in balance' with other nutrients.  Therefore, it does not grow big and strong as much as it "looks" big and strong.  It gives me the opportunity to stress the importance of keeping our lives in balance,  with proper food, rest, service, worship activities and acts of kindness to each other.

At one point we had a tremendous downpour at the Visitors Center.  Here are some pictures:

Look at the raindrops "dancing" off the bricks!

The downspout is flowing with water and the grass is forming lakes before our eyes!

 Well, it has been a good day and mom and I had a great start to the day with our morning devotional and prayers and some great exercise.  The rain had not yet arrived as we took our long three mile walk and it was invigorating.  And this was our day to clean the jail after our walk.

We were off our shift at 5:00pm and came home and had no place we had to be.  Our moving day is set for August 28, and August 29.  They will clean the carpets in our next home in Nauvoo on Tuesday August 25th.  We will start off in our new residence with a clean house!

Tonight our prayers are focused on my brother, Doug's, heart surgery tomorrow.  He will have a double by-pass surgery and they will fix some damaged arteries.  He is very nervous about the possible outcome, and my big brother advise was stay positive and listen to the doctors.