August 24, 2015 - Monday in Carthage

This has been another remarkable day in Carthage as we continue our countdown to moving to Nauvoo.  We woke up to temperatures in the low 50's this morning.  After our morning devotional and prayers, we ventured out for our morning walk around Carthage.  I wore an extra sweatshirt as we made our 3 mile walk through the cornfields and soybean fields.  It was a wonderfully brisk walk and we enjoyed our time to talk and enjoy the morning.

We got back to the jail at 6:30am this morning to do one of the last two cleaning assignments at the jail.  It has been a marvelous opportunity to be here and fulfill a labor of love in serving here in Carthage.  The tours today were very small and since we had the morning shift, we were able to leave at 2:30pm.  The fun part of the day was seeing some guests that had connections to people we know.

There was a sister that mom had in a small tour that lived next to one of Bob Jrs mission companions in Florida.  Mom had her text a picture of my name badge to them, and we will see if that makes it back to Bob.  Then we had BYU-Idaho students heading back to Rexburg to begin classes and it was great to make the connections.  We made sure that the sisters in the group made their dates at Rexburg take them to the best deli in the town of Idaho Falls!  (Gandolfo's Deli!!)

We also enjoyed serving with the senior missionaries from Nauvoo coming to help in Carthage for P-days for the missionaries here.  We had a wonderful couple, the Horlacher's, come today who are the site leaders for the Brickyard in Nauvoo.  They enjoy the change of pace here in Carthage and they are very capable when they take a group on the tour of the jail.

Tonight we had Rendezvous.  My debut date is close to being set.  Tonight we had a new Editor make his debut and I got to watch him as I sat with the Rendezvous Director.  He was definitely nervous, but I was grateful to be able to see his first night and the things he did.  It will be a benefit to me when I get my debut date set, probably on Wednesday, which is my next rehearsal.  While watching from the directors chairs I snapped these pictures;

I think mom enjoys the association with Sister Larsen!

And the Relief Society sisters meet again to sing and sew!

Well, we hit 10,000 miles tonight on our van that we got brand new in late January of this year. That's over 1,500 miles each month, on the average, that we have been out here.  The trips to Nauvoo from Carthage gave me lot's of study time for my part as "Pa" and now for the "Editor".  That was the best use of time for us, but now it's time to do more walking!  We should be all settled by Friday and for my birthday on Friday, we will take in the 6:00pm temple session in Nauvoo!

Today our oldest granddaughter, Cambry, began her first day in Junior High School!  I got the report late tonight from her about her day; "...Really had a fun day!  I got my own locker which was the best part, and ate lunch with my friends!  I had so so so so so so so much fun!..." Precious girl!  It was only yesterday, it seems, that I was driving from the Bay Area to Rexburg to see and hold her for the first time, and I was dressed in the golf shirt that announced my first grandchild; "Cambry Anna's Grandpa!

Thank you for checking in with us tonight!  We appreciate all the support and the prayers on our behalf!