December 15, 2015 - Tuesday in Nauvoo

We were scheduled in the Visitors Center for the morning shift today.  That made us hustle this morning to leave the house a little earlier than normal for our walk and exercise.  Mom was up first and called for me to get up at 4:45am.  I finally rolled out of bed at about 5:05am, a good 10 to 15 minutes earlier than usual, but still later than I wanted.  But it all worked out OK.  We had our morning devotional and prayers, and we were off on our walk by 5:50am.  

The morning air was cold and crisp, but no wind again today.  Temperatures were in the low 40's.  That made the walk very pleasant and we made really good time around our route.  We were back home by the time the clock tower on the Nauvoo Temple started ringing the 7:00am bells!

Our work shift began at the Visitors Center at 8:45am.  We arrived there at 8:40am and got the lights on and the doors unlocked and ready for our guests.  However, we only had 11 guests come in during our 5 hour shift!  The sisters were baking cookies in the downstairs kitchen, Bistro.  Their goal is to have about 58,000 ginger bread cookies baked and in the freezers for our expected crowds this summer!  They are baking about 1,100 each day that they work down there.  What a great air freshener gingerbread cookies baking in the ovens are!!

Baking the Gingerbread cookies for this summer's crowds!

Mom and I did some training at 1:00pm today in the Visitors Center for some new missionaries assigned there.  We then headed home and had a wonderful afternoon together as we prepared for Rendezvous.  Last nights performance was canceled due to no tickets given out.  But tonight, they handed out 3 tickets!  The show must go on!  It was a little rough going tonight with a few missed lines and missed ques, but, for the most part, it went pretty smooth.  My turn as the Editor is usually at the end of the week, so my next performance is Friday.

As we studied and ponderized our weekly Scripture today,  mom had this insight;  the storm at the last day will NOT beat down nor will they, (the righteous followers of Jesus Christ), be harrowed up, but shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate them! 

What a great blessing to be protected from the storm that cannot penetrate us.  It will certainly be all around us, but we are promised protection if we are counted worthy to be in His Hands!  Take a look at the Scripture again -

Alma 26:6-7 (Ma and Pa)

 6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

 7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

We want to be ready and worthy of this kind of protection!  And gathered together with our family!  Doesn't get any better than this!