January 16, 2016 - Saturday in Nauvoo

This has been a non-stop day for us.  We began early with our morning devotional and prayers.  I was able to fit in a somewhat revised workout.  And then the day got pretty hectic.  It went by rather swiftly and we did not have time to even think about our next assignment!

Our first item on the agenda was to help clean the Stake Center.  We got over there at a little past 7:00am.  The wind was blowing and the temperature, with the wind chill, was in the teens.  We gathered as a Zone and blitzed the cleaning assignments, and were done within an hour.  That worked out very well for us since we were very interested in making the 9:00am temple session.

We got to the temple at 8:15am and had a wonderful time sitting in the waiting room for the session to begin.  It was just mom and me until about 8:40am and the session ended up with about 30 patrons.  It is always a lift to be in the temple, but for the month of January, we have been able to be in the temple on the night we have Rendezvous.  That seems to always help me do a better job on my part...

Then we came home for lunch and to prepare for our fasting tomorrow.  The temperatures were warming up a little and the wind was not quite as strong.  But it was still pretty chilly outdoors.  Our little home was nice and warm, and we enjoyed our lunch together.  However, our time was short because we had to be at the Visitors Center for our late shift at 12:45pm.  We made it on time, and there were a few dozen guests that came in during our shift.  We were able to talk to several visitors and almost half on them were not members of the Church.

Right at 6:00pm we closed the Visitors Center and raced home to change for Rendezvous.  We got there at the Cultural Hall, where the play is held, about 6:20pm and were still a few minutes early.  The play was attended by around 40 people and the audience was great!  It makes such a big difference when the audience becomes completely engaged in the story-line.  I think that is what I enjoy the most.  It is being able to see them connect to the story-line and enjoy the marvelous efforts of the cast members.

Tonight I will close with a simple line from 1 Nephi 3:7;  7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

I am deeply impressed by Nephi's attitude.  Under some pretty challenging conditions he was willing to "go and do".  There is no mention that he would go and try, or that he would take some time to think about it, or that he would ask some clarifying questions before he made his decision..... He said; "I will go and I will do".

That is the kind of person I want to become, and leave the rest up to the Lord.  He needs anxious and willing and enthusiastic workers right now, and mom and I want to stand and be counted with our precious family and friends as ones whom the Lord can count on!