Yea! The temperature "warmed" up to 11 degrees, so we took our morning walk! We were grateful that there was no wind to bring in that wind chill factor, so our walk was cold but very welcomed. Call us crazy, but boy are we getting in good shape.... for senior missionaries!
We were up early this morning and had our devotional and prayers. I was tired last night and actually got to bed before 9:00pm. That was unusual for me, but I was grateful for the extra sleep. Mom was up before 4:00am and I got up a little past 5:00am. What a great way to begin the day!
Our site assignment today was the Visitors Center and we had the morning shift. Our only visitors were two senior sister missionaries from their mission in Missouri, who came to Nauvoo on their P-day. They leave for home in March so the Nauvoo trip was a must see.
One of these sisters was telling mom about the challenges in obtaining the permits for the Susquehanna Visitors Center near her home town. There was a city official who did not like the Mormons and kept sitting on all the permits to build the site. Well, his brother had a home that was worth over one million dollars that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Within days, there was a group of Mormon "Helping Hands" who came to help rebuild, after that hurricane, that worked on this brothers home. Now keep in mind, the Mormon volunteers knew nothing about the permitting problems.... but the Lord knew! The brother who received the help called his brother to let him know what was happening, and guess what? Those permits were approved shortly thereafter! Coincidence? I don't think so....
After our service at the Visitors center, we came home and got comfortable and cozy. We read and knitted and blogged this afternoon and tonight and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening. We have our first meeting with the new mission president and his wife tomorrow as a mission. Mom and I have been asked to give the opening and closing prayers. Fun!
In the play Rendezvous, there is a line that I deliver that says; "You need to understand that nearly all the many accomplishments of the Saints who lived here during the Nauvoo years depended on two things: faith in the Almighty and the willingness of the people to pull together.... because of these two things, Nauvoo offered a life that was, for most of the people, harmonious and orderly".
I have been thinking about that statement a lot. Some things in this life we can accomplish singularly, and maybe just good enough to get by. But the Saints accomplished some great and marvelous things here and they really did need to pull together. Just one of these many accomplishments was building 2,000 wagons for the trek west. Think about this - 2,000 wagons, 8,000 wheels, 104,000 wheel spokes, 2,000 teams of oxen, and all the supplies to last for four to six months. And, be able to get this all together in less than four months with mobs threatening and attacking outlying settlements near Nauvoo. This effort was monumental and it took every available resident of Nauvoo to help while in the process of completing the temple....
Now, let's roll ahead to today. Since the Prophets and apostles have told us many times that those pioneers would marvel at what we will be able to accomplish in our time, it poses a very sobering scenario! However, as Nephi said, "I will go and do"! How refreshing it is to be surrounded by family and friends who love and support one another! And the attitude is that we can do anything as long as we are on the Lord's errand!
When the whirlwinds and disasters and heavy rains and earthquakes and many other challenges come our way, we thank Heavenly Father everyday, that we are privileged to be a part of this wonderful family and precious friends both here in Nauvoo and especially back home in Idaho and Utah and California. I hope and pray that we can all be on board and clinging to that Iron Rod together....
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