January 8, 2016 - Friday in Nauvoo

Today was our official monthly breakfast meeting for saying good bye to our mission president and his wife.  He was called into service, after being released as a member of the Seventy a couple of years earlier, in 2014.  The mission president who had originally been called to serve in Nauvoo in December 2013, got sick and could not fulfill the assignment.  President Gibbons and his wife accepted the call and began their service here in January 2014.  He has been a very popular and genuinely kind president.  Here are some pictures from this mornings breakfast;

Table settings for this mornings breakfast

Elder and Sister Mamales - they were in the MTC with us last year!

President Gibbons

Elder and Sister Ramsey - doing a skit about President & Sister Gibbons

President and Sister Gibbons

What a wonderful tribute to these kind missionaries.  Joining President and Sister Gibbons in their departure from the mission field is Elder and Sister Mamales.  The Mamales's were in the MTC with us last February and arrived here in Nauvoo the day after we arrived here in February 2015.  It is a tradition that missionaries leaving the mission do a final skit for the mission at this breakfast.  

Both couples were hilarious and the Ramsey',s gave a funny tribute to the Gibbons.  Sister Ramsey is the sister to Sister Gibbons.  We have enjoyed working with the Ramsey's in Rendezvous, Carthage, and the Nauvoo Visitors Center, as well as the Family Living Center, where the Ramsey's are the site leaders.  Elder Ramsey is responsible for teaching me the basics of knitting!

After the breakfast, mom and I walked to our site assignments.  I worked at the Blacksmith Shop and mom worked at the Bakery.  I had two tours at the Blacksmith Shop and mom had none!  I worked with Elder Lowe and I got to teach him how to knit the caps;

My first student knitter!  Check out that focus!

 

I am just pulling off my third cap!

Moments later I secured the top and made the tassel!

We had a really good day at the sites and then went to the temple with the Skinner's and the Blacks to do family sealings.  I thought that was a pretty good ending to a really good day.  Then we got Amy's text and found out grandchild #20 with be grandson #9!  That escalated our really good day to an awesomely wonderful day!  Congratulations to the unveiling of this precious grandson!!  We are expecting his entry to be the middle of June 2016!  Ahhh the blessings of serving a senior mission....