March 6, 2016 - Sunday in Nauvoo

We attended the Nauvoo Stake Conference this morning.  Elder Spackman of the 6th Quorum of the Seventy presided.  I think the brethren try to get every General Authority an assignment in Nauvoo.  What a sweet experience for them and their wives!  We were able to walk to the Stake Center and arrived there about an hour early and claimed some nice soft seats.  It was a great time to mingle with friends and listen to some prelude music as we waited for the 10:00am start time.

One truth that was re-enforced from the conference was the reality and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  We learn the Doctrine of Christ when we accept the Gospel, and the Book of Mormon keeps us on that pathway.  The Restored Gospel began with the First Vision in the Sacred Grove, was made possible by the Prophet Joseph obtaining the Gold Plates through the instructions and mentoring of the Angel Moroni, and the subsequent publication of the Book of Mormon.  

It is not just a great book with an amazing story, it is the truthfulness of the Gospel revealed through ancient Prophets who recorded history near the same time frame as the recordings in the Bible, and the New Testament.  And, the young Prophet Joseph Smith was a modern day instrument in the Hands of the Lord to bring this light and truth back to a very troubled world.  And this is a very troubled world!

Elder Spackman related this story; While serving in New York as a Mission President, he and his wife developed a friendship with a Jewish couple.  They would take the Spackman's to the New York Opera and the Spackman's would take them to a ward activity.  The Jewish couple would take them to a posh New York restaurant and the Spackman's would take them to a ward activity.  See a pattern?

The Jewish couple let the Spackman's know, early on, that they had no interest in their religion, but they remained close friends.  One day while Elder Spackman, then President Spackman, was interviewing his missionaries, the Jewish couple's son, Seth, who was 17 and the same age as the Spackman's daughter, would come over to hang out.   Elder Spackman was sure that Seth came over to the mission home just to talk with him and had no interest in seeing his daughter....... yea right!

One day the missionaries, who were waiting for their interview, were out shooting hoops and Seth enjoyed playing with them.  They would often talk about the Church and their missions with Seth.  Within a few days, Seth came to see President Spackman, (Seth called him "President" because that is what the missionaries called him), and he told the President that he wanted to be baptized!  The President told him that was great, but perhaps he should learn more about the Church and its teachings first!  And since he was not yet 18 years old, he needed to talk to his parents and get their permission.... 

Well, Seth knew his parents reaction and said he could not do that, but he asked the President if there was anything he could read about the Church.  The President went into his office and got him a copy of the Book of Mormon, and suggested he read it "after he spoke to his parents".  Although Seth indicated he would talk to his parents about the Church, he never did.  But he did read the book!  After a day or so, Seth came back to the Presidents office and had read 1st Nephi, and had underlined quotes and wrote questions in the margins to talk to the President about.  The President would discuss the notes and answer the questions and would always end the discussion with a plea to talk to his parents about what he was doing.

This went on for several days.  Each day he would come back with more notes and questions, and the President would have a discussion and encourage him to talk to his parents.  Finally, about a week or so had gone by and Seth came to the President's Office and exclaimed; "Jesus Christ is an amazing man!  He is the Savior of the world!  We need to tell everybody about the Book of Mormon, and the life and teachings of Jesus!"  All the President could say was; that is why there are missionaries all over the world!  They are all trying to teach these principles to those who are willing to listen!  And, again, the President asked Seth if he had spoken to his parents??  

Soon Seth was getting ready to graduate from high school.  He was accepted to a prestigious university in Boston and would be moving away.  He came to see the President before he left and indicated he had the perfect plan!  He would move away, and turn 18, and be baptized!    Again the President asked him, and plead with him, to talk to his parents, in which Seth said he would..... but he didn't.  He moved away, turned 18 and got baptized, and called the President to share the news.  The President was excited for Seth,  and asked him, again, what his parents thought about it?  Seth told him he hadn't yet talked with them, and then he asked the President if he could do that for him??  

Elder Spackman did talk to the parents and after a three hour discussion, the parents did not hold the Spackman's responsible, but they were pretty upset with their son!  However, the point of the story was that the Book of Mormon is the word of God to us in these the latter days.  And it needs to be shared and read and prayed about by anyone who will listen.  That is why we all need to be anxiously engaged in this spreading of the Word!  The world is wicked enough for the Second Coming! But, the people who need to hear about the Doctrine of Christ have not all be reached yet!

Mom and I walked home from the conference and went the literal extra mile to walk by our new home!  As we were fasting, we quietly and together dedicated our new home.  Here are some pictures of our new residence;

Our new home!  Check out the inside!

From the kitchen to the Living-room

From our Living-room toward the kitchen

Families Are Forever!

Washer and dryer in nearly new condition

The small office

Hallway from our bedroom past the bathroom on the right

The shower is the same as Carthage

Our room

Guest room

We will make the last one or two trips tomorrow and will spend out first night in our new home tomorrow night!  The sisters who fixed up this house were so excited to have us move into this home.  They went all out to make this a comfortable home.

We are excited!  Thank you for joining us tonight!  We love the Gospel!  We love our Mission!  And we love you!