August 18, 2016 - Thursday in Nauvoo

A warm and humid morning greeted us this morning.  Temperatures were in the low 70's and the humidity was above 70%.  There is supposed to be a cooling trend starting this weekend.  That will make for some great morning walks over the next several days.  Mom and I both served in the Family Living Center on the early shift today.  It was so nice to be indoors on this hot and muggy day instead of at the Handcart Station!  The Lord really does look after us!  Take a look at these morning photos;

We had a full moon this morning

The naked eye saw this as much more remarkable!

I made a few ropes today and had some fun experiences with teaching families about rope making and working together.  I think the most fun I have is when we get the rope made and talk about how strong it is in comparison to the single strand of the Sisal plant that it starts with.  Then I have to include the thoughts about how good it felt to have the whole family working together to make the rope. And then I include the thought that every time they see the rope, it will help them to remember that it feels so much better to work in harmony as a family, than it is to fight or have any contention at anytime that we are together as a family.

When I finished with one family, this morning, that had two young boys about the age of Johnny and Landon, I felt impressed to give them each a rope.  (We usually only give one rope per family)...That was so well received that the oldest boy came back and gave me a big hug!  That is when I knew that he would remember this visit to Nauvoo, and I got to be a part of that memory!

Later this afternoon, mom and I met with some senior missionaries to help them learn their lines and work on their blocking.  I was really having some fun with them, and mom and Sister Lowe were having a little laugh fest at my efforts.  It was a treat to be involved with directing the Vignettes.  Mom took some pictures but they are not showing up on my phone..... And at our Rendezvous play tonight, those two boys that I saw at the Family Living Center were sitting on the front row.... after the show the youngest boy was being carried to their car by his dad when I waved and said hi!  He looked at me and said,  "you're the one that made my rope!".... 

And my thought for the day has really helped mom and me to work through some of the wonderful challenges we have experienced in the mission field;

 “The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.”

― Helen Keller