August 23, 2016 - Tuesday in Nauvoo

We had another cooler temperature day here in Nauvoo.  We began our early morning with prayers and our devotional together.  Then we took full advantage of this exceptional walking temperature and made our 4 mile trek through the streets of Old Nauvoo.  

The early morning sunrise

We left the house at 5:00am and got back at 6:10am.  We made what we think might be our last temple session at 8:00am.  Our temple missionaries friends, the Shaw's joined us for the session and then took us on an hour tour of the temple.  Then, I spoke with the temple president and got permission to climb the 97 steps to the top of the temple tower with Brother Shaw and one of the temple engineers.  We saw the inter workings of the clocks and the bolts holding the base of Moroni, and even ventured out on the roof over the Celestial Room.  From the top of the Angel Moroni to the ground floor is just over 160 feet.  The wind was blowing and the half moon curve of the Mississippi was so pronounced at that height.  Mom was not interested in the tour of the tower, but that was a real treat for me!

Mom and I love going to the temple!  Here in Nauvoo, we have been able to visit the Nauvoo Temple 96 times over the last 18 months.  The temple presidency has been so kind to us and the president thanked us, again, for our service in the temple along with our responsibilities as missionaries.  President Thomas S. Monson has said; 

"The blessings of the temple are priceless. One for which I am grateful every day of my life is that which my beloved wife, Frances, and I received as we knelt at a sacred altar and made covenants binding us together for all eternity. There is no blessing more precious to me than the peace and comfort I receive from the knowledge I have that she and I will be together again".

I have known that, first hand, as the message of the temple sealing sunk deep into my heart almost 45 years ago.   That is what caught my attention of the Church when my friend, Ellen, told me about the temple and the sealing power contained therein.  I am grateful, more and more, each day, to have the blessings of the temple deepen my understanding of the eternities, and what life would be like without these saving and sealing ordinances!

Then mom and I had lunch together when we got home at around noon.  What a nice a relaxing afternoon, we enjoyed together, before we began our shift at the Visitor's Center.  Our shift was from 3:00pm until 9:00pm.  In that amount of time we shared the shift with 5 other missionaries until 6:00pm and then we covered the Visitor's Center together until 9:00pm.  We ended up serving less than 25 visitors in that six hour shift.  Yes, it is really slowing down here in Nauvoo and there is a surplus of missionaries to keep busy!  But it was great to be able to talk to those 25 visitors and share our testimonies with them!