August 5, 2016 - Friday in Nauvoo

We had the traditional first Friday of the month missionary breakfast for those missionaries ending their missions during this month.  The exiting missionaries usually have a skit, and then the remaining missionaries sing a farewell song to them.  It really is pretty touching, and mom and I qualified to be a part of the group to be sung to, but did not make the skit team (thank goodness!).  There were over 300 missionaries in attendance at this farewell breakfast that just happens to fall in the month of the largest count of missionaries in the mission.  

The Cultural Hall about ten minutes before the missionaries all arrive

Here is the same room filled with over 300 hungry missionaries

The skit by the departing missionaries (except mom and me!)

Our morning temperatures were very mild this morning as we left for the breakfast.  We had some pretty strong thunder and lightening storms late last night and lots of rain.  When we went to bed last night before the storm broke, the temperatures were above 85 degrees and the humidity was over 90%.  After the storm quieted down, the temperatures dropped to the low 70's.  

After the breakfast meeting, we went to the house to get some things for mom to use as the wagon narrator, and I stayed home waiting for my 12 noon shift to arrive.  I took the opportunity to walk to my site assignment and left the house at about 11:00am.  I got to the Family Living Center within 30 minutes and had a very enjoyable walk.

We had Elder Ballard in town for a Smith Family reunion and he took an hour out of his schedule to speak to the missionaries serving in Nauvoo.  That meant that all of the Nauvoo sites closed at 4:00pm sharp and all the missionaries were expected to be in their seats at the Stake Center by 4:10pm.  Elder Ballard arrived with the mission president at around 4:20pm and he started the meeting shortly thereafter.

There were a couple of things that caught my attention with Elder Ballard and with one of the Church History Department experts.  First, with the history person, we were reminded of the voice recording of Wilford Woodruff back in the day when the very first voice recording boxes were being introduced in the Spring of 1897, on March 19th.  Here is some of what has been written about this day of testimony by Wilford Woodruff;

"For some time before his death the Prophet Joseph was inspired of the Lord to anticipate his own departure from earthly scenes. This was shown in various ways; but especially in the great anxiety which he displayed to bestow upon the Twelve Apostles all the keys and authority of the Holy Priesthood which he had received. He declared in private and in public that they were equipped and fully qualified, and that he had rolled the kingdom of God on to the shoulders of the Twelve Apostles.

I, Wilford Woodruff, being the last man living in the flesh who was present upon that occasion, feel it a duty I owe to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to the House of Israel, and to the whole world, to bear this my last testimony to all nations, that in the winter of 1843–4, Joseph Smith, the Prophet of God, called the Twelve Apostles together in the City of Nauvoo, and spent many days with us in giving us our endowments, and teaching us those glorious principles which God had revealed to him".

 

With this recorded testimony, Elder Ballard made the comment that the world must prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior, and those who are called to help prepare the people are the men and women of faith who rise up as missionaries throughout the world.  Then, Elder Ballard made some points that, in effect, are all inclusive comments for us today: 

 

"We are all missionaries here and we will be missionaries after we leave this life.  There is not rest on some soft cloud after we leave this life.  And since we know we cannot "die" to get out of missionary work, why don't we get fully engaged in it now?"

 

Elder Ballard surrounded by greeters and Church security.

Wasn't this a sweet way to end our day of service here in Nauvoo?  As we embrace the message and the importance of every member a missionary, isn't it wonderful that we can share some very unique things about the Restored Gospel.  Elder Ballard reminded us that there is no other organization in the world that has Apostles and Prophets, and additional Scriptures that teach us about Jesus Christ, and no other organization has the blessings of the restoration of the Priesthood and the saving ordinances of the temple that go along with that restoration.  We have it all and why not share it now, because when we leave this life, we will be called upon to continue teaching the Gospel to those who left this life not having had the chance to hear it!