August 7, 2016 - Sunday in Nauvoo

We had no site assignments today.  Yea!!  It is such a blessing to be able to enjoy the Holy Sabbath Day without having to work in one of the Nauvoo sites.  In fact, we only have one more scheduled Sunday, where we will be working in the Blacksmith shop.  Fortunately we are not required to fire up the forge and make horse-shoes on Sunday shifts when we work in the Blacksmith shop on Sunday's!

The morning temperature, today, was 62 degrees on our indoor/outdoor thermometer.  It was the best walking temperature in several weeks!  Even though we were fasting today, we decided to walk the three quarters of a mile to the Stake Center for our meetings and give Moroni a little break.  After our morning devotional and prayers we made ready for the day and began our walk to Church at around 6:45am.  I caught this picture out in front of our home;

The morning clouds over our little home in Nauvoo

Then, as we were walking along the back streets to the Stake Center, we passed these fallen tree branches.  The water table is so high that the trees do not grow tight fibers, and the tree is hollow in the middle cores.  The fast growth of the trees also contribute to the weakness of the tree to withstand the storms that come up in the area.  

I have given this analogy many times, that the trees here in Nauvoo take in so much water, because of the high water table, that they do not balance the nutrients with the water to build a strong tree.  The strength of the tree is compromised because of the imbalance of the proper nutriments.   Here is a visual of that compromised growth, and the base of the tree has the same growth patterns throughout Nauvoo;

One fork in the branch is solid and one is hollow!

The best lesson learned in this picture is to keep our lives in balance!  Proper rest, proper food, proper exercise, and learning the principles of the Gospel, with a balance of Scripture study, prayer and fasting, temple attendance and taking advantage of proper and excellent service opportunities!

Now, our precious Levi and pictures of his special day;

Levi on his blessing day!

And check out those awesome shoes!

Today the family of Josh and Amy gathered to participate in Levi's special blessing day.  He was given a name and a blessing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This is one of the sacred ordinances performed by the authority of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood, and Josh and Levi's uncles and grandfather, who also hold this Priesthood, were able to participate.  The phone call we got this afternoon from our precious Amy indicated that everything went well.  We are so grateful for our precious family! 

As our final activity this afternoon, we plotted out our trip to Virginia Beach to visit with PopPop at the end of August.  We are three weeks away and we are excited to have the sweet privilege to be with him for a few weeks and get reacquainted with him after almost 19 months!  Our 18 months in the mission field is rapidly coming to a conclusion!

My final thought for this evening comes from our Sunday school class today.  We were discussing the Atonement.  I have to admit that I have not considered all the aspects of the Atonement as I should.  I was reminded of Alma 7:11-13;

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

In this Scripture, I understand, in a very very limited degree,  the process that the Atonement goes through.  However, I know that He died for me and that I can live with Him, along with my family, again, if I will repent of my sins, and always remember Him, and keep His commandments.  It has sounded simple enough in the past, until I finally realized, in our class discussion today, that my sins contributed to the need for the Atonement....

That was a sobering thought, and caused me to appreciate, more than ever before, that He was willing to do this for me.  He not only suffered my pains and my afflictions, that have come upon me in my lifetime, but He ultimately suffered for those pains and afflictions that I have caused...

I know that He died for me, and because He died for me, I will be able to live again.  And I know that if I can fully repent of all my sins and transgressions, I can qualify to, not only live again, but, have the privilege of living with Him again!  

Faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring well to the end have taken on a whole new meaning to me.....