Burns in Nauvoo: Family - What it's all about!

We had a fun week this week! Rochelle, Isaac and their children came for a visit and we loved every minute of it! It was so good to give "Grandma hugs" and get them in return! I loved seeing their smiles, hearing their laughter and being able to cuddle with them! We were able to do several tours with them and it was wonderful to be inside the historic homes again! We also did wagon and carriage rides and saw "Sunset by the Mississippi". On one of the tours, we went inside the Seventies Hall and the grandkids were able to act out calling others on missions. As they were leaving to head home, I was "called", by the grandkids, to serve in the Eagle Mountain, UT mission. Haha! For those who don't know, there is no Eagle Mountain mission but the grandkids want me to serve closer to their home. I told them that I would love to be closer but that Heavenly Father needs us here in Nauvoo right now. We are glad to be serving here! It was also so nice to see my 8-month-old granddaughter and love on her. The last time we saw her, she was 10-days-old. It also goes without saying that we loved the time spent with Rochelle and Isaac! I love my family so much and have missed them a lot! I'm so thankful that families are FOREVER! This coming Saturday, Bryson, Austin & Sydney will be arriving to spend some time with us and I can't wait!

While Rochelle's family was here, we took a tour together of Carthage Jail. In the room where Joseph and Hyrum were martyred, Elder Burns sang the 1st and last verses of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief". This was a song that Joseph requested John Taylor sing to him while they were in the room. It was a very special experience to hear him sing it.

After Carthage, we went to Webster, formerly Ramus when the early Saints lived there, and put flowers on Annie Pixley Johnson's grave. She is my 4th Great-grandma. She was the first one on that side of the family to join the church so I owe her a world of thanks! Here is a short history of her conversion to the church:

One hundred ninety years ago, this June 1st (2021), Joel Hills Johnson was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with his wife Annie being baptized in May 1831.

The conversion of Annie Pixley Johnson and Joel Hills Johnson.

Joel and Annie had moved to Amherst, Ohio; they first heard the Restored Gospel in the Spring of 1831.

Joel wrote: "When they (the Elders) spoke of the Book of Mormon, they made it equal to the Bible. But my prejudice was so great against the book that I would not receive their testimony...I concluded to stay home...my wife (Annie), who had always been a strong Methodist, had desire at this time to attend their meetings which were held every day, and I gave her my consent for I never would abridge anyone's liberty in religious matters. She attended several meetings and begun to think that the work may be possibly true."

After talking with Annie and hearing her testimony, Joel began to look into the Restored Gospel message. He writes: "I concluded that work was of God and embraced it with all my heart and soul and was baptized the first day of June 1831 by Elder Sylvester Smith. My wife (Annie) had been baptized a few days before." His brother David who was living with them at the time was also baptized that day.

While the kids were here, we continued our regular missionary duties. I pulled weeds and mulched and Elder Burns continued hauling gravel and worked on several other projects. This week we also cleaned the oxen ride area, an area that I'd never been to before. There are signs along the path telling the stories of the oxen and their part in the saints leaving Nauvoo. We also saw the completed wagon that we had worked on earlier this year.

Yesterday, Saturday, I was able to view the funeral of a sweet friend who died way to young. Shawntell, you will be missed. Thank you for always greeting me with a smile, being so kind to me and being the wonderful person that you are. Heaven definitely gained an angel.

Nauvoo is beautiful and we love serving here. Things are changing often - this week we were able to quit doing temperature checks and stamping hands (to let us know they'd had the temp check). Now, we are hopeful that masks will be history here soon. (One can hope, right!?!) We also hope to be able to add more tours soon. Just a reminder - if you are coming to Nauvoo, make sure you book your tour reservations soon or you might be out of luck.

I'm thankful for my Savior. I know that He lives. I'm thankful for Joseph Smith and the sacrifices that he made so that the gospel could be restored to this earth again. I'm thankful for my ancestors and their love of our Savior and their courage that they had to stay strong in the gospel, even through all the mobs and being driven from place to place. I thank them often and pray for their help and guidance as I serve here in the city that they helped build.

I love each of you and pray for you to feel peace and joy and have the blessings that you desire.