Burns in Nauvoo: Happy 4th of July

July 4, 2021

Happy 4th of July! Fireworks last night were fun to watch. We gathered with others on the lawn in front of the temple and watched them as they were shot off from Montrose across the Mississippi. We started this morning off with an early-morning flag raising ceremony at the Visitors Center. Elders Elia, Koop and Bingham raised the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance was said by all there and we all sang "God Bless America". I love this great country of ours, I love those who sacrificed so much so we can have the freedoms that we do. We really are a blessed nation!

During Sacrament Meeting today, President Ballard and President Massey, counselors to President Rizley, were released in preparation for their return home. Elder Alston and Elder Smith were called to those positions. I will miss these great couples also, but especially Elder & Sister Ballard. We have become close friends and there will be an empty spot in my heart when they leave. Good-byes are hard and there are so many of them on the mission!

This week in gardens we did a lot of weeding, mulching and wood chipping and my body knows it! I'm so sore but it sure looks great! We worked at the Land and Records Building (which is now open again and you can get maps of where your ancestors lived in Nauvoo), the sidewalk by Pendleton School, the Family Living Center, the Diagonal (a really long sidewalk with gardens on both sides of it) plus work at Lyon Drug and Orson Hyde home. It was a busy week!

Elder Burns fixed the garden trailer (again!) and finished up the work he was doing on the temple fence. He is now working on the path from the Villas to Pageant Headquarters.

We are saying good-bye once again to an amazing couple. Elder and Sister Chestnut are leaving this week and they will be missed! We've had some great Sunday walks with them and Doug did a bike ride with them. I also said good-bye to Deborah, one of the summer interns that I was able to work with. She is a hard-worker, kind and fun to be around. I'll miss working with her. On the flip-side, we welcomed three new couples. One of those, the Mills, are in our District.

We had an amazing training this week on building a Temple City. We were "transported" back to the 1840's in Nauvoo. Imagine living at this time and ladies, you have lost your husband and a child. Men, you lost your wife during childbirth, as she delivered your twin babies. Now ask yourself, why was building the temple so important to those early saints? Why was it so worth the sacrifice to build? At this period of time, the prevailing tradition was that all unbaptized were damned. Can you imagine the joy when Joseph Smith brought forth the revelation that we can be baptised for our family members who have died? Then he brought forth the revelation that we can be sealed to our family, united forever as loved ones (Doctrine & Covenants 132:46)? They knew the temple needed to be built for them to receive those blessings and saving ordinances. Can you see why it was so important to them to finish the temple? Can you see why they persevered, even as they were being mobbed and persecuted and driven from Nauvoo? They sacrificed so much to build that Temple on the hill, even as they knew they would be leaving it. As the Saints were leaving Nauvoo, they thronged the temple so that they could receive the ordinances that they could only receive in the temple. They wanted those blessings before they left Nauvoo.

Not being able to attend the temple these past 14 months has really made me appreciate the temple more. I pray that I will never again take the temple for granted.

I had an ah-ha moment the other day. Before we came to Nauvoo for our mission, we had been warned of the dreaded "Nauvoo 30". This is the 30 pounds that you put on while serving here. As healthy as I ate (Snickers Ice Cream bars are healthy, right? haha), I was still putting on weight and I am determined that I will not go home with the "Nauvoo 30". Besides that, my clothes were all getting way too tight and I was not going to buy new clothes so a change was needed. Not knowing if it's thyroid or eating that is causing the gain, and with a plan recommended by my doctor, I started on that change this week. I have spent a lot of time planning menus, shopping lists, prepping and preparing the meals. With this plan, I have to eat at certain times. My alarm is set to remind me that it's time to eat again. I'm taking this seriously - not only do I want to lose weight, but more importantly, I want to be healthy! So, to the ah-ha moment. During prayer on our dinner last night, Elder Burns mentioned that we have both a physical body and a spiritual body and prayed that we would be able to nourish both. That was the ah-ha moment right there. I was spending lots of time making sure my physical body was fed but how much time was I spending and dedicating to feeding my spiritual body? Doesn't it need the same attention, if not more? It is important for me to take care of my body because it is the temple that houses my spirit. I also need to care for my Spirit and feast on the words of Christ! Yep - my ah-ha moment.

As I've said many times before, I am so thankful to be serving here in Nauvoo. I love my Savior, I love my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I can't count the blessings that have come into my life because of my membership in this church. Thank you all for your love, prayers and letters. I love you all!