Happy New Year 2022

January 2, 2022

Happy New Year!!! 2022 came into Nauvoo bringing lots of snow and cold. Brrrr! I've been freezing! It was so cold that my weather app was using a picture of an igloo where there is usually a sun or clouds or rain etc. Doug spent most of New Year's Day plowing snow. One of his assignments is to drive the snowplow - he's one of several missionaries and full-time employees that plow. 

President and Sister Rizley leave this week ;-(  

So, yesterday (Saturday Jan. 1, 2022) we had a mission lunch at the Family Living Center. After lunch, we moved to the Visitor's Center, where a special program for Pres. & Sis. Rizley was held. There were special songs by Elder King - he sang "You Raise Me Up," and Elder Macfarlane, Merkley and Rees sang "When a Cowboy Rides Away," with the words changed to fit the occasion. 

There were talks, presentations made and then it ended with the video Pres. Alston put together with pictures and videos taken through the Rizley's time here. It was amazing and brought back so many special memories! The video ended with the mission doing the "Hurrah for Israel" shout and singing of "God Be With You." To make this for the video, we all met at the Seventies Hall Monday night, most of us in our period clothing. It was a special experience to do the Hurrah shout in a place where so many early saints received their mission calls. We also gave them a Nauvoo picture book that all of the missionaries wrote in. 

The program ended with some words by Pres. & Sis. Rizley. How do I sum up almost 15 months of serving with them? My life is forever blessed by their kindness, love, teachings and encouragement to step out of my comfort zone. It's because of Sis. Rizley's encouragement and faith in me that I decided to participate in the "Women of Faith" vignette and also serve at the Lucy Mack Smith home. I'm forever grateful for her friendship and look forward to reunions!

 

Monday evening we had the special opportunity to help clean the Nauvoo Temple. It has been closed for two months while they remodeled and it opens this week! You've heard me talk about Nauvoo miracles or tender mercies. Well, this was one of those. Last Friday, on the 24th, we had an FM brunch for the missionaries. The employees had the day off. However, one of the employees had to come in to check on something and was invited to come join us. He had his wife with him, so they both came and joined us. After the brunch, I went over to talk with Jamie. She and I  worked together on the city's Bootiful Nauvoo committee and I've also heard that she paints glass ornaments and I wanted to talk to her about that. Well, I never got around to asking about the ornaments because the subject of the temple came up and she told me that they needed people to come help clean the temple or it would not be ready to open. She's the cleaning supervisor. Long story short, I reached out to Pres. Alston, who contacted Jamie, and the mission had the opportunity to help clean the temple. What a blessing! If I hadn't gone over to talk to her, this might not have happened. If they hadn't come at the right moment, they wouldn't have come to the brunch. If the Elder that invited them to join us hadn't asked them, it wouldn't have happened. So many small things that fell into place to give us this wonderful service opportunity. We've been told that there are no coincidences and I believe that. 

That night at the temple, I spent two hours cleaning baseboards. I was able to clean in the wedding waiting room. This was special to me because my daughter, Rochelle, was married in this temple and we waited in that room. I was also able to enter the sealing room where she was married for time and all eternity to her sweetheart, Isaac. I then walked over to the spiral staircase and looked down from the top to the bottom, just as she did after her wedding. I loved being reminded of that special day and feeling the spirit that is in that temple. Another neat thing that happened that night is that we were able to climb to the top of the temple. It's a spiral staircase up to the top. The view from the top windows was beautiful. It was really dark out but I could see the Joseph and Hyrum statue out one window and could see the Mississippi and the lights across it. One more story from that night. I also cleaned in the youth waiting room. I opened an armoire door and it was full of white infant and toddler clothing. I thought of the many children that must have been in that room, waiting to be joined with their families forever. What a special feeling enveloped me as I thought of them. I am so grateful for my temple sealing and blessings that allow my family the opportunity to be together forever. I can't feature eternity without each one of my family members there.

I love my family! They are my everything!!

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Tuesday I was able to serve in Lucy Mack Smith's home again. Although we didn't have any visitors join us there that day, I enjoyed my time reading scriptures and visiting with Sister Wessman. I love the spirit that is in that home. 

Wednesday night, we had a showing of Forgotten Carols at the VC. It was fun to see Adrien Swensen in it. She's a friend of ours and plays Connie Lou. 

Thursday I was able to participate in Women of Faith again. I'll admit that I started the day with a negative attitude about doing it. I was tired and I just wanted to go home and stay home. We've had so many activities going on and I've loved all of it but I was tired. I told Doug that I wanted to have someone else do it and he asked me if I was going to call in sick and was I really sick? I decided that I needed to humble myself (again!) and pray for the Lord's help. He answered my prayer by giving me renewed energy and an excitement for doing it. I struggle with memorizing things so the idea came to me to print off the script in large letters and have it held by the camera so I could read it. It worked great for me. As it turns out, one of my angel friends from Ivins, Annette Eddy, was watching from her home and we were able to talk for a few minutes after. I thanked Heavenly Father for giving me the desire to serve Him that night. It really is a great experience to share the story of how Relief Society came to be and to share the faith that our early Saints had.

On New Year's Eve we had another movie at the VC and then came home to watch over an hour of Marco Polos. Our children and grandkids were all together having the family Christmas Party and were sharing it with us so we could be a part of it. I love them and miss being with them but love that we can still be a part of the celebrations.

What the FLC looked like after we set it up for the luncheon.

Funny story about this picture. When we do inventory, we have a book with pictures of all of the inventory items. I was looking for this picture and couldn't find it. I kept looking for one with a sunset on it. I even had Sister Wood looking for it. Finally, it dawned on me that the "sunset" was actually a flash from whoever took the picture. Duh!!! Haha! It brought some much needed laughter!

We collect Nutcrackers. Although I bought several this year, these two have special meaning to me. The fireman one was given to me by Sister Wood. She is always bringing sweets to work and I can't have them because they usually have gluten in them. She said she felt bad that I couldn't have them so she bought me this. I thought it was so sweet and thoughtful of her. I really am ok not having the gluten items - I'm pretty used to it by now. The other one is from Sister Rizley. When we visited the Amana Colonies, she knew that I was looking for a nutcracker but wasn't having much luck. She saw this one at a store and thought of me, so she bought it for me. Again, so much love and thoughtfulness from those I love in this mission! I will treasure these nutcrackers because I treasure those who gave them to me!

As we begin a new year, I pray that you and your families will be blessed with the knowledge and testimony that Heavenly Father knows you and that He loves you. He is there in the hard times and the good. I love Him and I'm grateful to be serving Him here in Nauvoo.