Burns in Nauvoo: I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world!

May 8, 2022

Do you ever feel like time just blurs all together? It's hard for me to believe that we have been on our mission for almost 19 months and that we have less than 3 months left. The mission has flown by but at the same time, it seems like we've been away from home forever! Strange how that works, isn't it!?!?

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. Mine was great in that I was able to talk with my children and most of my grandkids. I miss those kids and I'm trying really hard to not get trunky! Haha! It was also great to walk into Sacrament Meeting and see all of the NPM (Nauvoo Performing Missionaries) there! I loved the hugs that I received from several of them! They add so much to the feeling here in the Mission! I love it!!!

We served in the Visitor Center Sunday from Noon - 6 p.m.

Friday, our daughter (in-law), Sydney, graduated from Dixie State University. Thanks to Marco Polo, we were able to see her get her diploma. It made me happy that all of our girls, and of course, Austin, were there at the graduation. I love how my family supports each other! It makes my heart happy! Congratulations, Sydney!

The other day we were out wood chipping the paths at Browning Gun and the men had to leave so it was just us Sisters that were filling the wheel barrows and then pushing them to the backyard, dumping them and repeating this over and over again. I was so tired at the end of the day but it was proof that we Sisters can do hard things! One of the Site Sisters came by and she told me later - "We fall into bed at night so tired and we don't work nearly as hard as you do! I don't know how you do it!" It was nice to be validated in the hard work that we do because so often, we feel like our efforts aren't noticed. People notice the beauty that surrounds Nauvoo but not the work that goes into it! Haha! I was guilty of that also. In all the times that I visited Nauvoo, I had no idea what goes on behind the scenes to keep it so beautiful until I began serving here. After the chipping was done, we started pulling weeds. It was a beautiful day as I listened to the birds singing their songs, looked at the blue sky, the temple in the background and the budding trees, I couldn't help but sing to myself:

Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue, blue sky,

Whenever I feel the rain on my face, or the wind as it rushes by,

Whenever I touch a velvet rose or walk by a lilac tree,

I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world,

Heavenly Father created for me!

I love that I get to help keep Nauvoo beautiful! Because of rain again this week, I was able to serve a few days in Conservation and once again, I was not able to mow the lawns. Maybe this Friday? We'll see.

I came across this quote this week and I love it!

"We talk about our trials and troubles here in this life: but suppose that you could see yourselves thousands and millions of years after you have proved faithful to your religion during the few short years in this time, and have obtained eternal salvation and a crown of glory in the presence of God; then look back upon your lives here, and see the losses, crosses, and disappointments, the sorrows....you would be constrained to exclaim, 'But what of all that? Those things were but for a moment, and we are now here.'" - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7 (Oct. 6, 1859, p. 275)

That goes along with one of my favorite scriptures: D&C 121:7-8

7 My son (daughter), peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; 8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and you. He is there for us through our hard times. He wants us to return and live with Him eternally. I'm grateful that I can repent daily and draw closer to Him. I'm thankful that He trusted me enough to send me to this wonderful mission! Life is good!!!