A House of Learning

We're encouraged to study during the down times we have in the temple. So today in the celestial room I studied Alma and felt I must write down what I learned:

To my mind there are 3 very interesting men in the part of Alma we're reading for Sunday School. They all three experienced firsthand what repentance is like and totally changed their lives around.

First of course is Alma with his dramatic conversion and wonderful teachings.

But then there's Amulek. He was wealthy  a man of reputation with lots of friends. But I gather he was inactive in the church. When the angel came and told him to receive Alma, his life was changed and he became a good companion to Alma. He says that Alma blessed his women, children, father and kinsfolk in Alma 10:11.  (I  don't know if his wife and children were burned with the believers or if they later turned against him along with his father and friends.) He suffered with Alma, watching loved ones burned, fearing for his life, being imprisoned for "many" days, beaten, starved, and ridiculed. But at last saved miraculously. So by the time their mission(s) were over and Alma took him home with him for some R and R, he was alone in the world and had forsaken all his wealth. He gave some marvelous sermons and was quoted by future generations.

Last, Zeezrom. He was a corrupt lawyer who tried to bribe Amulek. But then he was convinced of the power of God and "inquired diligently" of Alma and Amulek. He became an ideal investigator. He felt very guilty about the wickedness of his people (due largely to his teachings) and all the killing and persecution that was going on. He felt so guilty he became ill with a burning fever. He thought Alma and Amulek were probably killed because of him. When they came to visit him he was overjoyed and asked them to heal him, which they did. And then he was baptized and immediately became a missionary. He traveled with Alma and Amulek and others and served several missions. Over 30 years later we find in Hel. 5:41, he is being quoted. So glad to know his repentance really "took." Also glad to know the vilest of sinners can repent and become great servants of the Lord!

To my posterity

Aunt Gail suggested I share my testimony/thoughts about this experience in Nauvoo.

It is true that we are learning and our testimonies are growing. We participate as proxies or assisting other to be proxies five days a week in the saving ordinances of the temple. That is an amazing experience. I was impressed by President Eyring's comment in the last conference that we should "gain and keep a sure witness that the keys of the priesthood are with us." He said to pray for that every day. Even though that was in the Priesthood session, it applies to all of us. I know that the sealing keys have been restored and because of that we can be an eternal family unit. That makes a big difference in how I feel towards each member of my family. I know that I will be reunited with my parents, grandparents, and sisters and that ancestors further back will be introduced to me. I know that I will be reunited with all my descendants and that I will have continued cheering on their lives after I've passed onward.

Photo by Sister Seeley

As we come out of the temple each evening after serving, I realize that the pioneers didn't see the manicured lawns, beautiful flower beds, and magnificent sculptures of Joseph and Hyrum. But they DID see the Mississippi River in all its grandeur. They had sacrificed time and means to build that beautiful structure because they knew the ordinances they could receive there were important. As they left Nauvoo that beautiful river (then frozen over) became the first obstacle of many to cross on their way west. They would have looked back at their beloved temple on the hill with sorrow in their hearts. I don't see how they could have left it without the faith that they were doing the Lord's will.

I'm not sure we meet the challenges of our time with as much hope and faith and trust in the Lord as they did. Did they know they were doing it for our sakes? And what am I doing for my descendants' sakes? I want them to know the Gospel is worth sacrificing for and that service in the church brings joy. I want them to know Heavenly Father loves them, warts and all. I want them to know this life is not all there is, that the same sociality that exists here among us will exist in the eternities. Our reunions at Camp Alpine are but a foretaste of heaven!

An interesting P-day

Our P-day group (7 couples) drove over to LaBelle, Missouri to Heartland Dairy which is run by a ministry which seeks to help troubled youth and adults by giving them work and teaching them Christian values. We were given a tour by a nice lady named Brenda. She drove us all over the huge compound. We stopped at a barn full of baby goats.

The highlight was seeing a 60-cow milking carousel. The cows get on, are washed, hooked up to the milker and by the time the carousel moves them around and they get off, they have been milked! Someone made this one minute video of it if you're interested.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Qyizlh1ik

It was quite a drive over there past a whole lot of cornfields. We had lunch at the Solid Rock Cafe also run by the ministry--good food and good prices. By the cafe was an antique car museum also created by the minister.

On the way home our car stopped in Quincey to see the monument where the Mormons crossed the river.

Then in the evening Eldon and I went at dusk down the Trail of Hope. The Young Performing Artists were stationed along the way giving little vignettes and songs which made you think about what the pioneers went through as they left behind their beloved Nauvoo and headed west. At 9:30 at night it was still quite hot and muggy. Summer has arrived and the tourists have descended upon us. Also the bugs. Eldon has some pretty bad bites on his back.

The Dodge Visit

The Dodges stopped by for a day on their way to New Hampshire. It was great to see them. We tried to pack a lot into that one day. Bright and early we headed to the temple. Grandpa, Jonathan, and the boys did baptisms. Sheryl, Jessica, Michael and I did an endowment session. It was a privilege to be in the temple with my daughter and her daughter.

Grandma and Grandpa with Michael and Jessica

We went on an oxen ride with the whole group. The missionary narrating did a good job.

Sheryl and her five kids

In the womens' garden

The Savior loves this family!

Then we went to the visitors center and saw the womens' garden and watched the show, "High Hopes and River Boats."

In the evening we went to see "Sunset by the Mississippi." Jason would love to sing and dance and act like these young performing artists do. Maybe after his mission.
Then we relaxed and played Ticket to Ride.

I think the Dodges are excited about their new adventure. Curtis couldn't wait to get to New Hampshire to see their cats.

Tour of the Joseph Smith Historic Site

Our neighbor arranged for us 3 couples to take a tour of the Joseph Smith Historic Site with Lachlan McKay, who is the head of the Community of Christ's historic preservation efforts. He is also a direct descendant of Joseph Smith.  It was an interesting tour, much more thorough than the one we had in September. He answered a lot of our questions.

First stop was the Nauvoo House where there's a stone marking the place of the original cornerstone that Lewis Bidemon (he pronounced it with a long i) unearthed containing the original Book of Mormon manuscript, in very bad condition. The Nauvoo House was commanded in the Doctrine and Covenants as a place to house visitors to Nauvoo. It was by a landing where the steamship could drop off visitors. It was planned to be 5 stories high, but construction got bogged down and it was never finished enough to be used in Joseph's day.

The Homestead was the first place Emma and Joseph lived in Nauvoo--a one room log cabin with a room above for the children. Then it was added onto twice. He showed us nail holes in the original ceiling beams which indicated there was lath and plaster over it. It is displayed too rustic today.

Lach McKay in front of the Homestead

The Red Brick Store nearby was the next stop. Church headquarters were basically upstairs where Joseph had an office and there was a large room for all kinds of meetings, including the organization of the Relief Society. We asked if his church had the Relief Society and he said no, but they have ordained women to the priesthood. They have never excluded the Blacks from the Priesthood.

The Mansion House was then built for Joseph and Emma and they had rooms added on for boarders. Then being innkeepers became too much for them so that part was leased and they lived in just a few rooms and ate in the mansion house dining room, which was also where Joseph and Hyrum's bodies were on display for thousands of mourners. The building was much larger then and the privy (they've found the foundation) was a 10 seater--5 for men, 5 for women and 2 for children. They recovered a five dollar gold piece from it! This was the last place Joseph and Emma lived before his death. There is a dresser that Emma bought in St. Louis. Also a chest where she stored the Book of Mormon manuscript.

He explained about the graves of Joseph and Hyrum being moved a few times and at the final interment they weren't really sure which was Joseph and which Hyrum.

Back at the visitors center he showed us this picture taken from a daguerrotype believed to be the earliest photo of Joseph. He's not so sure it's really him, although the death mask showed one eyebrow higher and a cleft chin and they have a letter saying someone gave him a black cravat.

We asked about the recent purchase of property by our church and he said the over 40 million was welcome, but they were also sad to sell it.

Nauvoo Miscellany

Today President Condie taught us to treat the patrons with honey. He said there's a Jewish tradition that a drop of honey is put on the first page of the scriptures and the bar mitzvah student licks it off and ever after associates studying the scriptures with honey.

He told a story of his son who was a law student at the University of Utah and had a bushy beard. He told his Dad he was going to the temple on Wednesdays at 6 am. President Condie thought that was odd and asked him why. He said because his friend was at the recommend desk at that time and would greet him with, "Hello, Brother Brigham!" Later in the day the workers at the recommend desk were likely to scowl at his beard! So he went when he could get treated with honey!

It is getting busier at the temple. Also it's getting hotter. The mayflies are swarming and there are lots of them down by the river. They die pretty soon and smell pretty bad.

We went to see the BYU Ballroom dancers and that was an amazing show. Evidently they've won the Blackpool formation division every year since 1982. Their costumes were stunning (and modest).

Eldon was tickled by these two signs exactly across the road from each other going in opposite direction, but the same size:

We're into a new book while driving to the YMCA and back. Brenda recommended "The Mysterious Benedict Society." It's about four 10 or 11 year olds who are trying to thwart evil. One girl is named Kate and I think our Kate will especially enjoy this book when she gets a little bit older.