New experiences in the temple

We often get an opportunity to help out in the laundry. There's plenty of it. I've learned to fold towels and veils, and trousers. There's an interesting gizmo called a sash winder. Someone created it with a sewing machine motor. There's a rod you thread the ending seam of the sash on and then you push on the foot pedal and it winds it around another rod and folds it to the perfect size.

I spend one day a week as the clothing coordinator. Learning to use the cash register has been a headache but it's mastered now. Judging people's sizes is also a challenge. We ask the women how tall they are, but then we guess whether they're small, medium or large. The laundry sends up huge amounts of clothing to put away.

I also spend a day a week in the office. I answer the phone which is usually people making appointments or putting names on the prayer roll. I also record the ordinances. The cards have a scan bar which goes under a light which makes it go into the computer and then to Salt Lake, I guess. I'm not very good at transferring calls. President Jenson had to call 3 times one day before I succeeded in getting him to the office he wanted. In the down time I do indexing.

Today we had a deaf young man on our session. There was a screen came up with the words going across and also someone doing ASL. That was interesting to watch. At the end of the session he had a card to read from and point to while someone was his voice. He also wanted to be in the prayer circle although he wouldn't have heard Eldon's nice prayer.

I sent for several new organ books of hymn arrangements, so whenever I get a chance I go in the chapel and practice. Or even better, play while people are gathering for a session. It's a good day when I get to play the organ.

Staying awake in Sacrament Meeting

You may not have noticed, but I have a hard time staying awake in Sacrament Meeting. Eldon does his best to keep me awake with nudgings and whispers and even ridicule, but nothing seems to help.

So Ken had this idea of sketchnoting in meetings. An example is to the right of a talk he heard on the internet.  He says sketchnoting helps him stay away in Sacrament Meeting. I had reservations about trying it because I can't draw like he can. Also Sheryl told me ages ago that she uses taking notes to stay awake in meetings.

So today I decided to try it. We always have four speakers in our Sacrament Meetings and because I took notes today, I can tell you the amazing messages they each gave:

Sister Cottrell made these points about contention:
1. It is a waste of time
2. It can be caused by envy, temporary irritations, judging others, justifying ourselves, and failing to forgive.
3. Until election time our faith will be under scrutiny and false accusations may cause contention. We should respond as the Savior would. a) Remain silent. b) Bear testimony. c) Exercise patience and forebearance.
4. Opposition may bring opportunities.
5. We should speak with quiet confidence.

Brother Cottrell talked about enduring and endearing.
1. Life can be difficult, but it is meant to enjoy. D&C 10 says to be diligent to the end, more doable than enduring to the end.
2. It's easy to be good and do good because a) we're born with the light of Christ and b) because of the influence of the Holy Ghost.
3. There are examples all around us in Nauvoo of people who are enduring and are also endearing. We should seek to endear ourselves to those in our sphere of influence.

Sister Laney talked about the value of scriptures.
1. Elder Richard G. Scott said scriptures are like packets of light illuminating our mind and giving us guidance from on high.
2. We can find treasures, help and comfort in them. For example D&C 138:57 comforted them when their son died at 21 of cancer right after serving a mission. They feel his mission is being continued on the other side.
3. Listen to the Spirit while reading the scriptures. Pray before and after you read them.
4. The scriptures will help us love, serve, and want to be like the Savior.

Elder Laney didn't have much time. He said the Lord stretches our talents. And he quoted Joseph Smith saying this about Nauvoo: "This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heavens." True today too.

So if any of you besides Ken and Sheryl have inherited my tendency to fall asleep during Sacrament Meeting, I urge you to try this method of note taking or even sketchnoting if you have that ability. I promise you that you'll get more out of the meeting.

Learning about Alma Sr.

We know he was a young wicked priest in the court of King Noah. He must have had the priesthood even though he was wicked. His heart was touched by the teachings of Abinadi. He says in Mosiah 23:9 that he had been "caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused...sore repentance."

Maybe Alma is the priest on the right because he looks fairly young.

But once his heart was touched, he spoke up in support of Abinadi, which angered the king and resulted in death threats. So Alma fled for his life. He hid several days and wrote down what he remembered of Abinadi's teachings. I doubt he engraved it for that would have taken longer. He sneaked out of hiding and taught the people "privately" and many believed. He hid in the forest around the waters of Mormon and taught and baptized when he had a chance.

Thanks to Friberg for the artwork.

When they were discovered by the king's people and an army came after them, they fled into the wilderness, over 400 in number (a good sized ward). He led the church, eventually arriving in Zarahemla where he died an old man (82) after conferring the office of high priest to his son, Alma, who had gone through his own mighty conversion.

The other bookend

Susan Easton Black spoke at a sociable last night for 45 minutes without notes about the building of the Salt Lake Temple. I'm going to tell you what I remember of it.

It started with Brigham Young, in his 40's, red haired and freckled. Because of his mountain fever (caused by the bite of a tick), he was the last of the vanguard company to enter the valley. A few days later when he stuck his cane (still being used because the illness) into the ground and said, "Here we will build a temple," the people said, "Oh no! Every time we build a temple we get driven out." For several years they refused. Finally he said he'd do it himself. He told his secretary, "If anyone wants to see me, I'll be digging out the foundation for the temple." Then the people started to help and got enthused. Brigham Young envisioned a temple with 6 spires, three taller ones to represent the Melchizedek priesthood and three shorter ones to represent the Aaronic.

The foundation was of sandstone and 16 feet thick. Just when it was finished, Johnston's army was on it's way. Brigham sent the saints to the hills to get wagon loads of dirt which they poured into the foundation and then they planted trees and a garden on top of it. He told them to put straw in their homes and prepare to burn them before they would let the army have them, which they did. Fortunately, it blew over and a few years later they dug out the foundation. The weight of the dirt and trees had caused it to crack and Brigham realized sandstone would not last for eternity like he wanted. So they pulled the sandstone out and used it to build the tabernacle.

So they started all over again, this time with granite. Sister Black described how they were lowered down on ropes and pounded chisels into the granite until it cracked. One man lost an arm when a slab broke loose. He wanted to make sure it would eventually be buried with his body (for resurrection purposes) so he had his wife pickle it. Then he charged for kids to see it and earned enough to send his four children to the Deseret Academy. The granite that was not perfect, they used to build the assembly hall. Eldon's ancestor, Jacob Foutz, helped in the granite quarry. In fact, he had a heart attack there and died.

Many years and a few prophets later the temple was nearing completion. They wanted a certain sculptor named Cyrus Dallin to make the Angel Moroni for the top. Unfortunately he had stopped coming to church and didn't believe in angels any more. He turned Wilford Woodruff down. So they searched the tithing records for a relative of his that was active and found his mother. President Woodruff called his mother in and asked her to use her influence. She went to her son and told him she'd seen President Woodruff. He knew what was coming and said no, he wouldn't do it because he didn't believe in angels. She asked, "Do you believe your mother is an angel?" He said yes. She said, "Then do it for me." So he did. The only colored thing on the exterior was the all seeing eye. It was painted blue.

The dedication was two weeks long. The first day Joseph F. Smith was at the door taking tickets. A pregnant woman named Sister Bennett came in and sure enough, she started labor during the dedication. No one wanted to leave to take her out. Finally a RS president took her in a nearby room and delivered the baby. Eight days later she took the baby back to the temple door and told Joseph F. Smith she wanted him to bless and name her baby in the temple. So he did. He named him Joseph Temple Bennett.

Our ancestors, the Olsens and the Fugls, had been in the valley for 25 years when the temple was dedicated in 1893. I wonder if they went to the dedication.

The celestial room in the Salt Lake Temple

This is the temple where we were married. Also Neil and Pam. When we pass through Utah on our way home, we'd like to attend a session for old time's sake.

Put your mate first

We had the privilege this week of being guides for two sweet sisters from the panhandle of Florida who came to be married to their sweethearts. They had at least a dozen relatives with them.

They had been endowed the day before. Getting them ready for the sealing was an adventure. They must not have read their letter carefully because their dresses were both short sleeved, LOW necked, and covered with sequins! Sister Condie advised that they be sealed in temple dresses. One accepted that just fine, but the other was in tears. So we compromised with a cover up top.

We were invited into the ceremony. Brother Mann, a patriarch in the Nauvoo Stake, was the sealer. I can only remember one thing from his pre-sealing advice to them. "Put your mate first." I have thought a lot about that since and have concluded that that is not my first inclination! I would much rather have my own way in a lot of things. So I want to put higher priority on his comfort and happiness and well being. It might just yield great dividends!

Brother Mann explained the sealing has two parts. The first being the promises made by the couple to each other. The second being the promises and blessings from the Lord if they keep their promises to each other.

We were glad to be a part of their excitement and hope for the future. One couple was going to St. Louis for their honeymoon because she wanted to go to the zoo. She and her husband are both school teachers and he served a mission in San Francisco, which he said is shut down now because of wickedness. The other couple had to get home for work. He is a convert of a year. They're having a joint reception in Florida in a week.

Two more stories. Eldon officiated in a session yesterday where there was a woman receiving her endowment after 17 years of inactivity. Her visiting teachers were with her. They had not been invited in for years until one time the visiting teacher felt inspired to take her baby with her. That broke the ice, they were invited in, and reactivation began, culminating in this trip to the temple!

The last story. We're in the process of changing coordinators. The old ones have been training the new ones to take over. The Memmots were to take over the Saturday morning shift from the Krumpermans. Brother Krumperman fell out of a tree this week and broke several ribs and his pelvis so was laid up. The Memmots were forging ahead working on the schedule (a complex process at best.) They stayed up late the night before working on it and then said a sincere prayer that they would receive help. They arrived early (6 am) to print it off and couldn't figure out how to do it. The Rockwoods (old coordinators) showed up and said, "In the middle of the night the Spirit told us to come early. How can we help you?"

Neil's 45th Birthday!

It kind of makes you feel old when you second son turns 45. But he's still young at heart and can run faster than the young people! We're proud of Neil and all he's accomplished, especially in raising  a righteous family.

Today I bought a present for Dad's birthday which he needed NOW! An apron from Nauvoo.

Yesterday we went to the visitors center in the afternoon to see the movie, "Joseph Smith--Prophet of the Restoration." And whom should we meet who were there for the same purpose--the Catchpoles! He has a new job in Chicago and they live in a condo with a great view. It was fun to see them again.

Sunday night was a sociable put on by a young lady named Emily Spencer on the music of the early days of the church. She told about "lining out" where one person sings a couple of lines and then the congregation repeats them. The Nauvoo Missionary Choir sang a number to start the evening. They sang "The Temple of Nauvoo" which I accompanied on a nice Steinway grand piano. She has researched which hymns were used the most in the early days. "The Spirit of God" of course, and she sang "Come Thou Fount." Also "Adam ondi Ahman."

Eldon says spending so much time in the temple is a sanctifying and purifying process. Probably watching less TV contributes too. It would be nice if we wouldn't lose that feeling when we go home.

Nauvoo Temple celestial room

We went over to watch the dress rehearsal for the Pageant tonight and it was inspiring. Fortunately the over 100 degree weather has moderated and it was quite pleasant tonight. 

Flowers, Fences, Friends, and the Fourth

Eldon loves the split rail fences

At the brickyard showing how the walls were made 3 bricks deep

Gigantic water lotuses on the Mississippi

Near the school house

Our front yard

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye

A picturesque barn

Queen Anne's lace at the edge of the river

We went over to Fort Madison because they were commemorating the 4th. They dressed in period costume.

They had cooked chicken stew and biscuits over an open fire on the hearth.

The flag over Fort Madison

Preparing to give an 18 gun salute

It was LOUD

                                     
                                                                                                                                                                                          

That evening there was a potluck barbeque. Sister Franklin took a lot of pictures:

Wonderful strawberries!

 Here are some of the friends we've made here:

The Heils are from Colorado where he teaches art. He studied at BYU where Uncle Glen was on his committee.

The Pollocks are from California. He's a chiropractor and a jokester.

The Roses are from West Jordan. He was on the church curriculum committee.

The Lances met while young missionaries in the British Mission. To their left are the Ekins, cattle farmers from Delta.

The Winegars and the Olsens

The Rockwoods like to geocach.

The Andersons were Uncle Clif's home teachers.

The Memmots have 26 children between them.

The Jensons are from Sandy. He graduated from the U of U in Industrial Engineering two years after Eldon. They've been going to the YMCA with us.

The Ashes are a friendly couple from Canada.

The Langfords were our mentors.

The Turners are from Magna, Utah.

Special events

There was a talent show and potluck for the temple missionaries. The food was great and so was the entertainment. I played for a women's group who sang "Sisters" from White Christmas. Also for the choir who sang a rendition of "June is Bustin' Out All Over" with the words changed to be about how we have all gained weight here.

The potluck

Sisters singing "Sisters"

On June 27th we went to Carthage for the commemoration of the martyrdom. It was an extremely hot day. The Nauvoo brass band played. The young performing artists sang, and the young sister missionaries sang "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning" with a sister doing sign language. President Jensen spoke and helped us realize what a great work Joseph did and how we honor him for it. The mission president said to the non-members there that if they wanted to know if Joseph really did have the first vision, to ask someone who was there! (That would be the Father.)

The Nauvoo Brass Band at Carthage

The young sisters singing "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning"

I walked over to the Brick Yard yesterday to listen to the young performing artists sing.

Today we drove to Centerville, Iowa  (about 2 hours most of which was a thunder storm) to visit with Elder White and his family. He was one of Eldon's assistants and was a terrific missionary--hard working and joyful and full of faith.

We passed horse drawn wagons on the way to Centerville

First we went to church with them. It's the smallest branch I've ever visited. There were 6 sisters in RS. Their family is the backbone of the branch. His father is branch president, his brother is Gospel Doctrine teacher, another brother is the Elders' Quorum president, and a fourth brother is YM president. Elder White (I should call him Blake now) is the branch mission leader. We both bore our testimonies. Mine was about power in the priesthood and Eldon said seeing Elder White again was like Alma seeing his brethren after years and being happy they were still strong in the faith. He choked up saying it. He also said our church is the true and living church--true because it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and living because we have the Holy Ghost to guide us. A 15-year-old was confirmed that day. He was baptized the night before in Elder White's swimming pool.

After church we went for a drive to see his fields of corn and soybeans, his huge combine, and his hogs. Then we went over to his folks' house for a great farm meal of roast pork and baked beans.

Eldon, Blake, Angela, and Janeil

Blake showed us his hog feeding operation.

I remember when he was a missionary he was worried that he wouldn't be able to find a wife in Iowa, but he did! He married when he was 29. Her name is Angela and she's a nurse. His younger brother married her younger sister so that's how they met. They've been married 6 years and haven't been able to have children yet. I want to pray for them.

Blake told us about his conversion. When he was a teenager he was combining with his Dad and he told his Dad he wasn't sure he knew if the church was true. His Dad said, "Do you think that's something you should find out?" Blake said, "Well, yes." Then his Dad said, "What are you going to do about it?" Blake thought and said, "I guess I should pray about it." So a few days later in a quiet spot in the fields he knelt down and prayed and received his answer. Wise Dad!