Sunday, May 5, 2013

Today is our third Sunday in Nauvoo, and we find ourselves becoming immersed in the spirit of this wonderful place.  We had a wonderful testimony meeting today, conducted by the mission president, President Gililland.  The Young Performing Missionaries have arrived, and many of them bore their testimonies.  They bring energy and enthusiasm to Nauvoo, but, as President Condie said, they lack the experience and depth of the senior couples. 

We completed our first week serving in the temple as ordinance workers.  It takes some time to sort out the five floors and where we are supposed to be when.  The temple is lovely, and the décor has stayed close to the period in which the original was built.  There is much dark wood and antique furniture.  Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful.  We have been glad to meet some of the District (local) Temple Workers and to hear their stories.  There are some who came to Nauvoo years ago as Temple Missionaries and decided that this is where they wanted to live so they just stayed.  Many of them drive several hours to work in the Temple once a week.  The Presidency has wisely assigned many of them to leadership roles because it is, after all, their temple!

John and I were able to officiate in our first session on Friday.  It all came about because I told our Coordinator that it would be difficult for me to kneel as a witness couple.  So they said, “Why don’t you officiate?  The Hills were going to, but they will be the witness couple and prompt you as needed."  So we did!  We did okay, and we’ll do even better next time.

President Condie has stressed that this is a caring, slow paced temple where we try to accommodate the needs of the patrons.  We have felt that sweet spirit and have already had some great experiences. Yesterday a young couple was sealed.  She was from Utah, and he was from Pennsylvania.  They met at BYU and decided they wanted to be married in the Nauvoo Temple.  About 25 family and/or friends were here to share that special day with them.

Two old maid sisters (probably 60’s) received their own endowments.  They were baptized about a year ago; they were lovingly shepherded through the procedures, and they were thrilled!  I was able to help a young woman who was preparing to leave on a mission.  Because it was Saturday, a number of young people were here to do baptisms – many of them coming from several hours away.  I met a young woman from Utah who lives in Kirkdale, Missouri where her husband attends medical school.  They drive 2 ½ hours to come to the Temple.

On our Preparation Day on Wednesday, we went with four other couples to the town of Pella, Iowa, a town of about 10,000 to see their annual tulip festival.  It’s nearly three hours away right in the center of the state.  Pella, which means “place of refuge” in Dutch, was settled by a minister and about 800 followers seeking religious freedom in 1847. (It seems a little ironic that they came the year after the Mormons left Nauvoo because they didn’t have religious freedom.)  This group came with some means and was able to buy land and build a community, which is still neat and tidy in the Dutch tradition.  They have a huge working windmill in the middle of 

their town.  Their bakeries feature Dutch pastries.  The tulips were gorgeous even though all were not quite out yet because of their wet, cold spring.  Yes, Pella is the home of Pella Doors and Windows.  There is a huge factory complex as well as a training campus.  Pella and Vermeer are the two largest employers in the town.  We went to the Vermeer Museum and saw how one man who saw a need for better tools and equipment in 1948 built an amazing global business.  Some of his inventions were the dumping mechanism to unload the corn, a tree stump cutting machine, and the first round hay baling machine.  

Note Dad's "Dutch" hat

Tulip Time – The Town Square

We went to Keokuk yesterday and bought a Cannon printer, scanner, copier for $39!  We wish we had brought one, but I think it was a choice between that and our golf clubs.  It was great to be able to print our newsy letter from Cindy so we could read it over again.

We did check out the Great River Road Golf Club about ten minutes away.  We got a score card and found out that it’s very reasonable -- $15 with cart for 9 holes.  We’ll try it out on our next P day if the rain will stop.

We love being here.  We appreciate the love and support of our family and hope to talk with at least one of them each Sunday.