June 2, 2010

We are Loving our Mission

• On our Preparation Day a few weeks ago we drove along the Mississippi and took pictures of turtles on logs and geese with their cute baby goslings.
• We have 380 missionaries serving in Nauvoo this summer.
• We walked down The Trail of Hope on Parley Street. Several missionaries did vignettes of pioneers. It was wonderful.
• We had district meeting at our house and cooked steaks and salmon outside on the grill. We have two young performing missionary sisters in our district. They are so talented and add so much energy and enthusiasm to the mission.
• When weeding at Lyon Drug and getting ready to plant new herbs, I found a little bird’s nest with 4 baby birds in it. How sweet they were.
• Elder Jaster has been working hard helping to make major changes on the outdoor Sunset stage, getting the Pageant stage ready and maintaining houses, roads and assisting the carpenters.
• President Hill said the culmination of repentance and obedience come close to a “Cure All.” …things that are common temptations for all of us are dishonesty, pride, anger, impure thoughts, complaining, criticizing and comparing.
• We are thankful for our little grandson, Mason, who is recovering from his recent surgeries. He is only 3½ but has undergone close to 8 major surgeries as near as we can recall.
• We have enjoyed going to several of Susan Easton’s Black’s lectures. She has some great stories to share of Nauvoo and early church history. I notice that she usually ends her talks with something similar to 'Someone did something to prepare the way for us.' How true that is and how grateful we are for our ancestors.
• One of the sisters told me it took her husband 48 years to finally become active in the church. He will be 82 in June and still wants to serve 2 more missions. He’s here as a teamster and I’ve heard he jumps on back of the wagon like a 19 year old. They are both an inspiration to all of us!
• All the tulip bulbs have been dug up and now we’re planting new flowers in the Womens’ Garden. They’ve given flowers and vegetable plants to the missionaries to beautify their homes. It will be convenient to pick a tomato at dinnertime and run if we are short on time.
• We performed Sunset by the Mississippi for the first time last Saturday. I haven’t worn ponytails for over 60 years but now I am. Elder Jaster did a great job as a “Pig Squealer.” The Hughes Brothers from Branson, Missouri did their performance after ours. Their whole family of over 40 some were involved. They are a fun group.

"...Jesus Christ... I bear testimony that as long as there is one spark of the will to repent and to reach, he is there. He did not just descend to your condition; he descended below it, ‘that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth.’ (D&C 88:6)”

Truman Madsen, Christ and the Inner Life, 14