Summer’s Over

President Ludwig said there’s a rumor going around that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. He said, “That’s not true. It’s Nauvoo.”

Definition of a Missionary: “Someone who spends time away from loved ones so others can spend eternity with theirs.”

Well, Sunset and Pageant are over and all the visiting performers and Young Performing Missionaries have gone home. They’ve left a big hole in our hearts.

Elder Evans said there are 2,338 little legacies (grandchildren and 407 great grandchildren) we are leaving at home that will carry on the legacy [of missionary work].

President Ludwig said there were 3,000 who attended the pageant on opening night. Last year there were 7,000 missionary referrals from the pageant and this year there were 12,000.

Everyday is exciting here in Nauvoo. One evening we had fire trucks and police cars come in answer to a false alarm at the Cultural Hall.

Elder Jaster spent time cleaning out leaves and debris by the Grandmother Statue left by a rainstorm. He was also replacing brick in the Women’s Garden when out of the blue people came and set up tables with white linen cloths for a luncheon and program being put on for the media. He and Elder Wilcox had to move quickly to move bricks and make it look presentable for the guests.

Sampler in the Allyn House in Nauvoo: “Some things are true whither you believe in them or not.”

Sherleen Jaussi’s spoke to us. She is the pilot who was making a cross country solo flight in 1981 when her plane crashed. She said she found comfort in the scriptures and knew them well enough to remember the stories. She said to be careful what we put in our minds because whatever is in there will come back.

We attended the Western Illinois Thrashers Show in Hamilton. Elder Jaster loved seeing all the tractors and hit and miss engines.

We visited The Mormon Handcart Park in Iowa City. It put history into perspective for us. In 1857, some 1,300 Mormon converts from Europe reached the end of the line for the railroad in Iowa City. Five handcart companies were organized to make the thirteen hundred mile trip to Salt Lake City.

Javier is the drummer in the video. He is from Spain and is a performer with the BYU International Folk Dancers. His parents were converts to the church in the 1970’s. He said they always emphasized missionary work. All 6 of their children served missions. When he was in grade school his teacher asked the students what they wanted to be when they grew up. He said “A Mormon Missionary.” When that answer wasn’t satisfactory to her he said ok “A Mormon Fireman.” Javier served a mission in Arizona.

A sister I served with mentioned that in the early days of the Church men were scholars of the Bible and that’s why they were receptive to the restored gospel. You just wonder how many men of today could be called scholars of the Bible. Yes, we have many scholars today but few who are spiritually minded men of faith.

Follow the Prophet

His counsel may interfere with our lifestyle but it offers protection from the world. Prophets bear testimony to the world and teach God's word in clarity.