The Golden Ticket Wasn't.
..A Ticket to Heaven
For the last two weeks we have been spending a lot of time together trying to work up a lesson the first six chapters of Ether that would not entail the use of crayons, pencils, rocks, flashlights, glued together dishes with holes in the top or bottom, or make shift provisions (treats)we had previously used primary, Sunday School, or Youth lessons but did include something that would keep the majority of the Senior Missionaries awake. Now that's a challenge!!! Marilyn and did a spectacular job but she assured me that this was the "last" time she was going to do something like that. As for me everyone said I did a wonderful job and they appreciated my "interesting perspective." I am not sure what that all meant but I felt good about the lesson....I remembered my time at teaching Gospel Essentials with fondness, but I don't think I have ever, or will ever, teach Gospel Doctrine. We"ll see......at least we cashed in one Golden Ticket and we are not planning on any more for a long time.
Love Around the Lamp Post......
On Thursday we traveled over to Carthage to sing Christmas Carols around the town square with 15-20 other Senior Missionaries. It really marked the beginning of the Christmas Season for us and it also marked the beginning of the shopping season for the merchants in Carthage. It is really quite surprising the difference between Carthage and Nauvoo, It is surprisingly bigger with shops, stores and many different places to eat. Nauvoo, on the other hand, only has 1 small market, a few souvenir shops, and 1 full time café that will probably shut down for a couple of months. They had carriage rides around the square as well.
But....as you can see, the best part of the whole caroling experience was spending time with my sweetheart.
One of my thoughts as we prepared to serve was that we would once again have the opportunity to spend time together and grow even closer. It has been just that!!
Farewell to the Old........
Friday night marked the last performance for Elder and Sister Blair as the Editor and the Relief Society President. We will take over their roles starting next Saturday. When we first got here he was known as President Blair (1st Counselor in the Mission Presidency. While he appeared to be a little on the "stuffed shirt" side. Once he was released from the presidency, pending his release, I soon learned to love and appreciate him. He and his wife are kind and loving people and his portrayal of the editor is one to emulate and strive to live up to. He was kind enough to even give me his famous watch that tells the editor it is "show time". Sister Gibson will become the new Relief Society President. She will be quick to remind the Editor it is time for her meeting to start. And no.....there will not be any refreshments served for the Editor.
...I'm Sorry...You are NOT the Exception
The Christmas Walk is set up to encompass several sites with activities. While the event is in Old Nauvoo, it is meant to draw as many people from the city as well as the surrounding areas. It is similar to Bootiful Nauvoo at Halloween but it doesn't draw as many people....no free candy but there are free cookies and horse wagon rides. I was asked by Elder Berry to help him with the parking and as such it was my "privilege" to stand in front of the barricaded street and direct all traffic from Main Street so the horses and carriages would have free rein on the street. Sounds easy enough....until you realize that the message of "Main Street being closed" hasn't been parlayed to the missionaries who were told they could park in the parking lot accessible from main street so they could go to their assigned sites and fulfill their important callings. I did not make any new friends that night...but I did stand firm! The retired fire chief from the Jackson Hole Airport especially found my firmness and resolve annoying.
The Trail of Hope........
.....On to a New Beginning
We often get assignments. This last week we had assignments to clean the Stake Center on Saturday morning (at 7:00 a.m) as well as clean the plaques along the Trail of Hope. Sister Gibson was her best self as she cleaned away on the kitchen and left it clean with her usual thoroughness. I was their dutifully following orders and keeping out of her way. We will have this assignment for the remainder of the month.....along with many other missionaries from the Zone.
I took to the trail which is about a half mile long down Parley Street that leads to the Mississippi River where the Saints crossed the river and left the United States heading into the plains. It was a great reminder as I cleaned and read the plaques along the way which contain journal entries of those who crossed and in a small way depict the hardship that was befalling them.
Sunday we woke up to Nauvoo's first snowstorm of the year. It was bad enough worrying about teaching...now this? It was about time but we just didn't expect it. After surviving the teaching experience we moved on to our Sunday assignment which was the John Taylor home. It had been a very sparse week for visitors here and so we really weren't expecting much if any traffic.....although it would have been nice. I did get to shovel the walks around the site and then spent an hour or so walking around in front of the building reciting the editor lines. I've got them down pretty well but there is still the unknown of what happens when I hit the stage...will I remember what to say when
I look into Sister Gibson's beautiful eyes and she pours out her lines to me? For the record they are
"Meeting?......What meeting?............So it is.
We did get one convert couple that arrived about 4:45 and we gave them a tour and explained a little about John Taylor and his house and life here in Nauvoo.
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