It's Freez'n Rain...
.....and Ice Cleat Season!
This is our second winter here and it sure isn't like the first.....well, actually in some ways it has.
It's been colder, longer, and there has been more snow on the ground than there ever was last year.
We have experienced three ice storm warnings (two materialized) and every one of them has been
on a Sunday. This one was special as it started just as we left the Stake House and headed home. We had only held Sacrament Meeting as the storm was approaching. As soon as hit the windshield
we had ice drops. We made it home fine but it was home confinement (mission directive) for Sunday and eventually most of the day Monday. Sites were closed and only the brave FM paid employees worked. I guess it was a silver lining as we had more time to work (and stress) over next Sundays lessons.
......and then it turned warmer and warmer eventually hit a high 54 on Thursday around noon. Where we once walked on ground we figured would be frozen until the Fourth of July our feet sunk in muck and mire. In another quizzical twist of Midwest weather the temperatures dropped rapidl,y sites were closed and missionaries sent home......we were in for another freezing rain. Thursday night we were notified to stay inside until they issued and "all clear". That turned out to be a little "over reaction" as we returned to work by 8:00 a.m. and it was business as usual.
The 5 day weather outlook is again for the fridgid below 0 lows and the low teens for highs.
All I can say is BBBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
God's Compelling Witness.......
........Compels us to Teach
The thrill(?) of the Golden Ticket was soon replaced by "What's next". Remembering back to when I was sitting in comfort of my recliner on the afternoon session in last October's General Conference listening to Elder Tad Callister's talk on the Book of Mormon I had no idea I would be teaching it in Priesthood Meeting in Nauvoo....and further from that thought is that Sister Gibson would be teaching Relief Society.
I am sure Elder Hughes was laughing all the way home knowing we had taken the tickets (like there was an option?) This isn't what we do. We teach Primary, Young Men, and Young Women. Who would want to teach adult people?
Especially well seasoned with vast experience as church leaders. Kids are fun! Adults aren't! So the answer is; Not us. Not Now. Not ever. So if you are my Bishop or future Bishop don't ask....!!!
We will make good primary workers. We Promise!
Two weeks have passed. We have spent hours on end languishing over how to approach teaching the concepts and ideas presented in the top without putting every one to sleep or letting the anxiety lead us to the hospital. We have read countless articles and printed as many pages. The length and breadth of our knowledge has expanded.....and we are grateful for the experience (not that grateful that we would want to do it ever again). Sunday morning....a final pass at the text and message....and another rewrite.
The message of the talk is that in order for Joseph Smith to have written the Book of Mormon he would have to have been a prodigious reader with a photographic memory who could create and write a 531 page book without benefit of written notes or re-writes. It was a one time shot. I can't even get through day (for two weeks) without re-writing or re-thinking a 40 minute lesson that encompases a few pages.
The good news is we survived with two many glitches. I inadvertanly pressed a computer button that sent my lesson screen blank and adding hurt to misery I dropped my i-Pad and shattered the screen. Sister Gibson did great and is looking forward to another opportunity in fifty years....not any sooner!!
A Tale of Two Mudders.........
Elder Coleman is an outstanding and dedicated Service Missionary here. He works hard to accomplish whatever he is asked to do. Sometimes it's not the most pleasant of opportunities. I have been after his boss, Ben, our fearless FM electrician for many...many weeks now to get the new underground wire laid and into the house so we could finish the exterior where the current power comes into the house from the overhead lines. That time has now passed for that. Finally, several weeks ago, he shows Elder Coleman how to run the trencher and it looks like progress....I said "looks like progress". Weeks have passed, the trench has been filling up with leaves. mud, and water as the weather got colder and more miserable. It's now about as miserable as it can be but we are going to get the power into the house. The date is scheduled. On a particularly dark and dreary day Elder Coleman was assigned to clean out the trench. His efforts to clean it with a shovel and keep himself clean just weren't working. Without hesitation he grabbed a leaf blower and blew it clean......and himself dirty.
He's my kind of guy. Get in.....Get it done.....and get on with what's next!!
Elder Reynolds has been with us for a while and was a big hit with me when he walked in with his Olympus High basketball sweatshirt. Can't go wrong with and Olympus alum. He was recently assigned to the FM carpenters who in turn were assigned to do some sheet rock work in the Maxwell house garage. After putting up some insulation and sheet rock the crew moved on to the mudding.
When I do mudding it appears as though I get more on me than on the wall. So I am a little more than dirty.
Elder Reynolds, being a first timer, is more concerned about how to do it well and keep himself clean at the same time.
After all he does have to do his own laundry. He isn't a mama's boy. On the other hand keeping clean never crossed my mind. (Sister Gibson takes care of me) Watching him dab just didn't cut if for me but it did keep him clean. Since no one else in the garage would.... Slowly and meticulously he followed by instruction....until I left and he went back to dabbing and splashing.
Bottom line.....he will keep clean but it will take him a lot more time to do it.
He's a Titan....so he's my kind of guy too!
Conservation Cuts Up.....
.....Spruces Up....and Patches Up!
Wilford Woodruff's home was do for some sprucing up and the Sisters in Conservation were called to the task. In a effort to make a few of the requested changes a lot of the artifacts had to be removed so the carpets below them could be removed and the floors worked on. Dealing with artifacts requires gifted hands and talents to accomplish this task. In preparation of temporarily storing these unique large pieces of material and rags were used to wrap each piece as it was removed. They were then carefully put away until the cleaning is done.
One might look at Sister Gibson and wonder if full winter gear is required for such a delicate task. In this case.....yes. If you have ever stripped stained wood with a caustic paint remover you are well aware of the pungent odor it puts in the air. Keeping these fumes down on the day they worked required that all the doors and windows be left open to ventilate.
Today's Riddle:
How Many Projects Must a
Missionary Have Under Way
Before He's allowed to Complete One?
Obviously There is No Answer in Nauvoo
It's a question than cannot be answered at this time since we are asked to start on other projects that are more important until something else that is more important is comes up. Back in September when Elder Van Horn left we were just completing the barn. As that wound down I was instructed to start on the Economou House. Just as it was moving along I was asked to move on to the McConkie redo the kitchen and bath. Just as the demo was complete, and while awaiting some answers on how to proceed and I was asked to turn my attention to the Maxwell House as it was now the most pressing. There was time later to return to the Economou and McConkie. Elder Archibald was assigned and work started progressing. Soon Elder Archibald was asked to help with the plumbing and Elder Pollack was assigned to help. Elder Pollack is now a painter and I have been fortunate enough to have Elder Jensen and Elder Corder to work with. Things have been going great.
Like any good infomercial would say: "But wait....there's more". The teamsters have been pressing Jordan, our FM director, to enclose the open side of the lean-to we built last year. So why now do it now....after all it's below zero to low teens. I'm sure Elder Gibson is up to the task....and away we go off to the barn for a day to get started...after all we haven't exactly planned on this so there is no metal siding available for a week or more. Cue the Infomercial Guy: "But wait...there's still more".
With President and Sister Hall leaving next week it will be a perfect opportunity to update their home before President and Sister Lusvardi can move in. Sketchy info...and all we are going full in
end of next week.
And so we have a fulfillment of scripture right here in Nauvoo (who would have thunk it?)
......and then it turned warmer and warmer eventually hit a high 54 on Thursday around noon. Where we once walked on ground we figured would be frozen until the Fourth of July our feet sunk in muck and mire. In another quizzical twist of Midwest weather the temperatures dropped rapidl,y sites were closed and missionaries sent home......we were in for another freezing rain. Thursday night we were notified to stay inside until they issued and "all clear". That turned out to be a little "over reaction" as we returned to work by 8:00 a.m. and it was business as usual.
The 5 day weather outlook is again for the fridgid below 0 lows and the low teens for highs.
All I can say is BBBBBrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
God's Compelling Witness.......
........Compels us to Teach
I am sure Elder Hughes was laughing all the way home knowing we had taken the tickets (like there was an option?) This isn't what we do. We teach Primary, Young Men, and Young Women. Who would want to teach adult people?
Especially well seasoned with vast experience as church leaders. Kids are fun! Adults aren't! So the answer is; Not us. Not Now. Not ever. So if you are my Bishop or future Bishop don't ask....!!!
We will make good primary workers. We Promise!
Two weeks have passed. We have spent hours on end languishing over how to approach teaching the concepts and ideas presented in the top without putting every one to sleep or letting the anxiety lead us to the hospital. We have read countless articles and printed as many pages. The length and breadth of our knowledge has expanded.....and we are grateful for the experience (not that grateful that we would want to do it ever again). Sunday morning....a final pass at the text and message....and another rewrite.
The message of the talk is that in order for Joseph Smith to have written the Book of Mormon he would have to have been a prodigious reader with a photographic memory who could create and write a 531 page book without benefit of written notes or re-writes. It was a one time shot. I can't even get through day (for two weeks) without re-writing or re-thinking a 40 minute lesson that encompases a few pages.
The good news is we survived with two many glitches. I inadvertanly pressed a computer button that sent my lesson screen blank and adding hurt to misery I dropped my i-Pad and shattered the screen. Sister Gibson did great and is looking forward to another opportunity in fifty years....not any sooner!!
A Tale of Two Mudders.........
He's my kind of guy. Get in.....Get it done.....and get on with what's next!!
When I do mudding it appears as though I get more on me than on the wall. So I am a little more than dirty.
Elder Reynolds, being a first timer, is more concerned about how to do it well and keep himself clean at the same time.
After all he does have to do his own laundry. He isn't a mama's boy. On the other hand keeping clean never crossed my mind. (Sister Gibson takes care of me) Watching him dab just didn't cut if for me but it did keep him clean. Since no one else in the garage would.... Slowly and meticulously he followed by instruction....until I left and he went back to dabbing and splashing.
Bottom line.....he will keep clean but it will take him a lot more time to do it.
He's a Titan....so he's my kind of guy too!
Conservation Cuts Up.....
.....Spruces Up....and Patches Up!
One might look at Sister Gibson and wonder if full winter gear is required for such a delicate task. In this case.....yes. If you have ever stripped stained wood with a caustic paint remover you are well aware of the pungent odor it puts in the air. Keeping these fumes down on the day they worked required that all the doors and windows be left open to ventilate.
Today's Riddle:
How Many Projects Must a
Missionary Have Under Way
Before He's allowed to Complete One?
It's a question than cannot be answered at this time since we are asked to start on other projects that are more important until something else that is more important is comes up. Back in September when Elder Van Horn left we were just completing the barn. As that wound down I was instructed to start on the Economou House. Just as it was moving along I was asked to move on to the McConkie redo the kitchen and bath. Just as the demo was complete, and while awaiting some answers on how to proceed and I was asked to turn my attention to the Maxwell House as it was now the most pressing. There was time later to return to the Economou and McConkie. Elder Archibald was assigned and work started progressing. Soon Elder Archibald was asked to help with the plumbing and Elder Pollack was assigned to help. Elder Pollack is now a painter and I have been fortunate enough to have Elder Jensen and Elder Corder to work with. Things have been going great.
Like any good infomercial would say: "But wait....there's more". The teamsters have been pressing Jordan, our FM director, to enclose the open side of the lean-to we built last year. So why now do it now....after all it's below zero to low teens. I'm sure Elder Gibson is up to the task....and away we go off to the barn for a day to get started...after all we haven't exactly planned on this so there is no metal siding available for a week or more. Cue the Infomercial Guy: "But wait...there's still more".
With President and Sister Hall leaving next week it will be a perfect opportunity to update their home before President and Sister Lusvardi can move in. Sketchy info...and all we are going full in
end of next week.
And so we have a fulfillment of scripture right here in Nauvoo (who would have thunk it?)
The First shall be last........and the Last shall be first
(until there is a new first and the old first shall be last)
It is also a wondrous and marvelous time in Nauvoo as there are many miracles taking place. I happened to have been fortunate to catch one in a photograph: There are many reports that no one has ever seen an FM tradesman clean anything up until they are totally sure they have to. So when Ben, our great electrician, without being asked, picked up a broom and began cleaning his mess up it was indeed a wondrous moment. Elder Coleman was so stunned he could only watch and marvel. Way to go Ben......you're the best!!
A Sunday at the Post Office
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| Sister Gibson Delivers the Goods at Merriwether Drygoods |
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