Oh love effulgent, love divine...

“Oh love effulgent, love divine! What debt of gratitude is mine.  That in His offering I have part, and hold a place within His heart.” – Hymn #187

I guess that’s how I’m feeling this Sunday evening.  I have a heart full of gratitude, I am blessed to partake of His atonement and I know that I have a place in His heart because I see the multitude of blessing he has bestowed upon me, my family and those I cherish.  Scott and I have seen many tender mercies throughout this week as we have tried to be better and serve better.  We have the blessing of being surrounded by amazing missionaries who are willing to do what is asked of them, whenever and no matter how often.  I sit in amazement during our Sunday meetings, as I listen to comments in Sunday School and Relief Society, at the depth of testimony each of these missionaries has. I have learned so much from them in the few short months we’ve been here.  It hurts my heart that so many have finished their missions and are heading home, but I know that our friendship will continue. 

This week we have concentrated more on receiving personal revelation and feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  Scott served in the Brickyard, Blacksmith and Browning Gun, and there were times that he was in the right place at the right time, to give a tour to certain people that he has the capacity to teach and touch.  He’s so good at relating the information he shares to individual people.  We have fewer visitors these days so it’s easier to take a second and feel the spirit guide our day.  I have been a little overwhelmed by the tasks in the office, just because there are so many skills that I need to learn and things to do.  But I have noticed that when I take a second to think of the promises and blessings given to me in the temple, and in my Patriarchal Blessing, I receive the inspiration I need to accomplish whatever task I have. Clear ideas have come to my mind that help me know what to do and how to do it.  There is just a peace I feel when I remember who I’m doing this for. 

A few thoughts from this week:

• We can have a constancy of revelation if we will learn to detect it as it is happening. - Boyd K. Packer
• Revelation rarely includes an immediate explanation - Dallin H. Oaks
• Go to the temple, and if you cannot go inside for any reason (the Nauvoo Temple is closed for three months), then visit the temple grounds.  Just being on the grounds is sacred and we can hear the still small voice of the spirit give revelation. - M. Russell Ballard
• Just because it's true today, doesn't mean it can't be more true tomorrow.  Continue to seek for more truth.

 We made a quick trip up to Iowa City, Davenport, Iowa and Moline, Illinois on our pday this week.  I had to pick up my laptop after it was repaired, so we went to an antique car museum as well as the John Deere Pavilion.  They were both very interesting.  At the John Deere pavilion I certainly learned a lot.  Not being a farm girl, I had no idea how much technology is in something as simple as a tractor, let alone a combine or harvester.  Innovations in technology help in land conservation, farming, forestry, crop yields and so much more.  I was clueless! Geez, there’s always so much to learn!

I know I post quite a few pictures of the daily scenes we see here, but sometimes those are the images from our early morning walks that bring peace and are a reminder of where we are, and whose we are.

At the antique car museum.

Scott's practicing his wheel loader skills :0)

...and it's a good thing I was a school teacher
instead of a machine operator :0)

Face to Face...again

Monday was a pretty amazing day.  First off, we were still in awe over the Face to Face for the young adults the night before with Elder Quentin L Cook that was broadcast from here in Nauvoo.  I loved the clarity of the answers that were given about some touchy church history subjects, not only by Elder Cook, but by Kate Holbrook and Matt Grow, who were the historians who worked on the book “Saints” that was just released. There were some pretty rough questions about polygamy, as well as transparency in church history.  I thought they handled the questions very well and gave useful, heartfelt, clear and relatable answers. If you missed it last week, take a bit of time to watch it.  It's well worth your time.

On Monday morning we had the chance to have Elder Cook to our Mission Training...Face to Face again...It was a memorable meeting for me.  First of all, he and his wife had each of us come up to shake our hands and to each of us he said, “Thank you for your service.”  It was a great way to start off.

Elder Cook spoke for a bit, then had his wife talk to us and lead us in a song, and then he spoke again. I took plenty of notes. In the end I just felt an overwhelming spirit of love and of concern from Elder Cook. It was a great morning.  Here are just a few key ideas:

• The only thing stronger than truth is truth in a musical setting - Sister Cook
• Elder Cook can't wait for General Conference to see what President Nelson will say and do!
• The gift of agency allows unfairness in the world, but the Atonement of Christ overcomes all unfairness.
• Our service as missonaries will bless everybody that we love and are concerned about.

Then on Saturday morning we had the opportunity to have Bishop Causee here and he shared his thoughts and testimony.  Again, what I felt most of all, was his genuine love for each of us.  It seemed tangible. Bishop Causee said that every event of the Restoration impacts our lives every day; from the way we pray, to our consecrated efforts to follow the prophet.  We are the recipients of the blessings of continued revelation and this generation will need more revelation than any other generation in the past.  It will be critical to have a prophet and a seer on the earth.  Bishop Causee testified of President Nelson's prophetic calling and said the prophet is so interested in the future and looks to the next fifty years.  After sharing his testimony, Bishop Causee played an absolutely gorgeous rendition of Come Come Ye Saints on the piano. We have been so blessed to have felt the testimonies of Elder Cook and Bishop Causee this week.

The other thing of note this week was the two new assignments that Scott and I received on Sunday.  Scott is now the new Nauvoo Mission Historian, which certainly plays to his strengths and passion.  He will take pictures of the main events in the mission, as well as all of the visitors we have.  Then he will write up a short synopsis of those events to send to Salt Lake for their archives.  He's happy to serve using his talents and love of history.  I was asked to be the mission technology specialist (I think that's what it's called.)  I will replace Sister Williams who will become our new site scheduler when Sister Wayment leaves soon.  (We have way too many senior missionaries leaving and it rips at my heart.)  Anyway, I will have responsibility for the mission blog, the historicnauvoo.net website, all PowerPoints for our meetings, calendaring, publicity, and the list goes on.  It's a bit overwhelming but I take a measure of comfort in something that George Durrant said to us the other night ( he was a guest speaker on Friday).  He said that we can have, what he called, "Christ Confidence" because we can do anything with His help. I think that will have to be my motto for this assignment.

Here are just a few pictures of beautiful Nauvoo mornings...

Scott and I had to make a trip to Iowa City, so we stopped on the campus of the University of Iowa and went to the Mormon Handcart Park.  It's a small park that's dedicated to the handcart pioneers who came to Iowa City and prepared to head for the Salt Lake Valley using handcarts.  This was the staging area for those pioneers.  It was humbling to stand there. So many had been before with hearts filled with hope of a new life with the saints in Zion.  There is a small pioneer burial ground that has no marked graves but is a reminder that there were many who never had the opportunity to embark on the trek west.

Have miracles ceased?

There are times in your life when you get a sense of who you are and what things you need to change to become the person Heavenly Father sees you can be. That has been my experience over these past few days. I have seen my behavior from what seems like an outside perspective and I’m not quite sure that I’m happy with it. Not that I do things that are bad, by any sense. Just a lack of maturity, focus and understanding of what I really should be about.  I am surrounded by incredible senior couples that, each day, are examples of what I can become.

As an example, on Sunday I sat on the bench at church and observed Sister Searle as she prepared to play the prelude music on the organ before sacrament meeting. Scott was preparing the sacrament so I sat there alone, just watching her. Sister Searle quietly sat on the organ bench and bowed her head, I’m assuming to say a little prayer before she began to play for those who would come to the meeting. I was struck by the idea that she was consecrating and dedicating her time and efforts to the Lord and wanted his blessing upon her abilities. Also, that she was perhaps praying for us, that we would feel the Savior’s love through the music she shared. I don’t really know, but what an example she was for me that morning, in her quiet way. We don’t have to be loud to be noticed.

This post wasn't intended to be all about Elder and Sister Searle, but it has just happened that way.  Saturday afternoon we experienced, what we call, a Nauvoo miracle.  I think miracles happen every day but we don’t always notice them, or give them much thought.  But on Saturday we definitely experienced one.  Elder Searle was serving at the Browning Gun Shop with two other elders.  He had just finished a tour and took a box of brochures up the steep steps to the second floor.  When he placed the heavy box on the top step it tilted backwards and hit him in the legs.  This caused him to lose his balance and tumble backwards, down the flight of wooden stairs. He said he doesn’t remember much about the actual fall but, all of a sudden, he was at the bottom of the stairs. Because of some divine intervention, Elder Searle only suffered a head wound that required eight staples on the right side of his head, but he has no broken bones and no other head trauma. How on earth did an elderly man fall down a flight of hard stairs and not have more injuries than, what he calls, a small head wound?  He said he knows there were angels there cushioning his fall. 

Has the day of miracles ceased?  Behold I say unto you, nay.  I know there are angels that have the assignment to look after us, guide us in the right path and protect us from harm.  In our own family we have witnessed that on more than one occasion and those are experiences we count as tender mercies. 

Sunday night is the Face-to-Face with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Seventy which is being broadcast from the western hill by the Nauvoo Temple.  It’s for the young adults of the church and I guess they don’t think we’re young enough :0)  but the young sister missionaries get to participate, which will be so exciting for them.  The focus of the Face to Face is the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and it coincides with the release of the book, “Saints".  Eventually there will be four volumes of the book covering church history.  On Monday morning we have the blessing of having Elder Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, speak us, the Nauvoo Illinois missionaries.  So, that will be so awesome!

What a blessing, privilege and gift it is to serve here. We are surrounded by so much goodness, love and definitely the Spirit of our Heavenly Father.

President & Sister Lusvardi with
Elder & Sister Cook today.

Elder &Sister Searle