Week #14, Being Sick, 12- 18 March 2017

We were on the front steps of the temple with the other temple missionaries at 7:30 a.m. for a picture with President Russell M Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Ulisses and Sister Rosana Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy on Monday morning.  It was overcast, cold, and blowing snow curled around and in and out of the group.  We were laughing and having a great time.  As soon as the photographer was finished we split, those working going into the temple and the rest heading back home.  Inside the mood had a spark of excitement as we knew the visiting group was going to attend a session.  We were all hoping to catch a glimpse of them and maybe even a handshake.

Row 4:  Keith & Darlene Despain, Bill & Merle Adams, Martin & Noreen Peterson, Norman & Evelyn Boehm, Thomas & Lauren Borrowman, Gary & Yvonne Lawson, Jim & Shelley Droste.
Row 3:  John & Ruth Emang, Rod & Dottie cole, Rich & Gloria Irion, President Russell M Nelson, Elder Ulisses & Sister Rosana Soares, Kathy & Durell Nelson, Boyce & Barbara Sorensen, Gary & Judith Beck.
Row 2:  Thomas & Eileen Marshall, Boyce & Diane McBride, Grant & DeAne Bartschi, Richard Marshall, Richard & Claudia Vinton, Richard & Gladys Fetzer, LaMar & Kathleen Mabey, Virginia Udall.
Row 1:  Darrell & Nancy Checketts, Bert & Shirley Rawlins, Kendall & Shirley Morgan, Matthew & Joan Thompson, Bob & Barbara Brown, Thomas & Beverly Cordova, Marilyn Burgoyne.

In the words of Sister Irion:  "Many were cold but few were frozen!"

 Elder Russell M Nelson

Elder Ulisses Soares

One of my assignments was 1-2, which is the main lobby.  While there the group came through from the session and President Irion showed them around and through the Assembly Hall.  Throughout the course of them walking here and there, President Nelson stopped, looked at my name tag, smiled, and shook my hand!  It was pretty exciting.

The temple was busy with Spring Break families and youth trips.  Youth groups have come from Texas and Arkansas and have kept the baptistry busy.  Families were here from all over and when we saw them we were reminded of all of you.  We even met a brother and sister from Gilbert.

We didn't get pictures taken this week.  We did have several days of plenty of sunshine and freezing cold wind.  We did the usual with working in the temple, shopping, cleaning, and laundry.  We did have a fancy last night after shift to go out to eat and had a great meal at Angelini's in Keokuk.  

Dad was sick at the beginning of the week and I am sick at the end.  A nasty cold with a very annoying cough that drives you nuts.  I started with the essential oils right off the bat and they lasted for the first three days and then bam!  I have it hard today.  I called in sick for my shift tomorrow and a Relief Society Re-enactment that will be held in the Red Brick Store.

We went to Sacrament Meeting here in Nauvoo this morning and left before it was over when I went into a coughing fit.  Dad has been a good nurse to bring me meds, food, and remind me of things I should do.  A young man leaving on Wednesday for his mission to India, Bangladesh, spoke and then he and his family sang, "Praise To The Man."  It was pretty stirring to hear it sung here in Nauvoo, and it was great to hear his enthusiasm for his mission call.

Temple Fact:

The current Nauvoo Temple is not the same inside as the original temple.  The first and second floors of the original temple were arranged with seating for 1500 saints each and were mainly used for meetings and gatherings of the general membership of the church.  The current Assembly Hall on the first floor does not cover the whole space as the original one did.  All the ordinances were given on the attic (fourth) floor and was designed with offices on the north and south sides with the middle partitioned off with canvas curtains to separate the various rooms and the celestial room.