Nauvoo 36 (15 - 21 August 2016)

Nauvoo Week 36 (15 – 21 August 2016)

This was another exciting week that has flown by!  Monday evening we had a Temple Missionary Family Home Evening at the Stake Center.  The Seaman’s family presented a fun evening of entertainment. 

There are 9 children in the family and they are all really musically talented.  They performed several numbers and each of them had a special talent in singing or playing multiple instruments.  This, of course, was followed by refreshments…they say the Nauvoo mission is about a “30 pound” mission-most add about this much weight while serving here.

On Tuesday, we had the privilege of providing breakfast to the “Young Performing Missionaries,” they have been here for the past 10-12 weeks performing each and every day, usually from about 8:00am until late in the evening.  The heat/humidity has been really high and by nighttime performances they are usually wringing wet with perspiration. 

We don’t know how they have continued on each day…they are amazing with many beautiful talents.  Later that day we served in the Temple as Baptistry Coordinators.

Wednesday we have a missionary training session which was presented by Elder Fred Streuling (born in Germany during World War II.  He told of his childhood and the ugliness of war (bombs continually exploding, hiding in bunkers during air raids, riding bikes around looking/scavenging for food or other useful items, etc).  He told of his conversion to the Church and the great welfare program they provided to the war-torn towns in Germany and the surrounding areas.  He told of a 500 kilometer bike ride that he and his family took to find their father who had been sent to a small island north of Germany following his many years serving on the Russian front of the war.  It was very touching and we pray that we will never have to endure such calamity.

On Thursday, we served in the morning at the Temple, later that day we went to Burlington, IA for dinner and a movie.  Friday, we again served in the Temple during the morning hours and then Tom played golf in the afternoon.

Saturday we served in the afternoon/evening at the Temple and had rich experiences with the people that we served. 

On Sunday, we traveled to Mount Pleasant for church and the final practice for the Primary program to be held next Sunday.  Still there were a few children that were not there that have speaking/singing parts…we’ll see how it goes next week with them not having practiced at all?  We then visited an inactive sister that President Sanchez had asked us to visit; we did meet her but she did not let us in.  Later that day we had invited Elder Bob and Sister Helen Lasher (Idaho) to dinner. 

They are site missionaries and we have had a really nice friendship with them.  At first, we just ran into them where ever we went and soon, through conversation we developed a fun relationship.  They were originally called to serve in the Philippines, but were later changed to Nauvoo and have spent about 18 months here.  They are leaving to return home next Monday, we will miss them.

We are grateful for your love and support while we are here in Nauvoo.  We love this opportunity and have grown so much from the spirit and learning more about the history of the saints in this area.  We know they sacrificed much to become established here and then to leave it all through persecution and to head west, leaving the United States of America to a land where they could worship as they wished. 

We are proud to be their posterity and pray that each of you will remember the time you spent here in Nauvoo.  We love each or you and know that you are being blessed for your faithfulness to the Lord,

Love,

Mom & Dad/Nana & Papa/Elder & Sister Shaw