Birthday Musings

                                              Joseph and Hyrum's final farewell to Nauvoo

     Today is April 17, 2013.
I feel impressed today as I begin my 71st year, to express my feelings to our children and ask them to read this to all our grandchildren.
To be here in Nauvoo has been the zenith of my life ----especially to be here with my most wonderful companion, Sis. Ririe.  Our love for each other and the Gospel of Jesus Christ has increased greatly in the short time we have been here.
Nauvoo is truly a spiritual experience.  We literally walk daily on some of the most sacred ground on earth.  I feel the same Spirit walking the streets  of Nauvoo as I feel in the Temple and when we were in the Holy Land last year. We are priviledged to go to the Temple every week. One cannot separate the Temple experience  from the daily experiences of the early residents of Nauvoo, even though it was not finished and completely dedicated until they left to go west.
This town was truly a miracle right from the beginning.  The Mormons arrived here in 1839 and even non-member visitors, many of them influential in eastern U. S. cities, wrote how remarkable it was to see such an " impossibility" it was, that in only six years, that this city grew from an unhealthy uninhabited swamp to one of the most beautiful, well laid out, prosperous, peaceful, bustling, law abiding cities they had ever seen.  Within those short six years it grew to 12000 within the city limits and within a diameter of 5 miles there were     20000 total population.  (Chicago in 1846 had 18000 population).  There were over 350 brick homes, making it a very beautiful permanent looking city.
Certainly there was not a greater miracle of peace and stability anywhere else in the United States, wrote one visitor.
But as is almost always the case, religious intolerance was alive and well.  Lucifer does not like peace and stability and spirituality.  The same religious intolerance that existed over 2000 years ago, which resulted in the murder of the very Savior of the world in Jerusalem, arose in the communities surrounding Nauvoo.
Political jealousies  of such a great and prosperous city and people were the excuse for persecution which resulted in the murder of the greatest Prophet of God that ever walked on the earth ---who literally did "more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men and women in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it"  (D & C 135:3 --please read the whole verse and explain it to our grandchildren), and the expulsion of the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who lived in Nauvoo, from the State.  Sis. Ririe and I spent the day last Thursday, giving our first tours of the Carthage Jail. (What an experience that was --very hard for me, but a wonderful spiritual experience)
In spite of the conditions of intolerance and persecution of the Mormons --even burning of homes and killing their occupants in the outlying areas and the constant threat of attacking the city itself by the mobs,  the Saints continued feverishly working on completing the Temple.
Brigham Young literally posted armed guards around the Temple to protect the workmen.
Completing the Temple was a great sacrifice of expense --but mostly of time -- because they were also building wagons and preparing to get outfitted to leave for the west.
What would make them divert their efforts in preparing to leave, with finishing the Temple---(that they would be leaving anyway)?
To understand this may I relate an experience as I was serving in the Johnathan Browning home and gun shop last week.  I was giving a tour to about 12 people, most of them members, but some non-members of the Church. Johnathan Browning joined the Church in 1842, moving from Quincy (where he was Justice of the Peace, and a good friend of Abraham Lincoln). He had a gun shop here in Nauvoo,  where he invented the repeating rifle, which revolutionized firearms for the whole world.  On each rifle he sold, he placed a medallion on the stock that read: "Holiness to the Lord --our preservation".  He was a very solid member of the Church. He and his wife Elizabeth,  had a daughter born shortly after they moved to Nauvoo,  who lived only six weeks. They named her Emma, after Emma Smith.  Her death was a devastation to them as they loved her so much and thought she was lost to the family forever. They buried her in the back yard, and today there is a little white picket fence surrounding the small grave. I took the group to the back yard near the grave and discussed the feelings of the Browning family and the loss of their little Emma, and how each time Johnathan would come out to the back yard he would see the grave and looking up to the north he could see through the trees off in the distance (about 3/4 mile) up on the bluff, the temple construction. At first it could hardly be seen, but gradually the walls grew up above the trees. Not too long before Joseph died, he preached the doctrine of marriage for time and all eternity. At the time of the martyrdom (1844) the walls were about 1/2 way up. (to the round windows).  The thing that kept Johnathan going was knowing that once the Temple was finished he and Elizabeth could be sealed in the Temple, and little Emma would be sealed to them, and they would be together forever. Every day he would look up and see the building growing and nearing completion. Finally, the Temple was finished in 1846, and they were sealed.  Now they could leave Nauvoo with the comfort of leaving little Emma, but knowing their family was complete.  There was such a powerful Spirit present. Most of us were crying, but for joy, of knowing the truth of the principle being taught.
The Lord held the mobs at bay long enough for many of the Saints to receive the sealing Temple ordinances to prepare them to withstand the travails of the pioneer trek west.  They started across the Mississippi on Feb. 4, 1846 in freezing temperatures, but complete  faith in the Lord.
The Temple was the crowning achievement of Nauvoo, and the Saints could not leave until it was finished to endow them with the strength to carry on in the trials ahead.
  We are having many such experiences as this, almost daily.
We are loving our mission and thank you for your support and prayers.
We miss you but feel the Lord is protecting and supporting you in our absence as well.
All our love to you all.

Happy Birthday Elder Ririe

                                                               Elder Ririe serving in the Post Office

        We served in the Post Office on a Sunday afternoon...He is holding a leather case that the riders would put the mail in and hopefully it wouldn't get wet or lost!  Imagine how rare it was to actually get a letter delivered.  Important letters were duplicated and sent three different times to insure that they would actually get to the recipient!  We have come a long way...sort of!  The postal system started in 1830 and mail usually came by steamboat or overland.  Letters were not in envelopes...they were folded and the postmaster would seal it with wax...I guess that was where stamps came from..the stamp they put on the wax..  The really interesting thing about sending letters was that  they were charged by the sheet and the distance the letter went...so to save money, people would write their letter and then turn it and write over their writing again...tricky right?...People were so clever and creative.  We are learning so much and admire how hard life was back then and how hard people worked!
      Well today is Grandpa's 70th birthday!  That's a big one.  He is serving in the Brickyard making bricks, and I'm at the John Taylor home...but I have a later schedule.  The good thing is that we don't have to perform tonight so I'm fixing him meatloaf...(I know Woo Hoo!)  We had a party on Sunday evening after the fireside and had about 20 people over for dessert.  Life is good here...simple, we are learning it takes very little to live happily.  We are so grateful everyday for all of our family and friends...We do truly miss you and pray for you all!

Beautiful Nauvoo

                                           
                                            We had a special experience in the Nauvoo Temple!

    Actually it started in the Lyon Drug where I was serving with Sister Monney.  The door opened and a darling couple, maybe a little younger than us, came in for a tour.  When she saw Sister Monney, she said "Oh I can't believe it!  I found you!"  She had met a younger sister Monney in the Atlanta LDS Distribution Center where she was buying a dress for her sealing to her husband in the Nauvoo Temple.  The girl said she hoped that she could find her anut and uncle who were serving there...This was the second site she had visited and it is amazing she found her because there are about 30 different sites she could have been in.
    We had a great visit and she told us her story about joining the church and finding her husband...They were both divorced and were single for many years...she was a teacher and one day she was sitting at her computer during her prep time and typed her prayer...That is a little different, but she said she often does that because she is at her computer all day, and prays alot...so she types her prayers and sits quietly waiting for the first thought that comes into her mind...Then she types that!!  Wow!  I thought that was pretty interesting!  The thought that came to her was that she should be patient, the Lord was preparing a special man for her, worthy and in a leadership position in the church...She printed that off and carried it with her in her purse.
     Through a series of little miracles they met...she knew the first time she met him, he was the man the Lord prepared...and her prayer was answered just the way she felt....he wasn't ready to marry when she first prayed, he was worthy and was in a Bishopric at the time!  God works in mysterious ways..He loves us and wants to answer our prayers...We just need to ask and be faithful...soooo the rest of the story..
      They invited us to the Temple sealing, they had no children with them, no family or friends to be with them.  Sister Monney and I wanted to make it special for them, so we went with our husbands, who were the witnesses, we had a little dinner for them after the temple and gave them some little gifts to remember Nauvoo and their special day!..This was a once in a mission experience to meet a visitor, a stranger, and get to share a very sacred time with them.  We are now connected!  They were grateful to have a Nauvoo family!  Every day we are grateful for the amazing Spirit that is here.  I want to remember their names.
                                                        Cherie Martin and David Legg
   

Craig working in the Tin Shop

                                   
                                              Craig working in the Tin Shop today with Elder Hansen.
                It is interesting how quickly you learn the skills...actually you don't really make anything, but you do explain the process.  The thing I love about the Tin Shop is that they use "Patterns" over and over to make lanterns, pans, watering cans, etc....The first time I went in there it took me back to my talk in Sacrament meeting about patterns!  I see patterns everywhere now!  Doesn't Craig look like a little boy?  The Shirts Susan Schow made are really perfect!  The sisters in the sewing room were impressed with how beautifully they were sewn!  Thank you Susan!

  Prarie Grass Burn in Old Nauvoo

The city does a prarie grass burn every year to demonstrate how dangerous it is when there is a fire on the plains.  This is done right in the Old Nauvoo close to the 1840 homes!  Yikes!  When they set it on fire it only took about 3 minutes to burn an acre!  The whole city and all of the missionaries come to watch...Can you see the temple in the background?  It is quite a sight! Earlier we had a hot dog roast outside on the lawn next to where they started the fire...The whole city was invited!

We are standing next to the prarie grass right before the lit it....It was freezing that day!

Hello Nauvoo!

We have arrived in Nauvoo! We can't believe it...had a great drive out with no problems! Got to visit with Kendall and Theron's families...Wow, how their kids are growing up...we loved every minute....(and believe me it was only minutes) Our MTC experience was so great...We felt that it must be the way Zion must feel...everyone of one heart and one mind and even one focus! But when we arrived here, we feel the same way..We went to Church today and it was amazing! It seemed so strange to have "absolute reverence", no children at all. The talks and music was an Easter program. What a strong spirit! The mission presidency spoke and the "Ward" choir sounds like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir---beautiful! For Priesthood and Relief Society, we use the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith instead of Lorenzo Snow, since nearly all of what is in the Joseph Smith text was given by him right here in Nauvoo. How humbling to be studying his words and look out the window and see right where he said it. (the "grove" where he usually gave his talks is just south of the Chapel and Visitors Center where we have our Church meetings.)

We are going to try and set up a blog, so we can have a journal so to speak, and we can put pictures on it...we'll see if we can do it...The Hansen's are going to help us today ...maybe! Our little home is on Parley Street...just up a little hill in a forested area--very peaceful! We have room for you to come visit...A pull out couch and a big livingroom floor! We have dishers for 8! but we can use paper if you all come...Out our window is a big grassy hill, where wild turkeys and deer come now and then..It is actually beautiful...although it did snow or should I say is still snowing! A few inches so far.

We went to Carthage yesterday and visited the jail where the Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred..Very moving. It is one of the few jails that are still standing from the 1840s..It is still here because the story needs to be told.... The hole is still in the door from the bullet that killed Hyrum, his brother..When the mob blasted into the room they shot the prophet point blank and he fell out of the window. He sealed his testimony with his own blood...He never waivered...He truly was the prophet who restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ... This is an amazing place where history took place. We are loving it here....We are realizing how much we love our family and need you too.  
 The picture below is looking west through the temple at Nauvoo and the Mississippi in the distance.

Goodbye MTC

Sis. Ririe:
My feelings on leaving the MTC were so tender.  We truly felt that thisis what Zion is like: one heart, one mind, one focus, unified in our love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We learned so much. This has been life changing.
Elder Ririe: 
I am so grateful that we were allowed to stay in the actual MTC. (Most of our group were housed in the Provo Marriott hotel)
This has been such a "revelation to us to be such a part of the daily MTC experience.  To see all of these young Elders and Sisters, barely out of high school, comporting themselves so maturely and so happy and so caring for each other, and for us senior couples, opening doors, etc. for us and each other and I echo so much what Becky has said above ---truly a Zion people.  We loved the MTC experience more than words can describe. It was somewhat sad to put the door latch sign on our room, that "we were gone".
We will truly miss it, but are looking forward to Nauvoo with great anticipation.