My new home

I took a picture of my home with the garage and of the view from my home, which is the Nauvoo Temple, but I am unable to get them to go on the blog. So I will just say that I am in a lovely home that has a 2 car garage, but it's greatest value is that the first thing I see in the morning is the Nauvoo Temple. It is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I have served in the Pendleton Log School House today and will do so most of the week. We have slates and chalk for people to use and we have them try to use the non-standardized spelling from the past. It's interesting to see how people do with that. I am not very successful. Maybe my mom taught me something after all.
If I can figure out how to get my pictures I will post them.
I feel very blessed to be able to serve in this beautiful city. Every day I am reminded of the great sacrifices of the Saints and how blessed I am that I was born in this Dispensation of Time.

Firt experience as a tour guide

Tuesday was my first day to take tours. I was assigned to the Brigham Young home, which was awesome!!! There were only two tours for the whole day, but to spend the day in one of my favorite sites was such a great blessing. I love Mary Ann Young for all of the sacrifices she made so her husband could take care of the work. She had such a strong testimony of the prophet, Joseph Smith, and she bore it in deed and in word.
Wednesday, I got to serve at the Family Living Center where people come and learn about pioneer life. We had a family come in who were not members of our faith, and the sister who was doing the bread making demonstration stumbled onto that information and began teaching the Joseph Smith story. I was so amazed at how easily she transitioned from bread that filled the belly to Bread that fills the soul!
I will post pictures when I finally get into my home, but for now, you'll just have to take the boring written word. I will say this, I have loved serving here. It's such an amazing opportunity to be a missionary!

Nauvoo is always a learning curve for me and this trip has proved to be no exception. When I got here, I had some challenges in getting all the pieces put together. I wasn't assigned a companion because her companion hadn't left yet. I was put into a house that I will live in for nine days, so I was told not to unpack. I was told I couldn't take Marci, my traveling companion to the airport, and I wondered if I had made one the biggest mistakes of my life.
Then I went out to the Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds. There people had given all they had--their very lives for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I was humbled at my small sacrifice. Then I went to the end of Parley Street where the names of those who died along the trail were listed and at the top of the kiosk, it says, "And many more whose names are not recorded, but are known to the Savior". I realized that He knew my sacrifice and He knows who I am--even if no one else does.
It put everything into perspective and now I'm ready to roll again. I suppose I just have to go through that initial bump every time I come to Nauvoo just to see if I am serious about this work. I am!!!

I don't have a picture for this one. I just wanted to share two quick things. First, I got a call from my friend, Marci, today who was sharing with me that one of my former students was bearing his testimony Sunday about what a pleasure it was to see me here at the MTC, and just as I was listening, he walked by. Coincidence? NOT.
Then, I was sitting at dinner tonight and a young Elder approached. He had been one of the work crew for the Nauvoo Pageant this summer. He said, "I remember carrying all your toys from under the stage." What a great blessing to know that people remember you and hopefully for the good things you do.
This is such a great blessing to be here. Did I mention I love being a missionary?