Missionary Day in Mount Pleasant, Iowa

We enjoyed serving as missionaries in the Mount Pleasant Branch in Mount Pleasant Iowa about an hour away from Nauvoo.  There are about five Senior Missionary Couples that attend and we support the membership by teaching classes and giving talks in their Sacrament Meeting.  The Primary is small, about 20 kids but there are many more that could attend but for one reason or another they do not come.  There are some inactive members that have issues or just feel that it is too far to travel. The Branch President has asked us to help with some members by visiting them.  This will need to be done on Sunday as we serve in the Temple everyday. But we are glad to do it.

We never know if we have assignments until we get there.  Elder B was approached one Sunday to teach the Gospel Doctrine Class.  And we both help out in Primary teaching a class of 6 to 9 year olds if the teacher did not show up.  Today Elder B taught the Elder's quorum about  Family History family history and genealogy with an investigator attending.  He had never heard about family history and was quite intrigued and interested to know more. I taught a Primary class today and they are sweet kids.

After church we were invited to the home of Brother and Sister Sanchez who wanted to feed all the Senior Missionaries at their home.  They are from El Salvador where Pupusas are the specialty food in their country.  Of course that is what they served us with some delicious fruit drinks.  Pupusas are two corn tortillas filled with beans, shredded pork and cheese.  A special sauce was made that was poured over the shredded cabbage on top of the pupusas.  Very good indeed.  With watermelon as the dessert.

Last week was Mother's Day and I received flowers from Randy and Joanna and family, A picture I featured last week.  Son Brad has ordered flowers also but was delayed until today.  Nice to have flowers anytime.

May 13, 2018 Mother's Day on our mission.

Today, Sunday, Mother's Day we went to our branch assignment in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and spoke in Sacrament Meeting.  The topic of course was on Mothers.  We were able to relate history of Mothers of  noteworthy from the scriptures.  Namely: Eve our first mother, Mary the mother of Jesus, Sarah wife of Abraham, The Mother of Moses, the Wisdom of Solomon when approached by two women and their dispute on whose baby it was (look this one up folks, it's a good story). And my own personal experience.  The one thing I always wanted to be was and is, is a mother.  Loved all the memories of my six children.  What treasures that each one of them are and their families.

We also taught Primary, as one of the teachers could not come today.  The branch is very small so there are two classes.  One class for 6 years old to 9 years old and another class 10 to 12 year old.  It is a pleasure to be with these precious children.

We were invited to have Mother's Day lunch at the home of Brother and Sister Moore, members of the Mount Pleasant Branch.  There were about 14 of us. Most all are missionaries here in Nauvoo. Either as Temple Missionaries or Facilities Management Missionaries. It was good to visit with all of them. Everyone brought something to the meal.  I made Mary Todd Lincoln's Almond cake.  It was good but involved.  Mary didn't know any shortcuts and the flour and sugar at that time were not milled as fine as what we know today.

Pictures follows.

 Brother and Sister Moore our hosts for lunch

 Buffet of food we all brought

 Lunch with the seniors

 Mary Todd Lincolns Cake that I made from scratch

 Group picture of all of us

 Young Missionaries selfie with all of us

Tulips from Randy and Joanna Burningham and family.  Thank you.

Mothers Day from Brad one week later

Elder Al's bike ride to Carthage on Service Day

Elder Burningham likes his challenge in distant bike riding.  This morning he got up early and donned his bicycle clothes and gear and set out on a bike ride to Carthage, Illinois which is about 26.5 miles away.  Another bike riding Elder showed Elder B a way to get there which didn't take the main roads that potentially would be dangerous.

Here is Elder Burningham with missionary badge on in front of the statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith

Birthday and Surprise for the Temple Missionaries

We had a a gathering at our apartment for my 70th Birthday. Seen here Sister McKinney and her husband on the other side of my Elder McKinney

Elder Al discussing other missions with our other senior Missionary friends

Elder and Sister Weight and Elder Holm

But the biggest surprise was the next day when we were summoned to an impromptu meeting in the Assembly Hall....all of us Temple Missionaries to hear President Russel M. Nelson and President M. Russel Ballard President of the Quorum of the 12.

President Nelson's daughter is Gloria Irion who is the daughter of President Nelson.  President Nelson, his wife Wendy and others including Sister Sherry Dew accompanied him.

Below is a photo of them coming back from viewing the statue of Hyrum and Joseph Smith on horseback just west of the Temple.

President M. Russell Ballard, President Russel M. Nelson and Sister Gloria Irion

President Nelson and daughter Gloria Irion wife of our Temple President Richard Irion.

Last two pictures courtesy of Sister McKette Allred.

A LDS Sunday assignment for us as Temple Missionaries

To this point, you, my readers may think that all we do is play based on the pictures we post from our two week break while the Nauvoo Temple was under maintenance work.  We are back as ordinance workers in the temple as of last Tuesday the first of May and we do have an assignment away from the temple on Sunday.  We are assigned to the LDS Branch in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.  The branch there is small in numbers but they have a nice meeting house.  The Branch President asked us a couple of weeks ago if we could help out in the Primary.  Last week we taught a Primary class as the regular teacher could not come at last minute.  We had about nine children from age 4 to 9.  Another class was for the older children from 10 to 12.  It went well and we enjoyed it very much.  We remembered their names and could greet them this week by calling them by their names and made friends.

As part of the Primary there is a singing time and an instruction time activity before the children left for their classes for a lesson and a gospel activity such as coloring or a game. The children in this branch are very receptive and most can control themselves during this time.  I say this as there are many children with special needs.  We seem to get it to work alright.  You know that God loves these children as well as others and rely on the adults to be compassionate and helpful.  No one know why there are so many children these days with special needs....but it's there and we can't avoid our stewardship or else we will have to answer to a higher authority.

I snapped a couple of pictures of Elder Al up front of the group during instruction time.

This is Sister Sowell during the sharing time. 

 She is the wife of the branch President and is also bi-lingual. 

Primary Do click this link for further information on Primary.

May 2018 New Missionaries arrived and the Maintenance break has passed

This past week we had 26 new Temple Missionary Couples arrive. This week was their orientation and training and the Temple reopened this past Tuesday May 1.  On June 1 the summer schedule will start and sessions at the temple will be open Monday through Saturday.  Monday will be 8 am to noon and Tuesday through Saturday 8 am to 6 pm. We will be very busy.

A few pictures from around the flats that we took recently.

Elder Al standing next to a replica of a Sun Stone from the original Temple Building of 1845

A pair of Geese with their newly hatched Goslings taking a swim in the Mississippi River

The home of Heber C. Kimball.  A really beautiful home.