At Home in Nauvoo

 Last week, we enjoyed learning more as we served, once again, in some new sites.  The only new one for Steve was the Tin shop, which he enjoyed.  I was able to experience Sarah Granger Kimball's home, the bakery (crazy busy) and the Brigham Young home.  On the day I served again in the Seventie's Hall, the core cast from Pageant came to practice a vignette that they do every few days in that hall..."Go Ye Into All the World"...we had Parley and Brigham and Heber and Wilford, a few of their wives, etc. teach of their experiences going on missions....the perfect place for the vignette...again, so grateful to have been there at that time (no visitors happened to come during their rehearsals, so we could sit and enjoy and feel the spirit).  At Brigham's home, each time I finished the tour and was testifying, I got emotional...it's interesting how many people start to cry when that happens to you.  A great experience.
 
This past week seemed to fly by...maybe because we did some flying ourselves!  We were able to return to Salt Lake for Mark's funeral on Friday the 8th of July, with a viewing that night and an incredible funeral service the next day.  It was so wonderful to think upon Mark's life and his accomplishments ...mostly his great example to all of us of pressing forward to the end, never complaining.  He truly is a remarkable man and we're so grateful to be a part of his family.  It was good to be together as his kin, and to strengthen one another.  We continue our prayers always, for Liz and Jen and Miles.  Jenny received her mission call to Toronto, Canada spanish speaking, just days after her father's passing.  Wow...a lot to take in for their family.  Well, once again we hugged and hugged and hugged our children and grandchildren goodbye, and returned early Sunday morning.  We didn't feel right taking any more time away that we had, but so grateful for the time we had to spend with them...so happy Jake could join us from Texas.  Sunday became a long day, right Jake (he had 2 lay overs on his way home, arriving around 10:00 pm...after leaving Kelly's at 5:30 am)?  We pulled back into town at 6:25 pm, just in time for the 6:30 Zone Conference, where they had reserved
seats for us on the front row, to officially welcome us (only one zone meeting a month, and we're still the newest kids).

They had a wonderful slide show (which they do each month) from pix that everyone sends in from their cameras.  Sis. Ludwig talked about ordinary people doing extraordinary things (that's us some days), and Pres. Ludwig talked on enduring to the end (we all need that talk right now, because probably 1/2 of us have what they call "Nauvoo Crud"...coughs, sore throats, etc.  Just like bad colds.  We all just keep getting up and going to work each day, til our voices wear out...then we rest and go try to do our shows.  Of course, my thoughts were about Mark...and then they showed the film "Only a Stonecutter".  Again, that's Mark.  The musical number again was one of my favorites "Our Savior's Love".  A most perfect way to finish our amazing weekend.  When we called to let the kids know we were home, they said "No, your HOME is here..", but we disagreed...Nauvoo is our HOME...in fact driving back the 3 hours from St. Louis, I got emotional a couple of times...we're so grateful to be here...even with the heat, humidity, coughing spells, and that creepy spider that keeps building a huge web that covers 2/3 of the doorway into our garage.  Love to all.