It's been a very busy week--in the temple seven days, because we started last Sunday with settings apart, a tour and meeting with the temple presidency. Then Monday, again we went over the posts, assignments and another tour. Tuesday began with an early endowment session and then we began our assignments. Thursday after our shift, it was our turn to clean the temple. We did stairs. I vacuumed the circular staircase (125 stairs) and Stan vacuumed another staircase (125 stairs). The temple is small enough that we really don't get lost. It's mostly up and down, so we get 1-2 miles of steps each shift--there's 79 steps just get to the dressing room! We are just getting used to some different procedures. Following is our weekly schedule:
Monday - Preparation Day (pickleball at 8:00 a.m.) Temple is closed.
Tuesday - Temple shift 6:00 a.m.- 12 noon (pickleball at 1:00 p.m.) Temple closes at noon.
Wednesday - Personal endowment in the morning. Temple baptistry shift 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday - Temple shift 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (clean on 4th Thursdays)
Friday - Temple shift 7:00 a.m. - 12 noon.
Saturday - Temple baptistry shift 12:00 noon - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday - Leave at 8:15 a.m. to attend the Galesburg Ward at 10:00 a.m., 79 miles away.
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| Last week we saw this eagle's nest down the street... |
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| This week there are baby eagles. |
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In pioneer attire
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Saturday night the historic site missionaries hosted a barn dance. Luckily the 'sewing room' checks out pioneer attire for all to use. So we learned a few period dances from a couple who dance professionally.
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 | | Young sister missionaries; there are about 40+ sets |
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 | | "Haste to the Wedding" |
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 | | Still hasting... |
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All of the temple missionaries -- 34 couples -- are assigned by two's to attend an outbound ward in the temple district. With Elder David and Carol Pitcher, we are assigned to the Galesburg Ward. We left at 8:15 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. meeting. We met some lovely people, heard great messages in Sacrament Meeting and wonderful lessons in Relief Society and Priesthood. We saw several members who we had seen earlier in the week at the temple, some attending and some shift coordinators. We didn't arrive home until 2:15 p.m. Galesburg is the birthplace of poet Carl Sandburg, it was a major rail hub which was part of the Underground Railroad, and is the home of Knox College which hosted the fifth Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Sunday evening we had dinner for our host couple, Sheldon and Pat Dance, and the couple who live downstairs, John and Christine Norman. It was a great evening getting to know about them.
Monday was a welcome P-Day. I went walking early and could not get back in when I returned. Stan and Brother Norman took the doorknob off; the door still would not open. We had an SOS call to security and they sent a facilities management handyman there in a jiffy and replaced the doorknob! This was a day to begin our tours of Nauvoo.
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We were the only passengers.
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It's a slow time right now, so we got a longer, leisurely ride around historic Nauvoo. Duncan and Charley (horses) didn't move too fast.
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 | | Ruins of Daniel Butler home and cobbler shop |
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 | | Lambs |
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 | | Youth participating in pioneer activities |
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Sights we saw on our wagon ride. We learned at one time there were 350 brick homes in Nauvoo, and yet that was only one in seven of all the homes. There were still lots of cabins.
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| The right part is the original home of Joseph and Emma. |
For our first tour we chose to visit the sites that the Church recently acquired. First stop was the Joseph Smith Homestead. When they moved in that original part--about 12' x 12'--there were 9 people living there (Joseph and Emma and their 4 children, Joseph, Sr. and Lucy and their youngest daughter Lucy). The white part was added much later by Joseph Smith, III for his family.
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Room of the original home.
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| Added room |
A year later they added a large room; it tripled the living space. It was used a lot for gatherings and meetings. It was the only space in the city large enough for a gathering.
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| View of Mississippi River from the Homestead. |
The photo on the left is the Bidamon Stables. The Mansion House on the right was never finished before Joseph was killed. After the partly built walls of the Mansion House had sat for 16 years and Emma had married Louis Bidamon, he used the foundation rock to build the stable house and the Riverside Mansion. That is the home Emma Smith spent her last eight years. The home on the right is a re-creation, but there are no tours there.
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Red Brick Store
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Next was the Red Brick Store. It opened January 5, 1842. Joseph loved to be behind the counters and serve those who came in. However, he was very generous with giving credit and it soon became evident that the store was not prosperous. Newell K. Whitney was asked to run the store as he had much experience.
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 | | Main floor of the store |
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 | | Joseph Smith's office |
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 | | Upper Room |
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So much took place in the Upper Room of the Red Brick Store. March 17, 1842 the Relief Society was organized. In May of 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith gave nine brothers the endowment. The next day other brothers were also given the endowment until there were 42 prepared to share the ordinance of the endowment in the Nauvoo Temple.
This truly is a sacred city. Everywhere is hallowed ground. The temple is definitely the crowning jewel. We are very blessed to serve here with so many wonderful people -- missionaries and locals alike.
Until next week...
I love Nauvoo. Enjoy your time there!
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