080315

Catching up a bit...

Last week was a full moon.  We were driving past the temple on our way back to our apartment and took a couple of shots:

Now if I can only get a telephoto lens for Christmas or my birthday or....

Last Saturday night we went to Wal-Mart in Keokuk.  We needed some last minute items for Break the Fast for Sunday afternoon.  As we approached the store, a fellow approached me and started talking to me, obviously I was dressed in my missionary attire so it was pretty obvious what I represented.  Arlene was with me.  After a minute he asked me for a favor, and that was a blessing of comfort.  He explained he was having a hard time at home, his wife was ill, he had no job and he needed a blessing to help him get through his situation.  I recognized him as an ordinance worker from the Nauvoo temple that I had seen a couple of times but he didn't really recognize me.  We went to his truck and I gave him a blessing while Arlene kind of watched for people around us.  He was pretty distraught and the tears flowed easily for him.  He was a bit better but I advised him to seek help from his Elder's Quorum and Bishop.  Gotta admit, that was an interesting way to give a blessing and under interesting circumstances but he needed that so badly at the moment.  It is good to be of service.  One must be available at any given moment to provide service.  You just never know when it is going to be needed...even in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

At our Break the Fast with our group yesterday we had a one other couple at the Roundy's, the Abbott's.  It's always interesting to listen to the couple's that are here on missions.  They have such varied and interesting backgrounds and have served in such positions of prominence and great experience.  Most of them have served in stake presidencies or temple presidencies.  There seem to be few of us clerk types.

Left to right, Sister Roundy, Arlene, Brother Roundy, Sister and Brother Abbott.  This is  the Roundy's apartment in the living room.

 Last night was the last night of the Young Performing Missionaries (YPM).  They will be leaving Tuesday morning to go back to wherever they came from.  Some will be going on missions, others back to school, still others to go on with their lives.  They gave a great testimony of Jesus Christ through song.  It was very well done.  It's great to be here in Nauvoo.

Last Saturday was the last night of the pageant.  It's been a great run for them.  They did such a great job.  The 2,000 chairs are gone, the props are starting to come down, the stage is starting to be disassembled.  In a few days, it will all be back to pre-pageant set up and shut down for the winter.  Then it will sit there till next summer for Pageant 2016.  The cycle starts once again.  It was a wild ride these last few weeks and we're at the end of it all.  Things should settle down quite a bit now with less of a hectic schedule and a lot less people hitting the temple every day.  The pressure will be declining every day, especially after school starts back up in a week or so.

I just found out that the Stake YM Presidency in the El dorado Stake has been replaced.  the one I served with.  Best wishes to Patrick Smith, Ken Wallace, and Jason Seymour on your new endeavors, whatever the Lord has in store for you.  Good luck to Art Hunter and his counselors, the new president.  Art replaced me as the secretary.  He will do well.  Quite an undertaking.  Good luck El Dorado.

And good luck to President Bitnoff.  Stay off those mountain bikes for a while.  I hear they are a bit problematic for your ribs.  Get well soon!

bTW,  Elder Kevin Seger has been out for almost 9 months.  Can you believe that?  Time flies...