Norma and Steve Smith, our downstairs neighbors.

The Nauvoo Temple at 7:05 AM as we arrived for our shift.

Nauvoo

Nauvoo

Temple missionaries we are serving with, along with the temple presidency and their wives.

In anticipation of Edmonton, below is a comparison of current (6:15 AM CST) temperatures and today's high and low forecasts:

LOCATION       CURRENT      HIGH     LOW
Edmonton               36                40          33
Orem                      37                56          37
Moreno Valley        56                79          52
Laguna Niguel        61                83          60
Nauvoo                   62                81          62

Edmonton

Orem

Moreno Valley

Laguna Niguel

Nauvoo

This scene to the east greeted us as we arrived

at the temple this morning (7:10)


The corn is dry and ready to harvest for seed

On Monday we were part of a guided tour of Kalona, IA; an Amish community located about 15 miles southwest of Iowa City. The "English" (anyone who is not Amish is called English by the Amish) tend to live in Kalona while the Amish live on farms surrounding Kalona. Mennonites also live in and around Kalona. The Amish and Mennonites have a common heritage and set of beliefs. The main differences between them are that Amish use buggies and avoid electricity while Mennonites drive cars and use electricity.

Amish quilts

Old building with a display of washing machines

The Figgins home built in 1842

Sunday School statistics posted in a Mennonite Church

A buggy repair and manufacturing shop. Depending on options, a new buggy costs between $6,000 and $9,000. The owner of this business is so busy that it takes a new owner two years to get delivery.

Four-seater

A new buggy frame and wheels

A tractor with metal wheels used by an Amish farmer

14 temple missionaries at dinner in a Mennonite home.
We held hands and recited the Lord's Prayer before eating, which is traditional.

The roast beef dinner was prepared by Salina Bontrager and her granddaughter Tiffany. Salina is an 82-year-old conservative Mennonite who loves cooking. 

After attending Church yesterday in Iowa City, we and the Cluffs went to Bishop and Sisters Stewart's home for lunch. They live in the country a couple of miles southwest of Iowa City. Bishop Stewart teaches business at University of Iowa (Hawkeyes).

Bishop & Sister Stewart

Brother & Sister Cluff

Scenery on the way to the Stewart's home

 

View from the Stewart's backyard

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Today we are touring the Amish settlement of Kalona, IA., located about 15 miles southwest of Iowa City. Rather than drive back to Nauvoo yesterday and return this morning, we stayed at The Burford House in Iowa City. The house was built in 1903 and is now a bed & breakfast. Our room was on the third floor in the attic.

 

 

Yesterday and today we mentored new ordinance workers, Norman and Evelyn Boehm. Brother and Sister Boehm served as president and matron of the Sacramento Temple the same time we were at the Redlands Temple. Brother Boehm was also a regional representative when I was stake president, so we attended several meetings together.

We went to the temple early Wednesday morning to get ready for the Boehms and took this picture.

On the main road into Nauvoo, and a quarter mile from our apartment, is a community tree and brush burn pile. People dispose of branches, etc., by bringing them to this spot and the city controls the burn. When the wind blows to the west we get the smell of burning wood in our apartment.

 

Tuesday afternoon we went to the Witch's Rib BBQ in La Harp, IL. We've become friends with the Hansens who live near St. George.

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I've mentioned before that miracles happen all of the time in the temple. Some folks might be inclined to say that these events are just coincidences. We have seen too many "tender mercies" to attribute them to chance. This afternoon Brother Anderson (Seattle) told me the following experience he had in the temple today. His daughter lives in Germany and has not been active in the Church for four years. He was in the Baptistry when a woman came to see the Baptistry before leaving the temple. Brother and Sister Anderson visited with the woman and learned that she is German and is their daughter's Relief Society president. The Relief Society president has seen their daughter's name before, but never met her. The president left the Baptistry with an address and phone number for the Anderson's daughter; she plans on contacting the daughter and letting her know that she met her parents in the temple.

We received two letters from the Church today, both from the office of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. One letter stated: "This couple will teach Institute classes and reach out to young single adults in the area to involve and activate them in Institute and Church. They will assist with Institute activities and work together with local priesthood leaders."

The second letter informed us that the week following the normal MTC training for senior missionary couples, we will attend three days of Institute and Seminary training.

It's nice to know more about what we will be doing on our mission.