A time to celebrate

Today is our anniversary. Becky and I have now been married for all of 41 years. So far, it has been a great ride, and each day proves to be better than the previous. She has been all that I had ever hoped she would be and a whole world more. She keeps me on my toes, and I pray that she has some coat tails that I can hang onto when it comes to exaltation. She is amazing.

Today was Becky's turn to teach the Sunday School lesson. She did well, she got great participation and then lots of comments afterward. I'm sure that she was feeling a bit uncomfortable considering that we had an emeritus member of the Quorum of Seventy (Spencer P. Condie) in attendance. She can't recall ever teaching priesthood brethren before either. But she did well, in spite of her fears. Her topic was the Oath and Covenant that belongs to the Priesthood.

We went out to dinner last night in Burlington, IA (about 30 minutes to the north of us). We met there along with 11 other couples, all of which were or are currently serving as temple missionaries. It was kind of a missionary reunion for those that were here last year, and we only got invited to join them just because we knew one of the couples that got released last fall and had returned to attend the pageant. The restaurant was perhaps the nicest we have been in since we left home, and was appropriate for our anniversary celebration. But, it all came to a screeching halt for us when we had to hurry back to Nauvoo so I could help with the Spanish translation. We'll need to go back again when we have more time.

While we have been here, we have invested in a little art. On the way here we obtained a landscape painting done by our daughter, Kristy. While here, we have found pictures of the original Nauvoo temple as well as one of the reconstructed temple. Yesterday we purchased a picture of the Savior to adorn our apartment walls as well. After three months, our apartment is starting to feel a little bit more like home.

If we get released here in October, we are close to “hump” day. Six-month missions sure go by fast. It has been such an amazing opportunity to serve here in Nauvoo. We would never refuse the offer to extend for another year, if that turns out to be our fortune. The Spirit of the Lord is so strong here, especially in the temple – and also on the flats. The pageant (going on right now) doesn't hurt either. When I step in to help voice the pageant script in Spanish, one of the parts I present is that of the prophet Joseph. As a result, I get to recite his account of the first vision, and to read his testimony of having seen the Savior in the Kirtland Temple, as well as announce to the world some of the great gospel truths that came through revelations to him. Each time, I feel like I am baring my testimony of the Savior, of the prophet Joseph and of the truthfulness of the gospel. I suppose that with each effort, I am also putting more emotion into it – because others are now noting that they can feel my testimony as I speak, and I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to share in this manner.