A silent week with a fun finish

Last Sunday I woke up to discover that my hearing was gone in my right ear.  It’s a good thing that we are each given two ears!  Although my hearing returned later that morning, it was gone again when I awoke on Monday.  The medical advisor here for the missionaries suggested some steps for me to follow.  Still, it was basically some very quiet days, until I could return and have the doctor flush my ear out on Friday.  An inflated glob of ear wax was washed out that looked to be about ¾ inches in diameter.  No wonder I couldn’t hear anything!

During that week, we spent a fairly quiet week at the temple.  One day (and we thought that it would be two), we spent in the arrival center.  On another day, we worked a very short shift (only an hour and a half).  I suppose the Lord had mercy on me during those “quiet” days, because I only ended up working the veil once while I was with limited hearing.  I hadn’t told any of the presidency or the coordinators about my condition, but the assignments must have been given with inspiration from above.

With hearing restored, Friday and Saturday were much different.  We were busy and doing all that we have come here to do.  We even chose to go for a walk Friday morning before going to the temple.  It was the first time we have done so all winter long.  The temperature was all the way up into the low thirties and it felt so much warmer than it has been in such a long time.  It felt good to get some sorely missed exercise.  We enjoyed listening to the Canadian geese as the chattered endlessly to each other and to the robins and cardinals as they sang their songs - trying to convince us that spring is just around the corner and that winter is supposed to be dying.  They, as we, were trying to ignore the light snow that was falling and speckling our glasses.

Saturday was great as well.  We went to a Ball!  We were provided with pioneer dresses and ribbon ties to wear – so as to add to the atmosphere of the evening.  The dance was held on the upper floor of the old historic cultural hall following a performance of “Rendezvous”.  The site missionaries even provided us with a live orchestra.  It was so much fun.  This venue was where receptions and dances were held in old Nauvoo.  We could imagine the Prophet Joseph, and Brother Brigham and others gliding across this same floor, bringing smiles to their brides.  But the evening came to a close much too soon, as we realized that Day-light savings time would commence in just a few hours and morning would be coming much sooner than anyone desired.