Our sort of regular schedule

Tuesday we get up at 5 am so we can be at tHe temple at 5:50; we get our temple clothes on and report to our meeting at 6:20 on the third floor after we pick up our schedule for the day. Mostly we are rotated every 30 minutes. We work until 11:30. Then we may have a meeting after. When we get home we have lunch, take a nap( do dishes) and go for a bike ride. We are up to 5 miles now. Read scriptures I’d we didn’t get it done and relax. I make some kind of snack for evening and we go to bed.

Wednesday is almost the same but start is an hour later 7:00-12:15. This last Wednesday we biked to the sewing room and they offered to hem my temple dress and make a scarf out of the hem, which I will try to use for my neck and see if that works to ward off the air conditioning. Our neighbors, the Groberg’s, he is a documentary film maker, they know Raymond from the old stake.  They lent us his film on the Nauvoo Temple, “Sacred Stone”. It was really greatly inspirational.

Same schedule on Thursday except I left my recommend in the temple so I had to wait to get permission to go in and I forgot another dress since I had taken my other one to be hemmed, so I had to borrow one from the temple.  So you see what being upset set me up for for the next day.  

Thursday same schedule

Friday I made sourdough bread and it turned out perfectly. So I took some to the neighbors, Groberg’s and some to the counselor in the temple presidency. 

Our schedule on Friday is 2pm-7:15 pm (our schedule said) but after we got to the temple we found out that the second and fourth Fridays are two hours later because the wards and stakes have an extra endowment session for their conferences.  Before we went to the temple we had our bike We finish at the temple after 9pm.  But I had a wonderful day. A girl just came up to me in the celestial room and gave me a hug and made friends. Later the next day she was looking for me because she forgot my name and wanted it in her journal. Wasn’t that so nice!

Saturday schedule was 12:15-5:00pm. Dad had a neat experience in the sealing room.  He was asked to help there in a session and the patrons were Joseph Smoths third great grandson. That was really neat. 

We rode our bike and went to a restaurant that opened the day before on Main STREET. IT WAS HAMBURGERS AND HOT DOGS. funny. We went to Groberg’s with the other two couples that live in our building, the Wilkerson’s (he had a PHD and couldn’t get a job except teaching high school). , the other couple are Whittier’s from California.  He started with his dads company and it was going out so he was clever and made a new company out of it. We visited and played a game “ Buzz Word”. It was a lot of fun

Sunday we went to church in the ward we’ve been assigned 9 am in Nauvoo.  It was Aprils birthday and we were invited to Groberg’s for dinner (roast beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, gravy, rolls.  😊. I know you were waiting for the food😊. And I took dessert:  lime truffle pie.  It turned out yummy👍. Between church and dinner, we drove to Carthage and went to the jail and enjoyed our time there visiting the sight of the martyrdom.  It was a precious week.  I’m very grateful to have my own picked companion of 54 years almost. Since were the longest married in the family, I’ll say that it gets better.  Hold on during those times that feel difficult—this shall pass away.  A covenant relationship is the true plan of happiness. We’re all becoming, not arriving.  We love you all, Mom, Grandma

Repentance by Grandma Robinson

 I guess this is why I come on missions so might sins can become clearer to me.  So as in bountiful the temple leaders stress being kind, loving kindness—no matter what someone is wearing or looks like AND we want to accommodate everyone as we are able. Everyone is doing their best.

On Monday we were given the opportunity to participate in an endowment. I didn’t wear my ear muffs or my neck fur, thinking that it wasn’t hot yet so the air conditioning wouldn’t be on in the temple. Since my surgery on my ear in 12th grade, my ear and neck have been sooo sensitive. I was miserable in the session.  My neck and ear hurt so that I wrapped my hands around my neck as best I could.  We’ll, on Tuesday I now knew that I needed my neck fur and ear muffs.  We’ll, within an hour, I was taken to the clothing and asked to remove my fur and substitute a shawl. I was embarrassed and upset (hurt). No explanation of why I wear it—just that it was distracting.  My response outside was good but I had troubled feelings. This did not jive with what they said.  I knew I had to repent. These leaders are Gods servants, ordained and set apart.  

Now my insights from October 2022 general conference, Elder Kevin Pearson:  speaking of the sacrament “that they do always remember Him”. My notes:  no matter—joys or sorrows, ALL things bear witness of Him.  It’s my challenge to find Him and let all experiences show me how to be like Him.  I can trust His plan to help me change and become. I can feel joy in the tempest, knowing and trusting, He will change my heart and sanctify me through the process.  Hurting can purify me. Joy can bring me strength and hope. 

Be in holy places—no matter where we are; keep Christ as our companion, our goal. 

So this was a big one for me.  The couple was doing the best they knew how.  They were set apart.  And I can thank my Savior for letting me see my own weaknesses and repent. I haven’t change overnight but at least I know it’s my opportunity and it’s up to me whether it’s a blessing or a curse.  (I’m working through it). 

So this is just to bless your lives when you come upon a hurt.  You can turn to our Lord Jesus Christ. He can purify me.  I’m so thankful to know where to look for my own “troubled” feelings and where I can turn to be purified and sanctified.

We are still going through training. And making friends and riding bikes 4 miles plus.  

PS. The next day after, I lost my recommend, I forgot my temple dress and I had an earache and neck ache and I had left my packet where we were not suppose to leave it. Knowing I wanted to repent and getting there is not immediate yet but I’m on my way. 

I love you all. I’m so thankful for your testimonies. Do all the things you learned in primary and we’ll find ourselves all together with Him here and hereafter. 

Grandma Robinson

Nauvoo Temple Mission News

We started packing for this mission as soon as we got our call. You would think we wouldn’t forget anything😔Our purple pillows!  We tried sleeping on rolled up blankets. Ugh. We ordered new pillows and they came today👍👌💕

We were set apart Sunday at 4:30 by President Kevin Eubank with Bishop Bills, Nathan and Jonathon assisting. That was so nice. We were blessed that our family at home would be blessed and taken care of.  (So watch for the blessings and tell us about the ones you see with the Lords hand. ). We were promised we would be protected in our travels. We were told that we had been chosen for this particular assignment in this particular place. People will be drawn to us and those on the other side of the veil, their presence will be felt and known by us.  Our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will be influenced by our example.  This service will bless our family around the world.  We will come to know with even greater clarity of the mission of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any challenges will be resolved and will not interfere with our service.

We stayed overnight in motels Tuesday and Wednesday and swam and walked in both pools and soaked in both hot tubs. We stopped Thursday and purchased fresh food before crossing the bridge into Nauvoo.  Our host couple, Elder and Sister Whitney met us at our apartment with the key and helped us unload the car and fed us a wonderful dinner. 

Friday we woke, read our scriptures, ate sourdough pancakes with blueberries and blackberries and lemon curd syrup and bacon. Stirred up crumpets for the rest of the week and went for a bike ride 2 miles. Whitney’s showed us the mailroom, sewing room, and checked out the goods at the winery (grape juice, crackers, popcorn…). 

Saturday read scriptures, toured the newly acquired Red Brick Store. All the things are gone but the dialogue by the missionaries is better than candy , Dad said.  We went to Keokuk for a few more groceries. 

Sunday our church is at 9:00 in Nauvoo and at some point we’ll have a primary assignment there.  Our new friends, the Grover’s live next door and have the same assignment. We had them over to eat on Sunday lunch and we were all set apart by a member of the Temple presidency. 

It’s been busy and fun!  Love Grandma Robinson