We've been in Nauvoo more than a month now

I saw Dr Grant, a chiropractor in the morning of Monday and he showed Ray where to push when I kick my leg. It has helped the pain a lot. I haven’t had ibuprofen now for probably 3 days. We go shopping usually on Mondays unless we have training. But after shopping, we went to Groberg’s place right next to us and the other four housemates came and we played Buzzword. We laughed and had such a fun time.

Tuesday I couldn’t find my recommend 😳. Someone found it after we were in the temple on the bathroom counter where I left it Saturday.  I’m glad I didn’t know I had lost it until Tuesday morning or I would have been worried about it all weekend.  Both legs hurt today but I can concentrate and walk. We, of course rode our bike—just four miles.

Wednesday:  Grandma Beckstead birthday. We had quite a celebration but not any good food and my lemon custard was made from half lemon Greek yogurt, half vanilla ice cream, melted, mixed, refrozen. Best I could do.  Ruth Thompson was here again, so we fed her (that is a Grandma Beckstead memory); she fed everyone who walked in her door and some who didn’t that were tramps in the alley.  We also went up late to Whittiers apartment, directly above ours, to celebrate her birthday with a gluten free cake mix her husband made with happy birthday candles all across it.  They also invited Ruth to join and a widower across the grass. We laughed and laughed.

Thursday we picked up mail on our bike ride!  It was a fresh cut bouquet and card from our own Nathan and Amy and also a mystery package—-a white shawl for the temple!  I get miserably cold in the endowment room and we serve there next week.  So happy for Sarah picking up on my misery 😒and sending me that😘. With the turtleneck cover and the sweater, I’ll survive next week.  Thank you all for taking care of us from a distance:  April mowed our lawn, Charity keeps sending us pictures of our mail, Rachael sends newsy letters, Angela sent a beautiful card, Emily and Andrew continue to let us talk with Ossian on FaceTime, — what a great family. And many of you have answered requests for recipes.  Thank you all!  After temple time, we met a couple from Cedar City (he was another classmate my junior year) Evan and his wife who moved their records here for six months so they could serve in this temple and we went to the Red Front to eat and they came to our place after to play Rummicube which we learned from our Cedar City friends in the Philippines. We all know each other. We had fun. They left after she won the game and then Whittiers and Groberg’s came over and we played Fast-track in between laughing so much. 

Friday rained all day; it was the first time we were not able to bike ride.  We went to the temple at 1:50 for our late night shift. At chair 2/1 a girl who came to the temple when we were at the recommend desk, then came to initiatory when I was there and then on her way out, she stopped and asked where I was from “Bountiful, Utah”. Next question, “Do you know Ray Robinson?”😂. That’s my son.  Then she told me her family had been in the pageant some years ago and how her family loved the Robinson Family and I asked what her maiden name was.  King, and followed that information with “they won’t remember us.”  I said, “they surely will!”  I talked with Raymond a few days later; yep they remembered them and texted them right away,  so many fun experiences here.  We got home from the temple a little after 9:00pm

Saturday we rode four miles again on the bike; stopped at the Tin Shop that was the Stoddards in the olden days.  We are wondering if that is the family of Permelia Stoddard, a pioneer who crossed the plains and married a Robinson.  We haven’t had time to investigate yet so if anyone finds out before we do, let us know.  We went to our temple shift at 12:30; finished by 5:30 and made it to the “Sunset on the Mississippi” show and President and Sister Church moved to sit by us.  That was fun.  Last thing at night, I started my sourdough bread bubbling over night.

Sunday Ray taught the elders quorum lesson:  “words matter” by Elder Rasband and “Bridging the two great commandments” by Elder Stevenson.  Our ward now starts at 10:30 with ss/rs/eq then 11:30 starts sacrament meeting.  They added a “visitors ward” at 8:00 and a single adult ward at 12:00 and the second Nauvoo ward at 2:30-4:30. Men were coming up to Ray telling him how much they enjoyed the lesson.  Amy sent a video of Boyd and Ava singing in sacrament meeting, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”. If anyone wants to share it with their children, text Amy. It was very inspiring and I played it for our neighbors, the Groberg’s and their daughters children 6 of them. They didn’t move or make a noise.  It was very powerful and so I added my testimony, I too know that my Redeemer lives!

That’s our week.  I hope we all get more from the other missionaries out; they are more interesting.  We love you all. Thanks for doing so much for us!

May 13-19 in review

Monday we did our usual exercises, my physical therapy, bike ride. We went to the Arrival Center for training with Elder and Sister Cornish who are the baptistery team coordinators for Saturday.  The story:  

Elder Cornish was teaching us how to manage the arrival center.  The arrival center is nice with two large rooms, a children’s area where one parent can watch while the other parent attends the temple.  There’s a small hall size kitchen for fixing sandwiches or bottles for children, along with two shower rooms for preparing travelers for the temple.  Our responsibility is to make welcome and prepare patrons for doing baptisms, taking their recommends, giving them pink or blue cards and making sure they have their names so they are ready for the recommend desk.  Elder Cornish had just finished telling us about the showers when this group of men about nine, nicely dressed with dark complexions and dark hair.  Our leader was welcoming them and telling them that we have two showers.  They were finally able to get him to catch his breath and let him know that they were a group of students studying comparative religions and wanting to see the temple.  Then we were able to direct them to the real visitors center where they could get more information.  After they left, our group could hardly keep from laughing.  Our leader was so focused on his presentation that he was the only one in the group that didn’t notice they were not church members but Muslims.  But they did find out we have showers.

After training we went to the chiropractor hoping to get some help with my leg that did not have surgery.  Nothing 😒. In the evening we had a catered picnic, tacos with all our senior temple missionaries at the Nauvoo State Park.  Many couples just walked over from their apartments and the weather turned to thunder, lightening, and rain but not until we had some fun singing and jokes from a newly created quartet among us.  We gave one set of housemates a dry ride back.

Tuesday our regular 6 am shift at the temple. Ray was involved in sealings that day with Sister Albright and he was part of the group as Sister Albrights mother, who has crossed the veil, was sealed to her parents (Sister Albrights grandparents). He said it was very tender in that room. 

 I could hardly walk by the end of the day so Ray began rolling my leg with a juice bottle from the winery. 

Wednesday, Ray started the day with rolling the juice bottle on my leg.  After our temple service we rode the bike 5 miles and went through the Mansion house and Emma and Joseph’s house and then the front tire went flat just before we got home. And then he massaged my leg again before bed.

Thursday we have morning temple shift again, went home after for lunch (right now, the temple is closed for two hours between shifts). Then we went back at 3:15 to attend an endowment session.  I’m less dizzy now so when my legs both work, I’m going to be great!  But I was pretty discouraged at the end of the day as I could hardly walk and was in a lot of discomfort.  But the Lord ent me a lot of love via others:  Charity sent a picture of Resa with an Eiffel Tower shirt that said “I want to go to Paris”.  She said, “that’s the temple where Grandma and Grandpa live”💕. She knows we don’t live upstairs and every time she asks her mom, she tells her that we’re at the temple—so we must live there.

Friday we rode our repaired bike 4 miles around and stopped at the Browning Gun Shop and found Brother Davies and his wife of two years serving there in between his work for the pageant.  That was really fun to reconnect with him. He use to be in charge of the country fair before each night of the pageant.  Then we had our shift from 2-7 at the temple.  I again saw the Lords hand in my life as the temple coordinator complimented me on my handling patrons at the veil and I also received a messenger note that from Sister Cagape with love and saying she could see me in Lillie, my beautiful granddaughter.  Heavenly Father filled up my well.  

Saturday more exercise, bike riding 4.6 miles, of course daily scriptures and prayer.  We served in the baptistery 12-5. And after clean up, we went to eat at the Nauvoo buffet and joined another couple, the Despains who were also there.  During our shift at the temple, a man who makes cool things, had made me one and brought it to me at the temple.  It’s a white picture that you hold up to a light to see.  We went to the Dollar General and bought a small kiddie pool and it fits in the shower so I can soak one leg at a time which I used.

I’m so grateful to see and feel the love of my Heavenly Father in my life.   Thanks for being part of that through calls and texts and your friends we meet here and the dear people we have met on different missions and different places.  

Sunday 9:00 church. Groberg’s came for lunch, ham and cheese waffles, berries and lemon curd whip cream on waffles.  And tonight elder Groberg’s came over to assist Ray in giving me a blessing so I’ll be all well soon.

Be good, do good and see the Lords hand in your life each day.  He likes to be recognized. I love you, grandma Robinson with some help from Ray this time. 

Journal May 6-13

Ray dug up tulips on the temple grounds with other senior missionaries and tilled and prepared the planting area for the next plants.  I did wash, prepared food and then we went to Keokuk for another bike tire.  I am trying a new blood pressure pill (senior moment news😊❤️). 

May  7 (I’m a little less dizzy and still working on the physical therapy for my knee)

  Tuesday a typical temple day 6 am-12:30. Right now the temple closes when we leave at 12:30 for the day.  We were able to ride bikes again 4 miles but after 3 days without, I took ibuprofen. 

Wednesday Ray went to get the car as usual and I sat on cement right by the temple gate to wait.  I had a small bout of shingles last week on my stomach but this was so many stinging sensations, I tole Ray when I got in the car, the shingles  must be worse than ever—they always sting before they break out and itch and burn.  I adjusted my dress and zing, a wasp flew out and I rolled down my window.  We couldn’t believe it!  It was as big as my phone, the redness and my thigh swelled up like a grapefruit cut in half.  

Ray was asked to give Brother Groberg’s a blessing. He’s been just going out with seizures so Elder Cornish came over and they administered to him.  Ray remembered to bring blessed oil with him, that was nice.

The fun news of the day:  Dave and Ruth Thompson who lived in Jerome when we did, came to see us and stayed a couple of hours.  It was so fun to visit with them! 

Thursday we spent most of our time in the baptistery; Ray was the recorder and I was the card runner.  After every group of 5, Ray put the cards by the railing and I picked them up and took them to the desk to file in alphabetical order for the patrons to pick up and take for confirmations .  I was tired after an hour. We had quite a few in the baptistery.  After the patrons re gone, then our team cleans up the baptistery, taking wet stuff to the laundry and rugs, towels, jump suits…then we squiggly floors, bring in clean, dry things for the shift on Friday morning.  It really is a lot of work, so much more than what patrons see.

Friday was Angela’s birthday and our shift was in the afternoon on this day 2-7 except the second and fourth weeks, when two hours are added at the end so 2-9.  We were all so tired.  

Saturday morning we were finally able to ride the bike and in the middle of our ride, we stopped at the wheelwright/wainwright shop. The missionaries there were really good with lots of information. Captain John Robinson must have made wheels for the saints in Maine after he was converted on his ship bringing the early saints from Europe.  Then probably made handcart wheels at winterquarters.  The young band was on its ride through Nauvoo when they saw us on our tandem bike and the senior missionary recorded them playing “A bicycle built for two”. They were excited and so were we!  After four miles, we went to the apartment to shower before the temple.  We were in the baptistery again.  It’s a different team than Thursday but same work. We were released at 7:15 when the temple closed and we had everything cleaned up and ready for Tuesday morning.  After we went for Mothers Day dinner to KFC. It actually hit the spot for both of us.  We were hungry.  Then we went grocery shopping.

Yay for Sunday!  Church, then we had Elder and Sister Weed from Fallon Nevada over for dinner.  They left at 3:00 and then we had the family call.  After we just sat on the couch enjoying the warmth of the call.  Thanks for all who were able to get on.  We had a fulfilling Mother’s Day and hope all of you did.  One funny:  Ray wouldn’t let the Weed couple leave until they look over our family picture magnets

and pointed out all our missionaries coming and going👌❤️. 

We love you. Mom, Grandma, Elder and Sister Robinson

Red brick store

Our visits to the Red Brick Store in the past have been under the ownership  of The Community of Christ. The store was used as a retail outlet, with fun candies and souvenir items. I am sure that it was a fun destination for visitors.

Now that the store has been purchased by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, the store will (it  seems) be presented in a different way. When we visited the store a couple of weeks ago, the shelves were bare. There were three missionary sisters there to greet us. The sisters explained that they were not sure how it may be presented in the coming weeks but that it would probably be presented the way it may have looked in Joseph Smith's time, with commodities and grocery items as they may have looked at that time; with nothing for sale.

The missionaries talked to us about the store and how it was used and then invited us to go upstairs and see how the building was used up there. We saw Joseph Smith's office and (i think), Willard Richard's office. There was also a large room where meetings were held including the first meeting and organization of the Relief Society.

The missionary then said that Joseph Smith recorded some of his revelations in the office and also that the "Wintworth letter" is thought to have been written there. The Wintworth letter contained the Articles of Faith. She asked us what our favorite Article of Faith was. I could not think of a favorite Article of Faith at the time but later I chose one that had increased meaning to me in connection to our mission assignment in the Temple.

The third Article of Faith:

We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the Laws and Ordinances of the Gospel.

(We help provide the ordinances to many of Heavenly Father's children in the Temples).

Another part of the Wintworth letter contains the "Standard of Truth" , which the missionary invited us to recite with her. (many missionaries are encouraged to memorise the Standard of Truth and recite it often in District Meetings). It  always stirs my soul, and I think "who writes like this?"

The Standard of Truth has been erected: no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions nay rage,mobs may combine.armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say, "the work is done". 

     Joseph Smith Jr.

The Red Brick Store was actually re-built by the Community of Christ on the original spot. Now our missionaries are able to give meaningful tribute to the history. 

I love you all

happy days from Nauvoo

Mondays

I’ll have to say I love mondays. We get to stay in bed until 6am, I get to eat breakfast, I have time to wash clothes, exercise my knee, and do some baking. AND find the missionary emails to read?!  

Monday April 29:  we rode the bike 5 miles

Tuesday: I had left my recommend in the temple and the presidency wasn’t there yet to let me in so finally a sister said she would go to the fourth floor, find my bag and get it out of my pocket. Ugh. Hoping to do better this week. 

I discovered one of the ladies here is related to Lucy Gibbons from Bountiful and Renee Packer—-they are all sisters, maiden name Wood. She said we are related to the Woods from Burley. Their father was Grandpa and Grandma Stokes bishop there. 

We, all the senior couple missionaries were blessed to attend an endowment session at 11:30 today. Right now there are only two endowment sessions a day. 

We rode the bike 6 miles today

Wednesday we rode only 5—6 turned out to be too much as I had a lot of swelling. 

Thursday we did seal some families, we were trained in the Nauvoo baptistery area, and Sarah sent me a dicky for my neck and it works great!  And after our temple time we went to Keokuk and had Mexican food. Their green sauce has lime in it and very different and yummy. We started our bike ride but got rained out in two blocks. We came home and played Chinese checkers!  Yay😂. Dad won. I discovered why I like to play———-I love the bright colors!

Friday, of course you understand I just tell the extra things we do. Every day we are in the temple. I exercised and rode the bike four miles. 

Saturday we rode about four miles and discovered a flat tire so we had to walk back. We are assigned baptistery on Saturdays so we were trained there again.

It was interesting because four Elders came in to do baptisms and there was a black girl that wanted to have it performed for her names in Haitian. The temple printed it up, laminated it and one of the Elders seemed to know how to read and pronounce it.  The girl was just beaming, her own native language!  After our session at the temple at 7:30 we drove over to Keokuk and purchased a new tire for the bike. 

Sunday after church, we drove to the old Nauvoo cemetery, dad took some pictures. Groberg’s stopped over and saw BYU tv on and asked dad to come make theirs work. He did and showed them how to do it. So that was fun. At 5:00, we went to Palmer’s apartment and broke the fast with them and two other senior missionary couples, everyone brought something. We stayed and visited until 8:00 pm. 

The weather here is perfect. We love you all. Btw, Brother Palmer served in the Philippines when he was an Elder.  That was fun for us to hear about. ❤️.