King Follett and more photos

Hello Everyone....

We simply cannot believe how fast time is flying by.  We have already been on our mission for 3 months....half way through already.  WOW....seems like a few weeks.  We continue to have fabulous experiences as do  those who visit here. The people here are very fun to work with. 

Pam and I have been asked to serve as District Leaders in our mission.  The mission is divided up into 10 districts, with about 12 missionaries to a district.  A leader is then called who essentially watches over the missionaries in his district. We check on their health, be sure they know how to carry out their assignments, train them in things they need to know, and pass out assignments as needed.  For example, each district is assigned a week to set up chairs for church meetings. Our chapel probably holds about  350 people, but during the summer, with all the visitors, sunday meetings will hold around 900, so we have to set up that many extra chairs in the overflow area to accomodate the people.  Then, there are certain areas of the grounds that need regular cleaning, and each month, our district is assigned an area to clean. So we pass on the assignments to our district members, and then follow up to see that the assignments are completed. It is like getting your children to do certain tasks around the house, except that here, everyone does their assignment without being checked on, and with a smile.  \\

We are doing fine, working hard, and feeling the blessings. 

We have taken a number of pictures this week, and they are attached.

KING FOLLETT

King (a first name, not a title) was a resident ot Nauvoo in the 1840's. His life as far as we know began and ended with a well.  The first time he appears in our history here, he was petitioning the City Council of Nauvoo to allow his well to remain in the location he had dug it. It seems the City wanted to place a street intersection right where his good well was located.  The well served several families.  King asked that the City locate the intersection a few feet to either side of his well, and to allow his well to remain.  The city had not yet installed the streets, so there was room for compromise here.  But, as governmental agencies will do, they told King Follett "that is not how things are done"...and they ordered him to remove his well. He did so.

Years later, King was doing his regular trade, digging wells and placing rocks inside the well around the outside to keep the mud and dirt from falling in and fouling the well.  He was at the bottom of the well, placing the rocks, and coworkers were lowering the rocks down to him in a bucket with a rope.  Yup, you guessed it. The rope broke, the large bucket of rocks fell on him, and killed him.  King's widow asked their friend, Joseph Smith, prophet and president of the church, to speak at King's Funeral. Joseph did so, and after a short eulogy, told those present that he wished to address many of the important issues relating to death, the nature and destiny of man, and of God, but that this was not the time.  He asked everyone to come to General Conference a few weeks away and he would address these things.  Many of the Mormons had never heard all of the plans that God has for Man, and so this was welcome news. Also, many had lost little children and Joseph promised to talk about what happens to little children who die before they can be baptised.

On the day set for conference, many thousands gathered to hear Joseph speak.  He talked about the subjects mentioned above.  He told how children who die before being baptised will be with their Heavenly Father and how they can be reunited with their parents in the life after. He told about God, about his plan for bringing man to earth, and many of the other important elements of Mormon teaching.  His talk was thereafter called the "King Follett Discourse" and is still a very important lesson for us regarding why we are here, where we are going, and where we came from. A little well was build in honor of King Follett here in Nauvoo, with stones believed to come from the foundation of the old Nauvoo Temple. The things Joseph Smith talked about are brought to fruition these days in our Temples, where sacred ordinances are performed that allow for families to be sealed together for eternity.

PICTURES AND COMMENTS:

This is the Nauvoo Brass Band Wagon. It is pulled around town by some of our draft horses.  The music is played by the Young Performing Missionaries, the best of the best, very talented.  They are really fun to hear.

This is another set of our draft horses pulling the Sight Seeing Wagon...which gives free rides to visitors who want to see where the historic sites are.  An hour ride...all free.

This is the view from our Apartment.  Most of the historic sites are to the left of the picture, but there is much open space between the buildings.

Pam climbed up and sat by me as I was driving the wagon back to the barn after a trip.  She loves the horses and wishes they would let her drive.  These blacks are Percherons, a french breed.  They are 19 hands high....that means VERY LARGE.

We love all your emails and comments....and we love each of you.  Please keep in touch.  We will write again soon.

Love, Pam and Jerry