Prayer

Dear Family and Friends,

Just a note....It's 3 months until Christmas! Better start being good.
     

We've had an eventful week in Nauvoo. One thing, the truck turned over.  That is huge. Looks like after replacing 10 computer boards there may be an end in sight.  They said about  10 or so more sensors and they can test it.  Maybe by the end of the week. (fingers crossed) At least, Elder Long now appreciates the little yellow VW bug. I always have.

Elder Wayment had to go back to the Iowa City hospital last Friday.  He had fluid collecting around his left lung. He wasn't aware that he had broken a lower rib in front and when he slept on it, he thinks that started the irritation and subsequent problem.  He should be coming home tomorrow. He said having a tube inserted in your chest is the worst pain he has ever had and he has had plenty of pain as of late.

Elder Long rode up to the hospital with the Wayments to help. At the hospital, Elder Long noticed a young man all alone in the hall by the ER. He waved to him and the young man named Sherman, motioned him to come over. He asked if Elder Long could say a prayer for him.  He had seen the missionary name tag.  Sherman then asked how much it would cost. He told Elder Long that he didn't have much money.  Elder Long said it about broke his heart to think anyone would charge for a prayer.  There in the hallway, he told Sherman about prayer and that it is not only free but that anyone can say a prayer. We are all Heavenly Father's children and He loves us. In a moment of quiet, they said a prayer together.  Sherman thanked him and appeared comforted. Elder Long got his information so he could help him later. He also asked if the missionaries could come see him when he got home from the hospital. He agreed. How wonderful to be able to help someone so alone and in need.
One day this past week when I was serving at the Visitors' Center, a nonmember couple approached me asking for guidance around Nauvoo.  I told them to start at Lands and Records and see if they had any family that had lived in Nauvoo in the 1840's.  I later thought that was a strange thing to tell nonmembers. One of the Sisters who was working in Lands and Records, told me that she was surprised that I had sent them there. (They told her that Sister Long sent them) Another Nauvoo Miracle, they had several ancestors who lived in Nauvoo and were excited to find out about the Church that brought them here. You never know how the Lord will touch His children but He does.

We love you all and you are in our prayers.  We are so grateful to share this beautiful gospel of Christ with others.

Love,

Sister and Elder Long

PS The horses are still on hold.

Nauvoo News

Dear Family and Friends,

It's great to hear the news that Morgan, Utah now has 3 stakes.  We'll report to a new stake President when we get home. Of course that isn't for another year, so we won't think about that yet.

Life is sort of "on hold " for us in some ways.  We still don't know what the outcome for the "lightning" truck will be.  They just keep replacing computer boards or ordering them, and we wait.  I am thankful we have the Beetle.  

The other "on hold" is the horse program for Nauvoo.  The teamsters take the wagons out in the fields but cannot give rides. I'm sure there is much to consider as far as safety and all, but still, we wait. I'm sure we won't hear anything until after conference.

We did hear back from the contact that we made at the Brickyard last Sunday, and he is reading the Book of Mormon. He and his wife are both wonderful people and want to return to Nauvoo again this fall.

Things are a bit slow right now, so there is time to study and read.  I just finished reading Witness to The Martyrdom, John Taylor's personal account. I would highly recommend it.

There are fall bus tours scheduled the last half of September and through October, so things will pick up. We also do school tours for surrounding schools which is  great public relations for the Church. 

 

On October 28th, the community sponsors "Bootiful"  Nauvoo. Six to eight thousand are usually in attendance. (Nauvoo has a population of 1,100.)  There is a parade, vignettes, and  a pumpkin walk with about 500 fabulously carved pumpkins. The missionaries are very involved. One sister and I are in charge of  decorating the carriage that pulls the silly missionary band.  (This year it will most likely be pulled by a vehicle instead of the horses.)  Missionaries also hand out bags of popcorn and candy. The whole community meets at one of our buildings to carve the pumpkins. If you are in our area, drop in!

Not much else to tell about. We love our service here and move forward in spite of set-backs.

We love and miss you all.  The Lord is in all of our lives.

Sister and Elder Long 

Baby Briggs Arrives!

Dear Family and Friends,

The exciting news of the week is, of course, the birth of our 14th grandchild, Briggs Robert McGiven. Both baby and momma Katie are home and doing well.  I'm sure Katie has her hands full scheduling who holds him next. 

Daddy Gary & Briggs

Momma Katie & Briggs

Briggs Robert McGiven

It's been a good missionary week.  We've noticed more non-members coming to Nauvoo with the pageant being over. Or maybe you just have a chance to visit more, I'm not sure. Nonetheless we've had some good interactions and testifying moments.

I'll share a couple of the ones that stand out.  There was a young mom who came into the Visitor's Center and was asking questions about the temple. She was especially curious about the stained glass round windows with the inverted star. I had been studying the symbols on the temple and was able to give her the following information:

Nauvoo Temple (Morning Star stained glass window above)

The beautiful inverted stained glass stars that adorn the Nauvoo Temple have a very meaningful history dating back to the early Christian church.  Known as the "Morning Star" in Rev 22:16 , It is a symbol o f Jesus Christ. When the actual Morning Star's (Venus) orbit is tracked each morning it creates a mathematically perfect inverted fine-point star.  Unlike the large, intricate stained glass inverted stars found in famous cathedrals, the early Latter-Day Saints had only the means to gather enough materials for  humble three color star windows: red, white, and  blue.
She was so excited and asked if she could go in the temple. I told her she had to be a member but that I had a pamphlet to share with her that showed the rooms and told about the temple. She was so happy and asked if her husband could have a copy too. I also gave them a copy of Joseph Smith's testimony. They left wanting to see all the sites and to find out more about this special place.  It's so thrilling to share the hope the temple brings. I have a strong testimony of the temple and now more fully understand why it was important for the Saints to finish the Nauvoo temple even though they would soon leave it behind. We all need the blessings of the temple to gain strength to carry on.

   

Yesterday, Elder Long and I served in the Brickyard. It was a great day.  Elder Long was right at home telling about clay and bricks.

Brickyard

One couple left their contact information.   He had already read the Book of Mormon and will definitely be seeing some missionaries. It's so wonderful to play a small part in helping people find joy.

So much is going on in the world, I am ever so grateful that we have Christ to rely on and the solid families we all belong to, to help us make it through.

We love and appreciate each of you,

Sister and Elder Long

1/3 of the way, but who's counting?

Dear Family and Friends,

We have been on our mission 6 months today, 1/3 of it is over, so hard to believe. We have learned so much and had many experiences.

This past week has been a doozy.  As many of you already know, there was a horrific accident in the barn, and one of the teamsters almost lost his life.  He was knocked over and stepped on by one of the horses.  Elder Long held him while they waited for the ambulance and eventually was air-lifted to the hospital in Iowa City.  Elder Wayment was given a blessing just moments after the accident which saved his life. He broke the T1 vertebra, ribs, and had other internal injuries. Today, 5 days later, he was at training meeting (with a neck brace of course). Totally a miracle!

The horse program was temporarily put on hold, and many wondered if it was over. Today they are out exercising the horses so it looks like the program will continue with caution.

We also had a visit to the hospital to see Elder McGiven (Katie and Gary's nephew). He had an emergency appendectomy Sunday evening. On the way home from the hospital, we received a text that Kristen and her family were rear-ended in Logan. Car sustained injury but family is okay with the exception of Kristen breaking an arm.  Then Kimi called that her home was being threatened by fire. Thankfully my sister, Sue, let them spend the night after a chaotic day of evacuation of the schools and homes in the area.   Kimi is a teacher so the stress is enormous.

We're checking off the list of possibilities. Billy's family survived the hurricane in Houston; Katie's house didn't burn down when the hill started on fire; and Karen's family has had stitches and events all summer. So I think, we can go ahead with our mission. WHEW! We may even get our lightning truck fixed or resolved soon. Sooo glad to have the Beetle.

Hope you are all well.

We love you and trust the Lord.

Sister and Elder Long