Trail of Hope - Nauvoo Pageant

Well, its been awhile.  The weeks fly by here now.  This morning I went down to the Trail of Hope where the saints lined up with their wagons and teams, waiting their turn to cross the Mississippi River to begin the westward trek.  The Nauvoo Pageant actors take the parts of some of the saints represented on the reader boards that have journal entries of some of the people as they left Nauvoo.  One of them said that the saints left most everything behind them in Nauvoo; their homes, fields and many of their belongings; the work of 7 years.  But what they took with them was their testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world and their knowledge that His church has been restored to the earth through a living prophet.  That knowledge allowed them to leave with peace in their hearts, knowing that the Savior cared for them individually, was aware of them and would guide and direct them.  One of the brethren said that that knowledge is what will sustain us on our own Trails of Hope.  I left with a feeling of peace and of being loved by my Savior and my Heavenly Father; a witness from the Holy Ghost that those things are as true in our lives today as they were in the lives of the Latter=day Saints in 1846 as they left Nauvoo.  Love you all.  Mom 

Things are Hoppin' Around Here!

It has been hard to get  to an update.  things are really busy now that the Pageant has started and thousands of people are showing up.  It is quite amazing to see the Pageant and all that goes with it.  We went the other night and were amazed at the production; but, more amazed at the gospel message that it conveys.  It bears an amazing testimony to the world of this work. 
I have been called as a couselor in the mission presidency and that has definately chnged the comlextion of the mission for me.  Mom gets more time in the sites, which she likes.  I am now doing mostly administrative things now and fussing with mission details. Have a lot of sickness int he mission right now and have been visiting missionaries, some in the hospital.  I still do the shows and play my banjo, but haven't been in the sites.  I probably will get one day a week inthe sites once I get my feet on the ground.  The call came as a surprise, of course; but when your out here, you do whatever the Lord needs done. 
Love all you guys,
Dad