Caleb's Report to Stake High Council

Caleb did an admirable job reporting his mission.  Caleb presented to the Stake High Council the Tuesday after he returned from his mission.  He would have been his second day on the job.  We entered the meeting room at 8:30.  Also presenting with us was Emma Hunter who returned from her mission a week before Caleb.  She had been present for both the open house of a new temple in Florida, Fort Lauderdale and passing out Book of Mormon cards after the Musical “The Book of Mormon.”  She compared the reaction of the people at both events.  The people at the temple were very impressed with the influence of the church.

Caleb talked about how he felt the Lord put people where they needed to be to fulfill His plans.  He talked about proselytizing at the Nauvoo Pageant.  

Caleb focused his presentation on several stories of times when for whatever reason people where in the right place to get to the missionaries. Of course this also involved the missionaries being in tune to the spirit to take advantage.  The first was of a man who had been to Carthage jail.  While there he had a vivid vision and re-experienced the events that took place there.  After this he was seeking someone to teach himself about the church, or considered himself part of the church.
The second story was about a young man who embraced the gospel.  However his family was less than enthusiastic.  He wanted to go to BYUIdaho and serve a mission.  His family wanted to cut him off from funds for school.  He had a very difficult time with his parents, and it happened the missionaries had felt impressed to visit him.  They were able to support him through a hard time just by being there.
The last story was about an area in Caleb's last area.  Oquawka is about 30 miles from Burlington, on the other side of the Mississippi and to the north.  Caleb and his companion felt inspired to work there.  There were a few members there, but most were inactive.  They were trying to visit those inactive, but were having difficulty because the addresses were not clear.  As they were feeling so frustrated they prayed as to what to do.  Shortly after a local member, active, observed them.  He was able to help them find many of the people they were looking for.  In that way they were able to meet many families and teach new people.
I feel grateful for Caleb's service, and the Lord's help, and the members' help in providing him with a positive experience.   

Nauvoo Day One

The word to summarize the first day in Nauvoo was “hot.”  However this didn’t keep us from enjoying ourselves.  We left Des Moines pretty early, and made a quick stop in Iowa City along our way.  We checked out the Handcart Park there.  We were ready for lunch when we arrived in Burlington, and Caleb took us to one of his favorite places, Wendy’s. 

Burlington Bridge

The cool barn

soy

The bridge in Burlington is really cool, and is featured on the Iowa map.  We stopped on our way South to Nauvoo for a barn picture.  Then to Nauvoo, where we started with the Visitor Center, and a movie about Joseph and what happened in Nauvoo.  From there we visited the Joseph Smith Home, the Nauvoo House (never finished but the materials used to make a comfortable home.) and Emma Smith’s home.  This included the Smith family plot with the bodies of Hyrum, Emma and Joseph.

Nauvoo House

as intended

Mansion House

Nauvoo store, upstairs where first relief society held

We also caught the blacksmith shop and the Wheelwright.  Being in the Blacksmith shop on a hot day would be murder.  It was interesting to see how the wheels were made, and how they put on the out tire.  We all came away with a diamond ring.  Then a trip to the Nauvoo gravesite, which was 2 miles outside of town.  I have since figured it would have been in town, as Nauvoo once had 14,000 residents and competed with Chicago for the most populated city in Illinois.

The highlight of our first day was going through the temple.  It was quite the experience.  This temple interior is dominated by the large assembly room on the first floor.  We attended the session with the Burlington Ward and met many friends of Caleb as this was where he was last serving.