Love From Elder and Sister Freestone
Pat Freestone
Hello Friends,
Tuesday (11/4) began early, we were in the temple at 5:50 AM, dressed and ready for preparation meeting at 6:20. The Nauvoo Temple has one shift on Tuesday, 6:00am-11:00am and all of the temple missionaries are assigned to serve. Because we are new, we spent the day receiving training on the “Nauvoo Way!” The Temple Presidency and matrons are marvelous teachers, half of them are retired college professors so they keep things interesting and engaging. They absolutely glow as they testify of their love for the Savior and this most important work that redeems God’s children on both sides of the veil. This scripture from this week’s Come Follow Me, kept resonating with me.
D&C 128: 15 “And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.”
So Wednesday we joined the Big Kid’s Club! Yesterday’s orientation then off with the training wheels, time to work. I ended up in the wrong place a couple of times but hopefully I won’t make the same mistakes again, just new ones! One sister expressed that Nauvoo really is a crossroad for running into old friends and acquaintances and it certainly was today. A sister from West Des Moines knew our kids when they were out there going to medical school. Then Brad and Cindy Dunn from Pueblo Stake in Mesa walked by, Chris had just officiated in their sealing session. What are the chances that I would be in just the right place to cross paths? Once again, the very best place on earth to be is in the Temple!
On Thursday (11/6) we worked the afternoon shift so this morning we went back to see the big, beautiful, draft horses. This time we were early enough to watch the wranglers call out each horse’s name and the horse would go right over to the feeding trough that had their name on it. It was fascinating to watch. Later, a beautifully paired team took us on a carriage ride through the countryside where we traveled back in time as our driver related beautiful and heart rendering stories of the faithful early saints. What courage, what strength, what conviction they had in their testimonies of Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel! Our driver told of little families who received testimonies, were baptized and almost immediately the husbands and fathers were called to serve missions leaving their families to fend for themselves for years at a time. They had such a hard life! So grateful Chris and I are able to serve our mission together!
Up early on Friday (11/7) to receive training for our responsibilities in the temple. A sister on the session we led introduced herself as Alayne Favreau’s youngest sister Marcy. She lives in Hannibal, Mark Twain county. What are the chances?
On Saturday (11/8) the Temple Recorder trained Chris on his duties as assistant recorder then he turned the responsibility over to Chris beyond the end of the shift when all ordinances have been recorded, done “in authority, in the name of the Lord, and did it truly and faithfully, and kept a proper and faithful record of the same, it became a law on earth and in heaven, and could not be annulled, according to the decrees of the great Jehovah.” (D&C 128:9)
Once again it is incredible that our Come Follow Me study each week contains revelations and directions from the Lord, specifically for each of us in our personal lives. Hope you all had a chance to read Elder Rendund’s April 2018 talk “Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing,” It is absolutely golden with reminders of the promised blessings we lay claim to when we participate in family history and temple work today! He declares,
“These blessings are also breathtakingly amazing because of their scope, specificity, and consequence in mortality. This long list includes these blessings:
- Increased understanding of the Savior and His atoning sacrifice;
- Increased influence of the Holy Ghost to feel strength and direction for our own lives;
- Increased faith, so that conversion to the Savior becomes deep and abiding;
- Increased ability and motivation to learn and repent because of an understanding of who we are, where we come from, and a clearer vision of where we are going;
- Increased refining, sanctifying, and moderating influences in our hearts;
- Increased joy through an increased ability to feel the love of the Lord;
- Increased family blessings, no matter our current, past, or future family situation or how imperfect our family tree may be;
- Increased love and appreciation for ancestors and living relatives, so we no longer feel alone;
- Increased power to discern that which needs healing and thus, with the Lord’s help, serve others;
- Increased protection from temptations and the intensifying influence of the adversary; and
- Increased assistance to mend troubled, broken, or anxious hearts and make the wounded whole.
If you have prayed for any of these blessings, participate in family history and temple work. As you do so, your prayers will be answered. When ordinances are performed on behalf of the deceased, God’s children on earth are healed.”
Who among us doesn’t need these wonderful blessings?
On Sunday (11/9) old Jack Frost arrived and the temperature plummeted, the weather app said the feels like temperature was 9! Yes, I am aware that Chandler broke a record for 91 degrees on the 9th of November! Here in Nauvoo , the wind kicked up a ruckus and sadly is shaking the beautiful fall leaves off the trees! We attended our new ward, Nauvoo 1st, such lovely people and what a great spirit! Cute Sister Missionary gave her farewell talk as she departs for Montana, where Chris served many years ago (you do the math). The High Council speaker, Brother Eyring, spoke on the law of the fast as well as the marvelous blessings that come only through fasting. Yes please 🙋🏼🙋🏼♂️! We had the Dunns over for dinner and reminisced bygone years of raising our families and serving in the Church together. What a perfect Sabbath!
Today, Monday (11/10) we travelled across the recently opened Fort Madison Bridge and into Burlington, IA. These beautiful Midwest towns are sooo charming! We took a serpentine drive down Snake Alley, similar to San Francisco’s Dunbar Street. It’s famous enough to make it into “Ripley's Believe It or Not.” Mondays go fast and just like that we are ready to start another week in the Nauvoo Temple. We are ready and feel so blessed to be here!
We send our love to all of you! Thank you for your friendship, support, and kindness! May we all feel God’s love, strength, peace, comfort, and power in our lives as we take the time to hear Him!
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