Love from Elder & Sister Freestone

[Pat Freestone]

Hello Dear Ones, hope your Sabbath was sweet, restful, and rejuvenating! We had the pleasure of having our sweet friends from our Chandler ward and neighbor, Scott and Sarah Johnson over for dinner this evening. They were in Iowa City watching their son, Michael compete in a swim competition.
On Sunday, the historic sites in Nauvoo are only open from noon to four, but they made the most of those hours and saw everything from Carthage to the Joseph Smith properties and then nearly froze as temperatures dipped down into single digits and 20mph winds tore at them walking the Trail of Hope. That is always so sobering to get to the icy Mississippi and remember those blessed saints who had no other option but to cross. Even bundled up in coats, scarves, hats, and gloves, we are beyond grateful that we are not required to step onto the ice. They finished off their quick visit capturing a sunset from the temple steps, looking over the Mississippi.
As many will admit, Nauvoo is not on the way to anywhere but is definitely worth the effort, even if only for a day!
It makes you wonder why the mobs and antagonists were so insistent to drive the Saints out of this beautiful, secluded city which in 1845, the population was estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people, briefly making it rival or surpass Chicago as the largest city in Illinois. That puts a whole new light on the enormity of the exodus and task laid on the shoulders of Brigham Young.
How grateful we are to be here amidst angels, seen and unseen, to remember the past and learn from it. Perhaps all of us this week can be more courageous, more tolerant, more diligent, more loving, more kind, more caring, more like our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Love you all! Come see us in Nauvoo!!!
Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Chris & Pat

[Pat Freestone]

Hello again, And just like that, it is March! What happened to February? Was it a whirlwind for you too? Surely the clock is running faster and the earth is spinning more swiftly. And just to prove my point, somewhere, early in the week, as we were totally absorbed in the process of building the temple schedule in our new assignment as shift coordinators, the Church temple information system changed to military time. Somehow scheduling temple workers 13:00 to 18:00 sounds much longer and later than 1:00 to 5:00, don’t you think? One sister shrugged and with a smile and a wink said, “Perhaps the time has come when temples will be open night and day!” She just may be on to something! All our lives we have been reminded of President Lorenzo Snow’s prophecy that temples would eventually be built throughout the land, allowing for work for the dead to continue "night and day". Like President Nelson said, “Hold on tight… eat your vitamin pills… Do we see what is happening right before our eyes?”

Other than the time change thing, our first week went quite well. Over and over we saw the hand of the Lord placing us and the temple workers in the exact place, at the exact time needed to keep God’s work rolling forward. No [inexperienced] hand can stop the work!!! 

Our week in the temple was garnished with social gatherings, dinners, and parties! We have been accused of reliving our young adult college days and there is a lot of truth to that. In the last 10 days we have eaten with friends and/or fellow missionaries 8 of those days. 😋

Besides February being a time of Valentines and romance, it was a short month filled to overflowing with heaven’s outpouring of miracles, tender mercies, and answers to fervent prayers. Oh, such a kind and caring Father in Heaven who is constantly watching over us. 

We look with anticipation to this new month of March as all of Nauvoo will commemorate the organization of the Relief Society. This worldwide women’s organization has its humble beginnings right here in Nauvoo in the home of Sarah Granger Kimball. This was actually the first home we visited when we started our mission four months ago, Shazam!

Hiram and Sarah moved into this house about seven months after getting married. Hiram, who was not a member of the restored Church of Jesus Christ until 1843, lived in Commerce, Illinois, before the Latter-day Saints arrived and renamed the city Nauvoo. The Kimballs were one of the few wealthy families in Nauvoo, due to Hiram’s businesses and land ownership. The Kimball Home is notable because of an exchange that occurred within its walls. Margaret Cook, a seamstress who worked for Sarah, wanted to assist with the Nauvoo Temple’s construction by sewing shirts for the builders. One day in 1842, the two women discussed creating a sewing society to help with the effort, and days later about a dozen other women in the neighborhood met in this home’s parlor for the society’s first meeting. It was from this small sewing society that the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was formed. Eventually this group would become a worldwide women’s organization known simply as the Relief Society. 

There will be several activities that will commemorate the organization of the Relief Society including a reenactment and tribute to the first 20 women which will take place in the Red Brick Store. I’m sure the entire month will be “Something extraordinary” just as Emma Smith declared on March 17, 1842. “We are going to do something extraordinary— . . . we expect extraordinary occasions and pressing calls.”

Joseph Smith taught, “the Society is not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls.” The Prophet invited the women to help by “correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of the female community” He encouraged the women to “become a holy people” and to “be at peace with the Lord, with those around them, and with themselves.” His teachings are reflected in what are still the purposes of the Relief Society today: 

to increase faith in Jesus Christ, 

to strengthen homes and families, 

and to seek and help those in need.

Those are extraordinary action words on which to begin a new month as “we expect extraordinary occasions and pressing calls.”

Love you all,

Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Chris & Pat

[Elaine Fort]

Thank you for your email and reminding me about the history of our sweet womens organization ❣️

[Pat Freestone]

Greetings from Nauvoo where there is a little extra “spring” in the spring forward of daylight savings time. The weather has warmed up today to 75, the flowers are beginning to poke up from their winter beds, and the bugs and flies are beginning to appear out of nowhere!!! 

With beautiful weather comes an increase in temple attendance, especially from our wonderful youth who travel two and three hours each week to perform baptisms. The Nauvoo Temple baptismal font is really quite spectacular. Here are some interesting facts:

The original Nauvoo Temple baptismal font, dedicated on November 8, 1841, was a temporary structure built in the basement from Wisconsin pine by Elijah Fordham. It measured 16 ft long, 12 ft wide, and 4 ft deep, resting on 12 carved wooden oxen, whose feet are sunken deep to appear as if working in a muddy marsh. They represented the 12 tribes of Israel, and depict the hard work required to gather Israel through temple covenants. 

The current baptismal font has been duplicated as nearly as possible with the addition of a fiberglass lining to prevent deterioration. The floor of the baptistry, the largest of any temple in the Church, was finished in red brick tile (as in the original temple). A dome and chandelier are featured in the ceiling and art glass window on the east end. Intricate moldings are attached along the ceiling. I have attached a link about the miracle of the art glass window. If you weren’t already longing to come to the Nauvoo Temple, this story will seal the deal for you!

Every week we gain a little more experience and confidence in our assignment as Shift Coordinators. Hope we can be forgiven for not thanking all of our amazing past SCs enough! We are constantly reminded that this is the Lord’s work and He loves effort! We continue to work hard and love every minute of this missionary experience which is passing much too quickly!

We had a wonderful event last night with the Site Missionaries which included watching the RS broadcast. A double quartet of women sang the closing song, “The Seasons of a Woman’s Life” Tammy Lisonbee Duthy, who looks just like her sister Joan Lisonbee Sowers, sang in the quartet. When I asked her about the song, she said Joan wrote it! Just one of many she has written! Way to go Joan, Mrs White would be so proud!!!

As we were leaving, a sister said that me, and the two sisters on each side of me, looked like the General Relief Society Presidency from the back. I had her take a picture, you be the judge but I think she is right!

We wish you a wonderful week! Just a quote from President Camille Johnson’s words last night: “ Life is hard, you can do hard with Jesus or you can do hard alone. With Jesus the hard becomes holy.”

May we all choose to do hard with Jesus and have a holy week!

Love you all,

Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Chris & Pat 

[Pat Freestone]

Salutations,

Our weather this week brings to mind a phrase Alice in Wonderland used to describe an increasingly strange or perplexing situation: “Curiouser and curiouser!”

On Tuesday (3/10), it seemed that summer had arrived in Nauvoo. The temperatures hovered in the mid 70s. Windows were flung open and the streets were busy with bikes as well as people walking and jogging. Even a sweater was too warm. Then around 5:00 pm, an eerie wind began to blow in ominous and threatening clouds. I think I might have seen Elvira Gulch’s bike turn into a broom and heard the faint sound of “Antie Em, Antie Em, it’s a twister!”

And just that quickly we were under a tornado watch: be prepared. Counties all around us were under tornado warning: take action. The reports of baseball sized hail, motivated us to park our car in the underground parking structure, up near the temple and walk the short and windy 15 minutes back to our apartment. As the heavens grew darker, an explosive and nonstop lightning storm lit up the sky for hours! Fortunately for us, the destructive path of the storm skirted around us, however the residual effects erased all signs of summer as temperatures plummeted below the norm for this time of year. 

Back with the heavy coats and gloves. And just when it looked like we might see the glimmer of spring, another storm is upon us, promising strong winds and snow predicted for the next three days. We’ll see!

This was our first Nauvoo experience with tornadoes, but this beautiful city has a stormy history with these destructive twisters. 

Only four years after the Nauvoo Temple was dedicated, it lay in ruins. In October 1848, arsonists’ fire left only the limestone outer walls intact. In 1849, a French communal group purchased the charred superstructure in hopes of renovating it for use as a school. But the Lord never intended His Holy House to be used for any other purpose. In 1850 a massive tornado toppled the north wall and weakened two others rendering it unsalvageable, and the school project was abandoned. 

At the cornerstone ceremony (2002), President Boyd K. Packer said, “The temple was destroyed and burned, and the stones of the temple were scattered like the bones had been cremated, and the temple, in effect, was dead. . . . So the temple died. But now, this day, it has come to a resurrection. The Temple stands here again.”

This week as I watched the massive storm defy the meteorologist’s predicted and destructive path, I remembered President Gordon B Hinkley’s words in the Nauvoo Temple Dedicatory Prayer (6/27/2002): 

“Save this structure from desecration of any kind. May it stand immaculate with "holiness to the Lord." Strike down the evil hand of any who may seek to injure or destroy. Preserve this Thy house from the storms of nature and destructive elements of all kinds.”

The Lord is in charge, the elements are in His hands. Sometimes the tornadoes narrowly miss us and sometimes they hit us with full force. It was the mighty winds, sent from God, that parted the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to escape and their enemies to be destroyed. 

6 Many times, the Jaredites were buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind… and …they were buried in the deep…

8 And…the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.

 It was a destructive storm that financially ruined the Smith family farm, and with no other option, caused them to move their family, including young Joseph, within the vicinity of the Hill Camorah. 

Perhaps we can ask ourselves, “What am I to learn from this storm? Am I discovering strength I didn’t know I had or needed? Where is God moving me, pushing me forward to the promised land, protecting me from my enemies or even from myself. Perhaps when the tornado knocks down the last standing wall that was keeping us from realizing our true potential, we will be ready to allow Jesus Christ’s atonement to lift us up, bring us out of the deepest depths into His glorious light, standing brighter and more beautiful than before the storm. After all, we are God’s supreme creation, we are Temples of God!

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God⁠, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God⁠, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy⁠, which temple ye are.

(3/16)

And so ends/begins another week. It snowed all night and the fierce winds are plunging the temperatures back into the negative range. Couldn’t see out our apartment windows this morning because of the frost and snow.  All the historic sites are closed so our RS Reenactment will be postponed until next Monday. We will stay warm and cozy and try to send some of this deliciously cold weather to our friends and family in Arizona who will be suffering in triple digits this week! Storms come in so many shapes, sizes, and temperatures, Don’t ya know?

Love you all!!!

[Pat Freestone]

Hello Dearest Loved Ones!

Another wonderful week and so much to be grateful for! We are totally amazed that we hit our five month mark this week. Can’t figure out a way to slow down time!!! But because it is still March, we continue to celebrate the organization of the Relief Society here in Nauvoo. 

On Thursday (3/19/26) we met with the Site Missionaries for a Worldwide Relief Society Celebration. The newly acquired south visitors center was decorated with international flags, displays, artwork, and every imaginable ethnic food. The program included songs and hymns in many different languages, sure wish I had kept up on my Spanish, and concluded with a wonderful video with RS sisters from around the world sending love and greetings to the RS sisters in Nauvoo! The closing song was, 

We are sisters holding hands around the world,

Like an army with the gospel flag unfurled.

We are led by His light,

And we love truth and right.

We are building the kingdom of God!

Today (3/23/26) the weather was amazing so it was all systems go for our Temple Missionary Sisters commemoration of the organization of Relief Society in Nauvoo. Most sisters came dressed in 1842 clothing. Each of us took the name of one of the 20 original women who attended that very first meeting on March 17, 1842. The idea was sparked by my sister Elaine, who week ago began researching these 20 women and discovered we were related to several of them. I’m sure our Dad was so proud and was helping her find the connections. 

This was our schedule:

First stop was Sarah Granger Kimball’s home where Sarah and Margaret Cook met us and shared their story of the “Foundations of Relief Society.” There is a perfect view of the temple from her parlor window. As they watched the construction of the temple they wanted to do their part to support the work and organized a sewing circle to make shirts for the men who were working on the temple. Amazing how one noble idea expanded into the community, Church, and continues to this day to expand into the world!

Next we took a narrated wagon ride through the streets of old Nauvoo and on to the Red Brick Store. It has only been the last two years when the Church acquired it, that tours of the Red Brick Store has been possible so we felt extremely fortunate!

Upstairs, our tour guides, Sister Hatch and Sister Frentheway related the events that happened in that sacred space and what transpired as the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was formally organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Next, we 20 RS Temple Missionary Sisters, stood in a circle and each of us shared the story of the original Nauvoo RS sister we were representing. We sang “As Sisters In Zion” and there were more than just 20 voices singing! It was powerful. 

Pictures of our entire group were taken outside the Red Brick Store by Elder Bowles. He took formal and candid pictures throughout our entire event between the two historic bookends of Relief Society. Extraordinary!

Tonight was the amazing annual event of “The Burning of the Prairie Grasses Demonstration”

The sign on the corner reads, “Tall prairie grass once covered a fifth of the continental United States. This landscape of grass and wildflowers was often taller than a man's head.

Writing of the prairie between Nauvoo and Carthage, Parley P. Pratt said, "We rode 17 miles through a beautiful plain. Our route was the most delightful one." This planting should give you some idea of the majesty of the landscape greeting the early settlers of this area.”

The whole town turns out and within 10 minutes, fire had consumed a square mile of grassland. The volunteer firefighters were on hand just in case the wind were to change. Fortunately, all went as planned. It was an impressive ending to a glorious week and once again I wanted to sing right out loud, “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning!” but I didn’t, but sure thought about it!

May each of us feel the Spirit of God like a fire burning in our hearts this week and as Brother Brigham often referenced, "Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord, burn in your hearts like flame unquenchable".

Love you all,

Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, Chris & Pat

Sent from my iPhone

[Pat Freestone]

Happy Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week,

What an absolutely beautiful time of year. The renewal of springtime, a symbolic metaphor for Christ’s resurrection, representing renewal, hope, and the victory of life over death. How wonderful to study Exodus in Come Follow Me during this season of Passover as well as the events leading up to that glorious Easter Morn. 

Here in Nauvoo, Mother Nature has begun to put on her finest Easter attire. The bulbs that were planted in faith last fall, and slept unnoticed all winter, have bravely broken out of their winter tomb and adorn the temple gardens, historic Main Street, and even our own doorstep! It is a sight to behold which we long to share! So fortunately for us we had a visit from family this week. Colette, Cooper, Taylor, and Tilly spent a few days with us. Yesterday morning we all went to the temple, I don’t know that there is anything sweeter than that! We were able to attend the Nauvoo Ward’s Palm Sunday meeting together where all the members of each auxiliary organization participated by singing an Easter hymn. Brother Miller of the Bishopric gave the Easter message reminding us of Elder Wirthlin’s talk Sunday Will Come. 

I have included the link as it is a perfect reminder of how personal Christ’s Infinite Atonement is for each us! 

“Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sundaywill come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.”

May we all rejoice in that knowledge and feel or Savior’s love this week, this Sunday, and every day after that!

Love you all! 

Grandma & Grandpa, 

Mom & Dad, Chris & Pat

[Pat Freestone]

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 29, 2026, at 10:17 PM, Pat Freestone <cpfre...@gmail.com> wrote:



<image0.jpeg>

<image1.jpeg>

<image2.jpeg>

<image3.jpeg>