"One Eternal Round" sums up our time on our Nauvoo Temple Mission very well! Each new day, we prepare ourselves to enter into the Temple, The House of The Lord, and fulfill various good works in behalf of the patrons who attend and those who have gone on before without the opportunity to receive their own Temple ordinances. Sometimes it is challenging to remember which day of the week it is, because this sacred work is what we do each day. We are not saying this as a complaint, only as a reality. Actually, even the time of day has no bearing on our attitude of service. We truly serve gladly regardless of the hour of our shift, AM or PM, early or late, we all just come with happy hearts and willing hands.
Sometimes we are chatting and smiling in the Sisters' dressing room while preparing to begin our day and it is still very dark outside, just as it was when we left the Temple the night before. That is when we say to one another that we are serving in "The Lord's Time Zone", a place where there are no time limitations and where you focus on the Temple Clock more than your own watch. We just go and serve and closely feel the Spirit of The Lord through it all. When your life is "One Eternal Round", the days quickly turn to weeks and the weeks to months, and somehow, we have suddenly been here for a year, the length of our mission call. We began our full-time mission on October 18th, 2016, and through "One Eternal Round", our time here is drawing to a close very quickly and we will never be the same! We will begin our drive back to our home in South Jordan, Utah on October 30th.
In Doctrine and Covenants 3:2 we read, "For God doth not walk in crocked paths, neither does He turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth He vary from that which He hath said, therefore His paths are straight, and His course is One Eternal Round."
What a blessing it has been to walk His straight path and follow His course, never varying, accompanied by our fellow Temple Workers who add so much to our sweet experiences here, both in and out of the Temple. We truly have tasted what it must feel like to live in a Zion-like setting. People refer to life here as "The Nauvoo Bubble". We never want that bubble to burst! The only way we can explain this season of service is comparing it to being admitted to Heaven and tasting its sweetness for a year, then being told to return back to normal mortal life again.
At the end of our "One Eternal Round" of service each day, this is the view that we are blessed with as we descend the steps of the Temple. Joseph and Hyrum Smith riding toward Carthage Jail where the Martyrdom occurred with the majestic Mississippi River in the background serve as a constant reminder of the great sacrifices which were made so the Gospel could be restored and we could all have the priceless blessing of Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Reading the scriptures is a very special opportunity which we are blessed with at various posts we are assigned to in the Temple when patrons aren't currently nearby. What a blessing this has been for me. In the Temple, the scriptures seem to open new portals of in site. The same scriptures I have read my whole life have suddenly revealed new passages which I had never seen before.
My favorite place to read and ponder the scriptures in the Temple is the Celestial Room. It is such a sacred and peaceful place. Whenever I receive an assignment on a shift to watch over the Celestial Room, I feel like I have been invited into The Lord's living room for a personal visit with Him. The spirit there is so powerful and yet so gentle, too. On a day when the morning sun is shining brightly outside, the crystals on the chandeliers sparkle with the light and cast faint rainbows about 4 inches in length all across the west wall and the carpet, too. It is a magical thing to behold, testifying softly of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and the power of The Son and the sun! This is just one of the tender mercies which we are blessed with in this beautiful Nauvoo Temple where we serve each day which will be forever etched into our minds and hearts.
At the end of our "One Eternal Round" of service each day, this is the view that we are blessed with as we descend the steps of the Temple. Joseph and Hyrum Smith riding toward Carthage Jail where the Martyrdom occurred with the majestic Mississippi River in the background serve as a constant reminder of the great sacrifices which were made so the Gospel could be restored and we could all have the priceless blessing of Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
Reading the scriptures is a very special opportunity which we are blessed with at various posts we are assigned to in the Temple when patrons aren't currently nearby. What a blessing this has been for me. In the Temple, the scriptures seem to open new portals of in site. The same scriptures I have read my whole life have suddenly revealed new passages which I had never seen before.
My favorite place to read and ponder the scriptures in the Temple is the Celestial Room. It is such a sacred and peaceful place. Whenever I receive an assignment on a shift to watch over the Celestial Room, I feel like I have been invited into The Lord's living room for a personal visit with Him. The spirit there is so powerful and yet so gentle, too. On a day when the morning sun is shining brightly outside, the crystals on the chandeliers sparkle with the light and cast faint rainbows about 4 inches in length all across the west wall and the carpet, too. It is a magical thing to behold, testifying softly of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and the power of The Son and the sun! This is just one of the tender mercies which we are blessed with in this beautiful Nauvoo Temple where we serve each day which will be forever etched into our minds and hearts.
D&C 19:26- "...I command thee that thou shalt not covet thy own property..."
I read this just shortly after we began serving here, leaving behind our family, our home, our lifestyle, our friends, etc. However, I felt peace about all of that and was focused on our mission and our service here. I wasn't coveting any of those things. This scripture brought peace to my soul!
D&C 100:1- "...your families are well; they are in my hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power."
This was a revelation given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon when they had been absent from their families for several days and felt some concern about them. We had been serving several weeks when I read this scripture and it reminded me that the Lord is in charge of everything and everyone. It reassured me that our family was well and in HIS HANDS always. This is the greatest blessing a parent can have, regardless of the age of their children. Once again, I felt greater peace though these words.
1 Peter 2:25- "For ye are as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
One of my favorite ways to study the scriptures is to search for the many names of Jesus that are throughout the standard works. Jesus Christ has been referred to as our "Shepherd" many times, however, this scripture was the first time I ever heard Him called, "The Bishop of your soul". I also love reading the Bible Dictionary in the Temple. It was the Bible Dictionary that led me to this scripture. Under the heading, "BISHOP", it says,
"In Greek, Bishop means "overseer", an office or position of responsibility. Hence, Jesus is called the "Bishop of your soul. (1 Peter 2:21-25)" This is a very sustaining concept, even more so as a Senior Missionary, since we are temporarily without a Bishop, even though our membership records are back home in the Garden Park 6th Ward.
There is a quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley which I include in each of our grand children's special Book of Mormon that I prepare for them for their Baptism Day. I would like to share it with you here: "I think of the scriptures (reading them and spending time with them and thinking about them) as a love affair with The Word of God." This is such a powerful example of how I felt as I studied the Holy Scriptures in the Historic Nauvoo Temple this year!
There is a quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley which I include in each of our grand children's special Book of Mormon that I prepare for them for their Baptism Day. I would like to share it with you here: "I think of the scriptures (reading them and spending time with them and thinking about them) as a love affair with The Word of God." This is such a powerful example of how I felt as I studied the Holy Scriptures in the Historic Nauvoo Temple this year!
There are 1,070 references to the TEMPLE in the Holy Scriptures. This testifies to us of how important Temples are to the Lord and to the Great Plan of Happiness. If you want to get to know a friend better, you invest your time in learning about them and in spending time with them at their home. Throughout this year I have felt closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, because I have been able to spend so much time in His House, the Nauvoo Temple, serving His Children and learning more about Him through His Holy Scriptures.
With our mission nearing an end, one of the places we wanted to visit was The Amana Colonies in Iowa. We dedicated our P-Day on Monday, October 2nd to that grand adventure. "The history of the Amana Colonies, a National Historic Landmark and one of America's longest-lived communal societies, begins in 1714 in the villages of Germany and continues today on the Iowa prairie." This is the introduction written in the visitors' guide we received upon our arrival at the museum in the Main Amana village.
"Persecution and economic depression in Germany forced the community to begin searching for a new home. Led by Christian Metz, they hoped to find religious freedom in America and left Germany in 1843-44." It was so interesting for us to hear the history of these people and equate them to both the Amish people and to the Latter-day Saints or Mormons. All 3 of these sects were seeking religious freedom at the same approximate time period. It is no coincidence that the Spirit of The Lord rested upon them all, for The Savior of the World is the same for everyone and He is watching over all His children everywhere. This fact has been made very evident to us as we have discovered Iowa which has become a very integral part of our Nauvoo Temple Mission experiences, something which we never expected
"Community members pooled their resources and purchased 5,000 acres near Buffalo, New York. By working cooperatively and sharing their property, the community, then numbering some 1,200 people, was able to carve out a relatively comfortable living. They called their community the Ebenezer Society and adopted a constitution that formalized their communal way of life." When more farmland was needed, they moved to Iowa in 1855.
"After an inspired testimony commanded the people to call their village Bleibtreu, or Remain Faithful, the leaders chose the name Amana from the Song of Solomon 4:8. Amana means 'remain faithful and true.' Six villages were established, a mile or two apart, across a river valley tract of some 26,000 acres. The names of the villages were Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, High Amana, and Middle Amana. The village of Homestead was added in 1861, giving the colonies access to the railroad."
"In the seven villages, residents received housing, medical care, meals, all household necessities, and schooling for their children. Property and resources were shared. Men and women were assigned jobs by their village council of brethren. No one received a wage. No one needed one."
This also has a familiar resemblance to living The United Order as described in the Doctrine and Covenants. It was an organization through which the Saints in the early days of the restored LDS Church sought to live the Law of Consecration. Individuals shared property, goods,and profits,receiving these things according to their wants and needs..The Lord gave unto the United Order a revelation and a commandment (D&C 92:1).The Saints were organized to be equal in all things. (D&C 78:3-11)
"In 1932, amidst America's Great Depression, Amana set aside its communal way of life. Today the seven villages of the Amana Colonies represent an American dream come true. It is a thriving community founded by religious faith and community spirit. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the Amana Colonies attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, all of whom come to see and enjoy a place where the past is cherished and where hospitality is a way of life." (2017 Visitor's Guide, Amana Colonies, Pg 4-5)
We took the 17 mile driving loop which takes you to each of the seven villages. If you just kept driving and never stopped, this loop would become "One Eternal Round" of a different sort! We did make brief stops in each of the villages, however, we spent most of our time in the main village which is simply named Amana. Here is a picture tour of our very interesting visit to The Amana Colonies.
We didn't buy any Wine or Cheese
We did enjoy the many of the thought provoking signs they displayed
Our family has said this for years!
This wonderful toy store carried all the flashback toys-
both from our childhood and our children's
This is the game I always played with our 20 year old grandson, Lincoln
The General Store, Amana
One half of the Amana General Store is a Christmas shop!
Beautiful Flowers and Gifts
Just in case anyone in the family ever asks what we ate for dinner on Oct. 2nd, 2017,
Dad had the "Schnitzel Favorite, Our Finest Veal Cutlet".
Mom had the Honey Apple Pork Loin. Both were very delicious!
The original store built in 1857
High Amana Cemetery
Many different types of hand crafted brooms!
Our daughter, Shelley, and I wove several handmade baskets of all varieties like these years ago. It was very fun, however I know why they charge so much for them!
Fern Hill Gifts and Quilts is located in South Amana. We have a friend back home named Fern Hill so it was intriguing to venture into what appeared to be a quaint little shop. Inside, it was huge! There were quilts and specialty items galore. The entire upstairs was a fabric store dedicated to hundreds of endless bolts of fabric. Quilts hung around the rooms with patterns and fabrics put into kits for ambitious Quilters to buy. There were several women roaming through the isles of fabric, more people than we had seen on our whole adventure today! There was a big sign forbidding any pictures to be taken in this shop. The only picture I snapped was the one of their homemade fudge display! We didn't buy a thing in this shop, but it was a treat to visit Fern Hill, a place that seemed like an oasis in the middle of Farm Country!
Our 7th and final village see was to Homestead. It is home to the AJ's Copper Garden and Metal Art Gallery. This was truly a unique place to visit. The pictures will tell you the story much better than words ever could. If you want something unique for your yard decor, you should visit this most interesting shop!
This structure was the original Service and Filling Station
This plant reminded me of "Little Shop of Horrors"!
I have seen these 2 in Hawaii and in Central America!
I have seen lots of his relatives here in Nauvoo!
Another sweet facet included in our "One Eternal Round" Nauvoo life is the friendship we have enjoyed with our "Missionary Family". On October 7th, we joined with the Borrowmans from West Jordan, Utah, to celebrate Sister Borrowman's birthday. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Chandler's in Ft Madison, Iowa. They will never be as old as us, but we love them anyway!
Happy Birthday, Sister Borrowman!
One thing about the "One Eternal Round" of friendships, the circle can never be too big to exclude old friends or to add new friends. No one can ever have too many friends!!!! On the afternoon of October 10th, we received a knock on our door from our next door neighbor, a Site Missionary, Sister Daines. She had been serving at the Visitors' Center when a Fun for Less bus tour was there. One of the women on the tour asked Sister Daines if she knew Noreen Peterson. So, when we received the news, we got in our car and started looking for their big blue bus. We found them at the Nauvoo State Park, about 2 blocks up Parley Street from where we live. Under the pavilion we found the group eating lunch, including my cute friend, Doris Wardle and 5 other women from our Garden Park neighborhood in South Jordan, Utah. Walt Disney was right, "It is a Small World After All!" It was great to visit with Doris and to feel connected to our circle of friends back home. The following evening, their tour group attended the Nauvoo Temple for an Endowment session and we were the couple who led their session. Their tour group filled the room to capacity and as it happened, Doris Wardle was the Sister sitting in the chair closest to mine. That wasn't planned, it just happened, right? We have found that nothing "Just Happens" in the Temple! We have been simply amazed and astonished over how many little "Tender Mercies" like this one surround us in this Holy Temple of The Lord.
Doris Wardle and Noreen Peterson, Nauvoo State Park
Friday the 13th was a very lucky day for our Nauvoo Temple Missionary Family, because we were all served fresh, homemade donuts! Elder and Sister Birt are from South Weber, Utah. Back home, each October they host their annual Family Donut Day. This year, we were blessed to be their family and it was a delicious day! They began cooking at noon and continue until we all had our fill. We were on the AM shift that day which ended at 3 PM. Around 3:30 PM, all of us on that shift arrived on their little red brick missionary apartment doorstep famished after 8 hours of living on the "water and breath mint diet", as we call it. I am not a donut lover, however, if every donut tasted like those the Birts made, I might be converted! Here are some fun pictures the Birts shared from their fancy missionary donut shop! Yum!
President & Sister Irion, RK Browns
Elder Birt in the yellow apron, & the Earls
Borrowmans( with the donut eyes) & Emangs
Sister Birt on the left in the cute orange apron
Sister Mabey, Sorensons & Elder Schnackenberg in back
Elder and Sister Bird and the Donut Table
Neal Kyle- Percussion
Watching him was one of my favorite parts
"The Holy City" sung by the Nauvoo Lutheran Church Minister
The Nauvoo Orchestra
Nauvoo Temple Assembly Room
Brother and Sister Conwell with Elder and Sister Peterson
Going Up
Looking Down
"After an inspired testimony commanded the people to call their village Bleibtreu, or Remain Faithful, the leaders chose the name Amana from the Song of Solomon 4:8. Amana means 'remain faithful and true.' Six villages were established, a mile or two apart, across a river valley tract of some 26,000 acres. The names of the villages were Amana, East Amana, West Amana, South Amana, High Amana, and Middle Amana. The village of Homestead was added in 1861, giving the colonies access to the railroad."
"In the seven villages, residents received housing, medical care, meals, all household necessities, and schooling for their children. Property and resources were shared. Men and women were assigned jobs by their village council of brethren. No one received a wage. No one needed one."
This also has a familiar resemblance to living The United Order as described in the Doctrine and Covenants. It was an organization through which the Saints in the early days of the restored LDS Church sought to live the Law of Consecration. Individuals shared property, goods,and profits,receiving these things according to their wants and needs..The Lord gave unto the United Order a revelation and a commandment (D&C 92:1).The Saints were organized to be equal in all things. (D&C 78:3-11)
"In 1932, amidst America's Great Depression, Amana set aside its communal way of life. Today the seven villages of the Amana Colonies represent an American dream come true. It is a thriving community founded by religious faith and community spirit. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the Amana Colonies attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, all of whom come to see and enjoy a place where the past is cherished and where hospitality is a way of life." (2017 Visitor's Guide, Amana Colonies, Pg 4-5)
We took the 17 mile driving loop which takes you to each of the seven villages. If you just kept driving and never stopped, this loop would become "One Eternal Round" of a different sort! We did make brief stops in each of the villages, however, we spent most of our time in the main village which is simply named Amana. Here is a picture tour of our very interesting visit to The Amana Colonies.
We did enjoy the many of the thought provoking signs they displayed
both from our childhood and our children's
Raggedy's remind me of our 20 year old granddaughter, Rebekah!
I had to have a picture of this saying!
I am a Believer!
We ended our stay in main Amana with a delicious German meal at the Ox Yoke Restaurant which we had heard so much about from other missionaries who had been here before. The food was pretty wonderful and the service was great, too. Our waitress took our picture to document our visit and gave us excellent information on what to see as we visited the other villages. She also recommended that we stop by the Millstream Brewery for their home brewed version of Cream Soda which we did. I got a fun magnet from there for my collection, and Pete got a 6 pack of Cream Soda to go! It was a win win all the way around!
Dad had the "Schnitzel Favorite, Our Finest Veal Cutlet".
Mom had the Honey Apple Pork Loin. Both were very delicious!
This is my magnet
Next we began our drive around the 17 mile loop that connects the seven Amana Villages. Here is one of the beautiful barns we saw along the way.
The Broom and Basket Shop is in West Amana
I wanted to buy this rocking chair for Grandpa Pete!
It wouldn't fit in our car!
Fern Hill Gifts and Quilts is located in South Amana. We have a friend back home named Fern Hill so it was intriguing to venture into what appeared to be a quaint little shop. Inside, it was huge! There were quilts and specialty items galore. The entire upstairs was a fabric store dedicated to hundreds of endless bolts of fabric. Quilts hung around the rooms with patterns and fabrics put into kits for ambitious Quilters to buy. There were several women roaming through the isles of fabric, more people than we had seen on our whole adventure today! There was a big sign forbidding any pictures to be taken in this shop. The only picture I snapped was the one of their homemade fudge display! We didn't buy a thing in this shop, but it was a treat to visit Fern Hill, a place that seemed like an oasis in the middle of Farm Country!
Another sweet facet included in our "One Eternal Round" Nauvoo life is the friendship we have enjoyed with our "Missionary Family". On October 7th, we joined with the Borrowmans from West Jordan, Utah, to celebrate Sister Borrowman's birthday. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Chandler's in Ft Madison, Iowa. They will never be as old as us, but we love them anyway!
One thing about the "One Eternal Round" of friendships, the circle can never be too big to exclude old friends or to add new friends. No one can ever have too many friends!!!! On the afternoon of October 10th, we received a knock on our door from our next door neighbor, a Site Missionary, Sister Daines. She had been serving at the Visitors' Center when a Fun for Less bus tour was there. One of the women on the tour asked Sister Daines if she knew Noreen Peterson. So, when we received the news, we got in our car and started looking for their big blue bus. We found them at the Nauvoo State Park, about 2 blocks up Parley Street from where we live. Under the pavilion we found the group eating lunch, including my cute friend, Doris Wardle and 5 other women from our Garden Park neighborhood in South Jordan, Utah. Walt Disney was right, "It is a Small World After All!" It was great to visit with Doris and to feel connected to our circle of friends back home. The following evening, their tour group attended the Nauvoo Temple for an Endowment session and we were the couple who led their session. Their tour group filled the room to capacity and as it happened, Doris Wardle was the Sister sitting in the chair closest to mine. That wasn't planned, it just happened, right? We have found that nothing "Just Happens" in the Temple! We have been simply amazed and astonished over how many little "Tender Mercies" like this one surround us in this Holy Temple of The Lord.
Friday the 13th was a very lucky day for our Nauvoo Temple Missionary Family, because we were all served fresh, homemade donuts! Elder and Sister Birt are from South Weber, Utah. Back home, each October they host their annual Family Donut Day. This year, we were blessed to be their family and it was a delicious day! They began cooking at noon and continue until we all had our fill. We were on the AM shift that day which ended at 3 PM. Around 3:30 PM, all of us on that shift arrived on their little red brick missionary apartment doorstep famished after 8 hours of living on the "water and breath mint diet", as we call it. I am not a donut lover, however, if every donut tasted like those the Birts made, I might be converted! Here are some fun pictures the Birts shared from their fancy missionary donut shop! Yum!
Elder Birt in the yellow apron, & the Earls
Sister Mabey, Sorensons & Elder Schnackenberg in back
After our shift on Saturday, October 14th, we went to the Visitor's Center Theater and attend the Nauvoo Orchestra's "A Fantasy of Strings Concert". It was conducted by Rick Marshall, who is also our Nauvoo Temple Recorder by profession. Ages of the participants ranged from about 14 to 75. It was so enjoyable and uplifting. For a community orchestra in this town of 1,100 people, it was simply wonderful. One of the very important elements of life we have missed this year was attending concerts and plays put on by our grandchildrens' schools as well as in professional venues. This concert was a great pick me up for us. We both love the gift of music! Here are some pictures from their performance.
Rick Marshall- Temple Recorder, Orchestra Director, Vocalist
Watching him was one of my favorite parts
Pete Haglund
Rick Marshall and Joanne Gallaher
Duet from Phantom of the Opera- "All I Ask"
The Annual Temple Worker Devotional was held Sunday, October 15th, 2017, in the Historic Nauvoo Illinois Temple Assembly Room. This is a very sacred setting which is used only through special permission from Salt Lake. During our year here in Nauvoo, this is only our 2nd time to be in this sacred place. On a daily basis, those patrons who are admitted into Temple are welcome to look into the room, however they cannot enter. Here are a couple pictures that were released by the Church prior to the Nauvoo Temple dedication so you can see this special room.
President Irion and Sister Irion, our Temple Matron, spoke to us, as well as President Nelson and President Smith, the 2 Counselors to President Irion. All of the Temple Missionaries, along with the District Workers and their spouses, were invited to attend. Expressions of gratitude were given to all the Temple Workers for their sacrifices and dedication to their Temple service. Our Temple Recorder, Brother Marshall, sang, "His Hands". The spirit of this meeting in this sacred setting was powerful and filled with the Love of The Lord, for His love truly is "One Eternal Round".
As we left the Temple after the Annual Temple Worker Devotional, we happened to meet up with Brother and Sister Conwell from our Mt Pleasant Branch. They are a very stalwart couple in their little Branch. Currently, Brother Conwell drives down from Mt Pleasant each Tuesday to work on our PM Shift. It was a beautiful evening, so of course, we took pictures together outside the Temple.
One year ago we had our first picture taken in front of the Nauvoo Temple as we began our mission together here. This will be our final picture from this sweet spot as we conclude our missionary service. This year has been "One Eternal Round" of being influenced by the spirits of the early Saints here in Nauvoo. They sacrificed so much to build the original Nauvoo Temple and to prepare the way for us to have this choice experience which has changed us forever!
Inside the Nauvoo Temple is one of the most beautiful spiral staircases we have ever seen. There are 5 floors inside this Temple and this amazing spiral staircase connects all of the floors. During the course of a shift, you may go up and down these stairs several times. We do have elevators and a regular stairway, also, however, by far the spiral staircase is the most enjoyable to go up and down.
Looking Up
Whether you look up from the basement level or down from the 5th floor, those steps seem to be "One Eternal Round". They truly symbolize to me the pathway we take to return back to our Heavenly Home with The Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Returning to them is the true purpose of the Temple and of our service here. When you look up this beautiful spiral stairway, it appears to be impossible to reach the top. However, by taking one step at a time, you gradually reach your destination. This is the same way we return back to our Heavenly Home, one step at a time!
We send our love to you from Nauvoo the Beautiful and testify to you that the Love of the Lord for each of His children, including you and including us, truly is "One Eternal Round". We testify to you that when you "serve The Lord with all your heart, might, mind, and strength", you are changed forever. We know this first hand!
Blessings to each of you from Nauvoo!
Elder and Sister Peterson
