TALK IN SACRAMENT–THE GOSPEL BLESSES FAMILIES

The Gospel Blesses Families 

 

I have had the huge blessing and unique privilege of working in Land and Records for the last 18 months. Genealogies, family stories, historical accounts and many records have been at my fingertips. As I look through all of these records and watch as people come in and connect to their histories and their past roots, I can see a literal bridge between the past and the present form. It is a bridge that binds generations together.

It reminds me of standing in the temple and looking in the mirrors that allow us to see no beginning and no end, and yet to realize that I am the link that holds us, my family together in this place and this time. Each member of this church has the personal responsibility to be an eternal bridge builder for their own families. If I want my children and my grandchildren to know those who still live in my heart and in my memory, then I must build a bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. 

 

The famous Roots author, Alex Haley, once said: “In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage- to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still…an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.”

Being in Nauvoo has been one of the most cherished experiences of my life. In some ways I feel like an interloper because I am a convert with absolutely no family connection here. No one who was here belongs to me. But I do have pioneers of my own who have helped shape my life and who I am. I would like to tell you about my two amazing grandmothers.

My Grandmother Malone lost her mother at the age of 4 years. She was raised by a much older sister who was nothing like her in temperament and nature. Her father was remarried and brought in a stepmother and 3 other daughters who took precedence. When she was married they had very little. She actually lived in a railroad car. She was the mother of 10 children, 3 of whom lived to adulthood. Hemophelia runs in our family and caused a great deal of loss and grief. My daddy was one of her surviving children. My Grandfather and she joined the church when they were in their 70’s and lost all of their friends. I however, never remember seeing her sad, depressed or angry. She was never unhappy, always kind, loving and positive. How I love her. 

 

My Grandmother Upchurch was also a fun loving, adventurous, hard working, beautiful woman. She was married at the age of 17 and contracted tuberculosis at the age of 20. My mother was 2 years old. She was put in a sanitarium in California with 100 people in a large room. She was there for three years. They didn’t allow them to get up often and as a result, she was unable to walk. They experimented on her by inflating her lung and then collapsing it over and over. She was able to see my mother only through an upstairs window as my mother would wave to her from the ground, for three years. She talked about people dying all around her. They finally told her there was nothing to do for her and she got on a train and went back to Clinton, Oklahoma. There they told her that they had only two options. To let her die or to take her lung out, her shoulder blade, and several ribs in an experimental surgery. She chose the surgery. She lived to be one of my very best friends. 

 

I would surely be remiss if I didn’t mention my sweet mother who despite much opposition, joined the church all by herself. What an amazing example of courage, and faith to do what she did. The generations on both sides of the veil are united because of her brave choice and her desire to follow the spirit. She is my mother, she is my sister, she is my friend. 

 

The world and my life is better because these three wonderful women are in it. They are the reason I am a bridge builder. 

 

I had the privilege of being the proxy for my Grandmother Malone as my Daddy laid his hand on mine with 5 other people, to seal him to his parents and brothers and sister that were lost. A bridge built. 

 

When I go home in two weeks, I will again have the privilege of going to the temple. The blessing of being the proxy for my Grandmother Upchurch as my sweet Mother lays her hand on mine to be sealed to her parents for eternity, is a priceless gift, another bridge built. 

 

Family history and temple work have great power. Moroni told young Joseph Smith that Elijah the prophet would come and reveal anew the purposes, powers, and blessings of the holy priesthood which had been lost to the world. Through the keys he would restore, promises made earlier to the fathers would be planted in the hearts of their latter-day children. Our hearts would then turn to our fathers, and, through this impelling promise, the sacred relationships of mortality could be extended forever. Families of the earth could become families of heaven. It is a divine promise in D&C 2;1-2, that states: “Behold I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their father.” If I want my children and my grandchildren to know those who still live in my heart and my memory and have helped to shape who I am, I must build the bridge between them. I am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. I provide the emotional bridge, the temple ordinances build the eternal bridge. I am so grateful for a loving and merciful Father in Heaven who has allowed for the Gospel to be offered to everyone, regardless of where they were in history. 

 

Part of my Nauvoo experience has revolved around this beautiful, sweet temple. Many of my family names have Nauvoo 2 stamped on them. What a blessing, what a treasure. How grateful I am.

 

Testimony

Thank you all

SOME OF MY FAVORITE, SERIOUS, PEOPLE

So who wouldn’t love these two???? I had to help with a stake function the other night.  We had to have a group that would do the Clarinet Polka and then Richard and I explained Pioneer Pastimes and the toys and games of the l840’s.  I had to solicit help and these are two of the lovely elders that I had to choose from.  What a hoot!  I am going to make sure that this gets in the months slide show. 

They had some great men who played the dulcimer, and other older instruments.  The little kids loved it and danced. Needless to say, after these four days, I am exhausted!  I know that when I go home, I think I can sleep for a year.

Thursday was our preparation day.  We got up, cleaned the house, did the laundry, went grocery shopping, came back to Nauvoo and went to the temple.  Then that evening we had two performances of Rendezvous.  Friday, I gave 22 tours myself in the John Taylor Home and then went and did all of the things for this function.  Saturday I worked my shift and that evening we had a dinner.  The Sunday morning came bright and early and Richard and I had to give talks in church.  Then went to meetings for most of the afternoon, and went home and fixed dinner for 10 people for district meeting.   Free time you say on a senior mission. I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CARTHAGE JAIL AND JAPAN

I got to go over to Carthage and work for the day.  It was a beautiful day outside and I got to go with Sister Ballard, which is one of my favorite people.  We had a wonderful day.  The night before I had been Agatha in Rendezvous.  There was a whole audience of people from Japan.  Not too many of them spoke English, so there was a lot of bowing going on!

As we got to Carthage and opened up the visitors center, up drives a bus.  As they start coming out we are waiting for them, and all of a sudden, they start hollering ‘GEORGE!” in English. It was the audience from Japan again and so we had an instant connection.  I guess the antics of Agatha are common in all cultures.  In Nauvoo, it is what I am widely known for.  Sad but true.  Anyway, I had the privilege of helping to take them on a tour of the jail.. The jail is a very special place anyway, it is easy to feel the spirit there as you tell about the prophet and men who were with him. 

This sweet little sister just laughed and laughed at me.  She wanted her picture taken with me and then gave me this candy.  She wanted me to know that it was very popular in Japan and it was a gift.

I was honored.  Quite tasty as well.  I can’t exactly put into words what it is like to be recognized all the time for something like being in Rendezvous.  When President Oaks was here for the second time, he said, “Oh, Rendezvous!” Richard and I were talking about it the other day.  We will never do anything like this again.  We have never done anything like it before. It has been an interesting experience.  When I work in a site, people will come in and talk about me.  I am not trying to be boastful, but I can’t tell you how many people say “Oh,  you have done this a lot before.  Tell me you are an actress??????” People don’t believe me when I tell them I was a shy little girl, but I was.  What has happened? I think I have discovered that life is to short to sweat the small stuff, have fun, enjoy life, don’t care about what others think of me, I am going to be myself and enjoy what time I have left. Why didn’t I learn this much sooner?  How can I teach my children? You can teach an old dog new tricks,. “GEORGE”

MONTROSE, ZARAHEMLA, HALF BREED TRACT ON THE WAY TO ZION!

So Richard and I decided to take a drive.  We had never been over to the other side of the Mississippi River.  That is where a lot of the Saints ended up upon first coming here.  It was the Sac and Fox Reservation Land.  It was called the Half Breed Tract and Isaac Gilland was the trustee.  It was one of the draws for this area, it was cheap land.  The old Des Moines Fort was located here and had been vacated.  There were old barracks and that is where a lot of the saints lived.  It is where Lenora Taylor talks about skunks and snakes coming in at night.  It is the location that Mary Ann Young came from to row across the river to Nauvoo to get food to feed her children.. I had never seen the temple from this side of the river.  It was beautiful.  At night it is like a beacon on a  hill.

When the Saints were driven out in that cold February of 1846, this is where the crossed to start their journey West.

I can’t even imagine how difficult the journey was just to leave Nauvoo and get across the river.  It was cold enough, that part of the river had frozen over. I am sitting here right now with a migraine.  I have suffered from them since I was 15 years old. Miserable, awful, debilitating.  Cold makes them so much worse. I cannot even begin to imagine how I would have felt.  I would have been a horrible, but probably dead pioneer. I didn’t do pregnancy well either, and would have died with my first child.  It makes me think………………………….

So, All Is Well………………………………………I often in my tours tell people how grateful I am for these amazing, resilient, devoted people.  I have the Gospel in my life today, because they did not give up when the going was tough. They persevered , but they also tried to do it with joy and optimism.  “Hymns are chanted- and the evening prayers ascend.” Forward, onward…………………………………………….

MISSION WITH BENEFITS

There are people here who are very talented in many areas.  Last year at this time I was learning how to make pie crusts.  This year I learned how to make delicious orange rolls.  Elder Bogaski is a professional baker and he has been so kind to give some classes.  I missed bread bowls because I had to do Rendezvous.  I hope I don’t miss the next one.  Just look at these babies!!!!

Took them for my offering for the going away breakfast!  They were a hit to say the least. Pleased with myself, now the question is, Can I make them without his help? Stay tuned!

MEETING LOTS OF PEOPLE

Working in Lands and Records, I meet a lot of people.  It has been the most amazing opportunity for me and I literally have loved every single day that I get to be there.  I get excited when people are able to find relatives and read about them.  I am excited when I research and find new information to add to their files. I think I have always been excited about Genealogy.  From the first attempts Daddy and I have made, to now, I have loved every second and feel a little like NCIS, looking for clues.  When Daddy and I first started trying to find people, it was quite a process.  We would hunt and hunt for information, get a clue and then write a letter.  It would take a month and then come back with the response that they couldn’t find anything.  Then we would start over again.  Daddy didn’t even know the name of his grandfather.  That was a trip in the car to Humboldt County in Kansas and finding a newspaper article with his name it in.  I was hooked from that moment on.  Now the computer and all of the people that have the “Spirit of Elijah,” are making things much easier.  I have been to the Family History Center here several times, I am a subscriber of Ancestry.com, and I am hooked.  I have found some exciting links to my family line.  I truly think that the Lord had the computer invented for many wonderful reasons, one of them being genealogy.  It makes the search so much faster, and more user friendly.  When I go home, genealogy will be one of my major projects.  I literally feel connected to the names that I find.  One of the most interesting discoveries has been centered around my name.  My mother thought that she made up my name.  How many Verlindas’ do you know?  I have never heard of another one.  So going back in my lines on my mother’s and my father’s lines, around the early 1800’s, there are Verlindas’ on each side!!!! Who knew!!! I feel as if I have family who are waiting for me!!

So I will be anxiously engaged in reuniting my family and seeing that the work has been done for them.  What a reunion it will be.

Back to working in Land and Records, last week a gentleman was in and we were talking.  This man is the one who was responsible for building the Nauvoo Temple. I had to have a picture.  So many famous people here. 

PERFECTION

My idea of a perfect supper!  Fresh tomatoes and fried okra!!!!!!!!!!!




Richard’s Idea of a perfect supper. 

Eggs with cheese, bacon, bread and gravy!!!!

EXTRADITION TRIAL OF JOSEPH SMITH

We have gotten to have so many experiences here in Nauvoo that have been amazing.  I’ve given tours to several General Authorities, done Rendezvous in front of Elder and Sister Oaks, done unbelievable things.  Well this opportunity ranks right up on the high end of the scale.  During the Nauvoo period of Church history, the Prophet Joseph Smith was dogged by legal troubles stemming from the Missouri persecutions of 1838.  Joseph Smith was either the defendant, plaintiff, or witness in over 200 cases during his short lifetime. His efforts to defend himself by using the legal doctrine of Habeas Corpus was the focus of this dramatization put on at the capital in Springfield.  The day leading up to this Nauvoo was filled with dignitaries.  Thomas B. Griffith the judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, he talked about opposition to Mormonism.  Guess what, I got my picture with him.  It made him laugh. In all his power and glory, I told him he was cute!! I think he actually blushed but we had a good conversation.

Ronald K. Esplin talked about Joseph Smith’s campaign for election to the presidency of the United States.  He is the editor of the Joseph Smith Papers project.  How interesting to know that Joseph Smith had petitioned the president and got no help or redress for damages inflicted in Missouri. His candidacy was cut short by his murder in June of 1844.

Guess who I talked to that came to that seminar? 

yep! The Smarts’!  They were so nice.  I was working at Brigham Young’s house and so I got to give tours to all of the dignitaries that came through.  Among them were: Utah Governor Gary Herbert, former Governor Olene Walker.  Gery Chico, partner at the Chicago law firm of Chico & Nunes, and a moderator for the enactment. Michael A. Scodro, the Illinois Solicitor General. Jeffrey D. Colman a partner at Jenner & Block. The Honorable Anne M. Burke Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Honorable Neil H. Cohen, Associate Judge for the Circuit Court of Cook County, and more.  I have to literally laugh to think of all the things that I have done.  When I put on this badge I had no idea what would be expected of me, but I hope that the Lord will say that He is proud of me and what I have tried to do to represent Him.
That evening we were the greeters to seat everyone in the visitors’ center.  So we say all of these people again and they were very nice.  Elder Oaks said, “Weren’t you in Rendezvous?” (How nice to be recognized for the whining pole dancer!) Anyway, I had made friends with the woman who helped her husband put this whole production on.  She was so nice.  We hit it off immediately and I ended up getting tickets to the real re-enactment in Springfield the next day!!!



It was held in the theater in the Lincoln Museum.  There were about 120 people there. 











So, needless to say it was pretty exiting.  I was actually part of a re-enactment of a very critical time of history.  What an honor, I won’t forget.

PRESIDENT CONDIE

We have had the great privilege of being around President Condie now for 18 months.  He is a very special man.  He is a General Authority, Emeritus.  He has been the president of the Nauvoo Temple.  We have gotten to know him well, because that is Nauvoo.  He has also been a great supporter of Rendezvous and loves to tease me.  He is always asking me if I have been to see the vet yet! He knows everyone in church leadership and has so many wonderful stories and experiences.  Well, we had some of our friends over for dinner tonight and then we went to the fireside.  He talked about all of the missionaries here being a wonderful ornament in their lives.  He talked about life being hard and it is actually that way for most of us.  That is life.  He told us that we just have to learn to cope, make your way through the best you can.  He talked about a young man who is a General Authority now.  He lost his arm when he was 19.  When he went on his mission he was afraid of how he would tie his tie.  He learned to do it with his mouth.  When he was a mission president he had some missionaries who were a little disgruntled, so he had them come up and take off their ties.  Then he challenged them all to tie it.  He beat them all.  You have to learn to cope.

He talked about us being in Nauvoo.  He said we are here to confirm the faith of all of those who come here and that includes ourselves and our families, especially our grandchildren.  They have to be rooted and grounded in the love of God.  I hope that is something that my children and grandchildren will remember from coming here.  That will be worth our sacrifice. 

He also talked about Luke 15 which is the parable of the Prodigal Son.  We learn about a merciful Father in Heaven.  He literally will run to us with His arms outstretched.  He talked about the sealing power and that it will reach out and bring our wayward children back to the fold. He says that when they get tired of eating corn husks, they will come back WE JUST NEED TO LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON………He admonished us to forget about the curse of respectability!  Is it more important for them to come to a funeral the way they dress etc, than them not come at all.  We need to do whatever we have to do, and don’t worry about what your kids look like or what someone else may think. The Lord will never let our trials be more than we can bear. (Told the story of their neighbors who had their son become a drug addict at 11, left home and they didn’t see or hear from him for 17 years.  One night he called.  A year after rehab, he was sealed in the temple with them. 

He also talked about forgiveness and told of a family in Pocatello whose daughter had been kidnapped, raped, and dismembered by their neighbor. They chose to forgive and let the Lord meet out the justice. 

He then related a story about some passengers who had made a 30 city trip in Europe in 30 days.  They talked about how hard it was and the man said, yes, it would have been easier if I hadn’t had to drag around these porcelain  dishes she picked up in the airport when they landed in Holland.  President Condie talked about each one of us dragging around porcelain dishes, and saying this is the day to undergo that mighty change of heart. Forgive someone, let go of past mistakes.  Let go of the people or incidents that keep you from being truly converted.  Even if people are at fault and make mistakes, the Gospel is true.  If you don’t know it ask God.  Ask him about the first vision, He knows He was there, He will tell you.  Love President Condie

I have invited them and the mission president and his wife over next Friday.  They have accepted.  I was sitting there tonight thinking how presumptuous of me, but I am actually just wanting to thank them for making this experience so meaningful.  That is one of the things that has really struck me.  We are asked to speak, give training meetings, be leaders over these people, and some of them are return mission presidents, stake presidents, temple presidents, bishops etc.  Who am I to try and help these people?  One of the things President Gay taught us was that the most important word in the Missionary Statement is OTHERS.  To bring the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ to OTHERS.  That includes myself, my family, and each of my brothers and sisters.  The members of the church need strengthening as much as anyone.  Never minimize the importance of what we have tried to do here.  WE need to engage and lift each other, help others to fulfill their purposes, to change hearts to receive the powers of heaven.  I hope with all of my heart that my service has been acceptable to my Father in Heaven.  I can honestly say that there is not one day that I have been here that I haven’t given it my all.  I have learned a great many things.  I pray with all of my heart that I go home a better person.  This mission has been a gift to myself and I would never have thought that going into it.  I am blessed, I am grateful.