Farewell Nauvoo - Temporarily!

A tradition in the mission is for the departing missionaries to create a Farewell Sheet that is put in all of the missionaries' site mail boxes. Even though we are returning to Nauvoo in November, Pres. Ludwig wanted us to go through the "farewell" process because we will be released as missionaries. There is a farewell breakfast Friday morning that is attended by all of the missionaries honoring the missionaries leaving during the coming month. There are 65 missionaries leaving in October! Talk about mass exodus! Pres. & Sis. Ludwig host a dinner at their home for the deparing missionaries after a temple session with the same group. This will also be on Friday. We are sad to think that so many of our good missionary friends will be gone when we return in November. It will almost be like starting a new mission.

When we return in November we will be doing the same work in the pageant office but as a member of the temple presidency rather than full time missionaries A new couple will be ready to replace us as the pageant missionaries in April.

Our Farewell Sheet - kind of hard to see clearly with this small view.

The temple missionaries have been so good to include us in some of the activities. Last Wednesday a group of missionaries arranged for a tour of the Community of Christ sites led by Lochland MacKay, the director of the C of C Visitors Center. We were invited to join them on the tour. We have become acquainted with Loch as we have had some pageant business with him. He is a wonderful person and so knowledgeable about the historic sites in Nauvoo. We enjoyed the tour and would encourage any of you who come to Nauvoo to take time to go on the tour. It includes the Mansion House, the Nauvoo House, the Smith Homestead and the Red Brick Store.

(sorry! can't get ride of the underlining)

Touring the Mansion House

Lochland MacKay, director of the Community of Christ Visitors Center outside of the Nauvoo House.