Final week

We left Nauvoo 9 days ago, but I'll try to remember our final week.  We worked, but mostly in the greenhouse. It was too cold and wet outside. 

Our coleus collection

I panned the pot washing operation.  We wash a lot of pots in the winter. 

Richard and Adam.  How I'll miss them. 

We ate dinner out almost every night.  It was hard to get our food in our refrigerator eaten up. We had district meeting dinner at the Warners'.  We had dinner the next night at the Willard Richards home with several FM couples. 

FM friends

Hidden in a back room of the original house

Beer Cellar added by the German owner

View of the temple from the side porch

We said farewell at Site Training on Wednesday, along with four other couples who were going home within the week.  Several more will follow and many more new missionaries will come.

Thursday we cleaned and packed.

And maybe I got to do something I'd wanted to do before I left.  Or maybe I just dreamed it, like Sister Prettyman. 

Friday  Richard took the grounds crew to Red Front for sweet rolls and hot chocolate.  It was so good.  Richard's wife, Mary Ann, and sister came with the children.   After work  Trish checked our apartment out.  We passed. We had dinner and played games with our upstairs neighbors, the Weldons. 

Receiving our FM flag from Jordan, FM supervisor extraordinaire. 

Saturday we packed the car, gave food away from our cupboards, and ate dinner at El Camino with some friends. 

Sunday we said good-bye to Burlington Ward.  Then had dinner at the Howards, who go home in a couple of weeks.  Elder Howard and Dee are third cousins once removed through the Cluff line.  Elder Howard introduced us to many things Cluff.  Sister Howard and I are on the same page in life's philosophy.  She's been a good friend.  The Prettymans were the other FM couple leaving with us. Such good people.

Best of all, Sunday night, we had a fireside with President Rizley.  I'm so glad we finished our mission with one of my favorite things - learning from our president.

So Farewell Nauvoo.  What wonderful memories we take with us, but also knowledge, friends, a deepened testimony of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 I was instructed in my setting apart blessing to be happy.  And I have been peacefully happy here.  I've enjoyed the work, even though often it was physically hard.  I was also told in my blessing that I'd have good health, and except for a cold and some other strange two day thing, I've been in good health, nothing debilitating.  I was told that I'd make eternal friends.  That I have.  So many.  I hope our paths cross often in this world, as well as in the world to come.  Finally I was told that I'd have experiences that would help me for the rest of my life.   It awaits to be seen how that plays out.  I'm not sad I'm leaving, but so happy I came.  The rest of my life will be richer because of the last 18 months.