Last Stretch to Home

May 26, 2026 | cnaglis63

We traveled to Eden, Utah and enjoyed a beautiful stay with Kathy and Brad. They were very hospitable and we again enjoyed a suite similar to the Kinnersley home. While we were catching up, Brad mentions that they have a new pet. Kathy says, “I’ll go get him.” I’m expecting a puppy and what comes out is a LAMB! The cutest little newborn lamb. They had been out voyaging in their side by side and stopped because this little lamb was running towards them, bawling and calling. He went straight to Brad and Kathy filmed the entire episode. They could see that he was dehydrated and needed immediate attention. So, they attempted to find his mom. She was no where to be found. They found other sheep and they wanted nothing to do with this little guy. Fearing that he would die if left alone, they decided to bring him to their home and save his life. Branner’s have a neighbor who is a vet and he looked him over and determined that he was in pretty good shape. Kathy and Brad bought him some milk replacer and a dog crate to keep him contained while in the house or traveling. Outside, they bought a little pen to give him time outside as well. The weather was warming up and this little lamb enjoyed some time in the pen with a ball to play with.

They named him Spartacus (I asked if his name was Lamb Chops). He was pretty cute, especially while hopping and bucking around. They were getting up in the night to feed him and by the time we left, Kathy was feeding Spartacus at 10 pm and then he was good until 6 am. Eventually, they found a little hobby farm for him to live on and hopefully, Spartacus goes on to live a fulfilled life being loved on by four children. I checked up on his breed and he is noted for being intelligent, docile and alert. Romeldale are actually a rare sheep and their fleece is a fine wool.

He walks without a leash 🥰

On Monday, Erik and I decided to drive around the Ogden Valley. On the south end is Snow Basin (ski hill) and on the north end is Powder Mountain. It wasn’t very warm and we had drizzly weather. As we made our way up Powder Mountain, I noted the sign of a 16 percent grade! Our poor SUV was loaded so heavy and I started to hear the motor working hard. By the time we reached the first ski hill, we were at 8200 feet of elevation and it was snowing. I told Erik that we weren’t going higher and it was time to turn around. The longest ski run on this resort is 5 (km) or 3 miles. With 8,000 acres of skiing, it seems to be a great place to go. The road is quite twisty and we were imagining a truck needing a runaway ramp which was at the bottom of the mountain!

Tuesday came and we decided to go to Ogden to get some items from Costco. The weather was much nicer and we enjoyed a quick jaunt to get some beef sticks and simply look at all the different items for sale. Then it was on to Good Earth health food store to get some vitamins. The workers there were so knowledgeable and we were really impressed with the service we received.

Brad and Kathy had been having dental appointments while we were exploring. We drove past the Ogden temple and Tabernacle before heading back to Eden.

Wednesday, our plan was to get to Rexburg for the night and a session at the temple. We have never been to Rexburg Idaho and it had a rocky start with our hotel that we were supposed to be in. It was under renovation and rooms weren’t available. I had a feeling that we needed to cancel and move on. We found another hotel that turned out to be perfect for the night. Many rooms were full of construction workers. We soon found out as we needed a Walmart trip that the Teton River temple is being constructed in Rexburg. Between graduations and construction the hotels were sold out.

We went for supper at a smokehouse and enjoyed some smoked meat. I received news that my dad was not doing well and was in the hospital. The hospital decided to put him in Palliative care. I wasn’t ready for this as my mom just passed at the beginning of March. I was happy to go to the temple and take this care to the Lord.

The first thing we noticed about the Rexburg temple is that the average age of the workers and patrons is much lower than other temples. BYU Idaho is next to the Rexburg temple. These two temples will be the only ones in the world on the same street. Not side by side but still on the same street. Teton River temple is slightly ahead of schedule than the Lethbridge temple. We met the President on duty and his wife and they are friends with someone I knew from Calgary area. It’s such a small world!

Returning to the hotel, we headed to the pool and had the best pool yet in our journey; the water was the perfect temperature and Erik also went in the hot tub while I exercised in the pool. I was prepared for a lovely night of sleep. It was going well until 6:04 am when the fire alarms were going off. The fire detector had a flashing white light that was strobing us into the twilight zone while the screeching of the alarms was going full tilt. We were trying to decide if it was a real emergency. We heard the footsteps of guests above us but the hallway was quiet. The smell of burnt toast permeated the hotel. That had to have been some serious toast fire going on! Our next door neighbors checked out at the same time as us and said that they didn’t hear a thing! I guess that we were meant to be up and at ’em!

Carrying on north, we left Rexburg and headed up highway 20 towards West Yellowstone. We veered off onto highway 87 through the Targhee Pass which straddles the Continental Divide on the Idaho-Montana border. It sits at just over 7,000 feet. This passes by Henrys Lake first and it was surprising to see such a large mountain lake. The weather wasn’t favorable because it was cold and snowing.

Seeing the sign for Butte brought back some memories of living there while Erik was earning his Petroleum Engineering degree. We passed through Boulder Montana and headed north to Helena. Our original plan had us stopping in Helena for the night so that we could attend the temple but with my dad not well, we felt impressed to get all the way to Lethbridge and get more miles under our wheels. Seeing the Sweetgrass mountains makes a person feel like they are nearly home.

Crossing the border back into Canada was a non event and we were on our way. We turned our cars metrics back into metric from imperial. We made it to Lethbridge and decided to drive past the temple construction sight to see the progress. The information trailer wasn’t opened by the time we got there so we will go another time.

Getting to see our grandchildren, Henry and Penny was so fun. Penny is only 9 months old and doesn’t know us so she was a little shy. Later we were able to hold her and she was fine with us. I was finally able to give Penny her quilt that I made her. We toured the backyard the next morning to refill the hummingbird feeder and check out the trees. Then we learned that Lyndon has become a jam maker and has taken up canning. They grow grapes and cherries in their backyard.

Now I got to drive my truck! Erik loaded the tires in the back of the truck and we were off for the final leg to our cottage. Once we arrived at the lake, we discovered that robins had taken over. The bird poop everywhere was incredible; just not in a good way that we were enjoying. Our plan was to take one day to do laundry and unload our vehicles and then to head to Bonnyville to see dad.

This journey home was 7, 410 kilometers, 85 hours and 20 minutes of driving!

By Sunday morning, we were back on the road with a much lighter car. We still have not been released by our Stake President but that will happen when we return from the Cold Lake area. Highway 28 from Edmonton to Cold Lake is not in great condition and I struggle to understand why this highway has not been twinned. There is a lot of traffic on this road!

We checked into our hotel in Bonnyville and then headed to the hospital to see how dad is doing. I was pleasantly surprised to see my youngest sister, Tanya and her husband, Kerry in dad’s room and we were able to catch up on the news. Dad’s struggling and we will be making some plans for and with him.

We surely know this as we face mountain after mountain. As we rely on the help of the Lord we can climb every mountain placed in front of us. It may feel that you have to conquer many obstacles in a day but remember that we place one foot in front of the other and deal with one crisis at a time. Everything will unfold the way it is meant to. God knows your needs and where you need to be. Listen carefully to that little voice that will lead you where you need to be.

Northward We Go

May 19, 2026May 26, 2026 | cnaglis63

We left Liberty, Missouri on Monday and on our way was the Monument to the Eight Witnesses. The monument to the Eight Witnesses honors the eight men who saw the gold plates and signed their names to a testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon. This memorial sits in a small cemetery just outside of Liberty, Missouri, on property once owned by Michael Arthur. The monument is a large granite obelisk near the graves of Christian and Peter Whitmer. It was dedicated on November 19, 2011. There was a tour group also there and one lady who I talked to, told me that Steven C. Harper was their tour guide. I was oblivious to who that was but learned that he helped edit the Saints series of books.

Erik has been watching some videos on using RV’s. An important thing he learned was called the Rule of Three. 1. Don’t drive more than 300 miles in a day. 2. Don’t drive for more than three hours at a time. 3. Stay for three days in a spot. We have discovered this rule to be quite advantageous to having a successful trip even though we aren’t in a RV. The day we traveled from Atlanta to St. Louis was too much and we were both cranky. Even though we could have pushed and gone all the way to Denver, we decided to stop in Hays, Kansas for the night. We drove for around four hours and then pulled into Hays. We did stop at rest stops every hour as well and walked around.

In the song, “America the Beautiful”, the words are, “O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain! These words were running through my mind as we drove through Kansas. The undulating plain spotted by the occasional town, had areas of golden grasses rippling in the wind as waves of grain. It was a beautiful sight to see.

We soon crossed over the time zone change into Mountain Daylight time. It felt great to be back in our home time zone. The car’s clock changed automatically but our phones took a half hour to catch up. I was anxiously waiting to see the mountains but it took awhile. We were driving the I-70 westward and Burlington was the border town between Kansas and Colorado.

The Denver temple is the 40th operating temple for the church. It was dedicated in the fall of 1986. We had a 6 pm ordinance booked and are always thrilled to enter the Lord’s house and feel the peace as you leave behind the cares of the world.

Wednesday morning found us driving west again towards Grand Junction, Colorado. This was a stunning drive as we headed into the mountains. The west side of Denver has mountain sides full of large majestic homes perched on seemingly precarious perches. We continued climbing in elevation which I thought was so interesting as we were driving through Kansas, the elevation continued to climb and by the time we hit the border of Colorado we were at 4200 feet above sea level. Shortly after leaving Denver we arrived at the Eisenhower Tunnel. This tunnel takes you under the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains. With an elevation of 11,158 feet above sea level, it is one of the world’s highest vehicular tunnels. It is the longest and highest tunnel on the Interstate Highway System, with being 1.7 miles (2.7 kms) long. My first thought was, “I don’t need to go to Machu Pichu, this is high enough for me!” My breathing was a struggle and I was light headed.

We stopped in Frisco for a rest and enjoyed the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. When we drove past the sign for Glenwood Canyon, we prepared for a stunning ride. Sure enough, we were stunned by the geology and the curving road.

Glenwood Canyon is a spectacular 12.5 mile geologic and engineering marvel in western Colorado. Carved by the Colorado river, the canyon features cliffs up to 1300 feet deep. This canyon is considered one of the most scenic natural features on the Interstate Highway System.

Onto Grand Junction where we left behind the Rocky Mountains and headed into the temple which is only six months old. It was stunning and very well run. We couldn’t scan our phones to print family cards because the cell coverage was limited in the office. I would go out to the vestibule and load it on my phone and then go back to the office to print it out.

I talked with a temple worker and asked her how this temple helped her life. She told me that before it’s opening, she drove three hours one way to the Monticello temple in Utah to volunteer. Now she lives three minutes from the Grand Junction temple. What a blessing!

As we left Grand Junction the next morning we continued south west on the I-70. We saw a long line of cars leaving Moab, Utah in the morning. Our goal for this day was to get to Manti and go to the temple. We had booked a hotel in Ephraim, Utah which is only 7 minutes north of Manti. The vistas of southern Utah are so incredibly beautiful. The geology is dramatic and awesome! It is a premier red-rock destination which spans the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Plateau.

I’m on top of a hill that I climbed in my sandals. I am afraid of heights and I didn’t stay long up there.

As we turned north on the I-89, our elevation was climbing again. We enjoy watching the compass on the car display to see how high we are climbing. We drive through Manti and headed to Ephraim. On the way to hour hotel, I spotted another temple and realized that it was yet to be dedicated. Our hotel was brand new and had a lovely pool.

Experiencing the Manti temple was indescribable! The feelings that I had were overwhelming. It is so historic being the third dedicated temple. It sits on what is known as “Temple Hill” and can be seen for miles.

Leaving Ephraim we headed to the Payson temple on Friday. This is a large temple and we were welcomed by another patron who helped me with directions and tips on where to go in the temple. There were weddings being performed in the temple and we saw a lot of guests coming and going.

The Payson temple is located on the southern portion of the Wasatch Front. It is the 146th dedicated temple and the 15th temple in Utah. From Payson we headed to Salt Lake City to our friends, the Kinnersley’s. They graciously hosted us for a couple of nights. Because they live close to the action of the renovations of the Salt Lake City temple and the Visitor’s Center, we were able to see up close the goings on. The blessings flowed as we entered the Visitor’s Center; it was the last day of the soft opening. We were immediately able to join a tour and see how the Visitor’s Center is now focused on the temple. We were taken through rooms representing the various ordinance rooms in the temple. It was a very special feeling!

Saturday evening, we enjoyed a meal and visit with fellow missionaries that we served with in Palmyra. We were blessed to see our neighbors, Tonya and Rick Gurr, as well as Eileen and Charlie Whitehead. We had such a great night together! I can’t believe that we didn’t take a photo of us all. We spent all our time talking and catching up.

Shauna and Dan serve in the Church History Museum one day a week and it is right across from Temple Square. We were able to walk through Temple Square and see the new landscaping and statues that were in place. The day was a bit cool but definitely a lovely walk. We went to Crown Burgers for lunch and I enjoyed a beautiful lettuce wrapped burger.

On Sunday, we went to church with Shauna and Dan. Their granddaughter was giving a talk in Sacrament meeting and she did a wonderful job. It was a wonderful Ward and then it was time for Sunday School and the teacher, Blake, was stupendous. His knowledge of the scriptures made it such a joy to be in his class.

The weather was changing and not for the better. Dan said that we would be heading into snow by going north to Eden. Our dear friends, Kathy and Brad Branner were hosting us for the next leg of our journey. It was raining in Salt Lake City as we left and the farther north it got a little heavy but by the time we got to Ogden, it wasn’t raining anymore. It was so delightful to see Kathy and Brad again. They are friends that we met in Huatulco and we hit it off really well.

Eden is in the Ogden Valley and is close to Huntsville where David O. McKay was born. The views are incredible and it is home to Powder Mountain Ski Resort.

We have really enjoyed spending time with what I call “Eternal Friends”. We really do help each other along the journey of life and can help bring joy and happiness into our lives. I absolutely love the people that have come into my life and cherish our friendships.

The Wheels on the Car Go Round & Round

May 12, 2026 | cnaglis63

We stayed in Santee, South Carolina for 3 nights. Erik went fishing on Tuesday for fresh water Bass. Erik learned many things about Bass fishing and the wildlife in the lake. There were alligators, snakes, so many varieties of birds. One morning, while using the Merrell App, I recorded 24 different species of birds all waking up and chatting with each other. Erik’s fishing guide had accidently snagged a Water Moccasin the week before. I was quite happy to stay at the lake house, crocheting in the screened in back porch, safe from the critters. Erik did have one incident where he lost his footing and ended up in the lake, hence the photo of the money drying on the table!

On Cinco de Mayo, we wanted to eat Mexican food but it turned out that so did everyone else in town and it was crazy at the restaurant. We opted instead to go to the restaurant across the road. It had golf and fishing decor and there were tables that had all fisherman and other tables with the golfers. I looked around and the tables were full of seniors, (the gray-haired crowd, not the high school graduates). All the waitresses were older too and I felt like I was in a retirement home!

We headed out towards Atlanta, Georgia on May 6. Driving west along highway 20, we passed by Augusta which hosts the Masters Golf Tournament each spring. Arriving in Atlanta was a scary ordeal because of the amount of traffic. At one point I counted the lanes just on our side of the freeway; there were 9 lanes! We arrived just before 3 pm and the traffic was already horrendous. I learned from a lady that travels from Wisconsin to Florida, is that the best time to travel through Atlanta is around 3-4 am. Our hotel was okay. I dressed to go to the pool and got there before Erik. As I put a toe in the water, I realized that this indoor pool was NOT heated. I was determined to do my workout so I carefully immersed myself. Then I got to see Erik’s face when he entered the pool, hahaha!

We had an evening appointment at the Atlanta temple and the sky was looking very dark and ominous. By the time we left the temple, my phone started pinging for Tornado warnings! It was a torrential downpour and were looking for a restaurant to eat at. Nothing gets between me and my Birria tacos.

The next morning the rain was still quite heavy as we headed out to Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was pretty tense driving in Atlanta with nearly blinding conditions. The farther north we got, it started to lighten and I could finally breathe properly again. We carried on in a northwest direction towards Nashville. I was so excited to see the Grand Ole Opry!!!!

Staying on highway 24, we drive into Kentucky and went through Paducah where the National Quilting Museum is located. Paducah has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of craft and folk art since 2013. We drove through at 3:30 pm and I didn’t feel like we had time to give proper attention to the museum; so we carried on.

At some point we changed to highway 55 to enter St. Louis from the south. We traveled west from Paducah into Cairo, Illinois. This town is now a ghost town. As we drove through it, it was terribly sad to see all the destruction and disrepair everywhere. It’s located at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and was an important area for barges bringing goods up the river. Then when railways took over the major part of shipping, Cairo lost so many jobs. They also had a really bad patch with racial riots in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The history is very involved and really requires a person to study all sides.

We ended up in St. Louis for the night but in a suburb close to the temple. St. Louis sits on the Illinois and Missouri border. We did go on a river cruise on a steam boat called the “Tom Sawyer”. As we were walking to the dock, we met a gentleman who used to be a police officer and was now a tour guide. I had questions for him and in our short three minutes together he answered some of my questions. Why did St. Louis’ population go from 1.5 million to less than 300,000? Crime, violence and economic changes. This city ranks in the top five most crime filled cities in the USA. Where did everyone go? They left either to the suburbs or out of the area completely. As this city sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, we were able to see barges being moved around and unloaded. We sailed under magnificent bridges. The Eads bridge was built in 1874 and was the world’s first steel bridge. They have water markings in feet on the bridges as flooding does occur. The Dr. Martin Luther King bridge connects downtown to Illinois. The MacArthur bridge is used for freight railroads. Workers were repairing this bridge and all stopped to wave at us as we sailed under.

We were able to enjoy our time at the temple before moving onward in our journey. We carried along highway 70 towards Kansas City. I was really looking forward to this leg of the trip because we were going to see the Historic Sites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We stopped in Independence first to go to the Visitor Center. We joined a tour and chatted at the end of the tour with the President of the Historic missionaries for that area. We finally got to our Airbnb by 5 pm after doing an Endowment session at the Kansas City temple. It felt good to be stationary for a couple of nights.

Liberty is a beautiful town to stay in. We stayed in the historic downtown area and it felt like being back in the Parsonage house in Palmyra; floors that creaked with every step and old door knobs and doors. We went to church in Liberty on Sunday morning. Sacrament meeting started at 9 am. Being Mother’s Day, the invocation and the benediction were given by young men. The young man giving the benediction said, “Please bless the mother’s that they can have a break from their children today.” It was so hard not to laugh out loud! Imagine the conversations in that household!

We saw a vanload heading out the same time as us and I wondered if it was a tour group. We passed them later in the day and then again today. We drove to Far West first to see the site. Amazing history here again to read about. From here we drove to Adam-ondi-Ahman. I absolutely love driving the back roads of America. I love seeing how people live and seeing the farms and little towns. Adam-ondi-Ahman is a sacred historic site in Daviess County, Missouri, identified by Joseph Smith in 1838 as the place where Adam and Eve dwelt after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. It is believed by Latter-day Saints to be a future gathering place for a major priesthood council before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It was magnificent to stand there and look out over the valley and feel the sacredness of this site.

On the way back to Liberty, we drove through Hamilton, Missouri. This is where the Doan siblings founded the Missouri Star Quilt Company to fulfill their mother’s dream and in tribute to her talent on producing videos on Youtube. Jenny Doan and her husband Al are serving a mission in Ghana now and will be home later this year. Erik drove around downtown twice so that I could look at all the storefronts. MSCQ owns 26 buildings in Hamilton and is part owner in three restaurants. It’s too bad it was a Sunday!

One of the things that I discovered is that driving for too long makes both of us cranky. Our trip from Atlanta to St. Louis was a 10 hour day and that ‘s far too long to be sitting in a car with the occasional stop. We won’t be doing that again!

It’s a time to be grateful for those who have gone before us. I am at an age where many of my friends have lost their mothers and it being my first Mother’s Day without my mom here on earth, it gave me pause to think on her influence in my life. My heart was so blessed to talk with my oldest daughter on Sunday. She has a very compassionate heart and is kind and loving. She is not a mother but definitely has a mother’s heart with her traits of nurturing and kindness.

Remember who you are, a divine child of our Father in heaven, with divine attributes that can bless the lives of those around you. Enjoy your week!

On the Move

May 5, 2026May 5, 2026 | cnaglis63

Our last week at the Palmyra temple was filled with joy and sadness. The most important thing that I learned in the past week is that when you have a celestial view, goodbye isn’t forever. My friend, Sandra Woods said, “If I don’t see you again here, I’ll see you on the other side!” My friend, Lynae Wozniak said, “We’ll meet in the south-east corner of the celestial kingdom.” A dear friend from my quilting life said at each trade show, “Meet me in the middle on the left!” One way or another, I will see everyone again.

Our Tuesday shift coordinator gave me a bracelet with the words “Think Celestial” engraved on it. When you have a mindset of the next life, it makes saying goodbye so much easier. When my mom passed away in March, I didn’t feel like she was dead because she’s just on the other side of the veil. I can’t see her right now but I know that she’s “right there”!

We were shift coordinators on both Wednesday and Thursday. When you talk about finishing and living your mission right to the very end, we did just that. Keeping your heart in the service of God to the very end is the thing that brings us joy. Knowing that we are going to serve another mission is an exciting thought and we look forward to all the possibilities and wonder of what the Lord has in store for us.

Erik and I were packing, sorting and cleaning around our temple service. We were so grateful that Deb and Bruce Allred were able to take food off our hands; frozen food, spices, fridge items. We were also able to gift them other items. A friend from the temple told me that she had Lyme’s disease and needed to clear her lymphatic system. I told her, “Well, I have a gift for you!” Erik dissembled my rebounder and packaged it up to bring to Lisa. Bounce, my friend, bounce and clear your lymphatic system!! Erik was in panic mode because he didn’t see how we were going to fit our belongings in the car. He told me that we were going to have to make some hard decisions. That meant that “I” was going to have to make some hard decisions. Well, the stand mixer did make it into the car.

It was a surreal moment to leave the temple on Thursday night. Deb and I held each other and sang, “I Need Thee Every Hour” in unison. She and I are peas in a pod. As I stood in the foyer, I had a receiving line of people to say goodbye to. The people that you serve with are celestial friends; the cream of the crop, the best of the best. This is because we have seen the dedication and sacrifice given by the members in the Palmyra temple district to serve and help others along the covenant path. I had given my gifts to the temple presidency on the Monday night potluck.

Because I had forgotten my water bottle at the temple on Thursday night, Erik went back Friday morning to pick it up and he got caught in the morning devotional for the cleaning crew. He shared an experience of miracles because it was a miracle to get everything in the car and then he got serious and shared that Zion is when we are united and working together.

Our newest neighbors, the Hollands, in the annex took a little bag of produce that I had left and then I was able to tackle the dreaded fridge cleaning. When you are fluffy, it’s not that easy to get to the back of North American side by side fridges. They are narrow and deep. I had the oven on self cleaning and when it was finished, I was very disappointed in the job it did. The Allred’s were happy with our cleaning and said that everything looked good. Bruce even pitched in and ran the steam mop. We were done!

WOW! To be on our way, felt strange. We drove the same route that we took to go to Washington, D.C. and sure enough, the Allegheny mountain range delivered rainy weather. I was in shock that the farther south we went, it wasn’t getting remarkably warmer. We pulled alongside a Coca-Cola truck with the cursive title; it looked old school to me and cute so I took a photo and sent it to Joel Dayton who is a fan of this beverage.

We made it to Frederick, Maryland by the first day. Taking the I-15 south took us past Gettysburg. Frederick is west of Baltimore. We stayed at a Country Suites hotel. It had great reviews so, I thought why not? Well, the only thing going for it was a comfy bed. We had a tiny cramped room and poor Erik was not excited about all my bits and pieces he had to bring into the hotel room. Did I ever tell you that I’m like my mother in that I love tote bags. I will designate items to certain tote bags. The good thing is that they are easily packable and stuffable but the downside is that they aren’t zippered and if they fall over, it can be a disaster. We slept well enough because we were exhausted.

The next morning, we repacked the car and headed to Richmond, Virginia. We learned that they have endowment sessions running every hour except when there is a shift change. Of, course we showed up during a shift change. That gave me time to talk with the brother shift coordinator for the morning. Brother Perry has been a trainer in a few temples in the northeast area. The Richmond temple was dedicated in 2023. If you paid attention to industries during Covid, you know that a lot changed in quality, workmanship and availability of products. This affected the Richmond temple and they had to have an early shut down to fix some major construction issues. This temple plan was the first of it’s prototype and of course, had to have bugs worked out. The decor is stunning with lots of navy, maroon and teals. They have four endowment rooms and we did a session. I loved their chapel’s artwork. It depicts the Savior’s life from being in the womb of Mary, to being born and then the artwork of Simeon blessing him as an infant. The final painting was of Jesus staying behind in the temple when he was twelve years of age and Mary falling to her knees at finally finding her son. It was a beautiful experience and plus I did the endowment session in French as I love the translation to French.

One of the things that I love about travelling is seeing the names of places that I never thought I would see in real life and not on a television or a book. Driving past Quantico, well, my inner spy was thrilled!

We drove on to Dunn, North Carolina and spent the night in a different hotel. I went to the hotel pool for a little workout and laughed and laughed because the pool was so small and so shallow. I managed to pull it off though. We had food in our cooler so we ate some of that and then after my language lessons, headed to bed. My darling Erik, had a terrible night. In the morning, I looked at him and asked how he was and he proceeds to tell me of his night. He wondered if he had food poisoning because he was up in the night purging his system. He was exhausted and said that he needed to sleep more. I never heard a thing because I wear ear plugs! He still wasn’t out of the woods and needed more purging. We never made it to church and instead he slept and then we quickly realized that we needed to check out just as eleven am was making itself known. As it was, housekeeping entered our room as we were saying our morning prayer. The sun was shining so we were hopeful that the day would be okay.

2 cats were at the rest stop and a few of us were feeding them.

We carried on the I-95 until we hit our next destination of Lake Marion, South Carolina. Oh, hey…they have accents here! I am having so much fun meeting people. In the grocery store, I talked to a lady who told me that her husband died of Covid pneumonia in 2023 and now she lives with her aunt. This darling woman was 81 years old and her name was Annie. We discussed the state of the fruit before us (strawberries and blueberries). We talked about Christ and our love for Him. We also promised to pray for each other. It doesn’t get any better than that! Another lady explained to me about collard greens and how to eat them. NO, they aren’t used in salads because they are too thick and heavy.

We have a lake front Airbnb for a couple of days near Santee, South Carolina. We have seen herons, turtles, and fish in our little bay. The GPS took us down a goat trail to get here. I’m not a fan of the car’s GPS. We are loaded to the gills and the car’s suspension is being given a workout, never mind having to navigate a goat trail (quad trail).

I still love this quote because this sums up how I have been feeling for the past two months. My friends are eternal as is our families. I have great respect and love for missionaries who pour their hearts into relationships and build eternal lives with their souls. We look forward to the next mission and building yet again, new eternal friends.

Friendship

April 28, 2026 | cnaglis63

We have had the opportunity to spend time with new friends and I have had the opportunity to prepare farewell gifts for people here. Erik and I have built a life with everyone that we work and serve with.

Table runners for the temple presidency.

State bird of New York (watercolor) for our temple recorder, Rob Fergus.

We absolutely loved attending Rochester 5th Branch and being part of the Latino culture. While it was a challenge for Erik and sometimes myself, I love the members and missionaries from our little Spanish Branch. For six weeks we had the opportunity to attend Auburn Ward and also have had the opportunity to love and associate with wonderful members there. What a joy to make eternal friends!

Being in the temple nearly every day, also gave us the opportunity to love our fellow workers as well as the regular patrons who faithfully come to the temple each week. There is a quartet of ladies who come from the Fayette Ward each week and I simply adore them. As time went on, I was able to learn more of the personal side of their lives as with other patrons.

This past week, I had an incredible tender mercy. Over a year ago a new patron came to the temple shortly after her baptism. She is the same height as me and I got to hear some of her story on her first day in the temple. This dear lady was from Japan. Her mother died when this lady was only seven years old. Last year, her mother came to her in a dream and showed her a building where everyone was dressed in white and there was a “pool” in the building. She was amazed as she entered the baptistry and saw the font. Everything was just like her dream. Her mother was telling her to come to this building and she needed her daughter to do work for her. That day she was proxy baptized for her mother.

Each time this dear lady came to the temple over the past year, I happened to see her. She was always happy to see me and we would embrace and excitedly have a quick chat. This past week she came to receive her own endowment. The way the day went, I was able to be with her throughout her time in the temple. I told her that her mother is very proud of her. We both shed tears of gratitude and thankfulness. She asked me to come and have a photo with her. I will forever have her in my heart.

This past Saturday was our last double shift in the temple and I just wanted to sing the Hallelujah chorus! My hip flexors were mighty sore after doing a double shift on hard marble floors. I would come home each week and put my feet up and just relax for a few minutes. The new missionaries are concerned about working a double but they will get eased into it and need to prepare for the busy summer ahead.

We are cleaning cupboards and I have been creating protein balls and bark for our road trip as well as using up food stuff. I will never forget, Elder Parker telling me, “Sister Naglis, you aren’t supposed to have a year’s supply of food on your mission!” Once an emergency prepper; always an emergency prepper.

Erik and I were assigned to give talks in Sacrament meeting and I was struggling to write anything down. I was exhausted and yet, I knew that God would give me the words to say. It is always a joy to stand before a congregation and look into their eyes and speak. Our topics were about having our hearts turned to Christ. I shared three scriptures:

Ephesians 3: 17-19

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Helaman 3:35

35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in their faith in Christ, until the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even unto the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

Colossians 3:1-2

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Even though we were only a short time in the Auburn Ward, we love the members and worshipping with them. I had an interactive moment during my talk when a sister in the congregation wanted to confirm what chapter and verse one of the scriptures were so that she could mark them in her phone app.

Erik and I walked this past week to the ponds beside the Erie Canal. He photographed turtles there. We saw one little turtle but they are very skittish and it darted into the water when it heard us coming. Erik says the bigger turtles are braver and stay put.

The leaves are starting to grow on the trees.

We went with Allred’s to a new-to-us restaurant in Geneva called Kitchen Fare. The food was delightful and the company even more so.

Sorting and packing are the name of the game this coming week. I finished my projects and they are ready for gifting.

First of all, I’m grateful that my best friend is my husband. We enjoy each other’s company and it’s a joy to be in his presence. Secondly, I’m grateful for our friends who we know that we can rely on and be a support to each other. Thirdly and maybe this should be most important is knowing that Christ is my friend and my exemplar on how to be a friend and treat others kindly.

Remember, dear friends, Jesus still wants us for a sunbeam!

God Knows You

April 20, 2026 | cnaglis63

As I pondered the Come Follow Me lesson for the past week and my experiences, I know that God knows each one of us. We are his children and he loves us. We may have moments of wondering if that’s true when we seem to be wallowing in the pits of despair. Life can feel impossible sometimes and we think about how we got into a certain situation as well as where do we go from there.

Like most everyone, I’ve had some difficult experiences in my life and the one thing that I have figured out is that “It’s not over until it’s over.” I just do an about face and look at things from a different perspective. Many years ago, I started saying to myself, “What does God need me to learn from this.” When I step away from the emotion of a situation, it allows me to have perspective and find a solution that wasn’t the way that I had been proceeding. God’s ways are not our ways and if something feels strange in that it isn’t the way you normally handle something, maybe getting a little uncomfortable is what you need.

I have gotten a LOT uncomfortable to be able to learn many skills. I don’t fear failure, I look forward to learning something new. I love languages and I think the reason why is that I enjoy communicating with others. Every day I practice at least two different languages to keep my brain learning and progressing. Because of that diligence, I am able to communicate with people and I feel good.

I reached a 3000 day streak on Duolingo this past week. Plus I use Spanish Dictionary to keep my Spanish going.

This came in handy on Saturday at the temple. Patrons have the opportunity to do temple ordinances in their language of choice, by wearing a headset with the translation. A patron asked me for a headset to be able to use Arabic for her ordinance. Later on, I was able to help her with a language card and I know that God put me in her path because of my language skills. I don’t read Arabic but I was able to follow along with her to help her. There have been unnumberable tender mercies given to me as I have served in temples.

Many years ago, I was going to have my Swiss friends bring their horses and wagon to Olds for the Mountain View County Fair parade. I was going to decorate the wagon with my quilts from my store and basically advertise my business. At the last minute, my friends received a request for their horses and their fancy wagon for a wedding party. They arranged for me to borrow a tractor from a local dealer and pull another wagon. I arrive at the farm implement store and go in to discuss my predicament. The gentleman at the desk asked me if I knew how to drive a tractor. I replied, “No, but I’m about to learn!” He rolled his eyes and took me outside to the tractor. After some instruction, I climbed up and with the wagon hitched, I drove to the parade route line-up. During the parade, one young lad yelled out, “HEY, Girls don’t drive tractors!!” I yelled back at him, “Well, this one DOES!” It was a great day and despite being thrown into a tricky situation, I was able to learn and progress.

This past week, I made some chocolate covered strawberries to take to the Wednesday evening shift. They were a big hit and only one strawberry was left to take home. It was also a night to do some training for the Allred’s to take over from us.

Have you ever seen such a large roll of toilet paper? My goodness!

Thursday was Erik’s birthday and we had a gift certificate for The Cheesecake Factory to be used so off we went and were pleasantly surprised at how gluten free friendly they were. Then we headed to Wegman’s for some groceries. The Wegman’s in Pittsford is their flagship store and it’s massive. I was buying a cake and ice cream to take to the temple for Erik’s birthday. There were so many people running around with their faces glued to their phones and shopping carts whipping by as if the zombie apocalypse was immanent.

Here’s the old man in him struggling with his phone (haha)

On Friday, we went with the Allred’s and the Bliss’ to take them to Sauder’s Mennonite store and to the Whitmer Farm.

Sister Allred and I trying out the gliders.

Check out the ice cream; NFL team with their own flavor of ice cream!

Later on we headed to Cafe 19 (XIX) for lunch. Their Mexican salad was delicious.

Allred’s , Naglis’ and Bliss’ at the Whitmer Farm

Sunday morning snow was coming down which was quite shocking after our lovely 24C days previously. We headed to Auburn for church. Where we sat, in front of us was Dottie with her service dog, Sam. Dottie’s daughter says that Sam is quite spoiled. He was quite content to make googly eyes at us and smile all the while.

Remember that when you have an extraordinary moment that makes your heart sing, that is God’s way of letting you know that he is aware of you and loves for you to be happy.

Have a fabulous week!

Service

April 14, 2026 | cnaglis63

This past week started with a task that I put off time and again for the past month. If you have ever seen a meme that says, “Don’t ask me to hem your pants; I’m a quilter!” Well, I offered to help one of my fellow temple workers with a special project for her husband. He had a couple of worn hoodies that he loved and didn’t want to throw out. Both needed the zippers replaced. I was first a sewist before I became a quilter. I do know how to hem pants and sew curtains, make clothing and so on. I even made some replacement cushions for a friend’s travel trailer.

Kristy brought the hoodies over with a replacement zipper and a zipper pull. Unfortunately, both zippers needed replacing, so we spent our visit ripping out the old zippers very carefully. When I finally decided that I better get cracking, I discovered that the zipper was not a separating one, which you need for a jacket. In the USA, JoAnne’s the fabric store closed across the states last year and it’s not easy to find sewing supplies. I saw an ad for a place called Wawak Sewing Supplies and opted to order two zippers for the hoodies. I was able to get the correct size plus some fabric glue to baste them in place.

Finally, the day arrived and I set up everything to get the job done. First hoodie, the gray one, was not a problem but the second one, the Quik Silver was the “problem child”. I put that zipper in three times. Working with old fabric that is worn and extra stretchy gave me a run for my money. The first time, I installed the zipper, I was horrified because nothing lined up. Erik takes pity on me when it’s time to rip stitches and he offers to do it for me. Finally after a quick plea to God, I was given instructions on how to proceed. What a joy to have the job done!

We were still experiencing snow flurries last week. It was quite chilly with brisk winds and made me not want to go for walks. It is getting better this week because the Japanese Cherry Trees are in bloom.

This past week was very busy again at the temple with Spring breaks ongoing and we were able to meet many people from far off places. One sister from Australia came in with bare feet on a chilly, rainy day. She explained that in Australia, she’s always in bare feet. This dear lady, carried a pair of flip flops in her hands to wear in the temple to the change room.

It’s been fun working with the new temple missionaries; the Allred’s and the Dayton’s. This week we will have three new couples starting their service here. One of the young temple workers has been set apart for her mission and has done home missionary training this past week. We were invited to their home after church for lunch. It was so fun to meet most of the Chalupa family. Sister Chalupa is going to the California San Bernadino mission (Spanish speaking) this month. As we were leaving their house, the three year old runs out to say goodbye, “Bye, bye, We love you!” My heart!!

This past Friday was my mom’s memorial service. I made a video talk to be played for the service. Unfortunately, the Zoom camera for the Cherry Grove Ward was not working so one of my nephews held a phone to record the service and then I could watch it on YouTube. I am loving having my mom’s photo as my screen saver on my phone so that I can see her whenever I want. I don’t think of my mom being dead, because I know that she is alive on the other side of the veil. She’s busy doing family work on the other side. Her spirit is just separated from her body until the resurrection.

I am the oldest of four girls and I had to be responsible and took everything seriously. My parents gave me a lot of leeway and didn’t put restrictions on me. When I was late teens (17), it was a trend to get a streak of color in your hair. I told my mom that I wanted to get a streak of blue in my hair. This was the only time that my mom put her foot down with me and replied, “Absolutely NOT! People pay a lot of money to get their hair the color of yours. You are NOT dying your hair!!” End of discussion in my mind because my mom was quite adamant. I did not become a big hair dyer, haha! Now my blond is turning a light blond-gray.

On Sunday midafternoon, I wanted to go walking in the Sacred Grove and asked Erik if he wanted to accompany me. Off we went. We didn’t see another soul on our hour in the Grove. The birds were chirping in the reedy area before the Grove; the Song Sparrow, American Goldfinch, American Robin, Northern Cardinal and the Red-winged Blackbird. As we entered the Grove, it became quiet and we enjoyed seeing what was sprouting up. Daffodils were blooming.

We walked through the Smith farm, past the homes and the barns. There is a small apple orchard and we found deer snacking as we approached. I told Erik to get into stealth mode so that we could get close.

The farther into the grove we went, I saw patches of greenery and then they were everywhere. Wild Leek was growing profusely. They are also known as Ramps. Ramps are one of the first spring wild edibles. They are also called wild garlic, wild leeks, or wild scallion and are a relative of wild chives. These delicious leaves burst from their bulbous bottoms around the time your daffodils bloom. Their timing also coincides with the emergence of fiddlehead ferns. And like fiddleheads, the life of ramps in their wild edible prime is brief. Within a couple of weeks, the wild garlic will flower and the tasty leaves will wither. Ramps grow in moist hardwood forests or near shaded stream beds. They thrive in wet loamy soil. April and May are the peak months for ramp collection in the Eastern United States. Where we were was perfect for growing them and there were acres of them. Erik broke off a leaf and tasted it, then I had a bite. I was delighted as I am a huge garlic fan. I picked my own leaf and really enjoyed it.

I am already a fan of wild foraging and now I have added another treat to my list. I love Lamb’s Quarter, Dandelions, and Nettle. I haven’t tried Cattails yet.

Between Palmyra and Auburn is the Montezuma National Wildlife Reserve. They have a 3 mile driving tour in the reserve. This time of year the Bald Eagles are hatching and I saw a lot of cars on the trail as we were driving down the thru-way. Our friend Bruce Allred is a bird photographer and I have a feeling that he would really enjoy some time at the reserve.

This sculpture of the Bald Eagle is 21 feet tall and has a 20 foot wingspan. It was installed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Bald Eagle Restoration Program. It is magnificent and easily seen from the thru-way. It was created with steel, stone, wood and glass by artist, James Seaman.

It is wonderful to see signs of Spring and feel a warmer air on our faces.

I love to be among the trees and look at their majesty. It’s always thrilling to see animals, birds and plants. We are going to be celebrating Earth Day soon. People will be planting gardens. These all give me hope of things to come. While the world really seems to be going mad everywhere, I need to be in nature to feel peace and bring serenity back into my soul.

Enjoy your week, peace be upon you all!

He Lives

April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 | cnaglis63

As we step into Holy Week (Semana Santa), we can follow along with the days leading to our Savior’s crucifixion and triumphant resurrection. It was a lovely week as we stepped back into our service at the Palmyra temple. This week we had two new couples who are starting their year long mission at the temple; the Allred’s and the Dayton’s. The Dayton’s are our new neighbors on the other side of the house. I was also given the opportunity to train a new worker who serves as an Historic Site missionary. It is a wonderful blessing to overlap with the incoming missionaries!

We are seeing many new people at the temple this week due to Spring Break in schools. As I spoke to one family, they mentioned how surprised they are at the many different types of missions there are for senior missionaries. I remember thinking the same thing last year as I met many senior missionaries along our path. There are hundreds of diverse, flexible senior missionary opportunities. They may be full-time or part-time and can be tailored to specific skills and interests, often focused on humanitarian aid, education, Church operations, and family history. I love that service is available while living at home or traveling to locations worldwide.

Key Types of Senior Missionary Opportunities

Humanitarian Aid: Providing humanitarian aid, welfare, and self-reliance services.
Family History & Temple: Working with FamilySearch (in-person or online) or serving in temples.
Education & Training: Assisting with BYU-Pathway Worldwide, Seminaries and Institutes, or education programs.
Mission & Area Office: Serving in administration, legal, or mission office roles.
Member Support & Member Leader Support: Assisting with local unit needs, member engagement, and mission offices.
Church Operations & Facilities: Working at bishops’ storehouses, canneries, farms, ranches, and maintaining property.
Healthcare & Specialized Professionals: Supporting medical missions or using specialized skills for specific church needs.
Visitor Centers & Historic Sites: Guiding and interacting with the public

There are so many ways to add fulfillment to your life and we have certainly enjoyed our year in Palmyra. I was really nervous about being sent to a city or metropolitan area and have thoroughly loved being in a rural setting. If you are thinking about service, there are so many opportunities that, certainly, something will suit your needs.

We were looking forward to General Conference again. Before the Saturday morning session, Erik and I headed south to the Peter Whitmer farm and to Sauder’s (Mennonite store). We needed to be back by noon for the first session (EDT). Our first stop was Sauder’s and while I would have loved to have taken time to check out everything, I was pressured to get hopping and move along quickly, getting what we needed. Sauder’s is a large store and they have a mezzanine level with a railing where they hang quilts for sale. The quilts are so pretty and are priced at an amazingly low cost. My friend Sister Annette Moser (FM missionary) went to Sauder’s with her husband and purchased all the quilts on display, not once but again and again. She ended up buying 40 queen size quilts. The Moser’s do have 37 grandchildren and these quilts will be a legacy gift to them and the Moser’s children. I told Annette, that she was my hero! She replied, “I appreciate the talents that you quilter’s have and this is the way that I can support you.”

I’m pretty sure that Erik has kept me out of Sauder’s so that I don’t buy any quilts! I did get my Bee Cream and other groceries that we needed so that I could prepare food for Conference weekend. From Sauder’s, we went to the Whitmer farm. This is a unique building because the Visitor’s Center is attached to the Fayette Ward building. I was more curious about the church building and as I wandered, I saw artwork that I have never seen in any other church building. Bishop Thibert was there setting up the chapel in case anyone needed to see Conference at the church. The Bishop and I visited for awhile and he explained how their congregation is involved with the community. He took me to the display cases where photos show the work that has been done.

One of the service projects was done at the Ovid Union Cemetery. The Young Men from the Fayette Ward went every week last summer to restore headstones and clean the cemetery. These young men bonded and worked side by side to create a lasting memory for themselves and the community.

The project was so successful that they have been asked to help at three other cemeteries. For some of the headstones, they had to excavate them and prepare a new foundation for the headstone while cleaning and for some putting headstones back together.

The Ward also participates in a canned food drive (ExtravaCANza), organized by the local Rotary Club. Each organization that brings cans, creates a design out of the cans and Fayette Ward has won two years in a row! They have photos of their designs and it’s amazing. Maybe this year will be their third win.

We drove home and were set up within a couple of minutes for watching conference. Sessions are streamed in over 70 languages. The feat to put on this type of event is massive. I loved the theme of Easter and the opportunity to participate in a Solemn Assembly. As the speakers each gave their talks, I was impressed by the feeling that each and everyone of them experiences trials and hardships and some are so hard to imagine going through. They are not exempt from the problems that everyone faces in their lives. The inspiration comes as they tell how they are handling the problems and what is getting them through it. The common denominator is Jesus Christ. By faith in him, we can face all adversity. Elder Ulisses Soares said, “Remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential.”

The night before His suffering and death, Jesus Christ declared, “I am the true vine … ye are the branches” (John 15:1, 5). Through this “beautiful and moving” metaphor, the Savior taught that He is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment.

“Therefore, just as the branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in Him and His gospel.”

Abiding in Christ is a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It doesn’t remove life’s burdens, but through His grace, those burdens are made lighter.

“As we place ourselves in His loving care and take upon us His yoke, we receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses and sorrows of mortality — burdens often too heavy to bear without His redeeming help and healing influence.”

The world is full of voices, some good, some lacking in substance and some that deceive. Over time, these voices can grow into “tangled vines” that lead to spiritual loss and sorrow.

“In a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.”

This is part of just one of the talks delivered at General Conference. I love to reread each talk and be able to more fully study and get more understanding of the messages. In fact that was a directive given to us by our prophet, President Oaks, to reread and study these talks.

We ate Cowboy Caviar while watching General Conference. Plus we had leftover jello salad from the Missionary Easter dinner. After the Saturday sessions, we gathered at the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center for a dinner and program. The first wave of Sister missionaries had just arrived. One of the Sisters has been assigned to the Edmonton Canada mission after her four months of service at the Historic Sites. Keep an eye out for Sister Dever! The program after supper was so wonderful. We sat with the new temple missionaries and later someone asked where they were serving and Sister Allred replied. “We’re the God Squad! We’re at the temple!”

Erik rose and was able to catch this sunrise photo from our parking lot. Plus I want to share this photo of us at the Washington D.C. temple.

The memes and GIFS come out so quickly about themes and talks of Conference. One of my favorites is Will Ferrell, “Everybody love everybody!! Come on!!” A play on what President Oaks is asking of us. Be kind and get along!

Cowboy Caviar With Fresh Lime Dressing

We love this served with tortilla chips. Erik has freeze-dried this to take backpacking. This was our Conference snack on Sunday.

Above all, follow the Savior and be kind to everyone. We don’t know what anyone is going through as evidenced by the speakers in General Conference. We clean up, dress up and put on our happy faces even though inside we may feel like curling into a ball and hiding in a corner. I know that the best cure for my ills is to serve and help others. This takes away my pains and helps me to feel more connected to the Savior.

Spring is hopefully on it’s way. It’s coming in fits and spurts but one day it will be here, just like our Savior’s return to govern our earth. Have a beautiful week!

History & Highways

March 31, 2026 | cnaglis63

We arrived in Gettysburg in the afternoon and scouted out where our hotel was. As a Canadian, I wanted to see the importance of this locale and try to get a better understanding of the history here. A civil war hurts my heart and soul as I wish all could live in peace and harmony. As I came to understand why the Unionists (northern USA) and the Confederates (southern USA) were at odds, it’s difficult to see a place where not only a battle occurred but how this affects hundreds of thousands of people from north to south. The displacement of local folk, the loss of property, brother fighting against brother, with a country at risk, it makes a person sit up and think as to how this may have been different. We live in a world of instant messaging, emails, “Find My Friend”, location services; it goes on and on. It doesn’t take us long to receive news from anywhere in the world. Yet 163 years ago, there wasn’t anything except telegraphs, mail and word-of-mouth. President Lincoln used telegraph for tactical control of armies. The U.S. Signal Corps was founded in 1863 and they used flags and kerosene torches to send coded messages which could be seen from 10 to 15 miles. As well, field signals were still being used which included bugles, drums, and flags to direct troop movement during battles.

Erik and I were both reminded of Book of Mormon battles when we viewed this battlefield. Messages sent to either side and agreeing to meet at a certain place to fight it out. The battles were a fight for freedoms and here we see the same played out. The Union believed in freedom for all men and the Confederates wanted to keep slavery to run their plantations. I think on Alma 54 where Moroni is negotiating for an exchange of prisoners and Ammoron demands that the Nephite army lay down their weapons and become slaves to the Lamanites. Angry words were exchanged and a strategy was formed to aid the Nephites to escape without killing Lamanites. Well, that was only one part of the battles that were to ensue. Both sides feel that they are right but we see that when one side winning hurts not only their own but others, it’s hard to have a winner. Freedom is something that we may take for granted depending on where you live in the world. I love my freedom to worship, work, have family, travel and live a life with God in it.

We drove around the battle field with a downloaded driving tour narrated for us to understand what we were seeing. The weather was brutally cold so it felt good to be in the car. It was basically, one monument after another of the battalions.

It took a couple of hours and could have been longer if we got out at all the auto stops to see things. The battle of Gettysburg lasted three days (July 1-3, 1863). The battle was won by the Union and is widely considered the turning point in the Civil War. It was the bloodiest battle in the Civil War, claiming over 50,000 casualties. I was amazed at the work this large area entails for upkeep. There are so many artillery pieces placed to show where the battles occurred. There were also bus tours during our drive around and I can imagine how busy it will be in warmer months.

The crazy part of this trip seems to be the hotels. Our room was on the third floor right across the hall from the breakfast room. At 5:45 am, Erik could hear people lining the hallway to wait for the breakfast room to open. It turns out that it was a bus tour and they needed a 6 am breakfast. I wear ear plugs so I didn’t hear a thing (a good thing, because Mrs. Cranky-Pants would have done something about it). Lesson to all is: if you are in a hotel where rooms are situated, please use some discretion in your voice volume at a very early hour of the day. I explained to the front desk that the noise was unacceptable. They said, “Well, the bus had to leave early.” I replied, “Well, I DIDN”T have to leave early, and sleeping was on my agenda!” All said in my sweet, Southern mama voice, laced with sarcasm.

On to Lancaster, Pennsylvania we went. We had tickets to see Joshua (a musical) at the famous Sight & Sound Theatre. This was an exceptional experience! They also have a theatre in Branson, Missouri. This musical was in the works for the past four years and it is now being shown. The theatre seats two thousand guests. Everything runs like a well-oiled machine from the parking to the entrance and everything inside. We had floor seating and made our way there. As I wait, I love to watch everyone around me. The two rows in front of us were from a bus load of women from Queen’s New York. The youngest of the bunch (in her 30’s) was a “problem child”. She wanted to sit on the aisle seat but she got bumped by an older lady in her group who actually had the ticket for that seat. Then she moved to our row but of course, was bumped by the actual ticket holders. She was never in a hurry to get out of the way or move herself and I was laughing out loud at her audacity. When the house lights went down, instructions were to turn phones off and no recording. This woman opens her phone and proceeds to scroll through her feed with her phone held high so that everyone around her could see what she was doing! Then she takes a call!!! She kept saying and doing things to push her mama’s buttons. Mama glared at her a couple of times and from then on, ignored her. Oh, the drama!

Sight and Sound theatre; 50 years of production.

My take away from this experience was that it was a theatre full of believer’s in Jesus Christ. We were there for a biblical experience and we received it. The live animals were amazing! Roman soldiers riding horses down the aisles, sheep running across the stage and up the aisles. Doves flying overhead and the most beautiful llama were to be seen. Hence, all arms, legs and body parts were not to be in the aisles.

The Amish lady had to get off her cart because her pony balked at crossing the bridge. She lead the pony across and then got back on her cart.

The covered bridges were wonderful to see and experience their design and construction. We went to three different ones to see them.

We stayed in an Airbnb nearby and it was a delightful nest. “Martha’s Guest Suite” was a gem; lovingly appointed and comfortable. The next day we drove around to see a few covered bridges before heading south. I did go to a quilt shop and was stunned at the amount of inventory. I met an amazing husband and wife, quilting duo. They lived in Baltimore and came to Lancaster to this quilt shop, “The Log Cabin Quilt Shop”.

They were bringing in a few quilts to be quilted on the long arm. In the Amish quilt shops, you will see many finished quilts for sale; hundreds of them. The queen size quilts cost $1000 and the king size cost $1100. They are beautiful and have wonderful designs. A quilt kit for an American themed quilt came home with me.

We drove to Washington D.C. as we planned to attend the temple there on Wednesday and Thursday. This was the only temple on the eastern part of the USA and Canada for many years. It was built in 1974. I remember as a 14 year old, we came to the temple for a Youth trip. My memory of this temple (what little I saw) was of an industrial building, sort of like a city hall or a commercial building. The other temple I had been in was Cardston, Alberta with it’s beauty and ornate trimmings. My memory was correct. While the D.C. temple is the third largest temple in the world, it definitely speaks of mid-century modern design.

Our hotel here was very interesting because it was called a BWP (Best Western Premier). The marketing department calls it a 4 Star rating upscale, boutique hotel that offers unique, independent properties with curated designs, high-end amenities and local character. Positioned in premier destinations, these hotels offer refined experiences, on-site dining, bars, and, in many cases, spas or fitness centers. Now let’s talk about our experience…hotel room on the 7th floor. Door opens to a tiny area with a strange shelving unit with a mini fridge below it. The bathroom was tiny; barely able to turn around in, with a single sink. The walls were unfinished with drywall mud everywhere and not even sanded. There was peeling paint along the floor boards. The shower had a poor dribble of water flow that might have been a blessing because the controls were inside the shower away from the door opening. There was one arm chair for sitting. My take on this hotel was that it was lipstick on a pig, with the pig being greased like it was at the county fair with 100 screaming children chasing it down. The lipstick didn’t even hit the pig. The wallpaper outside the room was peeling away from the wall. I think that there was no communication between the marketing team, the design team and the construction team.

Thursday after we were at the temple, we made the long drive back to Palmyra. Leaving Washington with 25C weather, we hit Palmyra with heavy rain and 2C. Erik had a headache and I said that we had done a lot in the past four days with tons of driving in heavy traffic; hopefully after a good night’s sleep, he’ll feel better. He awoke refreshed and feeling much better!

Sunday came around to a lovely Easter service at church. The Primary sang a song and everyone knows what a treat it is to see the youngsters performing. Our Ward choir also did a beautiful number and we had a great reminder of the purpose of celebrating Easter. Marc and Kathy Clay invited us to come to their home for lunch. We enjoyed a lovely meal together, great company and a cute Easter basket to take home.

I hope you have the opportunity to really reflect on the atonement of Christ. I look forward to that day that I too can feel the prints in his hands but most importantly to feel the warmth of his embrace.

John 16:33 “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

I do believe this and am eternally grateful for my Savior and his example to the world.

	Truda Whitfield on Northward We Go
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