Nauvoo part 1

So on Thursday night I was talking to Doug, and it came up that the YSA conference he was going to was in Nauvoo that weekend. I meant to ask him about the conference on Wednesday when we talked, but instead we talked about job hunting. Which I felt was very important to me at the time, and so I forgot to ask him about it before it was bedtime. So here it is Thursday night, and he was like oh, you would have come if you'd know it was going to be in Nauvoo? Which then very quickly became could you come now that you know. Because my dad had purchased 40 pounds of green beans that would need to be canned, I wasn't sure I'd be able to go. So when my mother got up I asked her. I told her it was stake conference at Michigan City, and I didn't want to run into my ex-boyfriend, I didn't have to teach, didn't want to drive alone AGAIN to the Chicago Temple for a poorly attended tri-stake temple trip, and I hadn't really planned on going to the boat anyway, so all of those things worked in my favor, and of course, Dad's approval and willingness to can green beans without me, if I took the time to wash up jars before leaving. So I tried to go back to bed for a little while since I hadn't rest well all night due to the uncertainty of going, or not going, and the want to go and the possibility of seeing Doug again for the first time in 2 months of communication.  I had to then of course wake up, shower, pack, eat, and exercise so I could be on the road about noon. When I was getting ready to leave...I started to doubt since I didn't have housing or the money for a hotel right at that moment I got a text saying I could sleep in a tent with other girls that Doug knew. I was amazing to realize that right as doubt started to come in God sent the answer I need to go ahead and go to Nauvoo. It was of course a LONG drive, and a one point I was laughing at how I didn't want to drive to the Chicago Temple but was willing to drive a much longer distance to go to Nauvoo knowing I would have time with Doug. I made it there safely and went to the Temple first, so I could have a few family names printed before the sessions on Saturday. I then found my way to where I was to go, and met up with one of the girls I was rooming with. She took me under wing completely and helped me get registered, FOOD, and a ride to the dance that night so I wouldn't have to drive any further. That night was kind of a blur because of Emily just helping get settled and I was exhausted from my drive. At the dance, of course, I was me found a chair, sat down, and watched or at least until this chaperon made me move by him, then the fun really began. He would introduce me to different unsuspecting young men and try to get them to talk, or dance with me. It truly was entertaining, or he would point out young men for me to avoid, or that were safe in is mind. At no point did he ever ask my age, so the could actually introduce me to guy closer to my age than 19. So after laughing a lot with him, and the poor guys he brought over the dance FINALLY ended.
With Saturday morning, came the knowledge that I would met Doug. So I went to the Nauvoo stake center, and organized my family temple names one last time, before handing them over to Doug to finish, and hopeful make it easier for him to know what work is able to do for each individual. Then I waited, and watched for him to show up. Then he did, and then I could focus on the speaker who was the Temple President, he had some really funny stories and thing I hadn't thought about or didn't know. He talked about how Joseph Smith had promised his son Joseph III that he would be the prophet. But because he wasn't faithful to the promise and blessings given him. That promise went to Hyrum's son Joseph Fielding Smith, then to his Grandson Joseph F. Smith, and that Richard M. Ballard (think that is the right apostle,) is also of Hyrum's family.  We then went to 3 different lessons and then to the temple. At the temple I was given a lot of time to think and ponder, but one of the two things that really caught my attention was that I knew I was going to be handing over my son's (male family names) to Doug on Oct. 7th which was the "next time," I was planning to really see him. So I knew I would have to get them ready and organized, but Sunday when I came home from the boat I realized I wanted to do that on Monday, so I did. Later in the week I talked to Elizabeth and found a way to help him know how much work each son needed done at the moment. Had I not do it Monday, I wouldn't of been ready to hand those names over this weekend. Does the three weeks really matter, I don't know I know Doug isn't "planning" on going to the temple before the 7th, so I would say not really, but that is now and how know's what the next few weeks will bring. All I know is Heavenly Father helped me be prepare even though I wasn't aware I was going to need to be that quickly, and I'm so grateful that I was.
If you made it this far in my thoughts and happening of this weekend you are a true friend or really bored, so I'll give you a break for now and come back tomorrow with part two.