September 10, 2014

Now that the busy, busy summer months in Nauvoo are mostly past, we took the opportunity to go with another missionary couple to St. Louis to see a Cardinals baseball game. All the stars lined up so that on our Prep Day, there was a noon game (with the Pittsburgh Pirates), the weather was sunny, and we didn't have to do a Rendezvous performance that evening. So we went to the ball game with Elder and Sister Christiansen--who are avid sports fans! The game itself wasn't too exciting until the bottom half of the ninth inning, when, with two outs, St. Louis hit three singles in a row to score the winning run. Of course, the Cardinal fans were ecstatic.

The Cardinals' stadium is located pretty much in downtown St. Louis, a little bit like Wrigley Field in Chicago.

Of course, everyone remembers Stan the Man, perhaps the most famous of the former Cardinal players.

Busch Stadium is a beautiful ball park, especially with the St. Louis Arch in the background!

Here's proof that we were actually there!

One of the Old Nauvoo "sites" that we have direct responsibility for in our recent calling as Assistant Zone Leaders is Nauvoo on the Road, which is an out-reach program that involves missionaries taking some pioneer activities, such as pioneer games, rope making, candle making, and other demonstrations, on the road to different places. Usually, they'll get permission to set up their display and demos in state, county, or local fairs. Jan and I went with them to Nauvoo's local Grape Festival.

This gives you and idea what our Nauvoo on the Road display looks like.

Of course, I had to demonstrate how pioneers walked on stilts!

Two of the missionary couples who came to Nauvoo with us were called to serve for only six months, so all of us who came together got together for a little send off party for them. We had a great feast and some fun entertainment by some of our group.

In addition to those six-month missionaries going home from our MTC group, there are about 50 other missionaries who have completed their service here this month. Our mission had an early morning breakfast--at 7:00 o'clock--to honor them. 

A number of these "out-going" missionaries were teamsters, who can be seen in the little group at the front on the right. These missionaries are going to be sorely missed.

A special tribute was sung to these missionaries by a choir consisting of missionaries from the Illinois Nauvoo Temple Mission, which is separate from our "site" mission.

As a parting shot, I thought you'd enjoy seeing how we sometimes bring our horses into the barn for harnessing in the morning. For the past few days, we have been pasturing the horses in a pasture a ways away from the barn, so we have had to run them down the roads to the barn. We simply open the gate to the pasture and call them, and they come a runnin'!

And away they go!

We hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying your own circumstances. We feel very blessed to be serving here in Nauvoo. Every day we meet people who are searching for meaning in life, and we're happy to share our understanding with them. Our prayer is that the Lord will guide them in their search and that they will listen to and faithfully follow His direction. 

August 20, 2014

I just didn't get time to do another post last week, which is a shame because that is the week that Linda and Jim and Allie and Rand and their children came to visit Nauvoo. We really enjoyed having them here. They weren't able to stay too long, but they did get to see a few things that Jan and I are involved in.

For example, they saw our performance of Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo (I was the editor and Jan was the Relief Society President) . . .

. . . and they went on a carriage ride with me through the countryside of Old Nauvoo. (Sorry the picture's so dark--nobody's perfect!)

And their kids got to try their hand at making a rope in the Family Living Center.

It's too bad they weren't here this past Monday; they could have seen me as a blacksmith in action! Their loss!

I think they did see the Nauvoo Brass Band, however.

Last night we had a party for our show cast. We have performed together since last spring in Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo and in Sunset by the Mississippi. We'll be together as a cast for only a couple more weeks, when about 50 missionaries will be finishing their mission and leaving. All the casts will be changed, going from three down to two for the winter months. So we just had to have a little soireé together! 

Because we're so busy, the time just seems to fly by.  There truly is a special spirit here in Nauvoo. We are so blessed to be here and enjoy this spirit and the people who serve here as well as those who come as guests. 

August 6, 2014

August 6, 2014

This past week Karen and Amy and Jeremy and their kids came to Nauvoo, and we were able to spend a few minutes with them. It is some much fun to have family and friends here. We were able to have them over for dinner and enjoy a good visit with them.

They joined me for a carriage ride . . .

 . . . and they even dared attend our performance of Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo, in which I had to play the role of the editor and Jan the role of the Relief Society president.

Inasmuch as summer is drawing to a close and the fall of the year is just around the corner, a number of our missionaries will be finishing their mission.

At our monthly Mission Breakfast, we said farewell to the Young Performing Missionaries, the Nauvoo Brass Band Missionaries, and several of our Senior Missionaries.

Since many of our teamsters are going home in the next few weeks, we had a "farewell" dinner and program for them as well.

All summer long we have been performing a variety show called Sunset on the Mississippi. That came to a close this week also, so we just had to have a closing cast party for that, too!

Some of you might want to know that the fall must be coming. The Canadian geese are started their migration it seems. I shot this picture of a flock of them in the pasture next to our oxen yard. (In case you weren't aware, you should know that the Mississippi River is a major flyway for migratory birds, about 40% of the migrating birds in the United States fly up and down this river. It's amazing to see some of them in such numbers!

Well, that's about it for this week. We feel so blessed to a part of the Lord's missionary force--and to be here in Nauvoo besides. We hope others of you will have the opportunity to visit Nauvoo and enjoy the spirit of this place. 

July 23, 2014

July 23, 2014

Well, another week has zoomed by. We're right in the middle of summer, when we have two different pageants running: the British Pageant and the regular Nauvoo Pageant. Things are really hopping around here. During the pageant season, there is also a "country fair"--of sorts--for the visitors who come to view the Pageant. The fair begins at about 7:00 p.m. and continues until just before the pageant begins at 8:30. To give you an idea of what the fair looks like, I'm including a few random--or not so random--shots of some of its happenin's.

Come on in and celebrate!

This is what the fair looks like from a distance.

"Little Nauvoo" is set up for the little kids to become familiar with the various sites of Old Nauvoo.

There are lots of little competitions/games for members of our guest families . . .

. . . sack races . . . 

. . . handcart races . . . 

. . . climbing bears . . . 

. . . and log sawing competitions.

There's also a good ol' country fair dance, complete with its own country orchestra.

And what would a fair be without the bag pipers?!

And certainly no fair would be complete without Coca Cola! Right, Jeff!?

Nothin' like a handcart when it's time to move things.

Lots of little pioneers roam through the fair.

And there's even a few "junior" bag pipers.

These "pipers" march for the opening ceremony of the Pageant.

Aside from the Pageant activities, I noticed there was a little horsin' around on the Band Wagon while  I was driving it around Old Nauvoo last Monday.

A fairly common occurrence is the sighting of huge barge-tows that go up and down the Mississippi. These barge-tows are actually three barges wide and five barges long, all connected together and pushed by a tugboat. (It seems to me they should call these boats "push" boats rather than "tug" boats!) The barge-tows hold the amount of cargo that would fill about 870 semi trailers.

A barge-tow passing in front of Nauvoo.

I'm truly amazed at how fast the week goes by. I hardly have enough time to take a few pictures to put in our blog! But we truly feel blessed to be serving here in Nauvoo. There is a special spirit here because of the kinds of faithful people who settled and then were forced to leave this area. Although they left in a hurry and took with them only a few treasured possessions, they left a special feeling here for others to enjoy. I hope some of you get a chance to come here and enjoy it with us.

June 16, 2014

July 16, 2014 

This week the British and Nauvoo Pageants began. Since we didn't have to perform in either of our two plays on Tuesday night, we went to the British Pageant. Just as we expected, it was very well done. There are over a hundred volunteers who participate, as well as a number of professional actors. The picture below is of the finale, the Nauvoo Temple lit up in the background. It truly was spectacular.

On our Prep Day, we went to a quaint little town in Iowa called Bentonsport. We had been told that there was a shop there called Iron and Lace, where you could see iron and pottery items that were handmade by the owners of the shop. Unfortunately, the owners were not there the day we went, so we didn't get to meet them nor see the blacksmith shop where the iron works are made. But we did look around the shop a bit.

Jan in front of the Iron & Lace shop

A sample of the handmade pottery. If you look closely at the design on the pottery, you'll see that the design used on all the pieces is the Queen Anne's Lace, which is actually a plant that grows wild in this area. It is also known as a "Wild Carrot" and is a common plant/weed that grown in dry fields, ditches, and other open areas. (See picture below.)

Queen Anne's Lace plants growing outside the Iron & Lace shop

Greef General Store, the local "general store," a.k.a. tourist trap

Inside of the Greef General Store

We just had to go into this quaint little homemade fudge and ice cream shop. And, yes, the fudge is delicious!

Just thought you might like to see the propane tank next to the "Forever Sweet Creations" shop.

As you may be able to tell, we didn't have a lot to report on this week; we are kept pretty busy. But we're enjoying what we're doing and are grateful for the opportunity to serve here in Nauvoo. We hope this finds you all well and enjoying your blessings as well. 

July 9, 2014

July 9, 2014

Some of you might have read in the news that we have had a little flooding around here because of the rain storms that have pounded the area the past couple of weeks. The water from the Mississippi (or more accurately, Lake Cooper) has crept up Parley and Water Streets and blocked off the end of them where the Saints lined up their wagons to cross the river back in 1846. 

The end of Parley Street.

This wagon barge is normally on dry ground.

After having Jill and Jodi and their families with us last week, this week was kind of boring. It was pretty much back to the routine of sites and wagon/carriage tours during the day and performances in the evenings. Since today was our prep day, we did take the time earlier this afternoon to visit the sites of the Community of Christ Church. We were able to go into Joseph and Emma's original log cabin, the Mansion House, and the Prophet's Red Brick Store, which has a meeting room upstairs where the Relief Society was originally organized. That same room was used for political meetings and many Church leadership meetings. Unfortunately, the Community of Christ does not allow pictures inside their venues, so we don't have any shots of the inside of these places to share with you.

However, on one of Jan's walking/exercise jaunts around Old Nauvoo, she took pictures of many of the interesting and historic sites that guests come here to see. I'm including some of those pictures below; hopefully, they will give those of you who haven't been here before an idea of the kinds of things we hope you'll come and enjoy first-hand.

Joseph and Emma's first house (originally the log portion on the right)

Lucy Mack Smith's home (during the final years of her life)

Mansion House/Hotel

Grave site of Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum

Brigham Young's home

Blacksmith and Wainwright shop

Joseph's Red Brick Store

Pendleton Home and School

Printing Office, John Taylor Home, and Post Office

Seventies Hall

Statue of Brigham and Joseph looking to the West

Looking down Water Street

Looking across the Mississippi/Lake Cooper

We feel so blessed to be here in Nauvoo to learn about the saints who sacrificed so much so that the gospel and Church could continue to grow and fill the earth. Without their sacrifice and devotion, the wonderful blessings we now enjoy could not have been possible.