ANOTHER DAY IN OLD NAUVOO

So the old saying, “The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye!”  is so true here in Illinois.  Man it is everywhere, but we need rain.

Today was church and then Richard and I worked together in the Post Office and the Dry Goods Store.  He put on a right good tour.  Actually met someone who knew the Rosenbaum’s in Spanish Fork.  Especially Sue Ann, so this one is for you Diane.

Lacey McClain from Santaquin……..

Found out the name of these flowers that are so big.  They are called Dinner Plate Hibiscus.

Now on to Saturday.  I didn’t get to post because time was at a premium.  We got up and went into Keokuk to get our weeks supplies.  Cleaned the house, Met the Openshaws at the Wilford Woodruff house for a big unveiling.  Brother Openshaw had said that there was something in the travel case that we ought to see.  Keep in mind that we are not allowed to touch any of the artifacts, so the sisters working there were very skeptical.  He however had the mission presidents permission, and so amid great expectations, white gloves on, open the trunk. 

Sister Bennett getting ready to do the honors.  She is from Japan and has the cutest accent.  You can see she is asking if she will go to prison or have her mission extended!  (That is a Nauvoo joke!)

Anticipation Building!!!!

This is a picture of President Woodruff when he was the prophet with his two counselors and he always carried it with him in this trunk.  The newspaper article that it came from was dated 1880 something.  Brother Openshaw is a church historian and he knows so much that so many people have no idea about.  He taught Priesthood this morning and Richard came out in awe.  He said we have finally found someone as good as Brother Charsley at home.  We actually would like for Elder Openshaw to just sit and talk and talk.  He has great insights and so much knowledge.

So this was what the unveiling produced and your dad and I plus four others were the only ones there.  Traveling trunk sealed back up………….

On the way to Keokuk we stopped to take a few pictures.  The water lilies are in full bloom.  They grow out into the Mississippi, but then again some of old Nauvoo is under water because of the dam.  Not very deep.

These barges are literally little tug boats that are begin barges that are hooked together. 

This one was a 9 barge shipment.  We actually saw it get to go through the lock and dams. So interesting.

So this coming week promises to be a busy one.  Megan and her family are coming in this week.  We are going to dinner with Jill and Kyle tomorrow, they are trying to get us out of Nauvoo.  My parents and my son will be here on Friday and I am ecstatic.  Tuesday we have to do Agatha and George.  I am asking for everyones prayers.  You have no idea how frightened I am.  I can hardly believe the things I am doing.  I will tell my children from now on that they can do anything because I am way outside my comfort zone.Wish me luck…………………………………………..

WATCHING OUT OVER ME!

Two days in a row!!! I worked in the family living center today and it was very busy.  I took a particular group through and was teaching them about the candle making.  We were talking about how difficult life was and about the lifestyle they had to live compared to ours.  The man said that his wife was raised without indoor plumbing and no running water and I asked them where she was from.  (Now keep in mind earlier in the morning I was talking to Sister Zeller about my conversion and about my family history. I was telling her about my Grandfather Malone and Grandmother and how they joined the church when they were in their early 70’s.  About how they lost their friends in their church, and they were able to go to the temple only one time etc.) My Aunt Martha, my father’s sister, didn’t have indoor plumbing and running water as well until the early 70’s!  So the familiar question, “Where are you from?” GORE, OKLAHOMA!!!!  “No way, do you know Peter Hubler?  He is my grandfather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( He is the man who worked with my grandparents in Gore, Oklahoma, when they were baptized.  It is the only ward that they were part of.  The Hublers were a godsend for my grandparents. And to add to all of this, one of my brothers companions in Ireland was her uncle, Tracy Hubler)…..Well of course I started crying! She started crying as well. What are the chances that I would have been able to meet them and to find out who they were.  I got Tracy’s phone number for you Mike. I once again do not think it was by chance.  I actually think it was another tender mercy, and that my grandparents are telling me that they are near and watching over me as well. The scripture about my cup runneth over, is exactly how I feel today. I am very grateful.

Today we baked bread in the bustle over in the center.

Notice the fire………………………….

I think it gets to about 500* and then we take the wood out.  We wait until we can touch the outside brick for 5 seconds and then put our arm in.  If we can’t hold it in there for 15 seconds, then it is too hot. 

Sister Holmstead kneading the bread dough.

Raising in the proofing box.

On another note, we went to Kyle and Jill’s last night.  Oh man, Richard was right, I shouldn’t have gone and seen their “digs!” Palatial comparatively speaking.

A real, working, 20th century microwave……..Stove with a timer!

Actual garbage disposer. May not seem important but believe me you would miss yours.

A dishwasher!  We asked if we could just come over once a week and run our silverware through a cycle.  Just for sanitation’s sake………………..

An actual piece of furniture that is from this century.  Wall hangings, wreaths, pictures, oh my.

Television in a cabinet case, television, did I say TV…aaaaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhhh!

But so grateful for my spoiled rotten best friends!!

TENDER MERCIES OR NAUVOO MIRACLES……!

I had a wonderful day today serving in the Brigham Young House.  It is actually one of my favorite houses to serve in.  Some houses just lend themselves to spiritual messages and this is one of those houses.

Sister Brooks and I were reading some supplemental material on Mary Ann Angell, Brigham’s wife.  She had a very rough go of it, but was always so faithful.  Brigham was particularly sick one time and said that he had stopped breathing.  She tried throwing water in his face, then she tried camphor oil but neither of them worked.  She then pinched his nose shut and started breathing into his mouth until he started breathing on his own!  CPR was not discovered until the 20th century!!!!!! So many amazing stories of faith here.

So there is a book there where if you are a descendant, you sign your name.  I was looking through this book that went back several years.  All of a sudden the thought came to me, "I wonder if our family had signed any book?” This book only went back to the 90’s.  I was looking around and out of the way, in a little file folder, with only 10 old pages in it, I started looking.

This is what I found!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The date says, June 6th, 1986!!!!!

I am not kidding, just out of the way, 10 little sheets, no order to anything I find a history of us as a family, having been there.  I felt strongly that Richard’s father was telling me in a small way that he was pleased that we were here.  He loved Nauvoo.  I do hope he is pleased and watching over us.  So I felt that today, the Lord was extending me a tender mercy.  I will be forever grateful.  The Lord is in the details of our life.  This I know………I came home and showed these to Richard and he cried.  ..

BITS AND PIECES….OH, HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

I will be writing my blog today by little bits.  That’s what I have today, little bits of time here and there and not everywhere…..I was up this morning by 6 AM..That’s right, you may want to see if you are reading the right blog.  I have!  I never like to see 6 AM anytime, but here I have no choice.  Besides, my companion would be hard to get along with if I slacked off. We started out our Fourth of July by having a mission breakfast on the outdoor stage.  We started with a flag ceremony and then the young YPM’s sang a beautiful song…………

Video clip of YPM’s song:

Young Performing Missionaries

Then the people that are leaving come up on stage and we sing, “Farewell Nauvoo!”  Very touching.  I keep thinking,, will I close my eyes and be up there soon?

Next followed a training meeting. The president is talking about us not looking at the thermometer and complaining about how hot it is.  Just smile and realize we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.  He said actually the government would not think we exist, we are not supposed to live to be this age and still do what we are doing.  We are not an average statistic. (NOW I HAVE TO BE HONEST, AS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEAT, I WAS SITTING BEHIND THE BUSHES, IN THE SHADE,…………..EATING MY BREAKFAST!!!) I never seem to make the right choices here. Oh well, at least my hair is still poofy!

We will be practicing Agatha and George again this afternoon, after I get done with the Tin Shop and have a 3 hour break before I go back to the Tin Shop. We practiced yesterday.  Sister Young was cracking up trying to work with me.  It makes me sick, thinking about doing this.  The whole mission can’t wait so it seems, to see me make a fool of myself.  They are standing in line. I am trying to get it learned so that my folks can come and see us do the skit………I am not sure if that is a good idea, but how many of those have I had!

Sister Gilliland did tell me this morning that the Living Legends had a testimony meeting before they left and one young man was talking about how much they loved the missionaries.  He mentioned me by name.  I am honored.  I may not give out Book of Mormons, but I can love people………That may be my only calling!

I worked in the Tin Shop with a young sister missionary from Driggs, Idaho.  She is darling and so spiritual.  I am amazed at these young people.  Their insights are much above their age.  She was telling me about some spiritual experiences that she has had here and I was astounded.  I hope to be like her.  Her name is Sister Riplinger

We decided to run outside and take a moment to capture a moment………..

When in Rome………………..I have just done Sunset in the 96* weather and I am toast!!!!!!

ANOTHER LESSON LEARNED!

So today I got reassigned to work in the John Taylor home. A sister Larsen who is here and is in my cast, had some kind of a stroke.  She was told to be on complete bedrest, but of course, she was at church on Sunday, not looking to stable. I was supposed to work at Sarah Granger’s but got the new assignment.  I worked with a Sister Gibson this morning and liked her just fine.  Then when I found out I would be working with Sister McCabe in the afternoon, my stomach started hurting.  Mind over matter right? She is the one who I worked for in Land and Records and had a very hard day.

So I am thinking to myself, I just have to make this better.  I decided that I was going to like her no matter what.  I sat there and asked her many questions, tried to understand her life a little bit better, and thought about her personality.  Guess what?  I actually enjoyed my afternoon with her quite a bit and the three hours I spent with her went by rather quickly.  She is a little quirky.  She has a very dry sense of humor and looks at life completely different than I do.  But I enjoyed her so much.  She even told me if I forgot a part in Agatha, to just say “oh Hell!”  Pretty funny. 

I need to learn that I should never jump to conclusions about anyone.  Everyone has a different road to walk and I just need to appreciate their journey as well as my own.  I have a lot to learn from my fellow journeymen. Different is okay, thank heavens the world is not filled with Verlindas!!!!!!

I just love these little Young Performing Missionaries!  They make Nauvoo so much fun and add entertainment, music, and personality wherever they go.

They work from sunup to sundown all day long.  They sweat, sing, dance, act and literally are doing something all the time. I don’t ;know how they do it. It is a good thing they are young.  I get tired just watching them, but what an example they are to aspire to.

Elder Nielson is one of my favorite.  He is not very big but his personality is.  He is a gymnast.

FRIENDS

So I am going to keep track of all of the friends that I meet in Nauvoo.  Sunday, Billie Platt and her daughter and grandchildren came to visit us in our nice “little,” home.  They were actually staying in the small motel that we can see out our back window.  I am so grateful that she took the time to come and visit.  She has always been so thoughtful and caring, and truly does go out of her way to keep in touch.  I really appreciate her for that and value her friendship.  It was fun to have the beautiful kids here.  I miss my children and grandchildren so much……………………………………………..

So come and visit me and get your picture on my blog.  You will go down in history…….Thank you Billie and Kelly.

I took people on a tour today that were from Chichihua Mexico, I think I need a map to color in all of the places that people come from here in Nauvoo.

I THOUGHT I GAVE THIS UP FOR LENT!

30 YARDS OF MATERIAL, ONE IRON, ONE IRONING BOARD, ONE BOTTLE OF SPRAY STARCH, ONE TIRED MOMMA!