ALL WORK NO MORE PRACTICE!

So today was our last official practice!  From now on they just throw us in the shows, hopefully on the back row. We however got to go see “Sunset By The Mississippi,” for their dress rehearsal.  There are still a few kinks to work out but over all it is very cute.  These are the young kids from the universities and us old folk! 

Some video, but the sound isn’t that good.  We will have to re-record again:


Yep, that will be me up there dancing with the young boys, just you wait.  It is the Clarinet Polka.

Devil Went Down To Georgia, and boy can they fiddle!

This brass band ride a wagon and plays on the streets of Nauvoo for the summer.

I will be singing in this number “Away With Rum,” a prohibition diddy.

Your dad in his new working clothes with his new ride!!!
So today I started working in the Scovill Bakery.  I worked with a woman that was rather hard for me to relate to and that means that my six hour shift can be rather longggggg.  But I go back to Brigham Young tomorrow.

These are the bustle ovens.  Named because they stick out behind the house like a woman’s bustle and keep the houses from heating up so hot.  They soak the wooden doors in water and that way they don’t burn but allow your goodies to bake.  This is a butter churn and a paddle to retrieve your baked goodies. 

This is a butter mold.  Notice the cow motif!!

Bread slicer, with a very sharp blade I might add.

This is a six cup measuring spoon for flour and a sugar auger.  Sugar came in huge chunks and they used the auger to help granulate it.

Fireplace where most of the cooking was done.

Cookie cutters made in the Nauvoo Tin Shop.

Spices sold by the weight.

Guess what each one of these things are used for?  A quiz at the end of the tour.

Lucious Scovill was sent to England on a mission and he had taken a drawing of the temple.  He had 1800 of these plates made. They have the names of the twelve apostles at that time on them.  Only 12 of them have been found, one happens to be in the bakery. Don’t touch!!!! If you run across something like this in a garage sale…..GRAB IT!
Well, I am exhausted once again.  We don’t get home until after 8 PM and next week I guess there will be six shows a week that we are expected to be in.  I should loose weight but who wants to take bets on that?

You Want Me To Do What?

Okay, so we started this morning at 7:30 AM with a Missionary Meeting at the Visitors Center.  Susan Easton Black was the speaker.  As you all know she is one of the church’s great historians on the Nauvoo area and other church history.
She talked for 50 minutes without taking a breath and not looking at any notes.  Dates, places, names, just rolled off her tongue.  She talked about this area basically being uninhabitable and designated as Half-Breed land.  Land given to settlers that had mixed Indian and white heritage.  So no one wanted it.  It was originally populated by a man who named it Venus and was trying to establish a community, but swamp fever , malaria, or bad air drove people out.  Too many were dying.  That’s why they built two story houses to escape the bad air.
So when Joseph was looking for land after being driven out of Missouri, no one else wanted this land.  I thought that it was interesting that both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas voted to give Joseph a charter to establish a city.  So many other wonderful facts that I didn’t know.  But she said one of the reasons that people finished the temple and left their homes and city in such an immaculate state was because it was their tribute to the “City of Joseph.”
Leroy Kimball, a cousin of Spencer W. Kimball, descendants of Heber C Kimball, came back in 1950 and bought his great-great grandfathers home here.  11,000 people had knocked on his door and so he decided to try and restore the John Taylor home and the Wilford Woodruff home. They happened to have a rich friend Willard Marriott whom they went to for help.  Spencer W. Kimball was supposed to have dedicated each site they completed, but we know that he became involved with the Lamanite program and then became the prophet.  So he sent Gordon B. Hinckley to dedicate in his stead and then he saw to it that the temple was rebuilt.  The theme here is to always remember the spirit of Joseph.  She says this is my time in Nauvoo, relish every minute.

Today I happened after the meeting and singing practice again, to work my six hour shift in the Brigham Young Home.  This is the above ground root cellar that you are looking at.  Anyway, the mission president’s counselor’s wife was my partner.  She took a tour through and I followed her hanging on every word.  I thought I would get a couple of days like this but oh no.  Next tour she said, “This one is yours!” No, it can’t be, I need more training, just listen to the Spirit and you’ll be fine.  They don’t listen to whining here.  So off I went and did four more tours that afternoon.  I actually really enjoy working with the people, though no one has harassed me yet.

Last night after the show, our friends the Openshaws invited us to their house for ice cream.  Of course, we have an hour, why not.  So we walked down to their palatial home.

Elder Openshaw was in charge of the big performing group at the University of Utah, we won’t hold that against him.  He plays the piano like I have never heard.  Jeanne is my buddy.

Our cross street!  ‘BELIEVE IT OR NOT!”


Our street on the way to the Openshaw’s. We saw deer right here.

SOOOOOOO TIRED.  I HAVE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN THE MORNING.  NIGHT AND LOVE EVERYONE!

Just A Regular Day in Nauvoo

Sister Barton, one of our song leaders and the producer of “Sunset on the Mississippi.” we actually learned some dance steps this morning.  Then we practice with Sister Young for “Rendezvous.”  They are pushing us really hard and I am getting everything all messed up in my head.  I go to sleep singing, wake up in the middle of the night singing, every waking moment and you know how awful I sing!!!  Think about it!

This is the new stage being built for the pageant cast.  There are 40 BYU performing young people here.  I guess there were 500 tapes sent in for review and out of that they picked 40 very talented young kids. 

After singing practice we got to go on the wagon ride!  I loved it.  The man on the left is in the mission presidency.  Everyone has a job.  They took us all around the streets of Nauvoo.  It is so beautiful out here right now.  Not to hot.  Not to crowded.  All of that is supposed to change this weekend.


These horses are beautiful. This one was my favorite, I wonder why?  I did say beautiful Mike.

Some of the beautiful scenes around Nauvoo.  Open fields like this all through town.


Downtown, Gunsmith.

The Groves where outdoor meetings were held in Old Nauvoo.

This is what the land looked like when the Saints came to Nauvoo.  Usually it was the women and children who had to clear the land.



Beautiful trees everywhere……

Don’t you think these will be so flattering?


Well, I have a meeting at 7:30 in the morning and then will be working in the Brigham Young Home after singing practice. Then back to Rendevouz !  I’m exhausted already and I am not even doing half of what will be required here pretty soon. 

THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING!

I was so worried about today it has literally made me sick.  I am so outside my comfort zone, but I guess there is a first time for everything!

I started out my morning by welcoming Jill Bassett Franklin at 8:00AM this morning.  We have been trying to connect, but she has been in Houston.  She is one of my dear friends from my high school and college years.Her family was so wonderful to mine.  I can close my eyes and see her mother, Janice, telling my mom just to get on with it.  She was the rock for my mom when we moved to Kansas City, having been brand new in the church.  I credit the Bassetts’ with keeping us active.  So I have always loved she and Jann, her sister.  Now we are serving together, can you believe God’s tender mercies?

Then after INTENSE prayer, Richard and I were on our way to “try-outs,": so something I would never have chosen.  There are two musical plays that are given here everyday.  One is called “Rendevouz,” in the Cultural Hall.  It is a 50 minute presentation with songs and acting.  It really is a great show, and we are going to be seeing it every night this week.  The other one is called :”Sunset By The Mississippi,” I think I mentioned it last night.  It is a variety show.  We were the only couple asked today if we liked to dance.  That has me a little spooked. So your dad and I were so terrified that we asked to go second, just to get it over with.  We had polished our little rendition of “Popcorn Popping,” including actions I might add.  Well, there is no way that you can get a visual! Then we were asked to read the lead parts, which we did………..We get assigned to one of three casts tomorrow. I will keep you informed.  But we stay with that cast our entire stay.  Supposedly, they are the people you get pretty close to. Anyway, I don’t have to do that again.

Met with the mission president and he asked me what was wrong, I was too quiet.  I just told him I know when to be still.  After my ride with him yesterday, I am going to lay low for awhile.
Then on to meet Richard’s new bosses.  He now has his official cap and all of his shirts are being monogrammed. 

Then on to the sewing room.  I have picked out a “lovely,” costume and apron as a loaner until mine gets made.  Richard is having a vest made and has gotten some shirts and a vest for performances

Actual clothing from that era. Man they were tiny!

……..Then back to Wally World to pick up my last prescription.  I guess I have experienced a little bit of disdain today.  We have to always wear our name tags.  Some people are nice, some not so much.  An older lady whom I was trying to be polite too, snubbed me and gave me a very terse comment So I had to have a Sonic, just to pump myself back up.  “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming….”

I have also cooked our first hot meal today.  We actually had an hour and so, you are right, spaghetti it was.  I was tired of eating in the MTC and I actually just have to turn around to reach the stove or sink..  Anyway it tasted good. 

JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING. JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Overwhelmed…..Underqualified!

Tonight I am looking for a bus or train out of here!  This is only our third day and it has been hard.  I am homesick and so overwhelmed that I don’t know which way to turn.

We started out our morning by being at the church at 7:30 AM!!!! Who does that?  Then we went to Relief Society in the visitor’s center, after which we went to singing practice for an hour and a half!  Try-outs are tomorrow and I don’t want to even try out!  Your dad and I have to sing a song together and that is something neither one of us are comfortable with! I guess we will pick Popcorn Popping!  Then they will assign us to one of three casts. So much music to learn and then who knows if your dad will get a speaking part! Go out on you tube and find Celtic Thunder.  Find the song “All God’s Creatures Got A Place In The Choir.”  Here is the link:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-8BaxOeTek

Finally a church song with a little rhythm!! It is one of the songs that we will be singing.  There are 60 young missionaries, performing, that will be doing the bulk of Sunset On The Mississippi, but some of the great songs are, “Mississippi Mud, Mosquito Song, When The Saints Go Marching In, Frog Kissin, Clarinet Polka, The Devil Went Down To Georgia, Away With Rum, and Come, Come Ye Saints.”

Today after singing practice we had to go to Carthage Jail.  There are a few sisters who want to be my friend and this single sister grabbed me and said I had to ride with her.  Guess what car we were in ????  Oh that’s right, the Mission President’s car.  Well this woman and I really like each other and we were laughing, I noticed he kept looking at me.  I  told him my niece said I would be the first senior missionary sent home.  He told me not to worry, he had already sent some home!  ( Two horses who thought they were race horses instead of draft horses! They got sold to the Amish.

Then tonight we had a district supper meeting. The house was right by the river. So beautiful.  The man Brother Dahl was 6’7” and is one of the team leaders for the horses.  He is also a silversmith and makes some of the most beautiful bits and bridals ever. Here in Nauvoo you can ride on a wagon pulled by horses, or in one pulled by two oxen.  There is also a Nauvoo Brass band that goes all through the town playing all day in the summer. 

View from their front yard.

View at night, see all of the little gnats in the picture.  Can you imagine how hard it was on the pioneers in this little swamp, gnats, mosquitoes, mayflys???

Geese fly over by the flocks.  we are seeing right now lots of little babies following their mothers.  I will see if I can get a picture of them.  Also I have seen big old raccoons with huge rings on their tails walking around.  They cause a lot of problems with the trash cans.  I also saw a huge turtle on the road Taryn, he was walking with his tail straight out behind him and his neck sticking out. I need to ask Jamey what that means. 

We were driving home tonight and there were five little deer like this just running around in the fields.

Thank you for all of your prayers!  I surely need them, I am homesick right now.  But I am still trying to do my best and do what the Lord has called me to do.  I love you all…..