Burns in Nauvoo: Did someone say "Spring Ahead?"

March 14, 2021

So, did anyone else not know that today we were to spring ahead? We were so excited because it was our week to attend church in person! We showed up 15 minutes early so we could visit for a few minutes before church started, only to walk in on the Sacrament being passed and church almost over. Oops! Yep, I did not know that the time changed. Now I do!

It was announced this week that the Nauvoo and British Pageants will not be held in Nauvoo this summer. While this breaks my heart and makes me sad, I also know that the spirit of Nauvoo is strong and it is still a great place to visit. We are diligently praying that the historic sites will be able to open soon. What that opening will look like is still being figured out. We talked with a family yesterday that was visiting Nauvoo over their spring break. Even though they can't go into the sites, they said they enjoyed walking the streets, feeling the spirit that is here and loved seeing the temple. They said they will now go home and watch the Zoom tours of the historic sites that they were able to walk around.

In the greenhouse this week, we continued transplanting plugs into larger pots. We also had 1600 more plugs come in this week. I found out that we grow from seed around 20,000 plants and purchase 20,000 of the small plugs. That is a lot of plants to be planted around Nauvoo and Carthage! I'm loving being a part of the garden/grounds crew! We also put up the outside shades and moved a lot of plants from the greenhouse to outside.

We had a large windstorm this week so we spent a day going around picking up all the downed tree branches. It's so fun being outside! I love working with the ground crew! Elder & Sister Elia, Sister Koop, and the full-time employees - John, Lilly, Richard, Adam, & Louie.

Elder Burns spent a lot of his week spreading gravel on the road that the wagon rides go on.

We welcomed 5, yep 5!, new couples to the mission! This is the largest group that has arrived since Covid hit. It's fun to welcome them!

Another great thing happened this week! We had our first, in person, Relief Society Meeting! We followed all the "covid precautions". We gathered in a large circle and each shared the story of a woman of faith that we love and admire. There were so many great stories. I shared about my 4th great-grandma, Prudence Fenner. Her first husband died, leaving her with two children. She then married my grandpa and had three more children. They lived in Missouri at the time that the Saints were persecuted and driven out. Their home was burned by the mobs. From what I've read, Grandpa decided that he'd had enough and they separated at that time. Grandma Prudence followed the Saints to Nauvoo, then on to Salt Lake, caring for her five children as they went. She settled in Utah and lived a long life, dying at age 95. When I think I'm going through a hard time, I know that I can make it through because I know my ancestors are rooting for me and if they made it through their hard times, I can make it through mine! I love the examples of so many women of faith. I could have picked so many to honor - my mom, grandma, aunts, cousins, sisters, friends and so many others. I am so thankful for those who have and are setting great examples for me to follow. I am truly blessed! Also, we had pie (in containers to take home to eat so masks didn't have to be removed) and Sister Law made a gluten-free one so I could also have a piece! That was so sweet of her and the pie was delicious!

I love serving here in Nauvoo and I know that Heavenly Father loves me and blesses me daily!

Much love to all!