NAUVOO IS OPENING!!!

This was definitely a week of high ups and low downs, quite the roller coaster ride for me!  I've struggled this week with feelings of inadequacy, feelings of not belonging, feelings of great sadness and frustration, feelings of just wanting to pack my bags and head home. I know that Satan was/is working overtime on me this week. Isn't it true that when we feel this way, something great is usually just around the corner! If we hold on, we make it through the dreary and see the sunshine!  Well folks, the sun is shining in Nauvoo and we open one week from tomorrow! May 3rd we open for live, in-person tours! After being closed to the public for over a year, we are like kids at Christmas time! We are excited!

As a mission, we are busy preparing and getting ready for the next level of "normal". We are opening but with a change in how the Historic Sites are visited. Instead of being able to go into any site when you want to, you now have to register in advance and will get a group tour (right now limited to 8) of several of the sites, called an "Experience". I'm excited for how it's going to play out and I really think that the "experience" is going to be a great change!

Friday we had a trial run where the non-site missionaries were visitors and we were to ask questions, try to see the sites, etc. It was fun and we learned a lot from it! There is still much to do and learn. As part of the opening, Elder Burns and I were asked to be on the Security and Emergency Committee. Elder Burns is writing up the Emergency Action Plan for the mission. His years of Incident Command training and work in the Emergency field is coming in handy right now. I was looking around at the missionaries during Sacrament Meeting and decided that Heavenly Father really knows what is going to happen  before it happens.  He sent the right people to Nauvoo, to be here at this time. We have an amazing Site President who has had to deal with Covid most of his time here. He has worked diligently to lead us, train us and do what is best for Nauvoo. We have video and sound experts, we have those with medical experience to help train all of us in what we need to know if there is an emergency. We have former police officers to train us in Security if needed, we have amazing site missionaries who will give amazing in-person tours, not to mention all of the sweet YSMs. Teamsters, FM, and all are ready for this day to happen! OK, I should say, ready or not, we are ready! :-)

I spent the week pulling weeds, mulching and working hard, along with Sister Koop and a few of the YSMs that were able to come and help. We even had some special visitors stop by on their morning walk and help for an hour-ish. Thanks Sisters Rizley and Bingham! I finished up most of the Orson Hyde home this week. The weeds (for now) are pulled and all the flower beds and tree rings are mulched! This is one of the four homes that have recently been refurbished/rebuilt and will be dedicated soon. I was so close to getting the mulch all done that I decided to stay and work late. Elder and Sister Elia were driving around, saw me working and stopped. Sister Elia stayed and helped me. Soon Elder Burns arrived and in a few hours, it was completed! Happy day! Like I mentioned, we had some YSMs help and on the day they mulched, they sent a thank you text that said, "We just wanted to say thank you both very MULCH for everything this morning!!" It made my day! I love our YSMs!

Another highlight this week was that my niece, Dani, came to Nauvoo for a temple sealing on her husband's side and I was able to see them! I'd never met her husband so that was fun and we also met his parents and siblings. We took them around to the Lyon Drug gardens (of course! haha), the FM  complex, the Women's Garden and up to see the horses. It was a quick visit but I'm so glad that it happened!

Saturday night we went out to dinner with the Ballards! It was so fun! We went to a restaurant in Keokuk called Hawkeyes. The food was great and the company was even better! It was a fantastic way to end the week!

Well my friends, I'm grateful for friends that let me vent to them and still love me!  I'm thankful the Savior lives and is there to comfort and help us through the trials of life! He, only, knows what we are going through and what we are feeling. He knows how to help us, when we ask Him for help. I'm thankful for my eternal companion - I love him! I'm grateful that the sun does come out again and that things can be bright again. I'm thankful for you! 

Much love and blessings,

--

Sister Burns

Elder Doug and Sister Jill Burns

975 Young Street

Nauvoo, IL 62354

Burnsinnauvoo.blogspot.com 

The flowers are so pretty!

Even the weeds are pretty in Nauvoo. Haha

My sweet, beautiful niece!

Some of the gardens at Lyon Drug. If you look close, you can see my helpers

 in the background. They did a great job helping and I'm so grateful for them!

The garden above will be planted in May. I'm excited to learn all about the 

herbs we'll be planting.

Another garden at Lyon Drug.

 

And there was much rejoicing!

This week, once again, flew by! Monday I drove the van and trailer hauling limbs from a tree that was being removed. I'm not going to lie - it's been hard seeing these large trees come down but I know, in the end, the purposes will be worth it. Also, I've learned that if there is a strong wind, the last place that you want to be is under a tree in Nauvoo! We pick up so many sticks and branches after wind storms. I am getting better at backing the trailer so that's a good thing.

We left work early Monday so we could attend the funeral of Aunt Brigitte. She was such a great example of Christ-like love. I'm sure that she is rejoicing in her reunion with her Savior, along with her husband and family that have gone before. I am so thankful for the plan of salvation, the plan of happiness. I know that through Jesus Christ, we can be with our families forever, we can once again be reunited with those who have gone before. I rejoice in knowing that I will see my parents and grandparents again and that I will meet my ancestors who I love and respect so much. I have so many questions for them! 

 

Tuesday  we were blessed to go to St. Louis and pick up a couple of returning missionaries. The YSMs go outbound for 6-months and they returned this week and will finish their missions here in Nauvoo! We are so excited to have them all back!  As we rounded the bend and they saw the Mississippi River, they were so excited and the squealing began. As we rounded the bend showing the temple they were rejoicing, holding hands in excitement and it was so fun to see their joy and happiness! When we arrived at their new home, the other YSMs were there to greet them and again, much rejoicing! It warms my heart to see the love these young women have for each other.

This week we also headed over to Carthage to remove the tulip bulbs. Our four new summer interns joined us. Many hands made light work and we had them removed pretty quickly. 

Friday we were given more assignments. I'm still in charge of the Lyon Drug and the Orson Hyde home was added to my area. I'm humbled and excited to care for these great grounds here in Nauvoo. I also attended a container gardening class that was held at the FM after work. Richard (my greenhouse/gardens boss) was doing it as a fundraiser for the Nauvoo Community Center that they are wanting to build. It was fun to help get things ready for it - cleaning the greenhouses, etc. I also made a container garden and I love it! I learned that for a proper container garden, you need a thriller (a tall center plant), filler and spiller. 

The flowers at the Women's Garden are beautiful! I took lots of pictures this week. We are supposed to get snow (I'm not rejoicing at that!) this week. Hopefully it comes and goes really fast!

Elder Burns continues to work on trailers and make boxes for multiple trailers. He's making them from scratch. The big gooseneck trailer had to have new brake shoes and he also replaced the bearings and seals. I don't see him much at work anymore since we are in separate departments now. He made some brackets for the Brigham Young home to hold the wall and keep it from falling away from the house. So, when you go to the Brigham Young home, look up to the top and see the diamond shaped metal plates. Elder Burns made those.

We both love the service we are able to offer here in Nauvoo and rejoice daily that we were called to serve here. We are continuing to pray for the sites to open soon so you can all come and visit them! 

With love and blessings to all of you!

We gave the coleus plants a haircut this week. 

This was before we started the haircuts.

Those white dots are pelicans on the log in the Mississippi. 

Shortly after this, we saw a flock of them fly away. 

It was beautiful but I couldn't get my camera out quick enough to capture it.

The above picture and others that are following 

were taken at the Women's Garden.

I miss hugs from my mom.

This is Carthage after the tulip bulb removal.

 

Elder Burns at work.

        Just a beautiful day in Nauvoo!

The container garden class. Can you find me in that picture?

This is my container garden! I kinda love it!

                              This is the Orson Hyde home that I now have accountability over.

Our sweet Aunt Brigitte. You'll be missed - thanks 

for the memories and life lessons that you taught me!

Six months! How did that happen?

Saturday was our 6 -month anniversary of being on our mission! How did that happen? Time has flown by! We are loving our mission and are so blessed to be able to serve at this time!

Also, this week my daughter Kendra and her son Clark came to visit and we had a blast! It did my heart and soul good to see them and to spend time with them! Elder Burns and I still worked everyday and attended our meetings, etc. We did take a little time off to go see the horses during the day while the Teamsters were there. Clark loved petting them and feeding them dandelions. Even with the Historic Sites closed, we saw a lot and the spirit of Nauvoo was alive and well! There will be picture overload on the blog this week! Haha

The flowers are blooming and the grounds are beautiful! I love walking the grounds! We had a few nice days amongst the rainy days that we were able to get out and do things. We walked around Historic Nauvoo, spent time at the Mississippi where Clark loved throwing sticks in it and watching them float upriver in the wind, we went to Carthage and walked around there. The "grounds" person in me had to gather the sticks and branches that were on the ground from the windstorm that had come through. Haha - I was told that I need to turn the switch off and enjoy my off time. I really didn't mind picking them up and beautifying the sacred grounds of Carthage. While we were out, we also headed to Webster (it used to be Ramus in the pioneer era) and showed Kendra her 5th great-grandma's grave site. I hope to someday find the site where they lived.

We also visited the Old Burial Grounds in Nauvoo. We have relatives buried there but most of the headstones are gone so we don't know where they are buried. I've been told that most of the saints marked the graves with wooden markers that have long since disappeared. There used to be a Memorial there that listed the names of those that were buried there but a windstorm blew a tree over that ruined it and it hasn't been rebuilt.

We also visited an area that has many ancient burial mounds. They date back to 300 BC - 500 AD. We spent time walking the grounds and talking about what wars could have happened there. In the Book of Mormon, there are wars where there were so many that died, that they piled the bodies in mounds. These could be those mounds. I'd love to learn more about them. 

One of the many highlights of the week - taking Clark on a Grandma/Clark date to Dairy Queen. He was so fun to be with. He is so smart and was not shy at all! He started talking to the lady behind him and by the end of the visit, she knew his Kindergarten teacher, that he was five and when his birthday was. He also made her promise that she would celebrate his birthday! I love that kid!

Another highlight - Maryjane Wadley, the sweetest woman you'll ever meet, came to Nauvoo this week to visit and help in the sewing room. Sister Wadley and her husband served their mission in Nauvoo and we were so excited to be able to serve with them. We were going to be in the same cast for "Sunset by the Mississippi" and then, Covid. By the time we finally made it to Nauvoo, they were already home. She helped finish my pioneer dress this week and it's beautiful! It was so good to see her and hug her. I love and admire her so much! We actually met the first year of the Nauvoo Pageant in 2005 and I have loved her ever since. We had a few years together in Pageant and many years of doing Savior of the World together. I love you Maryjane!

Elder Burns and I were called to be District Leaders this week. This will be a humbling experience but one that we are excited to fulfil. I was also asked to be on the FM Community Relations Committee. 

There are a lot of great things happening and we thank the Lord everyday for the blessing we have to be serving this mission. 

Love and blessings to all!

My cute grandson Clark and his "awesome big" ice cream cone.

Elder Burns is learning how to make miniature horseshoes that are given to others at the Blacksmith Shop. These are the first and last of the day. Can you tell which is which?

Clark saw this tree and said it made his mind scared. He named it the Halloween Tree. 

Fun with the horses! The teamsters take the horses out everyday, even though no one is here for rides. They are ready to go when we open!

At the quarry, where the rock was taken to build the temple. A replica of the Sunstone. To my knowledge, there are two original Sunstones from the original Nauvoo Temple. One is at the Smithsonian and the other is at the Visitor Center.

Joseph and Hyrum statue across from the Temple.

The teamsters are starting to put the old wagons out. 

Browning Gun and the flowers in front of it!

                              Just some pretty clouds at sunset with the Mississippi in the background.

We have a family tradition of walking the Trail of Hope each time we leave Nauvoo. Kendra and Clark went to do that as they were leaving, only to find that it was totally flooded. We've had so much rain!

So much beauty and cuteness all around!

Change this to a dump trailer and that's me! Haha! I am getting better though.

This is a statue at the Old Burial Grounds just off of Parley Street. Such a sacred, beautiful place.

Pictures taken at the ancient burial mounds by Nauvoo.

Some of the mounds.

Grandpa and grandson, enjoying time together.

                                  The flowers at Carthage on a rainy day. They are so pretty!

What little boy doesn't like the water?

The Mississippi at the bottom of Parley Street.

Slow down, time!

So much beauty around Nauvoo!