Burns in Nauvoo: Circle Your Wagons! Happy 24th!

July 25, 2021

When I arrived at the Lyon Drug gardens Monday morning, I had a panic attack of sorts! The gourd arbor was dying - the leaves were yellow or brown and the green leaves had a mold or fungus of some sort on them. I was heartbroken, upset and not a happy camper or gardener in this case! Everyone talks about the gourd arbor and how much they love it and I felt that I had failed everyone. After texting with Richard, he assured me that that is normal and happens every year. He told me to remove the dead leaves and things would be good. I was still feeling like I had failed when Sister Koop came to comfort and encourage me, then along came the Conservation Sisters to do some things in Lyon Drug. They walked through the arbor and loved it! They saw the beauty in it - the gourds hanging from the top and they told me how beautiful it was and that I was doing a great job with it. Then some visitors to Nauvoo came through and said basically the same thing. I had numerous people come through that day, and since, that have loved it. It got me thinking - how many times in life do I focus on the negative around me and I don't see the beauty that surrounds me? I do that a lot! In fact, I joke sometimes that I was born negative (I have a negative blood type so I was literally born negative! Haha) I am going to try really hard to see the beauty and good in each situation.

We are going outbound! President Rizley had all of the FM Missionaries come early for a special meeting Wednesday before our training. He talked to us about going outbound - attending church in the other wards and branches in the Nauvoo Stake. We were assigned, along with E/S Elia and E/S Brown, to attend the branch in Fort Madison. We attended our first meetings this morning and were asked to help in Primary. I'll be honest - I was (still am) torn about this - it's a bittersweet. I'm excited to attend a family branch and help in it but I will miss attending church with the other missionaries - the Seniors, the YSMs and the YPMs. They hold my heart and I will miss meeting with them but I know serving in the branch is where we are needed so I will serve happily! Little did I know when we attended church last week with all of them, that it would be our last. That's probably a good thing!

Our cousin, Jerry Carpenter and his children, Adam and Emily, were in town this week and we were able to spend a few minutes with them. I attended "Sunset by the Mississippi" with them. Doug had a rehearsal (details later). It was great seeing them, even if it wasn't for very long.

Saturday night we celebrated Pioneer Day with our own "Circle the Wagons" Round-Up. It was a fun night of wonderful food - smoked brisket and turkey, Dutch oven potatoes, baked beans, veggies and wonderful cobblers - they even had some that were gluten-free so I was able to have some - yumm! The entertainment was provided by several of the missionaries playing fiddle, guitars, harmonica and banjoleles. There was also singing and it was such a fun program. Elder Burns was a part of it and they had several rehearsals throughout the week for this night. It's always a great time when we all get together!

My thoughts turned to my pioneer ancestors as we celebrated their arrival in the Salt Lake Valley. I am forever grateful for their strength and courage and mostly, for their love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for those who stayed strong in the gospel, even through intense opposition and mobbing. I am blessed by their sacrifice and will cherish the time when I am able to thank them in person. When I see the Nauvoo temple, I think of them and their sacrifices. The temple was so important to them, to finish it so that they could receive the blessings of the temple before they left Nauvoo, not knowing where they would end up. One of the lines from Sunset that touches me is something like "They left Nauvoo, not knowing where they would end up. West is a direction, not a destination." I love the faith that the Saints had and I hope that I can live up to their example!