Back in my happy place!

June 6, 2022

Tuesday, we started, finally, planting the gardens at Lyon Drug and Browning Gun. It was my first time back to Lyon Drug since last year and I cried and they weren't happy tears. There were so many weeds there - you could hardly get through the walkways. It made me really sad but at the same time, I know that we, the gardeners, are doing the best we can with trying to get everything done. Wednesday and Thursday, we spent the whole day weeding at Lyon Drug and I was back in my happy place! I love that garden! By the time we left, it looked so much better! I love that while we were there, three wagons drove by with the amazing horses, the Nauvoo Brass Band went by and played for us as they drove by! I could see the temple! I was almost giddy with joy and happiness! By the end of the week, the garden looked so much better and I was one happy missionary!!!

I did receive some sad news this week.  The Women of Faith vignette that I've been a part of has been postponed through the summer and will resume again in August, after I'm gone. I'm sad that I won't be able to do it again before we leave. I have loved telling the story of Relief Society and being a part of such a great vignette. I'll always be grateful to Sister Rizley for believing in me when I didn't and for encouraging me to do Women of Faith. She was with me the first time that I did Women of Faith and I'll be forever thankful for her love and faith in me.

Another sad thing this week - they took my truck away ;-(  I've had a truck assigned to me for most of my mission and they needed it for the pageants so I had to clean it out a few months earlier than I planned. I feel lost without it. I used it everyday and I miss it! Doug told me to "go with the flow" and I'm trying!

Saturday we had plans to go to Hannibal and see the sites there but some friends that were going with us had to cancel that morning but wanted to go so I decided to see what else we could do and I found a Civil War Reenactment that was taking place a few hours away so I called the Levesque's, we picked them up and headed to Pittsfield, IL. We had so much fun! It was a re-creation of civil war encampments, with all the participants in time period clothing. They had some fun little stores there - Doug bought him a hat (his head was getting sunburned) and I found a beautiful crocheted collar that I bought for my Pioneer dress and it looked great! The actual reenactment was amazing to watch! I'm so glad that I found out about it and that we were able to go. I'm so thankful for all of those who have sacrificed so much so that we have the freedoms that we do today.

The Nauvoo Performing Missionaries are back and it's so great to have them here! Their performances started Memorial Day weekend and we've been able to attend "Sunset by the Mississippi" several times. I've also attended "Songs of Zion". There are still a lot of performances that we have to get in before we leave.

We were called by President Dalton to serve as trainers for a new couple that is coming to serve here. They arrive in two weeks and we are excited and humbled to train them. 

There was so much that happened this week that I know I'm forgetting something. We are loving our time here and know that it is quickly coming to an end. I know these last two months are going to fly by and we are trying to savor every moment. 

I read this thought this week and it really touched me. I'd like to share it with you.

"The work ahead of us often feels so daunting. It's easy to focus on our own weaknesses and the roadblocks in our way.

However, the Lord invites us to focus on Him, on His power, and on our covenants with Him. He really will help us do what we could never do alone.

So face your challenges with faith in your God and faith in your covenants. Remember that He's telling you, 'We've got this!'"

I love this and I know it to be true!

I love you! Thanks for all of your love and prayers!

Lyon Drug with all the weeds ;-(

During the weeding process

Pulling weeds at Lyon Drug. I've had so many friends lately that

have posted their "feet at the beach" picture that I thought it was

only appropriate that I post my "feet in Nauvoo gardens" pic. Haha

It looks so happy now! What a difference it makes to get the weeds out!

Kind of like life - I know I have a few "weeds" that I can remove from my life!

We planted the gourd arbor! Now to keep the bunnies away!

In my happy place!!!

We had a dinner with all the missionaries that live in the condos.

Dancing on the "Sunset" stage.

Doing the bunny hop and boy, am I out of shape!!! I thought I'd die before 

the song ended. I can haul wheelbarrows full of mulch and wood chips, but

this about did me in! Haha! It was a lot of fun though!

Some of our NPMs, with one of our favorites, Elder Perkins in the blue check.

He served here last year and we are so happy that he's back this year!

The Nauvoo Brass Band

Our Nauvoo Performing Missionaries

Doug giving a pottery demonstration at the FLC

Some of the sweet YSMs we served with Sunday at the FLC.

Hermana Lael, Sisters Lambson, Freytag, and Phelps

Doug driving one of the big rigs!

We said farewell to E/S Wessman. They came out with us 

and we have loved serving with them. 

Who knew that ornamental cabbages could be so pretty!

We were coming back from Keokuk the other day and the pelicans

were having a lot of fun in the Mississippi. I wish I had a better

camera so you could see them better.

Louie was the FM Arborist and he left this week for another job.

I worked with him on the Bootiful Nauvoo Pumpkin Walk.

Louie on the left, Jordan, our FM boss, on the right.

I had over 20 pictures from the reenactment and narrowed it down to just a few.

These are all before or after the reenactment as the ones that I took

during it didn't turn out very well. It was too far away.