Things are happening here in Nauvoo!

June 13, 2022

I keep thinking that one of these weeks I'm going to say that nothing happened and that there is nothing to report but that's not this week!!!

Pageant!!! The Nauvoo and British Pageants are happening soon! This week at our weekly training meetings, we started learning the songs that we'll sing at the end of the British Pageant! The missionaries will join the cast on stage at the end of the pageant to sing them. It did my heart good to sing those beautiful, powerful songs again! It's been awhile and I was happy!

We received word this week that due to some medical problems, E/S Phister would be leaving the mission early. This broke our hearts! Elder Phister plays with Doug in the Nauvoo Strummers - they both play the banjolele. Sister Phister is just amazing and they will be missed. We took a temple picture to them on Friday and received big hugs in return. I know I say this with all the missionaries that leave, but they will be missed!

I'm still sad that they took my truck away but I'm handling it a lot better! Haha! I'm getting used to going in each morning and checking out a vehicle. It's definitely not as convenient but, oh well, such is life! We had a rainy day this week, so I was able to spend a day in Conservation. It was fun serving with Sister Peterson and Sister Gates as we ran errands and cleaned the Gheen home. I've been so blessed to have served in several capacities here in Nauvoo.

I think I can say that we have all of the gardens and flower beds planted! Now, we just have to mulch them all!

Friday night we had a Zone meeting and it was held at the barn. There was lots of good food, company and flies!!! After we ate, we toured the barn, learned more about the horses and how they are taken care of. It was a fun, interesting tour. Doug kept pointing out welding jobs that he had done for the teamsters. Those pictures will be on the blog. They have definitely kept him in business!

I was heading into the break room one day this week (it all runs together, I can't remember which day) and Doug caught me and asked for my phone so he could find his phone that he'd lost. He returned with his phone - totally smashed! He'd run over it with the backhoe or as our 2-year-old grandson says - the hoeback. So, thanks to the efforts of our son, Austin, Doug now has a new phone and finally has it up and running!

We have been learning my sister's arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" with six other missionaries and it's coming along nicely. I'm grateful for those who are singing with us! We were thinking of performing it our last Sunday in the mission but I'm not sure I can. I'll probably cry all through it. 

I don't say it often enough, but we are so thankful and blessed to have the children that we do! They have supported us on this mission and have sent Marco Polos often so that we can see them and watch our grandchildren grow up! I know they pray for us and we look forward to joining them again soon. These last few weeks are flying by! 

The TEMPLE! We were able to attend the temple this week! The first time in several months since it's been closed again and only recently opened back up. It was so nice to be back in it! I love the spirit that resides in the temple and the beautiful truths that are taught there. I love being in it! 

I love my Savior and I'm so grateful that I belong to His church and for the many blessings that it brings into my life!

The following and above photos are of projects that Doug has worked on.

Above, he made the manger for the hay and made the gate at the end of the feeding trough.

The horses would fill their mouths with oats, then lean over and get into the water.

The gate keeps them from getting to the water.

He had to weld a piece on the bleachers before they could fold them out.

These bleachers will be used for seating at the Pageants.

He designed and made the holders that the wagon tongues go into.

He also fixed the holder for the horseshoes and fixed the shoeing stock.

The teamsters keep him busy! 

Making cement and stands to put signs on around the sites.

I love attending the NPM Vignettes. This is "Go Ye Into All The World".

The tack for some of the four-legged missionaries.

Mulching Lyon Drug - my happy place!

Pageant stage and the temple! Pretty soon it will be full of people!

Back row - Sister Coffman, Elder Downard, Me

Front - Sister Downard, Julie, Sister Rasmussen, Sister Haynie

There is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon then 

attending the "Love of the Savior" Concert.

FM Gardner's after planting the entry gardens at the VC

At our Zone Meeting.