What missionaries do, continued!

I forgot all about the sewing room! There is a huge building that is dedicated just to sewing! There is material galore in this room, 6 surgers, 8 to 10 sewing machines, cutting counters to die for! Everything to make the sewing experience a pleasant one--and to add to it, there are actually misisonaries here who know how to use all these tools!

No! We aren't one of those knowledgable ones...but with all the new missionaries coming in, needing clothing, the Sisters in the sewing room were starting to fee the pinch. They called for reinforcements--and all the missionaries were being used at the sites--so we rolled up our sleaves and volunteered.

The fact that they let us in, shows how desperate they were for help!

I'm not particularly fond of sewing, but with all the tools and such good company, it turned out to be quite a fun day!

What DO Nauvoo Missionaries do?

I did a whole blog on what our missionaries do and my computer froze! So, this may be the reader’s digest version, since I get tired of hearing myself type!

Before we got here we heard all sorts of things about being a Nauvoo missionary—mostly that it was exactly the kind of mission everyone wanted. We also heard things like “a missionary’s Disney Land”. Or “you have to know someone to GET to go there”. We even said we must have won the mission lottery. Well, in case you think being a Nauvoo Missionary is just to give tours and wear period clothing—let me see if I can expand your vision…

Yes, our missionaries do “get” to wear pioneer clothes and give tours.

Doesn’t this look fun? It is—but picture these same Sisters in these same dresses in over 90 degree weather with 100% humidity, with people waiting in line to see their site and artifacts they have to protect from well meaning, curious hands!

And, with the tours, comes learning new skills: Making horse shoes goes with this site. Add this fire to that summer weather I mentioned—NOT for sissies!

And, weaving, is learned and taught by the Elders, along with stringing this loom—which takes several days!

This is Sister Kinini showing how to use a printing press---I haven’t learned this one yet!

Yes, they do have some fun! As Joseph said, it’s not good to keep that bow strung tight all the time!

(Does anyone know how to get the text to go NEXT to the picture, instead of beside or under it?)

“Working” in the sites—really IS work. The missionaries clean every site every day—vacuuming (if they are lucky enough to have a vacuum), sweeping, dusting, cleaning bathrooms, emptying trashes etc.One of the sites is the Lands and Records building. Missionaries are also assigned on a regular basis to this site. They help visitors find ancestors, (their property, if they had some—and any other information we have on them,) as well as doing research on everyone who ever lived or died in Nauvoo during the time the Saints were here. There are so many records and they are busy sorting, entering data, and researching, all day, every day. Some of our missionaries LOVE coming here—I would be one of those—I’ve only been there one day—for about 4 hours—but I’m aching to go back!

The men get all the “fun” jobs! Here is Elder Madsen, making bricks! They make them out of our very own Nauvoo Clay! There is so much clay here, that that is why the area was so swampy—the clay wouldn’t allow the water to soak into the ground—the good news is—there is plenty for all the bricks we are making. This winter they have made 25,000 just to get ready for this summer.

—This is a picture of the sisters making gingerbread cookies—their goal was to make 50,000 before the summer—but we ran out of room to store them—so they only did about 48,000! I actually got to help with this one day. This kitchen is located down under the visitors’ center. I loved going into the VC that first two months—it smelled SOOOO good! Some of our missionaries only work in the sites on Sundays. The other days they are working with Facilities Management. Keeping this place beautiful and in good repair takes lots of hands. Right now, over 30 of our missionaries are working 5 days a week to make Nauvoo “the beautiful”!

There are buildings for carpentry, masonry, greenhouses, a sign shop, storage rooms full of antique furniture etc., and I’m sure a lot more I haven’t explored yet!One of our carpenters made a podium for the baptistry in the temple. We have a couple, here who are artists—they do all the finish work on many projects. They can make anything seem new again.

Here is Sister Laney restoring this old bench…Isn’t she amazing?While their wives work in the sites some of our elders are Teamsters: They work with, take care of, and drive the horses.

Carthage is one of the missionaries’ favorite places to serve, even tho it means an extra half hour drive many days.

Is that ALL they do, you say? No. The above is just what they do during the day…in the evenings they are practicing for and performing in the shows here in Nauvoo!

There is a performance of Rendezvous every night except Sunday—all year long. They start in what we call ‘the green room’, down under the cultural hall—each night at 6:30 for a general practice and review of who is doing what that evening….and then…

The Performance! Many of them—

most of them, especially the men,

were pretty sure that singing and acting weren’t for them, but ALL of our missionaries perform in Rendezvous!

and as you can see, it takes a lot of grit and even some acrobatics for some of them!

The few who really do have talent are used to the max. This is Rus’ secretary, Sister Hadley. She is IN some of the shows and then plays for others. Another amazing woman!

With so many senior couples doing so much, it is nice to have a Doctor on hand! Even HE performs in Rendezvous. When do we get our turn, you ask? Our missionaries are asking the same thing, and we’re working up to it!

Hmm—don’t know how I did that, but the text went beside the picture that time!

So what do they do in their spare time? They make all these lovely humanitarian projects, sub for each other when one gets sick, watch over one another, charish one another…etc. ANDAttend the temple!

Anyone out there who STILL wants to come to Nauvoo? Put your papers in! If you don’t come here, Where ever you go, will be JUST what you wanted!

The Sights and Sounds of Old Nauvoo

I thought it would be fun to give you a sight and sound tour! What do I get to hear and see every day in Nauvoo? Well, the best of all, is of course a lot of happy, helping missionaries. They are all so willing and ready to do everything we ask. Some of you may recognize Sister Barton. (3rd from the left) The Barton's served with us in the Mesa Temple, and when we got here, they were here to greet us! The Lofgreens were also here. That made it feel a bit more like home. I love all the oldfashioned sounds--the sound of squeeking wagon wheels

Horse hooves clippity clopping on the pavement. Sounds not drowned out by traffic, honking horns, machinery, and other city noises.

Even the foggy, damp days are beautiful in Nauvoo. And the sound of the wind blowing thru the trees, or the rain on the windows, is a cozy--hot chocolate sound!

On such days, when the bell in the tower of the temple chimes, it brings memories of the past--the people, the prophet, and the sacrifice of the early saints.

I love the misty mornings--they remind me of my growing up years in the bay area.

There wasn't a lot of snow this year, but, just enough to create a winter wonderland.

And there are rivers, and streams everywhere.

There is something about the sound of running water that calms the heart and soothes the soul.

At times we could actually hear the ice cracking on the lake. When it freezes, and the re-freezes, there is no room for the growing ice--so it shoves upward and cracks onto the surface.

And then, there is the wildlife. Dear crossing our back yard, stopping to get some seeds out of our bird feeder, was a pretty regular occurance in the winter months.

And EAGLES! We have never seen so many! One trip down to Keokuk we counted over 30!

Because of our bird feeder we have seen and heard all sorts of birds. Cardinals, Blue Birds, Wood Peckers, Doves, Black birds, and a whole host of them that I can't name, because I don't know what they are! We have even had a halk lurking around --can't decide what he's after, but he has gone into the bushes by the house several times.

I love hearing the ripple of the waves against the shore--it's such a soft sound--wouldn't be heard many places--but it's one of Nauvoo's sounds. I think one of the things I love about Nauvoo is what I DON'T here: TV, Political debates, harsh, unkind words, swearing--those things just haven't been here.

The ducks and geese on the lake are numerous. They make quite a noise down there, but don't really bother us up here further. In fact, it's so quiet here, that I can hear the sound of children playing on the playground of the school about a mile up the bluff from us.

One of my favorite sights and sounds is the lights across the shore and the sound of the train whistle that comes clear accross the water--I can hear it as I lay in bed at night. I love that sound. I think it's because it reminds me of when I used to lay in bed and my grandparents' home and listen to the train going by.

Of course, I love the sunsets--and the quiet of the night. There are still noises--but they are the noises of nature: Frogs, turtles, birds, even crickets are welcome, sleepy sounds.

These pictures don't do Nauvoo justice. You'll have to come see for yourself.

There is an intangible feeling--that can't be described in sights, or sounds. As Elder Holland told us in our first interview with him, when he issued the call. "Nauvoo is where I go to heal".