A Mission is like being at home

Yes we planted a garden, if you call a garden 1 cucumber and 2 tomato plants between our house and the side walk. But it was different than at home, we only watered it once to help it come up and we are still getting great tomatoes and cuces off our little garden. We eat them each day and share with the missionaries. We've got about a bushel of tomatoes and I bet a bushel of cucumbers, they just keep coming. All the rain does make the weeds grow also, so that keeps me busy in my little garden.

My favorite place to be is the sewing room. We have 7 sewing machines, 4 sergers and 2 cutting tables about 8 feet long, all kinds of thread, lace, and material. And the best thing of all is the fun, great sisters that serve in there. We have such a great time, we talk laugh and just help and encourage one another. There is probably about 20 sisters that rotate in and out of the sewing room. We go to serve at the sites (homes, buildings, tickets the Nauvoo Visitor Center etc.) and then serve in the sewing room a couple of days a week if we are lucky. It is fun making the show dresses, site dress, vest, and slips and hats for everyone. I didn't ever think I would sew on a mission, but I didn't ever think I would sing, dance or play the ukulele either. We do bear our testimonies each day, so that is great. See I told you this mission was like being at home, I still have a garden and I still sew.

A view of Abe Lincoln

Springfield,Illinois is so close to us we thought we would visit the home of Abraham Lincoln on our Prep Day with E/S VanDam. What an exciting museum. We learned of the hard ship he went through to discontinue slavery. Individuals regarded their slaves as personal property and not people. During his Presidency he went through a time of sorrow with his children and wife.

Though he grew up in a log cabin he is one of our most noted presidents, a president for all people.

President Lincoln was 6ft. 3in., noted for his height, E/Williams has him beet by 2 inches. E/Williams is noted in Nauvoo for being the tallest missionary. They always make a comment about how tall he is. (And I might add, good looking)

We went to his home, a very nice home in a quiet part of town. It was very colorful inside. The more colors you had in your carpet and wall paper the richer you were. I would just as soon be a little poor. As you note the wall paper is a berry tone, with bright green drapes, what you can't see is that the big wall paper boarder is a pumpkin orange design. A lot of big patterns and colors, no wonder he and Mary had a few problems.

We had a marvelous day learning about one of our great Presidents. It made us thankful for our country and thankful for our freedom of religion.

Ypm & S/Davis leave Nauvoo

The Young Performing Missionaries have been in Nauvoo for 3 months, they have made their mark in Nauvoo, with performing in "High Hopes and River Boats", "Anna Amanda", and in "Sunset by the Mississippi" with us 'Old Senior Missionaries'.

This is the short and tall of the YPM's. Sister Benetz (waiting for a missionary and Elder Keeler (a returned missionary) Very talented and energetic young people and with such a testimony. This is the morning they were getting on the bus to return home.

The Band has been up and down the streets of Nauvoo and playing for everyone to enjoy.

These are some of the band sisters that came into the sewing room to get their costumes done.

We are going to miss them greatly, they make us feel about 19 again.

That is Sisters Pat Davis's remarks to us when she wants us to work harder in the shows, "Think 19". She is almost 80 and she does think like 19. The mission had a big 'Sociable, going away night' for her. We had a grand table with so many cookies, these are just some of them that were waiting down in the kitchen to be taken up.

Nights after 'Sunset by the Mississippi' when it has been so hot performing on the out door stage we go over to Annie's Custard, they have the best ice cream in town, and visit with some of our 'X-cast' missionaries. The Hardy's and Beahmer's from Canada, Van Dam's and Toon's from Utah. Such great people.