Missionaries

We had a crepe party with all the Sister Missionaries, we call them YSM's (Young Sister Missionaries). We did this with our children every Christmas morning so we thought we would do it for the sisters. We love to feed them, but this time we had all of them except the ones that were serving in Carthage. Some of them never had crepes before, they loved them. We had ice cream, all kinds of fruit and toppings, of course it was real healthy. It kept E/ Williams busy making them. Those sisters ate like our kids at home. These Young Sisters are so beautiful, both inside and out. The gospel is very important to them, they love to teach and testify of their prophets. When they are not at the visitor center they are helping us in the sites. They are kept so busy. Every place they are serving, all over Nauvoo. What a blessing they are to us old missionaries.

President and Sister Ludwig is in the middle, they love the missionaries. Sister Ludwig is like the 'energizer bunny'. E/S Edstrom are on the left, they are from Rexburg, Idaho. A great Presidency.

They were here in Old Nauvoo

During the 'Pageant' there are vignettes that are going on, "Letters of Joseph and Emma", you could see Emma & Joseph in front of the Mansion House, Lucy Mack Smith reading insights into the life of the prophet and the love that he had for his wife Emma. What love they had for one another, it was almost like they were here with us.

Brigham Young was on Parley Street, he told of the exodus as the saints left Nauvoo. Of the future they were going to have in the 'great basin', and of their strong religious conviction. The Nauvoo temple could be seen in the background. This truly was the "Trail of Hope".

Bag Pipes Harold each vignette, marvelous music, dedicated players. They told us a little about their attire, their clans and how to play a bag pipe.

The "Women of Nauvoo" took place in the Women's Gardens. What a beautiful setting, to have the organization of the Relief Society portrayed here in this immaculate garden. Emma, Maryann, Eliza, Sarah all the women of Nauvoo, shared their experiences with and love for the Relief Society.

"The Martyrdom of Joseph & Hyrum"

Joseph & Hyrum, Martyred June 27, 1844, two brothers that were strong in their religion and strong in their friendship in life and in death. "Praise to the Man that Communed With Jehovah; Honored and blessed be his ever great name; Millions shall know Brother Joseph again; Death cannot conquer the Hero again." What a privilege it was to be here for this commemoration. E/Williams was over the program at Carthage, it was a memorial to a prophet that we all love. To be just outside the jail, below the window, and to hear the homage that was paid to him both in music (the YPM singing, YPM band and the 19 Sister Missionaries with a beautiful song) and in words was a blessing with the spirit so strong. The program started at 5:14, the time that Brother John Taylor's watch stopped working.

There were over 3 hundred people at the Carthage Jail, the missionaries had to still be at there post back in Nauvoo, so only a few were able to attend. I was a blessed one because I came to support E/Williams. The 'Community of Christ' also had one at noon at the Smith cemetery in Nauvoo, with most of the LDS missionaries doing the program. We are very helpful to them, they have very little to work with and very little man power.

"The Nauvoo Band Wagon"

The Nauvoo Band Wagon goes all over the streets of Nauvoo, past the temple & up the main streets of Nauvoo, playing fabulous, fun music. They then drive down to 'Old Nauvoo" were they give concerts in the parks & Visitor Center. These Young Missionaries (3 months) are from all over, even from Bolivia. E/Williams was privileged to drive the band wagon that day with E/McGhie. The horses are Buck & Tom, they don't move a muscle when the drums go off and the cymbals clang.

We make a trip quit often to Cantrell, an Amish community were we see horse & buggies going down the road. We visit this store, "The Dutchman", were the women wear printed dresses & little white hats. They have what ever you want in this store, fabric to tools, and food. I love the food, a lot of it is in bags, with the recipes on the back, it is back to the old way of buying food, even bulk candy, which E/Williams loves.

'Home Sweet Home'

This is our home now (April 2009), past the big red barns, on a dirt road, with black Angus cattle at our back door. We have 9 ft ceilings instead of 6 ft., yeah! It is just 1/4 mile to "Inspiration Point" were Joseph road many times to ponder & pray & look at the Mississippi. We enjoy walking there, much wild life, the other night we saw a mother deer and her fawn, know wonder Joseph loved it there. The lightning flies are awesome to watch at night; what a sight for little kids, they look like hundreds of twinkling stars bouncing around the grass and trees.

'Biker Missionaries'

E/S Williams in front of the Scoville Bakery, we give out thousands of little ginger bread men monthly. On a beautiful Sunday many bikers come into Nauvoo traveling along the Mississippi River. They say when they enter the city limits they feel something different . They come with fantastic, expensive bikes, some with women, with leather & tattoo's. It is interesting visiting with them, and they are interested in what we have to say, they love the beauty & peace of the Temple. We took liberty & sat on this Harley, a lot different than a covered wagon or hand cart.

Days in Nauvoo

The Presidency served the Young Performing Missionaries (40) a grilled chicken dinner, in President Ludwig's yard. The YPM's are young people from all over the world that have come to Nauvoo to entertain with song, dance and various musical abilities, they also serve in the sites when not busy; they are fantastic. They are here for 3 months and are set-apart missionaries during that time, what a marvelous opportunity for them. This day we had a scrumptious meal for them. Until Pres. Edstrom, Elder Dean Hughes (the author of all of the 'Children of the Promise' books, him and his wife are our Public Relations), Pres. Williams and Pres. Ludwig got to grilling the chicken. Elder Hughes had a flame that was about 4 feet high and just came close to melting the roof of Pres. Ludwig's house. The YMP's got a big laugh out of that, only a few pieces of chicken were blackened.

I spend a couple of days a week in 'Tickets and Tours'; S/Trotter, S/Moffit. If you call for reservation on tickets I just might answer the phone, I would be glad to help you. So many people ask how much they are, we are glad to inform them, there is no charge, we want them to enjoy, feel the spirit that is here and no that they will feel different when they leave here.

Our P-Day was spent going to "Dickson Mounds". A Museum about mounds that were found filled with the remains of lamanite people. The DNA says they are possibly some from the B of M times. Very interesting museum, of course the museum does'nt know anything about the B of M but it all could relate back to that time.