Mark Twain

We visited the home of Mark Twain, in Hannibal, Missouri. It is right along the Mississippi, a quint little town with museums, theaters & replicas of Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, & Injun Joe. There are caves, amusement rides & a big Ferry to ride slowly down the Mississippi & at night a dinner ride can be bought. We had a great day, roaming the streets on our day off. We walked up about 200 stairs to get to a lite house, when we got to the base of the light house we realized we could have driven up, there was a parking lot on top of the hill. Good exercise, it was a lot better going down.

A cemetery, called the 'Nauvoo Burial Ground", dates back to the 1830's when the saints were here. It has all the names of the people that were buried there, as close as they could find, on a big wall inside of a hut at the entrance to the ground. We found two names of E/Williams, William Aurther VanOrden and William VanOrden. We couldn't find the graves but we are going to look some more. Very old head stones, some just rocks, it was a very quiet secluded hill top about 3 miles from town. There is a marvelous statue there with a family that had just buried their little baby. What a story this burial ground could tell.

Shane & Diana in Nauvoo

How great it is to have family in Beautiful Nauvoo. We met Shane & Diana in front of the Temple, always the best place to meet family and friends, it is the most beautiful thing you see when you come into town.

We kept them busy with visiting all the sites, the BYU Ball Room Dancers, which Diana just loved, I admit they were fantastic. Next "Sunset by the Mississippi" , and of course "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo", were E/Williams and I play Jed & Annie. Would you believe he is an old non-member cagier and I am a sweet Rel. Society Sister trying to convert him, I kind of like him. Next they went on a carriage ride with E/Williams being the narrator.

Carthage Jail and the temple was the frosting on the cake. So nice to take family to these special places. A testimony and the spirit is felt in both. Hate to always see them go.

County Fair in Illinois

Nauvoo Missionaries going to a Horse Pulling, Antique Tractor Show on Prep. Day? It was like we were back in Idaho. Women in ball caps with tank tops, men in ball caps with plaid shirts or overalls. Course it wasn't the Eastern Idaho State Fair but it was great fun.

You can just emagine how 7 couples with white shirts and ties looked sitting in the grand stands. The Elders loved it because most of them were teamsters, but a women did win the horse pulling contest.

We ate, looked at all the crazy homemade crafts (I think I gave a few of those items away about 20 years ago). Talked to a few people and saw acres and acres of old tractors, corn combines, and antique cars.

There were all kinds of old engines, one was even made for grinding corn. Course it would take up your whole kitchen to get it ground. Most of these good country families are special they believe in the Lord and the good earth and they work hard. These kind of people are easy to be around. Most of the missionaries that went with us were also from small communities, they are also good family people.

I think Elder Williams loved this day.

Missionary friends - "Sunset by the Mississippi"

We had a dinner with a few of your missionary friends, we hate to see 2 couples leaving us soon they are heading back to Canada, the Hardy's and Idaho, the Edstroms. We had a great meal at our house, thanks to everyone that helped and then went out side and took pictures by our tall, tall corn. Each of these couples have been, zone leaders or in the mission presidency at one time or another. They're so many capable, willing to serve people.

The flowers along the Mississippi are beautiful, tall lavender ones growing along side of the banks and the enormous green leave, white Lillie's growing in the water. The huge 'Plate Hibiscus' flower comes in many colors, I know now why they call it 'the plate'.

The program, "Sunset by the Mississippi", it is a hoedown, fiddle'n, toe stopping, hand clapping program. The Young Preforming Missionaries are fantastic, the fiddles, singing, band, dance, trumpets and just plain acting ability is marvelous. So talented young people and such good examples of the younger set. We have fun with them each night when we put this program on. And of course there is the 'Melodrama' with 'Dudley Do Good' (Elder Williams) and 'Snerdly Sly' (Elder Reber). They call them affectionately Pres. Dud and Pres. Sly, as they are both in the Mission Presidency now.

Missionary friends

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.