Christmas time in Nauvoo

Months before Christmas I began making the little Nauvoo dolls for all 10 of our Granddaughters, and of course we had to make the boys a Nauvoo jump rope. It kept us busy late into the night doing all of this, but what fun. To us it made it more like Christmas, since Christmas day is still a working site day for us. Our little granddaughters named their dolls of the Nauvoo women that were here; Emma, Mary, Sara etc. Except for Paige she named hers Linda, she said"Well, Grandma's in Nauvoo. Isn't that cute, I rank right with the saints in the 1840's.

Our "Christmas Walk" began with caroling on the balcony in the Visitor Center, music from a local choir and the lighting of the 30 foot Christmas tree. What a beautiful site. The horses and wagons took the people down into 'Old Nauvoo' and some of the sites were open with the telling of early stories of Christmas and then marvelous refreshments served at the 'Family Living Center'. E/ Williams was able to be on the wagons that night; it was a very cold night. A spiritual nativity scene in the 'Cultural Hall', with narration and song; the true meaning of Christ, and Christmas.

Our 'Rendezvous X-Cast' had our Christmas Social, we went to a little community in an old school that had been turned into a restaurant. We ate in the gym, it was decorated for Christmas and the food was quit good. Except for the no taste coconut cream pie, and the big heater was quit loud for our program. You know the typical old 1940 schools. We had a great time, fun and games and even Santa came. Our 'X-Cast' is like our family here in Nauvoo, we are with them 4 nights a week, preforming. S/Stevens, S/Dayley, S/Hill, S/Sandstrom, S/ Williams, (great Sis.)

Tin Shop and Wilford Woodruff Home

We tell of Mr. Stoddard and his family and we show how he made tin items. The tin shops were very popular, buckets, lanterns, skimming pans, tea pots, everything was made out of tin, even the 50 foot flying angel was made out of tin for the first Nauvoo Temple.

E/Williams and I did serve together one Sunday at the Wilford Woodruff home. I was so excited, we never serve together he is always at the Mission office on Sundays. We weren't very busy, he let me do all of the tours, wasn't that nice of him. The Mission office sent a couple over to talk to him about serving on a mission here, he wanted to be a teamster, right now E/Williams is looking for teamsters. When Woodruff built his home he didn't want to be cold, he put a fireplace in each room. Pres. Woodruff was quit a missionary, he loved his missions, would do what ever Joseph asked of him and was an honest man with his fellowmen, enough that after he was run out of Nauvoo he came back to fix a hole in his ceiling of his home, he wanted to leave his home in good repair.

Hard working 'Amish'

E/Williams and I were touring the country side on our "P Day" and talked to some Amish Brothern. We had been watching a new business going up, the Amish was building a motor repair store, they always had their buggies and horses tide up to the hitching posts and always 5 or 6 men working. E/Williams is getting into the buggies and horses they have and wanted to ask were he could find a man that made them. The men gave us the directions. The Amish are very nice and easy to talk to, always willing to help. We found out the man was just down the road helping put a roof on a newly wed couples house. We rounded the corner and this is what we saw. There were about 17 men on the top of that roof, it looked like an ant hill. There were also about 3 men on the ground helping to take the shingles up, remember no electrical items what so ever. (Do you think we could get that many Elders at one time to help put on a new roof?) In the yard there were a dozen or so buggies and horses. The man we wanted to talk to came running down the conveyor belt and I think as soon as he saw our pickup the prize came up on a buggy. They don't like their pictures taken, so we never have any to show you but I discretely took these out of the pickup window, I hope I was discreet. While we were there visiting with them an old hay wagon came into the yard with about 3 young boys on it. They were driving a team of big horses, had a couple of milk cans on the wagon, I guess they were delivering milk. Two very little boys were hauling wood into the house.

They live such a simple life. If anything happened to this world, they would never know, they could just keep on with their life.

Serving in the Family Living Center

The 'Family Living Center' is a place were visitors can come and see how the people in Nauvoo worked and provided for their families and homes. There are many demonstration areas. Bread is made each Monday morning in the Bustle Oven. Each visitor can have a taste of it. It is good tasting bread. I can't imagine making bread by hand and cooking in a brick oven, but there are some sisters who do a marvelous job. Where is my 'Bosch' and electric oven when I need it.

Each family can make a rope to take home with them. This 'Nativity Set' is made out of rope, and displayed at the family center. Rugs are made from the weaving looms, a missionary can have a small rug to take home if he wishes, other rugs are made for the homes and sites. The tree ornaments are little candles that are made here, each child receives a candle and the little dolls are made out of left over threads from the rugs. Also little ropes are tied together for ornaments.

Spinning is demonstrated here, this Sister brought her own spinning wheel and she spins yarn and makes her own sweaters, gloves and shawls. So many talented people. Again I would have to buy mine at the store. But I am making baby booties and baby shawls so I guess I am a little bit Nauvoo period.

Missionaries in Nauvoo

I am sorry we don't have many pictures of E/Williams, but he seems to wear this suit and stay at the mission office each day. But his days are exciting, he always hears of the call center happenings and the referral cards we receive, it is exciting when we can report of someone wanting to have the missionaries contact them. He is doing a marvelous work, he is kept very busy, there will be about 5 new missionaries coming this month, he meets them and trains them. Right now he is trying to finish the year end budget for the mission. All the missionaries love him.

S/Kathleen Hughes and myself served at the 'Sarah Granger Kimball' home together one Sunday. It was a special place for her to be where she was in the General Relief Society Presidency. This little home is where the 1st Rel. Soc. was actually started. Sarah and her seamstress decided to start making shirts for the brothern that were working on the temple. Joseph Smith said he had better things for them to do all so, and that's when he organized the Rel. Soc. I love working with S/Hughes, she is not only a marvelous women she has a great sense of humor. We have served together many times in different capacities.

When the Young Sister Missionaries come back to Nauvoo, just before their mission is complete they get to be in Rendezvous, S/Alexander was Jed and Annie's daughter in our final song of "This little town". She was a marvelous missionary. We loved her.

"Booootiful Nauvoo"

Halloween is a 'biggy' in Nauvoo; each little town around the Mississippi has a holiday they do and for some reason Nauvoo ended up with Halloween. This little town of 1,000 turns into a town of 5,000 for Halloween. The Missionaries as well as a few town people carve over 500 pumpkins and hand out 800 bags of candy.

The missionaries have the biggest popcorn maker you have ever seen, I am sure a couple of thousands bags of popcorn were given out. The missionaries are all this little town have, we keep it going. They have a parade with everyone dressed up. Of course the missionaries can either be 'Missionaries' or 'old Nauvoo period dress', it doesn't quit fit into the rest of the Halloween attire.

E/Williams was an 'outrider' for the wagon that carried the "Nauvoo Brass Band". The stores are all open and the hundreds of pumpkins line the street.

The fantastic carved pumpkins are auctioned off to have money for the next year. It is a fun time. Even our President and his wife came to help.

Along with Halloween the fall colors come they are so marvelous, better than any post card. We are so blest to be in this beautiful area at this time. You know the saints must have loved their little town.

Busy time in Old Nauvoo

S/Williams giving a Bustle oven Demonstration to Devanie. The women would hold their hands on the top brick of the oven to see if it was warm enough, if so they would clean out the fire and then hold their arm in side the oven for 15 seconds to make a better check for the oven. Then they would bake their breads, cakes, pies and crackers. The bread that is handed out each day is made in this oven, just like the saints of old. The bread is fantastic.

S/Williams is giving the candle demonstration to the VanOrden & Redford families.

E/Williams is caught in Zone Conference helping S/Ludwig. She called him up to tell of his bad habits and as she did the YP Missionaries would wrap him up in saran wrap. When it was all done he couldn't hardly walk back to his seat let alone breath. Elder Williams needs to change his bad habits. Thank goodness for a Young Sis. Missionary that had a pocket knife on her. Why is a YSM carrying a pocket knife?