Ryan, Kallie, Braden, Avery, and Max are HERE

Braden and Avery were good friends on this trip. 

The Anna Amanda cast knew Braden, Avery, and Max by name, and talked to them every time they saw them. 

Marching to lead the band.  Grandpa dances with his partner.

 We are so glad that they could all come and see Nauvoo.  They had fun, even when playing around the house.  We hope they always have good memories and feelings when they think about visiting the missionary grandparents. 

Grandpa Greg was happy to give them a ride in the wagon.

Love those pioneer activities. 

More NOTR

Us, S/s Dransfield, Zebetti, Mitchell, and E/S Skidmore

On this trip, we went to a school about 1 1/2 hours away, and did an hour assembly,  for each of two different grades.  So, two hours of non-stop talking.  They rotated stations, so we had 10 minutes per group.  That is fun, but also exhausting!
Greg taught bricks, and ropes,

and I did cookie dough and baking.  The 4th and 5th graders had lots of fun rolling out the dough, and cutting out gingerbread cookies.  But then we let them eat one that we had already baked in Nauvoo. 

Nauvoo On The Road

Us, McKnights, S/Ripplinger, S/Coyne, Gryglas

We are the site leaders for Nauvoo on the Road, so we get to go every time there is an event scheduled, and take a new group to have the experience.  We do community events, and school assemblies.  

 Rope making is very popular, and we give the ropes away to the people who help make them.  On this day, there were 700 students in the park, rotating stations.  We had four stations: ropes, bricks, candles/baking, and pioneer games. 

Greg, Hoopes, Butlers, S/Streeter, S/Smith

This day was the Civil War Reenactment, and all day event, with food, vendors, lots of people really get into this.  We didn't realize what a big deal this is for a big portion of the country.  

We had around 700 people visit our area.

 On the way home after the second day at the park, we got stopped in the middle of the Keokuk bridge.  We watched a life-flight helicopter come in up there around the bend.  There had been an accident.  There were cars waiting as far as we could see in both directions.  We spent an hour waiting there, but I think everyone was grateful to not be in the accident. 

Cutlers Came

Sunrise behind the temple

Cutlers came by on their way from Florida to Idaho and spent a couple of days.  They didn't stay with us, but we had several meals together and they insisted on doing dishes one day.

In front of our house.

 They went on a carriage ride with Greg as he narrated.
They also took enough pictures of us that they could fill a whole album! We certainly enjoyed their cheerful company.

Waving good-bye.

Never too many pictures of the temple, right?

Narrator, with Elder Dahl driving.

We were allowed to do "Peter and Abigail" when Cutlers came, and it just so happened that Elder Choi, and the President also came that night.

Elder Choi of the Seventy, and his wife were thrilled to pose in our hats, and then insisted that we join them for a picture.  Pres. and S. Gilliland also joined  in.
They were very sweet and humble, so grateful to be able to be in Nauvoo.

Talents Abound

We had a talent/variety show performed by any senior missionaries who wanted to do anything fun. We had a good time laughing: there were some great numbers. OK, and then some not so great, but it was still fun. I don't know what possessed me, probably Keven's faith that I could still say the poem, so I did "'Jest Fore Christmas". Greg was featured on the harmonica with the old fashioned band.
On Sundays, we have a chance to serve together as couples. One of Elder Anderson's favorite stories is one he tells in the Tin Shop. He talks about the hurricane lamp, and the rough edges that protect the inner light from the wind. He relates it to parents protecting their children from any evils, even if the parents are a little rough around the edges, and always wanting the best for them.
We went to Mexican dinner one evening in Carthage with the Morgans. The are assigned to serve in Carthage for the next many months, so they live there permanently (20 miles away).
We knew them when we were here before. They had just arrived, and we got to know them. They are great people.

Spring in Nauvoo

I have already spent many days in the sewing room. It is wonderfully light, with all the tools any seamstress would need. There are even a few that I covet. Oh, except for one: I keep telling them they need a "big board". It wouldn't take much, but they haven't taken me up on the idea yet. And they play music!The tulips are nearly done now, but they have been beautiful all over the town.
On our last preparation day, we t00k the Lymans to the Dutchman's store, and also had lunch at the quaint Bonaparte Retreat. Greg likes it because they have a blue plate special every day!
It is located on the Des Moines River, a beautiful location.

Prairie Grass Fire

There is a one acre plot of prairie grass that is grown all year, then near the end of March, it is set on fire. It is a short demonstration of how fast and furious those fires were when the pioneers were settling the country. The beginning doesn't look too bad............
But it quickly became a roaring mass of very hot and high flames.
And was over very soon.

Same, but Different

Much is the same here in Nauvoo, but there are also many changes with a new mission president, and many different people. We have President Gililand and his lovely wife. They invited us to breakfast (with 10 others) to welcome us and get to know us.
My first service day was in the Browning Gun shop and home.
This lovely little quilt was there, and I want to make one like it some day. Isn't the quilting great? I guess I should have taken pictures of the guns or something. Didn't think of that.
We took a wagon ride with all the other new missionaries, and the Mississippi River is still there.

MTC Experience

Greg and I elected to stay at Kallie and Ryan's house at night while we went to the MTC in the day. It was beautiful weather, and a great experience. We learned a lot about being better missionaries, to invite, testify, promise blessings. We met someone famous (!) This is Mrs. Powell, of cinnamon roll fame, off to a mission to Japan.
And this is the group all going to Nauvoo, during the second week of training specific to visitors' sites. All of these are teamsters.....

The cafeteria was great, no cooking was like a vacation. I loved watching all the young elders and sisters ........
And then at night we could come home and play with these darling people. What great time. (I think Kallie is at Zumba)

We're BACK!!

We have been preparing to return to Nauvoo since we received our official call on Halloween day. It has been four long months, and we finally get to go. Before we left, Adrienne and Jamie and Laura and families had a pizza party for us at Adrienne's house. We spent 10 days at Kallie's house in Provo, attending the MTC. More about that later, but here is Greg moving into our new Nauvoo home.
And our first day, reporting to the Visitors' Center, meeting up with our old friends, the Morgans.