Assignments

On Monday, June 10th, we arrived in Nauvoo, met with our mission president and a few other people to get much needed information.  We also received the keys to our condo.  What a nice place!  We are the first people to live in this newly remodeled place. It is spacious and beautiful!  In the evening, we had dinner with our district leaders the Nelsons.  They are wonderful!

On Tuesday we met with Jordan, our FM manager; Markus, the assistant manager and Richard who is our grounds man.  We were interviewed and asked about our skills.  Afterward we were given a tour of the greenhouses with Richard and then with Markus of all the buildings.  Wow is there a lot of buildings and equipment!  The FM missionaries are asked to work six hours a day except on Saturday and Sunday.  We even work on holidays without the paid employees.

This morning we had a mission training with President Lusvardi.  The Bailies came to the mission with us on Monday and each couple was asked to introduce themselves.  We learned prior to this meeting that briefly introducing yourself by President's standard is giving us each maybe a minute.  I think we each took 20 seconds.  In our training we learned some of the backstory on the British pageant.  President gave a shout out to the City of Joseph and explained where the stage was and how it looked.  That warmed my heart.  I thought, "Someone important remembers!"

After the training we went to the FM office and Markus and Richard gave us our assignments.  This usually takes several days to receive but apparently we are just in time to replace a couple of people.  Pat will be the new handyman.  Elder Nelson is currently the handyman and will be leaving at the end of July so Pat spent the morning with him learning the ropes.  Pat says he gets to see places that others will never see.  He was in the basement of the Browning gun shop and also in the attic of the Heber C. Kimball home.

I was given the assignment to work with the sisters who maintain the grounds.  There were four of them and now with Sister Bailie and I there are six.  However, Sisters Nelson and Christensen will be leaving at the end of July so we are their replacements.  Usually Jordan gives out these assignments but he is on his way to Salt Lake City for meetings so Markus and Richard did it instead.  Markus bore witness that the Lord provides just the people they need when they need them. I will be planting, weeding, picking up sticks, whatever it takes to make this place truly beautiful.   I have no doubt that this is where the Lord needs us at this time.  Even though we applied for this particular mission, it is where we are supposed to be.

I found this little guy on my way into the compound. Actually I've see a couple of these on a couple of different days.  This little snail reminded me of a cartoon snail with his shell on his back.  He's probably no bigger than my little fingernail.

We were also assigned to the Red cast for Sunset By the Mississippi.  Since we got here too late, we weren't expected to learn the songs and dances for the show.  Well, the Jensens are leaving in July so we will have the opportunity to replace them.  We will be seeing the show a lot and also going early to be taught by Sister Whiting.

This is a great place!  We are excited to be here with all these other missionaries. I never thought that at 58 and 56 years of age we would be serving a senior mission.  The Lord does work in a miraculous way!