Accidents!

We've had a rash of accidents within the senior missionary core in the last several weeks.  It began with Elder Flanders riding his bike on Mulholland.  Not going very fast.  A dog, on a leash, ran out in front of his bike and he ended up either hitting the dog or his brakes or both and flying head over heels and landing on the road on his back.  He broke 7 ribs in his back, 4 in the front as well as fracturing his sternum.  He spent a week in the hospital in Iowa City.  It was mostly precautionary (in Iowa City) as they were concerned about one of the ribs puncturing a lung.  Then again, he needed respiratory therapy as well as physical therapy.  They also needed to manage his pain.  Three weeks, (or is it four) later he is up and around and doing rather well.  He went back for a check up today.

The day that we were rear-ended last Friday was a doozy.  Not only did were we victims of an auto accident, but Sister Julander crashed on her bike.  She was riding on Main street and turning onto Young street when her chain jumped off and locked up the bike.  She was thrown off.  She injured her leg in some manner.  I haven't seen her so I don't know how she is doing.

That same day, we got word that Sister Simmons who just left had some sort of an episode that they thought was a stroke.  It wasn't.  She lost her memory for five hours!!  Things were coming back to her and further tests were being taken and I have not heard what the diagnosis was.

Today, I saw Bryan run into the break room and fill a small cooler with ice and run out.  I thought, "Someone has cut off an appendage in the carpentry shop."  I was right.  Elder Porter came running and announced that Elder Brown had just cut off a finger or two!  Yikes!  I know the saws in the carpentry shop are dangerous and everyone needs to be hyper vigilant while working there.  It takes only a moment to get injured.

The list of people to pray for healing is growing.  I hope soon I won't have to add more names to that list.

My thoughts go back to April and a meeting we had with Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  He concluded his message with an Apostolic Blessing.  He said, “In conclusion I leave my apostolic blessing with you of protection for you as you serve and upon your families. Your families will be blessed more than if you were with them. Miracles will happen. You will sense His joy in your service.”

Yes, there have been accidents but no one lost their life.  There has been unbelievable health among the missionaries and for the most part, we have been protected as everything could have been so much worse!

Doors

Tom and I had a project today.  These doors are for entering the basement from the outside.  They are called "Bulkheads".  Although Elder Julander calls them Bombay doors.  I don't know why.  

We had a service request way back in the early spring to paint these doors.  Jared looked at them and thought that the weathered look was the way to go.  There must have been something attached to it on the south side as there was a strip of unpainted wood.  Now that it is visible, the doors get painted.

Tom swept off the doors yesterday to get all the sand and leaves off.  I wiped them down this morning with lacquer thinner.  Then we went to work.  It didn't take very long and we saw some great progress.

In the end, they look marvelous!  Tom has really improved on his painting.  His biggest problem at this point is that he doesn't use enough paint.  But the strokes are going in the correct direction and he's fairly careful.  He says his favorite job here is painting.  His favorite missionary?  Sister Odum!  She takes him to get the mail sometimes.  She says she really enjoys him.
The thing that I've been really surprised about is how many of the senior missionaries take the time and go out of their way to say hello to him and talk to him.  Today is way Elder Booth and Elder Massey.  He asked today when he would get to come back here.  I really don't know.  I do know that he feels the sacredness of this place and the love of so many special people.  I'm glad he loves it here.

Adam-ondi-Ahman

On Saturday we had a group of missionaries from Nauvoo travel to Adam-ondi-Ahman.  This is not a place where people get tours.  Elder Mecham had contact with one of the missionaries who invited us to come and get a personalized tour.

Those who attended: Pleshek, Bailie, Warner, Munoa, Avey, Nash, Allen, Odum, Poll, Bowman, Quirl, Walker, Sister Elia, Barney, Robertson, Booth, Lancaster, Dixon, Mecham, Cochran, Jensen, Brown and Stapley

We did a lot of walking and it was hot and humid so we were all very sweaty and gross.

There are places on the trails where there are markers of where things used to be.  Each one is a square on the ground and have a orange stick marking it.

Just a shot of the line of people walking through this sacred ground.

There are two very old trees here that are believed to have been here when the saints lived here.

A well from the 1830's.

There are a few sycamore trees that are just stumps with new trees growing out of them.  These stumps are believed to have been here while the saints were here as well.

The pecan grove.

The pecan grove.  It is a natural amphitheater.

This spot is where Adam built his alter when he left the garden of Eden.  The Nephites built an alter here in the same place.  There were remnants here when the Saints came here in the 1830's.

This is the overlook into the valley below the alter.

This is "Preacher's Rock" where a person can stand and talk in a normal voice and be heard in the natural amphitheater in the pecan grove below.

My companion standing on Preacher's Rock while I am in the pecan grove.

He was pulling up the music on his phone so he could sing Adam-ondi-Ahman.  I couldn't hear the music very well, but I could hear every word he sang.  As long as we were quiet, we could hear whatever was being said from the rock.

As I listened to Elder Wilcock tell us about what happened here in this sacred place, I was not aware of all of it.  I didn't recall that prior to Adam's death he called his posterity together in this place.  While that happened, the Savior appeared!  Why didn't I remember that?  I once again felt so blessed to be able to walk in a place where the Savior has appeared to man.  The Spirit was very strong in this place.  I imagine the Savior standing on this rock and addressing the people. 

This is an original foundation from one of the early homes here built by the Saints.

In this field is the temple site for the "Garden" temple which will be built one day.  I never thought about there being a temple site here.  But why wouldn't there be?  Everywhere the saints went, they had a temple site whether it was built or not.

I don't recall the significance of this rock.  Too much information overload.

The Grand River is in the background.

This ledge was a place where the early brethren may have had a sacrament meeting (s).

It was a long day of travel.  Seven hours total.  A delightful picnic with the Polls and Bailies.  How blessed we are to be here in this historic site mission at this time with these wonderful people!  My life will forever be changed and filled!

No YPMs

This photo was taken last year.  They are the worn out shoes from some of our YPMs.  This summer is so different than the normal summer in Nauvoo.  No shows, no pageant, no singing, no buses, no youth groups, no in person tours, no pioneer pastimes, no Nauvoo on the Road.  But, there is also no "non-friends of the church."

I feel bad for the couples that came here after us and never had the opportunity to be in the Sunset show or see/be in the pageants and will leave before next summer.  I miss the busyness of Nauvoo but it is really nice that it's quiet and we are getting things done without people in the way.
I'm so grateful that we had last summer!  Back when things were "normal."

Tom the Painter

Tom has been working with me for two weeks straight in the paint shop.

He loves painting.  He helps sand the boards first.  I check his work when he's finished to make sure he's got enough paint and things are going in the right direction.  Jared gave him some direction and he followed.  He painted the new facia boards for the Heber C. Kimball porch.

He's a happy painter!

Backyard Visitors

Each morning I look out the window and see deer.  The does are bringing their fawns out of the woods.  I think there are two sets of twins these days.

They also come out in the evening.  Each time I look, they may or may not be close by but they are always out there.  At times just one but sometimes up to seven or eights.

As long as they stay off of the road, I'm a happy camper.

Walking With Tom

Tom and I went for a walk last week and I took him to Lyon Drug to the gourd tunnel.

All types of gourds are growing.

He was impressed.  I'm amazed at how fast he walks these days.  Sammi had him walking a lot before he came here.  Now we have a treadmill in the garage and a place to put it since our car isn't there anymore.  I'm hoping he will get out there in the mornings before work.  He gets up early enough to do it.

I’m a Painter

When I joined the paint crew I decided to wear my name tag that the name was already wearing off.  Elder Mensel told me that I wasn't official until my tag was full of paint.  

I had cleaned off a bit of it a month or two ago but working with Jared and a sprayer on the Hyde barn took care of any clean space on my tag.  I love working in the paint shop.  I think it took awhile for the powers that be to figure out what to do with me.  In the end, I put myself on the paint crew.  This is where I belong!

Pioneer Day Ice Cream

On Pioneer Day, the employees for the FM group do not work.  We, as missionaries still work.  My dear husband decided that we should use our ice cream makers and have a shorter day.

In the paint shop, we got all caught up with everything that was in there.  By 10:30 we didn't have anything else to do so I went to wash my truck.

Sisters Poll, Porter and Massey made the ice cream.  Three flavors included raspberry, chocolate and strawberry banana.  I'm usually not a fan of chocolate, but this was very good.  I thought I would like the raspberry best, but the actual berries were frozen and that was weird.

Everyone except Elder and Sister Elia came.  The Flanders came over and had ice cream with us.  It was so good to see Elder Flanders up and around.  He's doing so great.  It was a good day in that newly painted break room.

Protection

Each morning in our prayers and in my personal prayers I specifically ask for protection.  I'm a glass half full type of person and so as I describe what happened it will become evident.  

We had an earlier than usual work day today and with a 4pm dinner with the other seniors, we decided we needed to go get some groceries as we have plans for all day tomorrow.

The river road along the Mississippi is beautiful with it's winding corners.  There is a bridge that will be replaced soon and the work has already begun so we are down to one lane in that area.  There are signs posted about the construction as well as a flagman sign.  We came up to that area and pulled behind a semi waiting for the "slow" sign to turn.  

My dear husband had a thought, feeling, prompting to look in the rear view mirror.  He did so and suddenly he was trying to, I thought, drive around the semi when suddenly there was a huge BANG and smoke began filling our cabin.  I knew with the jarring that I took that we had been rear ended.  

We just got this car purchased in maybe November and we haven't driven it until three weeks ago when Andrew drove it down to us.  The brakes were having an issue so it was in the shop over the weekend and we just got it back on Tuesday.  $900+ later, it was running great!

This guy hit us.  It doesn't appear that he has a ton of body damage to his vehicle although I'm sure his engine isn't doing too well.  Here are where the blessings of protection come in.  If Pat had ignored his feeling, we would have been pushed into the trailer of that semi and we surely would have been severely injured or even killed.  Seat belts saved us from injury today, but they would not save us from a steel back side of a trailer.  If we had not been there, this guy would have hit that trailer and killed himself.  If we didn't have the Cruze, our truck would now be a disaster and we would not have a vehicle to drive.

The first people we called were the Bailies.  I knew they would come get us and take us home.  How blessed we are to have them as our dear, dear friends.  I know I could have called many others, but they were one of the first people that popped into my mind.  

I pray for protection.  Even though I have some stiff muscles in my shoulder and neck, I am uninjured.  We all are.  Tom thought that sitting in the back of the ambulance to have his vitals taken was so much fun!  It was nice to see familiar faces in Kendall Gallaher and Bob Glass.  The Lord watches out for us and helps us.  All we have to do is listen to that still, small voice.  Heed the thoughts that come into our minds.  Live so that the Spirit's voice can be heard and recognized.  

Mantle Graining

I have a husband who is always thinking about what he could do with things to make a statement.  Last week, he was told to dispose of two mantles that had been sitting outside all winter, spring and up until now.  They had been taken our of the William Weeks addition.  The addition to that home has been removed and thus so were the mantles.  

Remember that photo of our yard art posted a little while back?  Well, this mantle needed to be faux grained so it can be a backdrop to the stone and geode piece.

Since I worked all winter with Jared and learned how to faux grain a piece of wood, I was commissioned by my companion to faux grain this mantle.  I know what to do and how to make it look great.  I felt a bit rushed as my sweetie would tell me it was just how he wanted it and not to touch it anymore. 

In the end, it looks alright considering it will be outdoors.  The grain is finished and not to my specifications, but it will do.  It still needs one more coat of a clear color and then some varnish or some other finish that will protect it.  We really will need a trailer to get all our stuff home!

Tractors

On Friday we saw a lot of tractors driving through the streets of Fort Madison.  We determined it had to be some kind of a "ride" as many of them had on the same t-shirt.  As we were headed to the compound on Saturday morning, we saw a lot of the same tractors turning into the Nauvoo state park.

We, of course, stopped to check things out and my husband had to find someone to ask what this was all about.  This is their 19th or 20th year doing this ride.  There are people who come from miles away to participate in the ride.  Many of them are alone, but there are a great many others who have a co-rider.

I love the side by side seat on this tractor.  Even more than that, I think the canopy is a necessity.

This one has a bit more area covered with canopy but also has a lot more area to sit.  No crowding on this tractor.

We have one similar to this at home but there is no double seat, no canopy, no great paint job.

Whomever drives this one determined he needed a little more cush in his suspension.  There were so many tractors and there are three divisions depending on how fast your machine can go.  This group are the fastest at 16mph.

Back to Hannibal

We started going back to church in Hannibal last Sunday.  We travel an hour and 15 minutes to the branch building for a 45 minute sacrament meeting.  It's good though.  I've missed those people.  They need me as no one else plays the organ.  It is always good to be needed.

We are to all use only one entrance to the building.  There is hand sanitizer and masks available as soon as you enter.  We are asked not to use the restrooms as they need to be sanitized between uses.  Therefore, here is what is on the outside of the restroom doors.  

Who decides what an emergency really is???

Brigham Young

Here is my Brigham Young.

Hopefully we will open soon so this guy can get out on the Trail of Hope.  I know there are a lot of our "actors" who want to perform.  When I attended last week the spirit was very strong and I was really touched.  It was amazing!

Trail of Hope

There is so little happening in Nauvoo this summer.  No pageant, no Sunset by the Mississippi, no YPMs or the shows that go with them.  It's really kind of sad.  

But, there is the possibility of the Trail of Hope happening once we have a soft opening.  

There are three casts.  These people are part of the yellow cast.

I've heard many of these stories before and I've always enjoyed them.  It was fun to see non-professionals portray these people.

Some of these sisters are very animated.

It was so fun to see their faces light up as they became someone else.

Sister Chipesvu was Jane Manning as she is the only person here with the correct skin tone.  She is on every cast.

The Warners were so cute as Bathsheba and George A. Smith.  She can never get through her dialog without a tear. 

Some spoke, some sang, all were wonderful!

We had some amazing music to set the tone before we began walking the trail.

At the beginning and the end we had a young sister as herself giving a dialog.

I love Sister Riddle.  She did an amazing job.  

As I began I could feel the spirit so strongly.  It dwelt with me the entire time.  I love those early saints and how much they sacrificed and how strong their testimonies were!

There were two others who performed.  One was Elder Jensen who was so cute and funny.  The other was my companion as Brigham Young.  He was commanding!  I hope they get to perform it for visitors.