Wednesday, May 31, 2017 – Zone Meeting, Carthage Soaker Hose & Mulch, Tyler Cantwell, Hotel Nauvoo Buffet

Our regular Wednesday morning training meeting was held on a Zone level. Our Zone Leaders are Elder & Sis. Hughes and they put together an excellent and inspiring training meeting.

After our Zone meeting we went straight to Carthage to help Richard lay soaker hoses in the Visitor’s Center flowerbeds that we planted three weeks ago. Then, just as the soaker hose was laid in place the rest of the grounds crew came behind with mulch to cover the hose and the ground around all of the plants.

 Richard had us put down a very thick layer of mulch, a minimum of 2” but the optimum layer is 3” thick. The mulch is made from shredded bark and it does two things. It helps hold the moisture in the soil and it prevents weeds from sprouting in the gardens. Plus the flowerbeds look very clean, neat and “Finished” when we are done. After a job well done, $5 lunch at DQ is always a nice reward.

 This afternoon we helped our grandson, Elder Kyle Johnson, move into his new apartment. We also got to meet his new companion, Elder Tyler Cantwell, from Kansas City, MO. We also met Elder Cantwell’s mother who drove him here this morning from their home in Kansas City, MO. about 5 hours away. Both Elder Johnson and Elder Cantwell officially report for their mission duties tomorrow morning, June first.

For dinner this evening my brother Charles and his wife Charlotte treated Sis. Johnson and I to the Hotel Nauvoo “All you can eat” dinner buffet. The food was good, the company was the best. Thank you Charlie and Charlotte for a wonderful evening.

For dinner this evening my brother Charles and his wife Charlotte treated Sis. Johnson and I to the Hotel Nauvoo “All you can eat” dinner buffet. The food was good, the company was the best. Thank you Charlie and Charlotte for a wonderful evening.

For dinner this evening my brother Charles and his wife Charlotte treated Sis. Johnson and I to the Hotel Nauvoo “All you can eat” dinner buffet. The food was good, the company was the best. Thank you Charlie and Charlotte for a wonderful evening.

If anyone is planning a trip to Nauvoo this summer, “The Trail of Hope” performance is a must see. The stories we heard and the spirit we felt were truly amazing. The performance gives a whole new meaning to “The Trail of Hope” because those faithful pioneers had lost everything and there was only faith and hope left for them to travel on and escape persecution.

Tonight we watched the “Lucy Mack” cast put on a great show at “Sunset by the Mississippi.” This was their Premier Show and they were terrific!

Tuesday, May 30, 2017 – Kyle’s First Day, Plant & Mulch Visitor’s Center Flowerbeds, Temple Missionaries, Smith Family Cemetery,

Our grandson, Elder Kyle Johnson, doesn’t officially report for his Service Mission here at FM in Nauvoo until June 1^st but since he is here with us and we didn’t want him to be bored at our house waiting for Thursday, we brought him to work with us today.

 

At the FM prayer meeting Kyle was asked to introduce himself to everyone and he did a very good job. Next he spent the whole morning working side-by-side with Sis. Johnson and I and did everything he was asked and more. Granted he was very tired at the end of the day but he worked hard without a single complaint. He’s going to be a great service missionary.

Again today we got a lot of help from Temple Missionaries who volunteered part of their P-day to work with us. They helped us plant a large flowerbed at the visitor’s center then they weeded and mulched a long flowerbed on Parley Street that is about 50 yards long that follows the fence line. All of these project would have taken the grounds staff a long time but with the help of the Volunteers we were able to finish all of them in only an hour. It’s great when volunteers come to help out.

Our final location of work was after lunch at the “Smith Family Cemetery.” And even though it is on land owned by the Community of Christ Church, it is still a sacred and hollowed spot. It is the final resting place of the Prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum, his wife Emma, his parents Lucy Mack & Joseph Smith Sr. We work together with the Community of Christ Church to keep the Cemetery beautiful for all of the guests that visit it.

This evening we had our regular “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” show to a sold out crowd and because there are so many people that want to see it, we had to put on a second show at 8:15 and that was a packed house too. The special event at tonight’s show was the debut of a Senior couple, Elder & Sis. Wilson, who performed the vignette of “Thomas & Elizabeth” for the first time.

What is interesting is that this is the only vignette where the Senior couple sing a duet without the reat of the cast singing along. Elder & Sis. Wilson pulled it off, they did a great job. They claim to “Not Be Singers” but they have beautiful voices and they were great.

Yesterday Charlotte and Charlie Quist were watching our performance of “Senior Moments” during our “Sunset by the Mississippi” show and Charlotte Videoed the last half on her smart phone. Soooo. . . We couldn't figure out how to capture the file to show here. Bummer!

Monday, May 29, 2017 – Watering on Memorial Day, Jared & Tere Tour FM, Depart of Home, Charles & Charlotte Arrive, Sunset by the Mississippi, Kyle on Stage

Even though today is Memorial Day and most of the full time staff of FM have the day off, all of the missionaries still put in a day of work. Since we are in the service of the Lord, there are no holidays off for full time missionaries with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas days. It is a blessing to work and serve every day.

This morning Jared & Tere and their sons came over to FM and took a tour of the “Facilities Management” compound to see where their son Kyle would be working for the next six months. Kyle is excited about being a full time Service Missionary here in Nauvoo and he can’t wait for Thursday, June 1^st when his Mission starts. 

This morning after the tour of FM we said goodbye to our family. At about eleven in the morning they were off on their 1500 mile trip home. We’ve really enjoyed their stay with us and wish them a safe trip home.

This afternoon my brother Charles Quist and his wife Charlotte arrived in Nauvoo to visit Sis. Johnson and I for a week. We are excited to have them come and stay with us. In fact we are delighted that this summer we will have several families come to stay with us. Last year we had six families come for a visit and we’ve already had three families come so far this year. It is wonderful.

This evening we performed in “Sunset by the Mississippi.” Charles & Charlotte came to see us as well as our grandson Kyle. The show went off without a hitch, unlike the first show we did on Saturday night that had several glitches. Sis. Johnson and I had the début of our duet, “Senior Moments” and it went perfectly. Sis. Johnson and I have never sung a duet in front of a large crowd before so this was a very scary experience but now that we have the début behind us I think it will get easier from here on.

During the show our grandson Kyle was asked a couple of time to come out of the audience onto the stage and participate with the YPM’s (Young Performing Missionaries). His favorite part was a satire of the 1959 hit song by the Coaster, “Along Came Jones.” In his part, Kyle played the rescuer; “Jones” as he saved the damsel in distress from several sticks of dynamite in an abandoned mine. What a hoot, Kyle was great.   

Sunday, May 28, 2017 – Jared & Tere’s last day, 70’s Hall

We had a wonderful Sunday morning of church services and spending time with Jared & Tere and their family. We enjoyed taking pictures at the temple and spending time together in the evening.

This afternoon Sis. Johnson and I served in the 70’s Hall. We enjoyed a very busy afternoon with 125 guests coming through. At one point in the late afternoon there was a constant flow of people walking through the front door, it was great. 

I love the 70’s Hall because it was the MTC (Mission Training Center) of the 1840’s. Missionaries left from here bound for service all over the world. When they returned they brought back a knowledge of the culture, the language and the customs of those foreign lands to share with others called to serve there. They even brought back items of curiosity to help teach and prepare other seventies. Church leaders taught the newly called seventies to help prepare them for their service. In every way the 70’s Hall of the 1840’s had the same purpose as today’s MTC.

According to the Nauvoo Neighbor, January 1, 1845: “The seventies’ while travelling over the face of the globe, as the Lord’s Regular Soldiers,” were instructed “to gather all the curious things, both natural and artificial, with all the knowledge, inventions, and wonderful specimens of genius that have been gracing the world. . .”