Sunday, July 16, 2017 – Greeter & Usher, Brunch, Fan Charts, Sunday Concert, Trail of Hope

This morning our Mission District was called upon to serve in Sacrament Meeting as Greeters and Ushers. Sis. Johnson and I were happy to do our part. Every Sunday one of the Districts is assigned to provide Greeters but only in the month of July are Ushers needed. July is Pageant month and the busiest season of the year for Historic Nauvoo. Every Sunday in July the chapel, overflow and cultural hall are completely full with guest that are here in Nauvoo to enjoy all of the shows, historic sites and feel the spirit of Old Nauvoo.

After church Sis. Johnson cooked up a big “Sunday Brunch” for our family. Sis. Johnson really knows how to put on a spread for her family, she made Eggs & bacon, three types of pancakes, regular, cinnamon and peanut butter. There were three types of syrup as well as fresh strawberries, cantaloupe and grapes with a breakfast crumble cake loaded with cinnamon & icing. Mmmm-Goood!

Our daughter-in-law, Valerie went to the 70’s Hall and Land & Records office to research  her ancestors today. She had 8 pages of “Fan Charts” (pedigree charts) in hand and she came away from “Land & Records” with a thumb drive loaded with a treasure of information, maps, land transactions, census records, journals and other historical documents that told the story of her ancestors that lived here in Nauvoo in the 1840’s. This is all information about her ancestors that she had no idea about. She is delighted with her treasure of information.

This afternoon, with tickets in hand, we all went to the Visitor’s Center to watch & listen to the YPM’s (Young Performing Missionaries) put on a Sunday afternoon concert. And, once again I was blown away by the music and the songs performed. It was truly an inspirational experience of the highest quality.  I just melted in my seat enthralled by the performances of dozens of numbers including “Amazing Grace”, “The Lord’s Prayer” and Rob Gardner’s version of “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul.” Then they concluded with the most fabulous rendition of “Come thou Fount of Every Blessing” ever performed.  In these few words I’ve written here I can’t begin to express how outstanding the concert was. I think you would have to experience it to really appreciate it.

 

This afternoon the children had a lot of fun catching lots of little tree frogs that are all over our house, in our garden and lawn. They also assisted me in finding and dispatching dozens of those Tomato Hornworms that are stripping the leaves off of my plants. The kids were all having a grand time.

This evening Sis. Johnson and I watched all of the younger children so Nathan & Valerie, and Paul & Beth could take the older kids and walk the “Trail of Hope” with the YPM’s providing vignettes at regular intervals along the way. This too is an amazing spiritual feast as the YPM’s performs the true life stories of the pioneers as they left Nauvoo and made their journey west.