Thursday, July 13, 2017 – Storm Cleanup, Weeding, N&V and P&B, Nauvoo Pageant

This morning it was still sprinkling after last night’s violent storm that caused the cancellation of the “British Pageant.” It was the opening night of the “British Pageant” and right at the moment the show was supposed to start, a lightning, thunder and rain storm hit with a furry. Pageant goers were sent running for cover. I was the “House Manager” for our “Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo” show and I watched it all unfold from the front steps of the Cultural Hall. It was an amazing sight.

As usual after a big storm we spent the first part of our morning cleaning up limbs, branches and storm debris. We drove all of the streets of Old Nauvoo zigzagging up & down and back & forth searching for downed limbs. There weren’t as much as we expected but we still had a trailer full of debris.

Our next stop was in the herb gardens of the Lyon Drug to pull weeds. This was our third time this week we’ve been at Lyon Drug and I think we have finally finished it. Hopefully we won’t have to come back for a few weeks. But the Herb Gardens of the Lyon Drug do look beautiful with such a large variety of flowers in bloom as well as the new arbor covered in vines.

Our last cleaning project was at the “Brown” residence. This is one of the homes the Senior missionaries live in and the flowerbeds, grounds and trees are all undergoing a major overhaul. Three trees had to be removed and their stumps are being removed with FM’s Stump Grinder. The bushes in the front of the house were all removed so we had a lot of work to do cleaning up the area. It’s a work in progress and I’m sure we will be back to do more in the future.

Our guests, Nathan & Valerie and Family went with Beth & Paul and their family this morning and had a very full day of seeing the historic sites of Old Nauvoo. Their first stop this morning was at the Visitor’s Center for wagon ride tickets but they were already sold out. They will try again tomorrow morning and be in line at the Visitor’s Center earlier. All of the events and attractions in Old Nauvoo during Pageant season that require tickets are always booked solid. Hopefully they will make it on the wagon rides tomorrow.

They did have a great morning though. They took the Oxen Ride and the children spent a lot of time at “Pioneer Pastimes” and really had a ball. “Pioneer Pastimes” is always a big hit with the kids. They also toured the Browning Home and Gunsmith Shop, The Print Shop, John Taylor’s historic home and the Pioneer post office. They were also treated to two sidewalk vignettes put on by the YPM’s (Young Performing Missionaries). They saw them perform “Whistlers and Whittlers” and “The Saving of the Doctrine & Covenants” vignette. Our family had a great first day in Old Nauvoo.

This evening we all headed down to the “Country Fair” next to the Pageant Stage. This too is a big hit with the kids. It’s a “must do” for anyone visiting Old Nauvoo during Pageant season. For a couple of hours before the Pageant starts it gave the children a lot of fun things to do.

Tonight all 18 of us attended the Nauvoo Pageant. The weather cooperated and the evening was very pleasant. What a wonderful show. The music, the dancing and the acting was great. Most importantly, the message of the pageant brings the spirit and we can feel it testify of the truthfulness of the restored  Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  We all had a wonderful night at the Nauvoo Pageant.