Halfway...no way!

Pageant season has ended. We enjoyed the last performance Saturday night. What an inspiring story. So glad we were able to attend several times. We will miss the pageant and all that goes with it. The young performing missionaries, bagpipers and the band. They are very talented performers that seem to have a non-stop schedule. Elder Birt has especially loved hearing the trumpeter, since he played a little trumpet back in the day. He got a chance to talk to him and learn a little about him. These young performers have certainly been entertaining to watch in the pageant and all the little vignettes & shows they do. We will really miss them. We have loved seeing them in the temple. The temple missionaries all wanted to do something to thank them for their service so we put together some gift bags for them. They were very appreciative. We have sure benefitted from their service. We love them! We just learned from President Irion, temple president, that our group of temple missionaries is going to cook & serve breakfast to the YPM's on August 15 before they leave for home. What a privilege to serve them. They have certainly served valiantly here in Nauvoo all summer.

During pageant many people gather in Nauvoo. We got to see Sister Geilman who serves in the Ogden Temple with us. She has been helping with the pageant for years. We had some special experiences with her. Also, we saw Elder Spencer (Brenda Stanger Spencer's son) who is serving his mission in the area. 

Our daughter Wendy and her family came to visit. We had a great time with them. It's always so fun to have family visit. Next week my brother, Clayton & Debbie will come then our daughter, Shaury & son Larry and their families will spend a few days with us. In Sept.  our son Cory & Paige are coming. Our daughter Becky & her family came in June. So during the time we are here all of our kids and most of our grandchildren will visit & my three brothers. Having family be able to enjoy & participate in the blessings of the beautiful Nauvoo temple is a joy beyond measure. I consider that one of the greatest blessings of our mission, having family share it with us. 

The weather in Nauvoo has been great. We expected a hot, humid summer, but have only had 3 or 4 really humid days and not much rain. It's been quite pleasant. The corn & soybeans have suffered a little with the lack of rain. It's been nice enough for the flower beds around the flats to flourish. So many beautiful flowers. I especially enjoy watching the gardens at the Lyon Drug historical site near us, so beautiful. All the gardens and flower beds in the area are kept as nicely as the temple grounds.

One of the special things we especially enjoyed this last week is the King Follett Sermon. The brother who portrays Joseph in the pageant  "performed" the sermon. We sat on log benches in a beautiful grove of trees with a small group of people and listened as "Joseph" gave the sermon. It was as if we were taken back in time to that event at Joseph's friend, King Follett's funeral, where he gave that wonderful sermon on the plan of salvation. What an amazing experience. It was definitely a highlight of our mission.

We are enjoying our service in the baptistry where very large youth groups come nearly everyday. They are doing youth conferences, EFY or YM/YW groups and of course, we always have families coming with their own family file names. Brother Birt asked one of the stake presidents with his youth group from Texas how they could afford to bring such large groups. His answer was, "we can't afford not to" because of the positive effect it has on the youth. They will have 30 youth each hour for half the day. The youth of the church are doing amazing things! Examples to all of us.

Some of the sisters have put together a small group of quilters, so of course I had to join them. We are each making a small quilt. I didn't bring my sewing machine so I bought a simple one at Joann's. Now if I can just find time to do the sewing. It's fun to meet with others that share the same interest. We have our small groups for meals, FHE, etc. We share recipes. I have made blackberry cobbler & shared the recipe. It's been pretty painful buying blackberries though! Each missionary couple got to buy one of the rag rugs they demonstrate at the Family Activity Center. So many wonderful opportunities here.

We are so blessed to serve here and feel so much love for our family at home who are all helping to take care of Big Foot Farm while we're gone. We couldn't serve this mission without their help & support. We appreciate you all so much. We miss you all!