THE FIRST VISION..........

     On Monday we began training which lasted the entire day.  Most of it was spent on mission procedures, guidelines, and disappointingly enough.....RULES. It became our "first vision" of the mission experience.  The main theme was that we were going to be very busy and would soon look like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights.  After catching the "first vision" of our future we were treated to a horse drawn wagon ride around "Old Nauvoo"  While we had previously enjoyed our own self guided tour it was great to get an educated view of what we had seen. What wasn't so exciting was on-stage audition.  I have never, ever, ever, in my life sung a public solo.  And to my knowledge, neither has Marilyn.  So we kept that intact and were allowed to sing a duet.  She covered for me wonderfully....Oh...it was "I am a Child of God".  We went to "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo" for the first of many times during the week and were excited to see which of the three casts we would be assigned  to.  We got in the best one, Sara Grainger (simply because we were in it). Apparently our enthusiastic director, Sister Lowe, is hearing impaired as she is "happy" to have us on stage.  And my loud voice must have resonated as my understudy role for the next two months will be "The Editor" or narrator.  No solo's yet...thank heavens!!!   Marilyn will use her vast organizational skills in being cast as the "Relief Society President".

Nauvoo Visitors Center

"The First Vision"

     Tuesday was our first day on the job at the sites.  We got us, dressed in our site clothes and headed with the enthusiasm of a five year old going to kindergarten. My first site was the Riser Boot Shop.

I learned and told the story of George and Christianna Riser and their journey to Nauvoo and Mormonism and the founding of the Riser Cheap Boot Shop.  It appears he became the Wal-Mart of shoes in Nauvoo and employed several journeyman shoemakers.  It is a tale of desire, faith, the power of the Priesthood, and dogged determination as they lived and were blessed by the prophet personally.  I learned and then demonstrated  how shoes and boots were crafted in the 1840's.

     My other assignment was The Brickyard, where we explained the brick making process in Nauvoo and the permanency of bricks.  We are always mindful of the life and spiritual lessons which can be woven into our presentations as well as the promptings we may get.

Riser Cheap Boots

     Marilyn, on the other hand, started out at John Taylor's home, then Lucy Mack Smith's home and also served in the Print Shop teaching folks the art of type setting as it was done in the early Nauvoo publications The Times and Seasons and the Nauvoo Neighbor.  The stairways to the upper floors are particularly steep and she made note of twenty eight trips up and down the stairs in the John Taylor Home.  She is a trooper and is plowing on.  The Lord has been good to her and blessed her with the ability to do these things as she once wondered if it were possible.

      Thursday was our first real Prep Day.  It started out with an FM interview with the site superintendent, Jordan Bodily.  It was mainly for me to get and idea of my skills and experience before placing me on a crew.  He was particularly interested that Marilyn had such a high degree of expertise and enthusiasm for weeding dandelions....who knows.....she may have a new calling come spring.   It was then another trip back to the sewing room for a final fitting for Marilyn's  cast dress.  It seems as there is a great deal of coordination for the cast clothing....could fool me.  The men all wear the same black vest, pants, white shirts, black shoes, and red ties.  They also carry the same looking gun in one of the scenes. 

     We took a ride to Burlington, IA.  There we found things that we would have never found in Keokuk...it was a great trip.  Returning we unloaded an went for a walk around the nearby lake.

The vegetation and forestation that surrounds us is incredible.  It is a different world that we are used to.  We had a great time as we explored the forest and it's abundant trails.  After attending Church, which incidentally starts at 7:50,  We were blessed to serve together Sunday afternoon in the Lucy Mack Smith Home.  I was so impressed at how well she was able to present her message to the many people who visited us this day.  I am sure she made a impact on many.  The home was designed for one family but when it was occupied by Lucy Mack Smith and her daughter Lucy and her family it was turned into two residences.  Mother Smith (Lucy Mack) remained on the bottom floor while Lucy's family, her husband and two young daughters occupied the two rooms on the upper floor.  The stairs in this house are incredibly steep and once at the top, when nightfall came, the stairway opening on the top floor was sealed off by a platform on a hinge.  Quite ingenious but awfully tricky at times.