A Week to be Forgotten.... 
...........Farewell Nauvoo(Market)
The one that that we can all expect in our lives is change. We expect "this" but somehow get more of "that" Sometimes it is inevitable and when it happens it is unexpected. Our dear friends, the Lindeburgs, received word that their next door neighbor's son Andrew passed away. A twenty four year old Downs Syndrome boy whom they had come to love and nurture as a family member. They were very close to him and wanted desperately to return home for the funeral and comfort their neighbors. Mission policy is we can only leave for very important events (death and marriage) with immediate family members so they struggled with the loss during the week. The funeral was Saturday and it was a difficult day for them. I hope that we were able to help mitigate the loss but it is doubtful we made much of a difference.
So, as long as I am writing about death..... the Nauvoo Market was officially pronounced dead this week. They had closed shortly after Christmas to do remodeling and upgrades but that appears now to be a diversion as they will not open. Many of the missionaries had gift certificates which were not redeemed that had been given them. Trying to operate a small grocery store in this day and age to compete with the "giants" that are just 15 minutes away was a daunting challenge. They may have held a belief that the missionaries would buy there and keep the store profitable but that never happened.
And then there was the Joseph Stallings story and the great Mormon exodus re-enactment that will take place on February 4th. His is my second great-grandfather.
Missionaries were asked to provide stories of their ancestors who were here in Nauvoo during the exodus. I had held, like many others, a hope that he would be one of the few recognized and presented at a "sociable" prior to the actual re-enactment....but, like thirty others, I received my "thanks for your submission....BUT" e-mail. I will wait with anticipation to see what was required to make the "Big Ten". It is enough for me to know he had a story and did provide a basis for my history and that I will be marching in the re-enactment with his name pinned proudly to my chest.
It is probably good....at this point....to get the Rendezvous debacle off my chest. It was my worst performance ever (all be it there have only been others before.) It wasn't that bad....it just wasn't that good. I suffered my "first blank screen" where I couldn't remember where I was or where I was going.....this is where the Spirit (prompter) is supposed to step in with "words from heaven". She did...I couldn't hear......"Where am I" I proclaimed....."Disasters, Tornados" she said louder......"Yes, I know it is a disaster" as I picked up the prompt and stammered on. I had the ship "righted" until we got to the Willingly scene.....unfortunately I had forgotten to change from my Greek editors hat to the Amish flat hat we are all supposed to be wearing. At least I stood out as different.
The Relief Society Sisters jumped in to help relieve some of my tension, however. Their song went so far south it was speaking another language at the end. George joined in by calling his wife Agatha......Abagail in the last scene which was shocking and amusing....We didn't know!
All in all this spectacular was performed in front of Elder Schultz, the grand czar over productions of Rendezvous and Sunset. I'm sure we "knocked his socks off".
The Princess of Conservation......
......Cleans and Counts The Kingdom
The Week of Construction.....
Elder Sims and I plowed on with the rebuilding of the interior walls on the Packard Home. All of the interior walls are now in place and finished. There are still a few minor things that will take a day or so to complete. We also learned most of the windows for the exterior part of the remodel are here. Apparently there are three wood windows that will be needed to replace the existing ones in the original home. The cabinet shop is currently under some renovation so it is hard to know when they will be completed or how many other "more important" jobs will put in front of them. Building the "Nauvoo Way" takes time and patience (mostly patience). On the same day last week our missionary director of housing told me the house needed to be completed by the end of March so she could put the new arriving doctor in it while the construction director told me that wasn't near that important and she put him in the house the leaving doctor resides in. Great idea.....until you tell him they will overlap by two weeks....."She'll have to figure it out" he proclaimed. Could it....Yes. Will it.....Doubtful.....Highly Doubtful.
A New Remodel......
.....Brings a View!!!
Recently the Church was given a home and property on the Mississippi River. Elder Sims and I were called over at the end of the week to help with the tear out so it could be renovated. The house will be converted into two missionary apartments which will be much larger than most. Once it is completed it will be a coveted place.....with a great view. The only drawback is the three flights of concrete steps that need to be negotiated in order to get up and down to the residences.
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| Joseph Stallings |
And then there was the Joseph Stallings story and the great Mormon exodus re-enactment that will take place on February 4th. His is my second great-grandfather.
Missionaries were asked to provide stories of their ancestors who were here in Nauvoo during the exodus. I had held, like many others, a hope that he would be one of the few recognized and presented at a "sociable" prior to the actual re-enactment....but, like thirty others, I received my "thanks for your submission....BUT" e-mail. I will wait with anticipation to see what was required to make the "Big Ten". It is enough for me to know he had a story and did provide a basis for my history and that I will be marching in the re-enactment with his name pinned proudly to my chest.
It is probably good....at this point....to get the Rendezvous debacle off my chest. It was my worst performance ever (all be it there have only been others before.) It wasn't that bad....it just wasn't that good. I suffered my "first blank screen" where I couldn't remember where I was or where I was going.....this is where the Spirit (prompter) is supposed to step in with "words from heaven". She did...I couldn't hear......"Where am I" I proclaimed....."Disasters, Tornados" she said louder......"Yes, I know it is a disaster" as I picked up the prompt and stammered on. I had the ship "righted" until we got to the Willingly scene.....unfortunately I had forgotten to change from my Greek editors hat to the Amish flat hat we are all supposed to be wearing. At least I stood out as different.
The Relief Society Sisters jumped in to help relieve some of my tension, however. Their song went so far south it was speaking another language at the end. George joined in by calling his wife Agatha......Abagail in the last scene which was shocking and amusing....We didn't know!
All in all this spectacular was performed in front of Elder Schultz, the grand czar over productions of Rendezvous and Sunset. I'm sure we "knocked his socks off".
The Princess of Conservation......
Sister Gibson, meanwhile, continues her orderly and systematic task of cleaning and inventorying in the sites. It is a long and tedious process that keeps her very busy. It is something she excels at and enjoys. Starting with the picture at the top right:
Merriwether Dry Goods: Each one of those jars in the picture have to be picked up, cleaned, and
on the bottom is a sticker with a number. That number is looked up on
the computer and noted as there and that it is the correct item as pictured.
Merriwether Dry Goods: Oft times she gets help from the sister serving in the sites....although
there are limited tasks that they can perform to help. In the picture with
her are Sister Hughes and Sister Spradlin.
The Post Office: Each paper, each cubby, each drawer, each knob....you get the picture?
John Taylor Home: Most of the artifacts and furnishings are very old but not original. Still,
every care is taken to preserve them. Here Sister Gibson is taking care to
place a special paper between the bed covers as they are folded so the
crease will not become permanent.
The Print Shop Using a special blower she cleans the type and furniture that is used in
the print shop. Fortunately she does not have to count the many, many,
small pieces of type used in printing the paper.
Elder Sims and I plowed on with the rebuilding of the interior walls on the Packard Home. All of the interior walls are now in place and finished. There are still a few minor things that will take a day or so to complete. We also learned most of the windows for the exterior part of the remodel are here. Apparently there are three wood windows that will be needed to replace the existing ones in the original home. The cabinet shop is currently under some renovation so it is hard to know when they will be completed or how many other "more important" jobs will put in front of them. Building the "Nauvoo Way" takes time and patience (mostly patience). On the same day last week our missionary director of housing told me the house needed to be completed by the end of March so she could put the new arriving doctor in it while the construction director told me that wasn't near that important and she put him in the house the leaving doctor resides in. Great idea.....until you tell him they will overlap by two weeks....."She'll have to figure it out" he proclaimed. Could it....Yes. Will it.....Doubtful.....Highly Doubtful.
A New Remodel......
Recently the Church was given a home and property on the Mississippi River. Elder Sims and I were called over at the end of the week to help with the tear out so it could be renovated. The house will be converted into two missionary apartments which will be much larger than most. Once it is completed it will be a coveted place.....with a great view. The only drawback is the three flights of concrete steps that need to be negotiated in order to get up and down to the residences.
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