Our Days in Nauvoo  July 27 - August 2, 2014

Wow!  Goodbye July and Hello August!  

Sunday, July 27 – The Davis’s drove to Ottumwa today.  They won’t be with us for the next few weeks.  They are leaving this Friday for SLC for surgery on his neck and shoulder.  Hopefully they will only be gone for a few weeks.  Sarah Lee was there with her 3 kids and we had a really good visit with her and her sisters. They are all hoping to come to the pageant this Wednesday.  The
The Palma’s were at church too (minus Brother Palma – who was at work).  Dad went into a Spanish Gospel Essentials class with Sister Palma that the full time sister missionaries taught.  They have been working with this family too.  We were barged on the way home from church.  We had to wait about 30 minutes. 

Monday, July 28 – We had a great, normal day at the temple today.  Some days are just nice and 

calm - but we are wishing for busier.  We went upstairs to McKechnie’s for FHE – we talked about the wards we visit and had carrot cake and ice cream.  It was a really fun evening. 

Tuesday, July 29 – Jerry and I did Kathy Crockett's walk this morning.  It is a good workout with some good, uphill roads which is good since we haven’t been doing so good with walking.  Marsha Morton, a roommate from our younger days came this morning.  She is here to visit until Friday morning.  It has been so fun to catch up.  We did have to go to the temple this afternoon and she visited some sites and went to Rendezvous.  Our shift today was so slow.  We sure wish people would come.  
This is a lane that goes down to Lake Horton.  We walk in the most beautiful areas.

            
Wednesday, July 30 – Dad went to the Visitor's Center early this morning to get tickets for Marsha and I.  We really enjoyed it.  We went a few weeks ago with Jeremy's family but it was raining.  It was much more pleasant with the sun shining.  The new temple film started last week.  Marsha did a session this afternoon and we helped on a later one and we saw it for the first time.  I like it - each of them are so different.  Dad translated the British pageant tonight and Marsha and I went.  We saw several of our Ottumwa ward members there.  

         
Thursday, July 31 – We were guides at the temple today.  It was scary and fun.  If I could do it again soon, I could do it better but I will probably forget how by the time it is my turn again.   Dad took the couple over to look down the spiral staircase but the groom was really afraid of heights so he sort of crawled over and looked down through the railing on his hands and knees.  Needless to say, we went down on the elevator.  I went to the RS vignette, “Women of Nauvoo.”  These vignettes are performed by the core cast from the pageant.  They are incredible.  Marsha and I went to Sunset by the Mississippi and then the Nauvoo Pageant.

 Friday, August 1 – I cannot believe it is August already.  Marsha left this morning. It was so nice  to have her here. She took us out to breakfast to Grandpa John’s.  Dad went with Jim McKechnie to Hamilton to the 47th Annual Western Illinois Threshers event.  He loved the time there.  Both men had a great time.  There were miles and miles of tractors.  I went with Linda McKechnie to the vignette by the Mansion House, “Letters of Joseph and Emma” (I wish Tammie could have been to this one) and then later Jerry and I went with Dennis and Barbara Johnson to the “King Follett Discourse” vignette in the Nauvoo Grove.  While at the Grove we ran into Yvonne and Bud’s daughter Jana and her husband.  They are here to see the British Pageant. We have been hearing the Nauvoo Bagpipe Band playing all over the Flats these last few weeks.  I found out that they come from all over and have to audition and be selected, just like the Brass Band and the Young Performing Missionaries.  Dad thought he was done translating but they called him and he needed to help again tonight with the last performance of the British pageant.  I just planned to walk down at the end and sing.  As I was getting ready to leave there was lots of thunder and lightening.  I got our 2 umbrellas and headed out.  I was almost to the pageant and they announced that they were going to stop the performance and wait out the rain.  They wanted everyone to find shelter somewhere – in their car, under one of the tents, etc.  I just hurried to the translation tent to find Dad.  It was like sardines under it.  I ended up just on the outside edge of the tent.  Just as I got there, Jana and her husband came up to the tent too so I gave one of the umbrellas to them.  It was tricky holding the umbrella by the edge of the tent roof.  If we held it straight, the rain ran off the edge and onto the people under the tent.  They checked the weather radar and told us the storm would be over in about 30 minutes and it was.  They started the pageant back up and finished.  Some had gone home but lots waited out the storm.  Chairs were wet but people wiped them off.  The storms here are so interesting.  I can't help but love them.  We didn’t get home until after 11:00 and have the temple at 7:00.

             

Saturday, August 2 – Well, we were guides again today.  It went much better today.  It is a really sweet experience.  My biggest adventure was that I had 2 Spanish sisters at the veil that couldn’t speak English and we had to use a language card.  The first one was great but I was so nervous that I didn’t even realize I had the card backwards and she reached out and turned it around.  The second sister didn't go quite as smooth.  We both lost our place with the brother and it was very confusing.    I hope I will do better next time using a language card, but I kind of hope I don’t need to.  I do need to go into the Sealing Office and study the card so that at least a few words look or sound familiar.     Dad is filling in at the translation tent again tonight for Brother Lee, who has been in the hospital most of the week with a bleeding ulcer (they think).  Dad has never done the Nauvoo pageant and he has a small part, but it is the Joseph Smith lines.  But you know Dad – he didn’t seem to be too worried.  It's kind of sad that the pageants end tonight.

Often this whole mission seems like a dream.  We are having so many wonderful experiences.  We miss all of you but realize how blessed we are to be here.  Try to go to the temple as often as you can.  We are so blessed to have them so close and blessings come from being there.    

We sure do love all of you! 

Love, Mom and Dad / Grandma and Grandpa / Elder and Sister Hall 

  
PS  I can't get the pictures from Dad's phone to download, so I guess I will have to put the pictures of the barge and the threshing event in next week's letter. xoxo