The Corn is as High as an Elephant's Eye!

Here is visual proof! All we see as we drive along the little rural roads here in Illinois are corn or soybeans. That is all they seem to grow. We don't even see many gardens, except around Amish villages.

Time is really flying. We have been on our mission for over five months now, and it seems like each week is gone before I know it. We have seen some wonderful friends over the summer, and seeing those familiar faces really meant a lot to us.

Bill and Kathy Peterson's son, Dustin, and his wife Kristina called us one afternoon as they were making their way back home so he can attend dental school. We know they were in a hurry to get on the road, but they waited for us to get cleaned up from our work just so we could visit a short time. They had been back east for a short summer job, had made lots of money, and were headed back home to see family and friends in Yakima and then off to school. How sweet of them to stop!

Then Matt Button and his cute little family stopped as they headed back to Boise after an internship where his wife, Breanna lived. They attended our production of Sunset by the Mississippi and got to laugh at us "old folks". They have three darling children who seemed to enjoy the show too. Their youngest could charm anyone!

Richard and Glenda DeWolf flew in from West Jordan, Utah, stayed for about three days then drove home following the old Mormon Trail. It was so fun to renew the friendship which began when they were missionaries in the Young Single Adult Branch in Yakima. They were really the ones who planted the idea of it being time for us to go on a mission. We knew they loved what they were doing, and they had sacrificed so much to make it happen. We figured we could and should do it too. Thank you, Richard and Glenda, for helping us see what this missionary service is all about.

Richard and Glenda DeWolf

 Then along came our dear friends, Toni and Arnold McBean. We have had years of friendship with them in Yakima, Washington. From Family Home Evenings together, snowshoeing, playing Hand and Foot, hiking, or just enjoying a good meal and maybe a play at the AkinTheater. In all that time, Toni has expressed her hope and desire to serve a mission with Arnold. It is now coming true as they made their way through Nauvoo on their way to the Charleston, West Virginia Mission. They will be Member Leadership Support missionaries in a small town in West Virginia. Toni was beaming, as you can see. We toured the Carthage Jail with them and ate a couple of meals with them. They had time to see some of the sites here and attend the Nauvoo Temple. Thank you both for coming our way!!

Toni and Arnold McBean



Then, last night, as we were setting up for performing "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo", LeRoy was taking tickets and all of a sudden a woman grabbed him and called him by name. It was Denise Clement from Yakima. She and her husband, Darvin, moved from Yakima about the same time we did. They moved to Texas. Denise and her sister were in Nauvoo and had been looking for us all day, so they got to see us perform. Again, how great to see a familiar face in the crowd. Another tender mercy for us.

There are two special birthday girls this week in our life--Emily Thompson turned eight on the 21st of August, and Georgia Lynn Beard turned six on the 23rd. Two unique young ladies who we miss very much. They are growing up while we are on our mission. I wish I had current pictures of both of them, but I don't.

Emily Thompson, 8 years old

Georgia Lynn Beard, 6 years old

Life in Nauvoo has certainly calmed down since several things have happened. The Pageant closed on August 4th, and within three days there was no trace that they had even performed on their stage. They dismantled almost as quickly as they put it all together. Then the RV park emptied out, and we are left with four missionary couples here in their RV's. It is nice and quiet!

Then last week the Young Performing Missionaries left, along with some Young Sister Missionaries going home. That has really left a hole here--I mean they are so missed! With the YPM's leaving. our outdoor production, "Sunset by the Mississippi" is finished for the summer. We now only have "Rendezvous" two nights a week, so that leaves us with four nights a week to play. We do love it! There will be much more time to socialize with dinners and parties. In fact tonight about 30 of us met in Keokuk, Iowa, and ate at a redneck restaurant and had the best fried chicken--all you could eat for $5.00 a plate! You can't beat that.

The last young people to leave us will be the rest of the Young Sister Missionaries as they leave to do their six-month outbound proselyting mission. They will not return to us until April of next year. As someone has said, the average age of the missionaries here in Nauvoo has soared with their leaving!

LeRoy and I continue to water the 344 flower pots and flower beds here in Old Nauvoo. We asked last week how much longer the pots will be out. We were told until at least the middle of October. I just about fainted. I can't imagine doing this job five days a week for another 6-8 weeks. I need to be rejuvenated--like a swift kick in the rear for motivation. The motivation comes with a desire to serve, and knowing that SO many people notice the grounds here. It is the first impression of Nauvoo. The majority of visitors are openly grateful for what they see, and they express it to us as they see us watering. Some have questions as to why we do what we do, but most of them know it is our assignment and they appreciate our commitment. Commitment . . . . . that is it.

 

  

The summer has been very mild here, and the farmers are calling for rain. But this week is bringing the high humidity and high temperatures. But we are doing fine in our little snug home. The togetherness has become routine and comfortable:





 

 

I swish the flies off of his face, and he does the same for me. True companionship!

 

Our garden has been awesome. Straw Bale gardening does work! We have had delicious, sweet cantaloupe, tomatoes, green and yellow peppers, cucumbers and squash. Pretty awesome for trying something completely new. We share with everyone around us (including the raccoons and bunnies).

 

Have you ever seen Queen Anne's Lace? Well, I had always wanted to just because of the romantic name it has. Here it is a glorious weed--coming up in all the ditches and roadsides. It is an adorable flower mostly white, with one tiny, dark blossom in the center. I love it. I tried to cut and dry it, but so far no luck.

Tonight we are having a potluck dinner for all those who came out with us in March. There are several who will be leaving because they are only serving six month missions. It is amazing to me how hard it is to say goodbye to most of them. The bond between us here is very strong. We have all sacrificed to be here and we are here because we love the Lord.

The Mississippi River is a fascinating river. I don't like the dark, filthy color of it, but it provides fishing and lots of cargo transportation up and down the river. I wish we could have seen it when there was an eleven mile rapids all along the river north and south of Nauvoo. Now it is a lake, called Cooper Lake, created by the dam at Keokuk, Iowa. The barges chug along day and night and we can often hear them as they pass close to our shore below the RV park. Coal is transported out here to Iowa by train from Wyoming, and then it is loaded on barges to go north or south on the river. Yesterday LeRoy and I saw a tug pushing 15 unloaded  barges.

 The river channel itself is narrow in places. All along the shores
the Lotus flower, a type of lily pad, grows in the shallow water. Sometimes you can see large groups of lily pads way out in the water, so you know it is very shallow there. There are buoys pretty close together along the river channel--marking the way for all tugs and river runners. I'm sure in the winter it can be a tricky river to maneuver without the lily pads to reveal shallow water!

 

Enjoy what is left of your summer, everyone. Fall would be a lovely time to come to Nauvoo!!