June 11 – June 24, 2015 – Weeks 14-15, in Nauvoo

June 24, 2015

Our neighbor Nelda and three of her daughters came to Nauvoo on the 17^th, and they came to our Sunset show last Wednesday and we got to visit with them after the show.  They stayed afterwards to watch the BYU Ballroom Dance Company, and so did we.  The dancers are wonderful!   We got to see Nelda every day they were here, and it was so much fun!

On Saturday, June 20^th,  marked our three month anniversary here in Nauvoo1  We did our play, Sunset on The Mississippi in the outdoor theater on that night, and during our prayer meeting before the show, Sister Lisa Brown, our director, told us that the incoming storm was being watched closely, and if we needed to leave early some acts would be deleted or they would just cancel the rest of the show.   As the night progressed the clouds kept getting darker and darker.  The Young Performing Missionaries do an act where they have a pretend Tornado warning.  They announce, “This is a test of the Nauvoo early tornado warning system.” And then they all sing in unison….BLAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.  Then they announce, “If this had been a real warning, you would have seen this:”  and they all start yelling and running around the stage and then run off in total confusion.   Well, tonight as they started running around  the Band director yelled, “Wrap it!” and we all jumped up and started leaving in a hurry, grabbing mike’s and equipment for shelter.  The wind had become really strong and a few drops were coming down.   Perfect timing, but I wonder if the audience thought it was actually a real tornado warning, although in the confusion I think they were already headed out before we were.  We got home before the hard rain actually started.   We had lots of rain and lightning and thunder long into the night. 

Another thunder storm last night.  We have had lots of them, and the storms have saturated the ground so flash flooding is possible.  We did not experience any, but some of the missionary homes had flooded basements.  Today we had heavy rain this morning as we went to our 7:45 training meeting, but it cleared up and it was actually sunny later in the day.  

We went to the Visitors Center and took some photo’s of the statues in the Women’s Garden. There are 9 statues.  

This statue is titled: 

    Joseph and Emma

The above is titled:   Woman,

               

              and this one is: Joyful Moment. 

It is our P-day and we finally got the chance to watch the musical The Promise performed by the Young Performing Missionaries.  They are so talented and this play can only be seen until August 8^th.  Go to: http://www.historicnauvoo.net/#!summer-shows-/c1n4o to see a little about all the summer shows. 

We even got to do our whole show in the open theater tonight.  NO RAIN!  We have had rain every week since we got here, and sometimes three or four times a week – some of the storms now are with the temperatures in the 70’ and 80’s.    You can imagine how that feels!

Looking forward to more visits with family and friends. 

June 4 – June 10, 2015 – Weeks 13, in Nauvoo

June 11, 2015

Not too much to report this week, except we had a very strong storm go through here last Sunday.  Lots of heavy rain with lots of wind and lightning and thunder!  At least one big limb came down from a tree and blocked the road, and our computers didn’t have internet service at Lands and Records on Monday.  Don’t think there was any more damage, just a lot of shattered nerves!  

We were in our Sunset by the Mississippi show last night which we performed in the Theater in the Visitors Center instead of the outdoor stage because it was too hot and muggy - 103 with the heat index, and rain expected.  The BYU Young ambassadors were performing ourside at 8:30, so we went over to watch them and boy IT was hot - until a breeze started and then lightning began brightening up the sky.  they announced that they wold stop if it started raining, and the show was finally stopped a little after 9:00 and three songs early.  The anouncer said, "There is a severe lightning storm approaching with heavy rain, so leave quickly and seek shelter immediatel!  So everyone hurried to their cars and left.  We stopped with friends for ice cream at Annie's, and there was lightning and thunder all night, but little rain until morning.  Thre is always excitement around here.

Three of us Sisters have been asked to be Site Assistants at the Lands and Records.  We have a meeting this afternoon to plan how we will handle the rush of people this summer.  We each work there twice a week, which I really like as you know how much I love doing research and helping people. 

 
Monday night after our two Rendezvous shows we attended an 80^th birthday Party for Elder Clark

 Party guests in costumes after play....

– a lot of us didn’t get there until 9:30.   




Elder Clark giving a Mark Twain reading...... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 The Nauvoo Brass bands travels around Old Nauvoo in a wagon pulled by two horses,

 

 

 and I finally had my camera with me when they were playing outside the Cultural Hall.   

 

It is Thursday evening now and it is raining hard again with lightning and thunder - in fact there are flash flood warnings for area's around us.  I don't think we are in danger here, but we do have a show tonight and we have to be outside to get back and forth to the stage in the Cultural Hall.

P.S. We got through the show with only a few sprinklers on us, but the lightning and thunder show is still on!  Ohhh, there goes more thunder!!! 

 

 

May 28 – June 3, 2015 – Weeks 12, in Nauvoo

June 3, 2015

Wow, the weeks are flying by!  And we are still moving along.

Richard traveled from Indianapolis to visit us the last week end and it was wonderful!  It was so wonderful we forgot to take pictures of all of us.  We hope to do better next time!

Friday night Richard got here early enought to see us in Sundset by the Mississippi. 

 In the opening and closing numbers Elder Ray and Sister Barbara are together, singing "Hello Everybody....."

the Elders sing "Act Natually"...

 

 

 ....the Sisters sing, "Oh Be Joyful" and dance and sing "Jubilee."

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the branches of the Military are honored and Ray is honored to carry the
U. S. Navy flag.  

 

Saturday night we had two Rendezvous shows and the audience at the second show was very kind and gave us a standing ovation.  Our director came out at the end and told of the ovation – she was pleased and so were we.   We always stand outside after each performance and meet the audience as they come out.  That night a lady from our audience came up to us and told us how good we did and how much she enjoyed the show.  Then she said, “I felt what they must have felt” and that is what it is all about.  We portray what those long ago saints did, and though sometimes in a light hearted way, we hope our audience will catch the spirit of how they felt and how they coped with everything.  Their faith in Jesus Christ was strong, and that helped them endure much.  I was so pleased to get conformation that we are reaching them.

The Brigham Young University Young Ambassadors are here in Nauvoo for a couple of weeks and we got to see their show last night which was just after our Sunset on the Mississippi show.  They are performing Heartsongs, Melodies of Love.  If you would like to know more about them, go to: https://cfac.byu.edu/music/ and you will find a link to “BYU Young Ambassadors perform in Nauvoo.” 

The website: http://invite.nauvoopageant.net/2015/Mission/Doying.htm tells about the pageants that will be here in July and August.  Come and see them, and visit with us while you are here. 

The productions that we Senior Missionaries are in, Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo, and Sunset by the Mississippi are going well, and they can be seen every night except Sunday – Elder Doying and I are in one or the other of them four nights each week. 

We really do more than dance and sing, like serve in the many sites around Old Nauvoo where we teach and invite, and are enjoying everything, especially having ice cream at Annie’s some nights after our shows.