Week Three

Hello to all of you. 

We hope that you are doing well and that you are enjoying the summer activities.  We have been very busy this past week trying to finish unpacking and getting our apartment a little more organized when we can find time from training and learning about our assignment in Nauvoo.

Our week started out on Monday with orientation with President and Sister Gilliland (our mission president and his wife).  The training lasted through the day.  We were welcomed to the mission and had a discussion about the importance of personal and companion study.  Sister Fowers then talked about how to take care of our apartments and importance of conservation.  We then had a presentation from the mission doctor, Doctor Miller.  He talked about health issues, the importance of eating  and drinking properly and getting enough sleep.  (getting enough sleep?  in Nauvoo!!!!)  Then President Gilliland gave us a presentation on giving quality tours and presentations in the various sites.  President Grygla, 2nd Counselor in the Mission Presidency, gave a presentation on the mission organization.  We watched a film called "Remembering Nauvoo" and broke for a 25 minute lunch break.  That made for a quick trip back to our apartment to heat up some "lien cuisine's" and eat them on the way back to the mission office at the visitors center for our afternoon training.

At 1:00 we met in one of the large auditoriums for our music talent review (audition).  Sister Pincock and I sang a song together and then read parts from one of the shows where the senior couples perform.  There were 4 or 5 people watching us and they all had their clipboards with evaluation sheets and they were busily making notes etc so that they can place us in one of the three different casts.  The cast are named:  Lucy Mack, Sarah Granger, and Emma Hale.  Now we have to wait a week to find out which cast we are in.

During the remainder of the afternoon we went to some of the various sites to go through the tours so that we have some idea how to give the tour and what to say.  On Monday night we went to the production called "Sunset on the Mississippi" and watched the senior couples and young performing missionaries perform.  It is a great show.  Then at 8:15 hurried over to the Cultural Hall to watch the senior couples do the musical production called "Rendezvous".  Got home at 10:00 and crashed.

Tuesday was pretty much the same as Monday.  Training started at the mission office and we had training on Relying on the Spirit, Pass-along cards, "you can do this", The Book of Mormon" and guest cards, tickets and tours, public affairs and then lunch.  After lunch we received our "site orientation" book so that we can learn the information about all the sites.  We then went with Sister Gilliland for a tour of some of the homes in Old Nauvoo.  That evening we went to Sunset on the Mississippi and Rendezvous again.   There is just so much to learn.

Dutchman's Shop ( Amish store)

Our First P day (Preparation day) was on Wednesday. But first we had our all mission training meeting at 8:00 and after then got to the P day.   Elder Pincock needed to buy two hats for the various performances so we went shopping at some Amish villages in Iowa.  We drove about an hour to Milton and Cantril to buy some quality hats made by the Amish.  Above is a picture of the Dutchman's Shop.  It was a Amish store and was a fun place to shop.  They had good fruits and vegetables, hot homemade rolls and breads, good looking meat and cheeses and all kinds of other things.  We bought a 10 pound box of blueberries and brought them home to freeze.  The berries were wonderful.  Oh, we did buy a black felt hat at the store.  We then drove to Milton to a very tiny Amish store that sold straw hats.  Everyone told us they had a good selection.  It WAS a very tiny building but we sure had a good time picking out our hat and talking (trying to talk) to the very shy but very cute Amish children in the store.

lilly pads on the Mississippi River
 

On the way home from our Amish shopping we stopped at the Walmart store in Keokuk to do some more shopping, groceries, bookcase, fans etc.  As we crossed the Mississippi back into Illinois we took the above picture of all the Lilly pads in the Mississippi.  There are lots of them and we were told they will bloom and will turn white.  So we will watch.  That night we went to Rendezvous so we could watch again.


Elder Davis

One of the fun things about being here is that you get to be re-connected with friends and fellow missionaries.  Above is a picture of Elder Devin Davis.  He is serving as one of the young performing missionaries during the summer (he is a great violin player and singer).  We served with him in Armenia.  We also have been able to visit with friends Gale and Judy Harding from Rexburg, President and Sister Call from Rigby, the Maughan's who have a daughter that is friends with our nephew Brian Atkinson and his wife Tracie, lots of other folks from Rigby and Tetonia.  Some of the Tetonia folks even know our good friend Max Wade.  It is a very small world in the Church.  Someone always knows someone who knows someone we know.


On Thursday we began our first assignment giving tours at the Family Living Center.  This is what happens:  each week we receive a schedule for where and what shift we will work during the next week.  We each have our own separate schedule.  There are some 25 different sites that we could be assigned to and each day brings a different site.  Then there are three different shifts that we can be assigned to work each day.  The A shift works from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, The B shift works from noon to 6:00 PM each day and the C shift works from 9:00 AM to Noon and then from 3:00 to 6:00.  So each day brings a different assignment site and different shift.

Some days we work the same shift but not very often at the same site.  On the days we each work different shifts we have to figure out the transportation because we don't live down on the "flats" (the old historic part of town.) 

Then after our shifts end at 6:00 we go to one of the of the 2 shows, Rendezvous or Sunset on the Mississippi and do our performances.  Because we have not been assigned a cast yet we go to just get acquainted with what the missionaries do.  But, that does give you some idea about our schedules.

Below is a picture of us as we began our first day of site assignments.  We were able to work together the first two days (even on the same schedule) at the Family Living Center.  We were dressed in our "site" clothes and were excited for our first try.  The family Living Center consists of 7 different stations where visitors can learn about pioneer life.  The Elders give demonstrations about weaving, barrel making, roping making and pottery making.  The sisters give demonstrations on candle making, bread making, and making wool/flax into thread.  Most everyone comes to this building because it is fun for the kids with very interesting things to do.  Because this is the very busiest season we had lots of people come.  Elder Pincock did the rope making and pottery demonstrations and had large groups (some up to 25) all day. 

our first assignment at the Family Living Center

 

Sister Pincock at the candle making station

Sister Pincock is a wonderful tour guide.  She took a minute to pose for this picture in the candle making demonstration.  We had a fun but busy first two days in the Center.

On Saturday, we had our own sites and shift schedule.  Elder Pincock worked the 9:00 - 3:00 shift at the Browning home and gunsmith shop and Sister Pincock worked the noon-6:00 shift at the Seventies Hall.  The Browning home has some wonderful displays and tells the story of the Browning family and about Bro. Browning becoming famous in gun making. 

Sister Pincock loved the Seventies Hall because on that Saturday there was a special presentation made about the Church missionary program (3 different times during the afternoon) and she got to sit next to a General Authority, Elder Craig C Christensen of the Seventies Presidency, during one of the performances.  During their conversation he mentioned that Elder Pincock had given him a tour of the Browning home and that Elder Pincock had done a good job. (at least he has not been fired yet!!!!)

After our site assignments we went to the Rendezvous show.

Our Sunday Church service begins at 8:00 AM with Sacrament meeting first.  During this busy part of the year there are about 22-26 Priesthood brethren passing the sacrament and about 12 doing the preparation.  There is a temporary Sacrament table set up in the cultural hall so passing the sacrament to a few thousand people does not take very long.  This Sunday Elder and Sister Christensen were the speakers.  It was a great meeting. 

After Sacrament meeting the missionaries all go down to the visitors center auditoriums for Sunday school and RS and Priesthood.  It is quite the process.  The visitors that attend Sacrament meeting can go to the other meetings but most of them leave.  After the Church meetings some missionaries go to work at the various sites.  We did not have a site assignment this Sunday but after a nap and lunch we went to tour some of the sites that we will be working during this next week.

This Sunday we had a District meeting with three other couples and two single sisters.  (Thomas, from Teton Valley, Maughan's from Utah, Davis from Arizona and Sister Brown and Sister McCann).  It is a fun group and we discussed ways to be effective missionaries learning from the Preach My Gospel manual and enjoyed some home made zucchini cupcakes.

After the District meeting we went down to Parley Street for the "Trail of Hope" special tour.  This is a program where we walk down the trail leading to the Mississippi and the young performing missionaries tell the story of some of the early saints that lived in Nauvoo and their journal writings about their feelings of having to leave their beloved Nauvoo.  It is done by candle light and lanterns and was a very special experience.

We know that this is a rather long update but it will give you some idea about what we do.  We love it here and thank each of you again for your prayers and support.  This is the Lord's work and we love inviting people to Come unto Jesus Christ.

We did find out on Sunday night that we have been assigned to the Lucy Mack cast and will begin practicing with the group on Monday night.  Horray!!!!!

Below are pictures of the Browning home and the Seventies Hall where we worked on Saturday.

Elder Pincock gave tours at the Browning home and gunshop

Sister Pincock gave tours at the Seventies Hall.




We love you all and hope that you have a great week.

Elder and Sister Pincock















 

Nauvoo Mission week 2

Wow!  We are actually in Nauvoo and trying to get our feet on the ground.  It has been pretty hot but not too much humidity so we have tolerated the heat so far.  But today, the humidity is high and it's up in the mid 90's so we are noticing the heat today.  We have had a little block of time this afternoon to stay at home and finish getting our things put away and organized.  Our training is done and now all we need is some good experience so we can do our jobs. 

Our visitor center training tour in Salt Lake

It's hard to believe that last week at this time we were still in Provo.  As part of our training we went to Salt Lake to the Visitor's Center and took a tour for about two hours.  It's amazing how different the tour guides seem when you look at them from the perspective of knowing in a short while we will be on the guiding part of the tour.  We paid close attention to what they said and how they said it. 

In the Tabernacle during more of our training tour

When we stopped at the handcart monument at Temple Square
we thought of our family trek at Martins Cove last summer and
our good friends, E/S Jones who are currently serving a mission
at Martins Cove

This is our Visitor Center Training Center fellow missionaries.

We had a great visit while at the MTC with Sister Peterson who
served in Armenia while we were there.

                                                
We looked back at the last ten days and we were amazed at the MTC experience.  When we got there there were 3400 missionaries and before we left on Wednesday the total was up to 4000.  It was an amazing sight to see all those young missionaries preparing to go to all corners of the world to invite people to come unto Christ.  It touched our hearts to see the goodness in so many young people.  And don't forget all those older youngsters trying to keep up!

Our Van and trailer at a hotel while on our way to Nauvoo

We drove home Wednesday afternoon to pick up our "stuff".  We are so grateful to our children and neighbors who helped us.  Our children have not once complained about us leaving again-we are so blessed.  AND we are so excited about this mission because they are all coming to visit Nauvoo while we are here.  We have many friends and family members who have promised to come also.  We are very pleased that we got a nice apartment that will be big enough to house those who would like to stay with us.  They highly invite us to have family and friends because it is such a great place to visit.  We are so impressed by the shows  and productions that go on here.  The City of Joseph  Pageant is going on right now and it is amazing. 

We had a wonderful tour of Carthage Jail
on Sunday afternoon.  Fantastic Sabbath day
after our Church meetings

 

People have been so nice to us since we arrived on Saturday.   We had a nice trip on our way and had no trouble with the car or trailer.  Many people showed up to help us move in.  Our down-stair neighbor invited us for dinner.  On Sunday we had dinner with the Call's who are from Rigby, and live about 1 mile from our house there.  We have met about 5 different couples who are from Rigby and the surrounding area.    We were reunited with Elder Devin Davis who served with us in Armenia.  He is in the Pageant and the  show called Sunset on the Mississippi.  Sunday he played his violin in Church.  We knew in Armenia that he was musical but we had no idea the depth of his talent.  We love the reconnection with Armenia and all the memories it brings. 

 

 

 

From Left to Right:  President and Sister Call (1st Counselor in
Mission Presidency; they live just one mile from our house in Rigby)
Pincock's and E/S Jones from Canada (they were in the MTC with us and
he is the veterinarian )

OUR APARTMENT

Our home on Parley Street!!!! We live upstairs.

Isn't this so cute.  We have the whole upstairs, even the back part that is brownish in the picture.  If you go down the street to the right of this picture it takes you to the river and "The Trail of Tears" that the pioneers used to depart from Nauvoo. We can't believe that we actually live on Parley Street !

The kitchen

The bedroom (notice the treadmill)

The living room (still have some unpacking to do)

The view from our back door and deck

mother deer and her two fawns in our backyard


Everything is going very well.  It has been fun to learn how to do the tours, we had to audition for our part in the Rendezvous Show, Elder Jones had a birthday yesterday so we invited them to dinner and the list goes on and on.  There's a saying that goes around here that "The Nauvoo Mission is not for Wimps!"
We love you all and look forward to sharing with you our adventures and hope that you will tell us  what you are doing and what is going on a home!  We love you all.   Elder and  Sister Pincock
 

MTC week

We have had a wonderful week.  It went by extremely fast.  I have been able to get a nap everyday because of the convenience of the location of our buildings.  And  also we have an hour and a half for lunch.  I did really well health-wise. I feel really good.  



Probably the most photographed map of the world in the world

We studied and were taught this week.  We had the opportunity to teach 3 times from the lessons in Preach My Gospel.  Our teacher was awesome and kept us awake the whole time!

One highlight this week was the devotional on Tuesday night.  Sister and Elder Matthew O. Richardson, he is second counselor in the Sunday School General Board, were the speakers.  She talked about being truly converted.  He talked about having the courage to be true to your calling.  He used the David O. McKay plaque that is displayed in the foyer of the MTC.  It refers to Shakespeare's quote  "What e'er thou art.  Act well thy part."   Here is a picture of the plaque.  If you add the points of each picture and then add the whole line, each line will add up to 18 (A magic square puzzle).  The objective being that if you do your part and everyone else does their part it's like magic to make things come out right.    D&C 90:24------search, pray,believe and all things shall work together for your good.

WHAT E'ER THOU ART---ACT WELL THY PART

The 4th of July was a fun day.  In the evening we (with thousands of other missionaries at the MTC) watched 17 Miracles and then watched the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire. Of course, we were not in the stadium but we had a good view of the firework display and enjoyed singing with all the missionaries the patriotic songs.  It was very touching.

Saturday we took the time to visit with the missionaries here at the MTC getting ready to go to Armenia and Karalyn Crawford who teaches them.   Karalyn served in Armenia with us and was a next door neighbor when she was growing up.  We saw Arthur Minasyan who we knew in Armenia.  He is here studying at UVU.  His father is Elder Minasyan, the Area  Seventy in Armenia.  Then we had a great visit with the couple that served in Ukraine who we had worked with on employment programs (E/S Burr).

Today we went to the Tabernacle Choir broadcast in the Conference Center in Salt Lake.  We walked in and within a few minutes we had helped several people find the restrooms and seats for the broadcast.   With our badges on, people thought we were hostess and host there.  A real Hostess came up to us and asked us to talk with a couple who were wanting a Book of Mormon.  We had a nice visit with them and were able to locate a Book of Mormon to give to them.   They were there for the Glen Beck Workshops going on in Salt Lake this week.  Glen Beck was in the audience, they introduced him and everyone gave him a standing ovation.    Tonight we went to a fireside given by two well known authors in the Church,  George    
Durrant and Susan Easton Black Durrant.  They were very entertaining and very impressive.  They have been called to the Nauvoo Mission and will be there next month.

While at the MTC learning how to teach from the Preach My Gospel manual we were divided into groups of 8  so that we could practice teach with each other.  Below is a picture of our "District" .

Our MTC District

from left to right: E/S Boyd going to Oregon serving as MLS(member-leader support); E/S Pincock going to Nauvoo to serve in the Visitor Center; Brother Jacobs-our morning MTC teacher (awesome teacher) E/S Clawson going to Tahiti  serving as MLS; and E/S Miles going to the Liberia (Africa) mission to serve as office couple.

We love you all and thank you for your prayers on our behalf.  We are excited to get to Nauvoo.

Elder and Sister Pincock