WEEK 9 ---August 26, 2013 to September 1, 2013

Hello everybody! 

The above phrase is the beginning of one of the songs that we sing during the summer months at the "Sunset by the Mississippi" variety show.  It begins with "hello everybody, it's so good to see you".  We can't see you but it is good to say "hello". 

Sunset on the Mississippi

On Monday, August 26th, Elder Pincock went to the Family Living Center to give demonstrations on rope making, barrel making and how to make pottery.  It was not a real busy day so we made lots of extra ropes to build the rope inventory for next summer.  When it is busy during the summer we demonstrate how to make ropes and then give each family a rope to help remind them of their trip to Nauvoo so we need lots of extra ropes to get us through the summer months.  They will make ropes all winter long.  Each historic site has a leader and assistant leaders who teach us new folks how to do things.  The site leader today helped Elder Pincock learn how to make rugs on the looms.  That was fun!  The big loom has over 18 miles of thread on it and can make rugs up to 36 inches wide.

Two looms that make rugs, totes and runners.  The one on the left is the large loom that makes all the rugs for the sites.

Monday was a fun day for Sister Pincock.  She got to work at the Pendelton home and log school house.  As a teacher she felt right at home.  It was a slow day for her also so she and her companion studied the Preach My Gospel manual and swatted flies all afternoon.  They tell us that traffic will pick up as the holiday weekend comes later this week.

Below are three words that are found at the school house. In the early 1800's the spelling of words varied from area to area in the country and people used phonetic spelling much of the time.  There was no unified dictionary.   The first 5 people who can tell us what these words say will receive a fantastic? prize.  These words were taken from the journals of people who lived in Nauvoo.

Sister Pincock got some very special packages mailed to our granddaughters that contained  a very cute doll sundress outfit with sunglasses, hat, shoes and purse.  She loves to sew and works on things for the grandchildren during some of our dinner hours.

Our preparation day was on Tuesday so we made sure that our activities included a session at the Temple.  It is such a beautiful temple and was a great way to start our day.  We love the things that we learn about by attending the temple.
We went shopping and got back home just in time to get dressed into our Rendezvous clothing and headed down to the Cultural Hall.  We love doing the Rendezvous show because it gives people a chance to laugh and enjoy some of the stories about Nauvoo days.

We had our weekly training meeting on Wednesday morning at 8:00.  The meeting lasts only about 45 minutes and we received instruction about how to be better missionaries in our sites.  Today's meeting was conducted by Elder and Sister Call ( from Rigby).  The meeting gave some of the senior missionaries an opportunity  to tell about the spiritual experiences they have had while serving in these historic places.  It was a great meeting.  Sister Pincock worked at the Sarah Granger Kimball home and Elder Pincock worked at the brick yard that day.  He was supposed to work at the blacksmith shop but we decided it best for him not to work around the coal dust and the muscle power required in making horseshoes because of his recent bout with the nosebleed.  Sarah Granger Kimball was important because the actual meetings of the relief society started in her home.

Sarah Granger Kimball home where some of the first Relief Society meetings were held

Red Brick Store where the Relief Society was organized

On Thursday, Elder Pincock worked again at the brick yard and they made lots of bricks so that they can build the supplies for next summer.  At the brickyard each summer thousands of bricks are given away to our visitors.  Sister Pincock did not have to work until later in the day so she went shopping at Zions Mercantile where they were having their 50% off sale.  She got some really good buys on mementos of Nauvoo.   (sounds like Christmas presents).  She worked today at the Family Living Center and worked on a quilt top and tied the end of the rugs that Elder Pincock worked on earlier that week. 

We noticed today as we drove home from our assignments that in the State Park near where we live a large circus type tent and carnival rides were being assembled.  We found out that during the last weekend of August there is a big celebration in Nauvoo called the wine festival.  It is to celebrate the grape harvest.  There were  carnival rides, food, music, a huge antique car show, parades etc.  There were lots of people in town. We could hear the music from the concerts each night but they pretty well quieted down by 11:00 PM. 

We had our mission "goodbye breakfast" at 7:00 am on Friday.  There are many senior missionaries that will be leaving this month so we had a mission breakfast and watched them do a group skit as a way to say goodbye.  The skit they did was called "You know you're a Nauvoo missionary when".....  and a couple of the quotes were: you can tell you are a Nauvoo missionary "when the best pizza in town is at the gas station " (see below) and you know you are a Nauvoo Missionary when  " it's time to go home and you finally learned how to spell Rendezvous".  There are about 30 missionaries going home this month and they all had something to say about being a Nauvoo Missionary.

Casey's where you can get the best pizza (probably the only pizza) in town.

For our contribution for the breakfast Sister Pincock took a breakfast peaches and cream French toast.  We had learned about the cobbler at the "On Golden Pond" bed and breakfast in Vermont.  It is soooo delicious.  Maybe the Ricks', Archibald's and Wade's will remember that breakfast.

On Saturday the temperature was over 100 degrees with high humidity.  The summer has been really great so far so we can handle a day like this once in a while.  Sister Pincock worked at the land and records office which she loves because she can learn more about computers and look up some of her family genealogy.  Before she went to work she came to the Print Shop to learn about printing in the  1840's.  Her tour guide was just excellent!  (it was Elder Pincock)  Printing a 4 page newspaper took about 6 or 7 days to get about 600 copies printed;  quite different from the instant communication methods we have today.

at the Print Shop with the Ingram boys

We had some assignments before our church meetings today so we went and set up chairs at 7:00 am and then handed out programs to those coming into our meetings.  One good thing about going to church one hour early is that you get to sit in the chapel on the soft seats.  The chapel is usually full by 7:30 so you have to get there early if you want a good seat.  The topic for our Sunday School lesson was the lesson titled: "Sealed...for Time and for all Eternity".  The lesson was taught by Sister Russell and she did just a wonderful job.  Her PowerPoint slides were wonderful and because the lesson dealt with the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum at Carthage  (which is in our mission, just about 30 miles away) The lesson was very poignant. I asked Sister Russell for a copy of the PowerPoint which she gracelessly gave to me.  Powerful lesson!!!! 

We worked together on Sunday afternoon at the family living center.  It was a busy afternoon with opportunities to talk to many non-members of the Church who were here visiting because of the wine festival that was celebrated in Nauvoo this past weekend. 

As we studied the Preach My Gospel manual this week we found a quote from President Brigham Young that we wanted to share with you.  He said:  "There is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a mission.  That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life".

Brigham Young

We are all Heavenly Father's children and we need to do the four things listed above that President Young counsels us to follow: (1) do good, (2) promote righteousness, (3)teach truth and (4) live the principles of the Gospel that we may live with Heavenly Father again.

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

E/S Pincock