Week 17: October 21---October 27, 2013

Hello again:

Our weeks are so fun and interesting.  On last Sunday I got to go to the brickyard with Elder Pincock and Elder Miller.  It's a fun site where we make bricks and do a demonstration about how to make them and the importance of bricks in the days of Nauvoo.  In the Nauvoo area there is a layer of clay under the top soil so it was and still is quite easy to get the materials for bricks.  It was a big business for the people in Nauvoo with 7 brickyards in town. Each family who visits the Brickyard gets a brick for a souvenir with Nauvoo inscribed on it.   It's a fun presentation and popular with all the guests who come here.   The Elder we served with is also the mission doctor.  He's the doctor who came to our apartment the night David had his nose bleed.  His wife is here in Nauvoo but doesn't do much because of chronic illnesses.  We have never met her.  But this cute man is always at every assignment, performance, and activity with a smile on his face and never a complaint.

Elder Miller and Elder Pincock at the brickyard

We had a very fun Preparation Day this week.  We went to St, Louis for the day.  It is three hours from here.   We have been to St. Louis a few times but we had never been to the Arch-Gateway to the West.  We went to the top of the arch and saw the beautiful views.  The St. Louis Cardinal baseball and football stadiums are both just below the Arch.  The elevator ride was very interesting going up and over, up and over  all the way up to the top.  We watched the movie of the Lewis and Clark expedition that started out  from St. Louis.  On the way home we got to see the St. Louis Temple and get some pictures and we ate dinner at Cracker Barrel.  What a fun day we had.

Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri

we rode to the top of the arch in these little cars or trams (they kinda swing
like a ferris wheel car, knee to knee and room for 5)
 

Busch baseball stadium as seen from on top of the Arch--Home of the
St Louis Cardinals baseball team (they are playing in the World Series)

Mississippi River from the Gateway Arch

downtown St Louis from the arch--historic Courthouse in center

St Louis Temple

When we were entering the Arch to buy our tickets for the ride to the top we saw two familiar faces that we knew from Rexburg.  Russ Benedict and Shane Webster who Elder Pincock knew from BYU-Idaho Financial Services were there taking a tour also.  They were in St. Louis for a convention.  Such a small world we live in.  We just never know who we will meet or where!

Thursday was a big day for us.  It started with a practice on stage for our big debut that night as Noah and Sophia.  It's a cute but very short vignette telling the story of.  this couple and their conversion.  It's done sing-song/rap style.  The music is very cute and the chorus raps  and acts out all the things that we say.  I have to say that we did pretty well for our first acting experience.  David was worried about the rhythm but he kept right in beat.  COME TO NAUVOO AND WE WILL SHOW YOU IN PERSON!  Here we are in our costumes on the stage.

in our Noah and Sophia costumes for Rendezvous show

Do we look snappy on stage!!!

I made cake pops and covered Hershey Nuggets with Halloween paper for treats that night for our cast when we got off of stage.  Our cast was so supportive of our "opening night".

Friday night we helped with the carving of 500 pumpkins that we used to line the streets of downtown Nauvoo on Saturday night. It was all very fun.


missionaries carving pumpkins (notice the man in the blue hat with a power drill

a few of the carved 500 pumpkins

pumpkin that Sister Pincock carved

 The Mission furnished about a thousand bags of kettle corn and 500 bags of candy for the big celebration.

making lots of kettle corn to give away

We helped to pass out the treats and watched the costume parade.  The mission float was a  horse and wagon pulling 25 of the missionaries playing crazy, made up instruments.  It looked fun.  We will do that part next year.

Elder Pincock putting bags of kettle corn on tables to give away

beginning of the Halloween parade (after the parade the kids go up and down
each side of the street Trick or Treating)


 

missionary "crazy band" float.  (they are all playing some type of small instrument)

some of the 500 pumpkins that are set up on Main Street

Some more fun pictures from this week:

The back side of the temple and autumn leaves.

Nauvoo Temple with some trees with leaves changing colors

David's dirty hands after working all day at the Blacksmith Shop.  What an experience for a banker!

hands after working in the Blacksmith shop for 6 hours. 
(sure different than working at a desk)

Stairs in the John Taylor home.  I go up and down stairs like these every day.  I'll have  to make a picture collection of all the staircases in Nauvoo to show you some time.  This picture reminded me of the tumble I took down our apartment stairs this week.  I have been stiff for a couple of day but no real injuries.

steep and narrow stairs at John Taylor Home

This little horse is an original horse from the John Taylor home   John made it for his little boy.  He had had it for years and loved it.  When they left Nauvoo he understood that they couldn't take any toys because there wasn't room for toys.  But the boy kept crying for his toy horse as they crossed the river to leave Nauvoo.  That night John Taylor went back under dangerous conditions to get the horse and took it to his little boy.  The horse was tied to the side of the wagon and made it to Salt Lake.  The Taylor family has had it for decades and donated it to the Nauvoo restoration to display in this home.  Notice that the horse hair is real horse hair.  What mothers and fathers do for their children!

toy horse in John Taylor home  (family took horse across plains)

Today, Sunday, October 27th Sister Pincock went on a tour to the historic sites that the Community of Christ Church (formerely RLDS).  The tour included The Red Brick Store, Mansion house, Nauvoo House and burial location of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

Mansion House where Joseph Smith welcomed guests to nauvoo

the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were buried beneath with well for a period of time.

Another beautiful Mississippi sunset.


  

love the sunsets here. (just like home except no mountains)

Just remember that we love you all.  Just like Heavenly Father but his love is greater than we can comprehend and will bless us with the things that are good for us.  Remember that this life is a test and He has many more blessings for those who obey.  Try to think about His love and blessing this week.

Love,
Elder and sister Pincock