I haven't posted in a few days and I have many photos to tell about and fun times and people to share with all of you. I just want you to know how much I love being here in Historic Nauvoo as a missionary and meeting and seeing so many wonderful people and sights. I hope you enjoy my sharing them with you!

Here are Aaron & Jamie (soon to be ) Anderson again (from my last post)! They came to the Rendezvoux show the night I met them in the Cultural Hall and wanted this picture with me after the show!

This couple did not want me to use their name but were ok with having me post their picture and tell their story! They are not members of my church, but were here in Nauvoo to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with all their children and 9 grandchildren. They were married 50 years ago at the Nauvoo Hotel. She was raised in Fort Madison, Iowa across the river from Nauvoo and they love Mormons and have many friends that are members. They said that they are hoping that Mitt Romney will run again for President!

This is the family of fellow sister missionary, Sister Brockbank, showing off their cookies and the Scovil plate in the Bakery!
L to R
Sarah, David, Ben, Rachael, Isaac & Samuel and Sister Brockbank

Meet JD, Michelle & Paityn Mower from Rexburg, Idaho. JD is finishing up an internship in Kansas City and they wanted to come to visit Nauvoo on the long Labor Day Weekend! They came by the bakery on Friday.

JD, Michelle & Paityn Mower came into the Lands & Records site where I was serving on Saturday. It was fun to see them again and help them find their Nauvoo ancestors

Paityn Mower just proves that you are never to young to start doing family history work on the computer!!!

Last night as I was coming home from a meeting I drove by the temple and couldn't resist taking a few pictures. Then Sisters Hughes and Hansen came by and took this picture of me by the sign. Although you can't really see me, I like the effect!

I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE, I'LL GO INSIDE SOMEDAY, I'LL COVENANT WITH THE FATHER. I'LL PROMISE TO OBEY!

 This morning on my way to the Cultural Hall I had to stop and take these pictures of the many geese that were out in this field! I understand that it was a teaching/training session for all the baby geese that hatched here this spring and summer!

I was in the Cultural Hall giving tours today and decided to take more pictures of guests that came by and get their impressions of their visit to Nauvoo!

This is the Havrenne Family from Belgium, now living in New York
From L to R
Clement, Anne Catherine & Rephael
They said that although they have visited other church history sites, here in Nauvoo they felt the spirit of the gathering of the early Saints to this place and their JOY at being together. They said that seeing so many missionaries in one place reminded them of their own missions and those happy and memorable times.

This happy couple, Aaron Anderson & Jamie Duffy just got engaged YESTERDAY in Forest City, Iowa! So they celebrated by coming to Old Historic Nauvoo! They are getting married in the Salt Lake City Temple on October 23rd! Congratulations Aaron & Jamie. They said they couldn't think of a better place to start their engagement than by coming here to Nauvoo!

On the 3rd floor of the restored Cultural Hall is the original floor where the early prophets danced and the saints gathered to enjoy one another's company. Aaron & Jamie couldn't resist doing their own dance here!

They look soooo happy!
Best Wishes

This group of 11 people from Taiwan came to the Rendezvous show tonight. They asked if I would take their picture with some of the cast members after the show. I was there to see my companion Sister Brown's cast on my night off. (Sister Brown is second from the left on the bottom in this photo)

In talking to them afterwards, I learned that this is a group from the Taiwan West Kaohsiung Stake. The Stake President, Steve Yang (second from the left on the top row) and I visited and he told me that in this group of 11 are 2 Bishops, 1 High Councilman and their families. They are currently in Nauvoo on a full Church History tour here in the states. He said that being here has made church history come alive and seem REAL to all of them now. Most of them are 1st generation LDS in Taiwan and the church and their leaders have seemed so far away. It didn't feel like their history. But now they have felt the spirit of the people and see the similarities between the saints that lived here and them as the pioneers in Taiwan. He said it has really helped them strengthen their testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel. 

To quote from a line in our show this summer - Sunset on the Mississippi - "all God's children have a place in the choir!"

Today I decided half way through the day to take a few pictures of visitors that came through the Scovil Bakery and ask them about their feelings while visiting Nauvoo. Here are a few......

Jim & Sandy Guest from Dallas, TX.
They said that "visiting Nauvoo has been a very spiritual, moving and fascinating experience. We are amazed at the fortitude of the early saints. Muslims go to Mecca - Mormons go to Nauvoo!"

John & Judy Kowalezyk from Nebraska. They are not of our faith.
John's family is from Poland and he said that he has really enjoyed coming to visit Nauvoo and the other Church History sites. It has given them a better historical understanding of the persecutions and culture of our people. John said that he had taken over 800 photos just today of Nauvoo and has really enjoyed the experience!

The Petersen Family on their way to live in Provo, Utah after doing an internship in Massachusetts
from L to R
Sam, Hatsumi, me, Corey & Jimmy

 After we gave the tour to the Petersen family, we asked them where they were from and then they asked Sister Swapp and I where we were from. When I said that I am from Southern California he asked what city, and I told him Laguna Hills. Corey, the Dad said, "my Grandfather lives in Huntington Beach." I said that I used to live there - what is his Grandfather's name? When he said Kent Pugmire, I could hardly believe it because Kent is a dear friend of mine and so was his sweet wife Georgia who passed away about a year ago. Small world!!! Another fun Nauvoo connection!

This is a collage of photos from the "Window Maker" display at the Allyn House in Nauvoo. The book, "The Window Maker" is the true story of the making of all the custom windows for the new Nauvoo Temple by Charles W. Allen. I loved the book. I now look at the Temple windows in a whole new light!

I was asked by some to add the original photos - so here they are. It is a wonderful display!

A collage of photos from the Woman's Garden

I was asked to put the original photos up on the blog also. Here they are! Amazingly beautiful!

Last Friday morning my niece, Jenny Dalton Hill (my brother Bruce and Pat's daughter) and her family stopped in Nauvoo on their way to visit her husband's mother in Iowa. It was so great to see them even for a few minutes and see how much her children are growing and maturing. They were a long way from their home in Kentucky and I was so appreciative of their coming out of their way to see me.

top l to r
Brooke, me, Marc
Bottom l to r
Jenny, Cogan, Dalton

Jenny & Me

Yesterday contained a wonderful "tender mercy" from the Lord to me. I was serving in the Lucy Mack Smith home (mother of the prophet Joseph Smith) for the first time in about 4+ months. It is one of my favorite sites, but it is not visited by guests very often. There hadn't been many visitors, when in walked this couple - Elder Jeff & Sister Jo Ann Price from Sandy, Utah. I saw their name tags, but he was in jeans and she was in pants, so I knew they weren't from our area so I asked if they were on their way to their mission or coming home! There wouldn't have been any other explanation for the way they were dressed. They said they were on their way to serve a 1 year mission in the Columbus, Ohio mission. When I pressed further she said that she had been called to be the school teacher for the children of 3 Amish families that had recently joined our church. These families have been "shunned" by their Amish community since joining our church and so she is going to be the teacher for the new LDS children. We seemed to just have an instant connection during the tour of the site. They said that they only had time to visit 2 sites and this was one of them they decided to visit! I was surprised and happy they had come. We said good-bye and they went out the back door to see the grounds. 

Photo taken inside the house before they left

 This assignment of theirs seemed so fascinating to me and as I sat back down I had the thought to go out in the back yard with them and ask if I could stay in touch with them during their mission. So I went....They seemed pleased and so I gave them my email address and blog address and invited them to follow my journey and they said they would email me when they could. Then again noticing their missionary tags, I asked them if they had Price relatives in the Phoenix area and Elder Price said "yes, I was born and raised there." I asked who his parents were and he said Bob and Dorothy Price! Well Dr. Bob and Dorothy Price were close friends of my first husband's parents, Greg and Faye Doyle. I asked him if he remembered the Doyle family and if he remembered the Doyle's two children that died in the car accident back in 1972. He said absolutely. I told him --  I am Greg's wife and he and I immediately gave each other a big hug! I told him that I knew his parents well and have many fond memories of them. We had a good chat for several minutes and I took their picture again outside in the yard. I can hardly believe that I nearly missed the blessing of being able to connect with them in this special way if the spirit hadn't nudged me to go outside, and ask more questions!

I am still feeling grateful and humble at how God is so often in the details of our life - even when it is not a matter of life and death. But this experience just reminds me that he wants us to feel joy and stay connected to those that mean something to us......I can hardly wait to follow their mission experience!

Photo taken out in the backyard
Elder Jeff Price & Sister JoAnn Price

This picture is for Elder & Sister Judd Morgan. It was taken right after our Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo show tonight with the Morgan's son, Christopher & his wife Cori. These are just some of the people in our cast that were trained at the MTC by the Morgans. It was like we bonded immediately with his family!

Christopher & Cori Morgan, son of my trainers in the MTC - Elder & Sister Judd Morgan - stopped by the Brigham Young home where I was serving today with Sister Allen to say hello! It was so nice of them to look me up and make the effort to come by. Sister Allen from Australia was also in our District in the MTC and was serving with me today!

Elder & Sister Judd Morgan were our trainers in the MTC

Christopher, Cori, me and Sister Allen