Today was my "Preparation Day" or free day to decide what I would like to do. So my companions, Sister Walker, Sister Brown and my former companion, Sister Thomas, Elder & Sister Curtis from Crestline, CA and I drove to Cantril, Iowa to shop at Dutchman's Store. It is an old fashioned general store run by local Mennonites. It was a fun day! We also went to a small Amish store in Menton, Iowa to find a straw hat for Elder Curtis to wear in our show "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo". To my surprise I also found some wonderful Mexican vanilla - who would have guessed I'd find it there!!!

I took this picture from our car as we passed this carriage!

Wonderful old bridge in Cantril.

This home north of Cantril had beauttful gardens - this picture didn't begin to do it justice.

We couldn't resist taking this picture of a house raising by many Amish people in Menton, Iowa. You can see a few of the buggies, but there were many more you can't see. This is going to be a large home!!! I don't think they were very happy with us for taking their pictures.

Photo taken from the car as we are just about back to Nauvoo. Did I mention that I LOVE CLOUDS!

It occured to me today that some of you following my blog may not really know what Nauvoo is all about.....so in short in 1839, early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—called “Mormons”—established this place of peace and beauty on a great bend in the Mississippi.  Today, Nauvoo is one of America’s premier historic communities. Visitors can explore more than 40 historic sites from the 1840 time period.

Please go to the official website to check out all the things there are to do here in Nauvoo.
http://www.historicnauvoo.net/

Everything is free and families come here for several days and leave wishing they could stay longer and see it all. The summer months (with the most activities) is our busiest time as you will see on the web site.

As senior missionaries here, it is our privilege to conduct tours through all the sites and Visitor's Center and perform in the nightly shows. I am loving this whole experience!

Today my assignment was to help bake 1300 small gingerbread cookies with 4 other sisters and freeze them to be used this summer. By the end of this week the sister missionaries here in Nauvoo will have made and baked 50,000 of these cookies through the winter and spring in preparation to hand out in the Scovil Bakery to visitors this summer! I love the variety of assignments I get to do every day!!! We have been having lots of rain, thunder and lightening. It is supposed to continue through the week. But that will make it really green and beautiful around here.

Today I conducted tours of the Scovil Bakery. It is a favorite site of visitors here in Nauvoo.

Outside on the front steps.

Inside the one room bakery. See the cute little  gingerbread cookies that we hand out at the end of the tour on the red and white checkered cloth! They are a hit with everyone and yummy!

This is the outdoor summer kitchen behind the bakery.

The grist mill stones and the original well out back of the bakery.

This is a wonderful view of the temple from our front porch.

I went on a walk early this morning and as I was coming back to my home I just had to take these pictures to show that spring is happening in a beautiful way here in Nauvoo. We really are out in the fields and I love it. There will be crops growing all around us soon.

This picture is taken looking south at our home coming from the main highway/Mulholland St -- the street that goes down the center of the town of Nauvoo. There is just one main street lined with small old businesses. It is the pinnacle of small town USA.....Old Historic Restored Nauvoo is directly west of the town all the way out to the Mississippi River. I wish you could all come and enjoy the beauty and spirit of this place!

This is the view looking northwest. There will be crops growing on the brown spot soon and there are vineyards behind us that will be full of juicy grapes this fall!

This is the view I have looking out my window looking east.

This is what is next door to us on the south. This is how we go to head to Parley Street which leads right into the heart of Old Historic Nauvoo.

Here are our cars in the driveway looking west. We have had a LOT of rain lately, with more forecast to come, which makes everything turn so green right now and wakes up the buds on the trees and flowers. 

I finally got my "Show Dress" and I really like it!
I'm here on the stage at the old Cultural Hall where we perform Rendezvous.

Pretending to be "Agatha" from the show -
"No don't take me away.....he's the one that's crazy!"
One of my favorite scenes in Rendezvous.

Our "trio" companionship coming out of church on Easter Sunday. We all sang in the choir!
We even have a piano in the home we live in.....and they both play beautifully!

All the older single sisters got together and had a special potluck Easter dinner at one of the sisters homes.
Bottom Row R to L
Olsen, Davis, Thomas, Walker, Brown, me, Brown Brockbank
Standing R to L
Hoen, Peterson, Boyle, Salcido, Owens, Jones, Laynes, Allen, Redd
Sister Murray and McCann were not there

I  served today in the Post Office and Merryweather Dry Goods Store
This is how they would carry water buckets!