Granted this picture is pretty grafic, but mouse #2 was just spotted by me lying dead in the trap under our kitchen sink! EWEEEKKKK! And everyone else is gone! Where is Sister Brown, the mouse buster, when I need her! I'm not sure I will ever get used to this part of my journey in Nauvoo!!!

Today was Mother's Day and I had a good day going to church, relaxing and then getting a tornado alert on my phone and having some excitement trying to figure out what we were supposed to do to find shelter. Luckily, the tornado went around us and no problems. It was a good trial run because now we know what to do next time!!!

But it was an especially good day because I got to talk to most of my kids and most of my grandchildren. I sure love and miss them. But grateful to be a full time missionary right now. Grateful for their love and support.

Here is my companion Sister Brown practicing in our living room to accompany the upcoming "Just Plain Anna Amanada" production with the Young Performing Singers. She plays beautifully!

With all the rain lately the dandelions are out in full bloom all around us and everywhere!

So far we haven't seen any more mice after the episode last night!!! YEAH!

This morning we had my first mission breakfast at 7 am. Great food and the new people who had come this last month were honored - which included me and my companions! The young performing singers and the band members sang the same song for the whole group that they sang for us on the steps of the Cultural Hall earlier in the week. It was just as beautiful!

My companion, Sister Walker is welcoming us to come and dine at our breakfast! She's so fun!

The room was full with all the people in our mission - over 225 young and old alike!

The young performing singers and band members (in the blue t-shirts) singing us their song!
These young people are all between 18 and 25 years old.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Tonight as I'm sitting here in my bedroom on my laptop adding to my blog, I hear some noise like a bag moving and I look over and see a MOUSE scooting along the wall. EEEEKKKKKK!!!
So I go wake up my 2 companions in a panic!!! Sister Walker is a city girl from CA like me, but thank heavens Sister Brown is a country girl and knows about how to catch mice! She set 2 traps with peanut butter on them along the walls of my room and hoped that would work! But I'm thinking what will we do if we really do catch one with the trap?!
A few minutes later I go back to typing on my blog and SNAP we caught the mouse in the trap!!! This whole thing was FREAKING me out! But Sister Brown got back up (its 11:00pm) and disposes of the dead mouse - can I just say that she is my hero for life!!! I will LOVE this woman FOREVER!
I'm praying that is (was) the only one in my room and get down on my knees in a few minutes and pray intently that I can go to sleep - mice free!
It's all part of the journey I guess......

Last weekend my special friends, Charlene (Brown) & Mel Stradling, were here visiting Nauvoo. My schedule was such that I actually had quite a bit of time to spend with them showing them many of the sites around Nauvoo, Montrose and Fort Madison. We had SOOO MUCH FUN! I'm always happy to have friends and family visit me.

Mel and Charlene on the Ft Madison bridge on the Mississippi River

When we were going across the Mississippi River towards Fort Madison, IA we got "barged"!!! That means that we were stuck waiting on the bridge for almost 30 minutes while 2 barges passed through and then had to also wait for a train! So we got out and walked around and got some neat pictures.

The first barge crossing through the bridge!

This is one of my favorite photos showing the rays of the sun coming through the clouds.
This was the second barge about to pass through the bridge!

We finally saw the 2 barges get safely through the draw bridge, but then had to wait for that train over at the base of the hill to pass! Oh well, it was part of the experience!

Once we got over the bridge into Iowa we went to the Pioneer Trail Memorial in Montrose, IA where the Latter-day Saints came across the Mississippi River to when they were driven out of Nauvoo in 1846.

This is a picture looking back at the Nauvoo Temple taken across the Mississippi River in Montrose. The Saints that were driven from their homes had heavy hearts and were so sad to have to leave their beautiful city and beloved temple.

I am so happy and grateful to be able to serve in this area and remember my ancestors who sacrificed so very much for their testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope they are proud of me!

This is a second place in Montrose that is telling the story of the Mormon Pioneers and their exodus from Nauvoo where they also crossed the river.

Second place in Montrose, IA where they crossed the river....

Charlene was too cold to get out of the car!

Leanna Wilmore and husband
I met this couple Sunday at church. Sister Wilmore directs the Bells on Temple Square who perform with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra on many occasions. She was here in Nauvoo as a vocal coach to the Young Performing Singers who arrived here last Friday to work and sing this summer in Nauvoo.

Monday night the Young Performing Singers gathered on the front steps of the Cultural Hall after  attending our casts performance of "Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo" and sang a beautiful song to President and Sister Chynoweth who were ending their mission the next day. Sister Wilmore and her husband were also leaving to go back to Salt Lake City the next day. The singers voices are amazing and I can hardly wait to hear more from them throughout this summer and perform with them in "Sunset on the Mississippi" production which we have been rehearsing for 2 times a week and starts on the outdoor stage on May 24th!

This is a photo of 4 the sisters that went on our outing to Cantril and Melton yesterday. The photo is taken at the Melton Creamery where I tried Cheddar Cheese Curds for the first time! They were really good!

Brother and Sister Curtis who were with us are obviously not in the photo!!!

L to R

Sister Walker, me, Sister Thomas and Sister Brown