Sunday, July 14, 2019

And here goes Pageant!

Yes....it is Pageant season !   The Nauvoo Pageant began Tuesday and runs Tues / Thurs. & Sat. while the British Pageant started Wednesday and plays every Wed. & Fri night.  They are each individual but my personal favorite is the British pageant, perhaps because we have been there in the Preston area or perhaps because our ancestors came from there.  I love the portrayal of the faith and sacrifice that was required by the early Saints to leave family, homeland and all that was dear to them for the sake of their conversion to the Gospel and their desire to obey the call of a prophet of God.   Yes, we do the same today but I feel that their sacrifice is particularly hard because they knew that they would never see their homeland or family again.  We, on the other hand, know that we will.

Here is some of the happenings of this week:

 One of our summer student workers (Katie Kyle...Trischia's daughter...my boss) brought this little guy into prayer meeting on Monday morning.  He had been caught in one of the traps.  They sure are cute to look at but can make a "holy" mess of things that they get into (like garbage cans that haven't been properly secured !).  We have one that likes to wander through our back patio and dig up any growing things....especially the sunflower that Sis. Pinette has planted !  We have replanted that thing a couple of times and it is still growing and flourishing....talk about resilent!   We need to take a personal lesson from that at times !

Helen leading the Bagpipe Band

The end of the number and the band is getting ready to continue their march down Mullholland

 This shows a special lady here in Nauvoo.  Her name is Helen (last name escapes me at the moment)  Her maiden name is Peterson and she grew up in Welling.....rode the same bus as Dixie & Brenda.  She really didn't remember Jim but after all, he was just one of the little guys on the bus...haha!!  Anyway, she owns and runs a frozen custard shop on main street and Jim has helped her with storage of some of her custard at the FM compound.  She has given us coupons for free frozen custard for the duration of our mission.  We love going there after a hot performance at Sunset by the Mississippi.    I was driving down Mullholland Street on my way to do something and the Bagpipe band was marching down it on their way to the location where they do a little outdoor concert everyday at 11:00.  Helen had come out of her shop and they stopped and played a number for her, then the leader handed her the baton and she led them in another number.  It was fun to see.  Oh yeah...her last name is Campbell.  She is single now and runs / operates this very successful business single-handed.  During pagaent & the summer season, she hires some young people to run the front-end while she keeps up with the orders in the back!  She reminds me of Carol Dahl with all of her energy !!

Performing "Amazing Grace"

Highland dancers also perform with the band

Here the Bagpipe band is performing their concert in a green space between the Zion's Mercentile building and the historic Woodruff hotel.    There are alot more people in Nauvoo right now and there will continue to be until Pageant is over (August 3).  That brings extra "behind the scene" work but also the opportunity to meet and talk with lots of people.  I have discovered how much I enjoy getting to visit with different people.

I am loving our opportunity to serve here in Nauvoo.  It doesn't require any proscelyting in the formal sense but our contributions are needed and felt throughout the mission.  I, also, love to be able to visit with others in a less formal setting. We are learning and our testimonies are growing and strengthening by these things, as well.  This gospel is one of action....if you need to gain a testimony of a principle, then try it out and the confirmation of the Spirit will follow.

That's about it for this week....stay tuned....more next week.  Love to you all !!