Thursday, May 26, 2016

In And Around Nauvoo!

The Lucy Mack Smith home is open and if Bryce had his way...


...it would be called the Joseph Bates Noble house - after all Joseph built it and he IS Bryce's 2nd great grandfather!


We thought we'd stop in at the Riser Boot Shop but nothing too serious was going on there.

I've served at Brigham's home many times and thought we'd check on the....


... two baby robins on the window ledge just outside the counsel room window. Cute!  

We'd never been in the above ground cellar at Brigham's home. It was cool and comfortable. 


By Lyon's Drug Store, we spotted a bee in the herb garden. Too bad we hadn't our bee box with us!


This homey picture is of the side door of the Mansion house. 


This lovely creature was donated to historic Nauvoo and will add a new dimension to our "rides"! 

Nope, just kidding! These two camels live near the small town of Kahoka, Missouri 20 minutes away from Keokuk, Iowa. They were actually for sale but we didn't think we could get them home to Canada at the end of our mission!


Saturday, May 21, 2016

A Litte Bit of This and That!

This is us at the Sarah Granger Kimball home enjoying all the wonderful peonies. They were beautiful! 


Bryce and I have learned how to chat with people who write in to mormon.org. Only full time missionaries can do this. The young sister missionaries here in Nauvoo have taught us how to do it and we're enjoying it. I helped a man in Nigeria who wanted to meet with the missionaries. 


Bryce chatted with a man in Poland who had some questions about the purpose of life. 


One day last week I helped plant flowers. It was alot of fun working and visiting together. 


Yup, that's me digging in the dirt! I have to make a correction because I actually learned that it isn't dirt, it's soil. 


The full time employedd and master gardener Richard places all the plants and...


TA-DA! Instant garden! Now squint and imagine these plants a foot tall and so full you can't see the soil! That's what they'll look like in the not too distant future! Oh to have this kind of weather in Calgary, Alberta!


Sunday, May 15, 2016

Kalona, Iowa - Quilts, "Sporks", and the Amish!

For one of our days off, we visited Kalona, Iowa. It was settled by the Amish and Mennonites in 1846. It's a quaint little town with many fun things to see.



We quickly learned about the goodies at the Kalona Bakery! Cinnamon rolls and berry pies! Delish!

In one of the historic houses, we admired this beautiful organ. The old hymn book on the organ looked well used. 


We thought the "spork" was an innovative idea! 


This is the sign on the original well shown below. 



This is where Grandma and Grandpa would live after they'd moved out of the "big house" when the next generation moved in. (Don't get any ideas you kids). Grams and Gramps now live in this cozy dwelling. Inside it didn't look too bad. They'd eat their meals at the "big house" with the rest of the family if they wanted. 


This was the train station. The office was on the main floor and the station master and his family lived upstairs. They'd sure have to learn to sleep through anything!!!


Bryce was trying to get some information but "Mr. Manne Quin" wasn't too helpful. 


We liked these old train lamps. 

This buggy pulled into the local hardware store. We saw several Amish around town. 


We also saw some other forms of transport and agricultural equipment. 


I'm sure this was a few steps up from the horse and plow but not quite a John Deere yet!


The John Deere factory is in Iowa and their patented color started early. 


These are butter pats that are placed on the dinner table - one for each person to put their butter on. Various types and qualities. I thought they were so cute that when we found some with roses on them at a Kalona antique store, we bought them.  


Lost Bryce for a while then found him wearing this. Didn't know I should have been looking for Abe Lincoln!  


Saturday, May 14, 2016

Dear Waiter, Did You Know...?


One day at a restaurant in Quincy, Illinois, Bryce put the crayons provided to work on a missionary message for our waiter. What can be more important than to know who you are, why you're here, and where you're going? 


Or course, when our food arrived, we enjoyed every delicious bite! 


It was St. Patriack's Day and I chose traditional corned beef and cabbage -- yummy! 


At the end of the meal when our waiter came, Bryce invited him to watch the video on the pass-along-card. The Savior IS the most important part of this life. 



Wednesday, May 4, 2016

One Peaceful Walk and Two Discoveries

 Two days ago Bryce started his day at 7am helping in the flower garden's. My day didn't start until 9:45 am so I decided to go for a walk. I decided to walk down to the Smith family historic sites. No one was around but the chirping birds. As I walked past the Mansion House and the old Homestead and the graves of Hyrum Smith and Joseph and Emma Smith, many of the events that happened here so many years ago came to mind. The great faith of the Saints, their love of God and of His prophet Joseph Smith. I felt so grateful to be here in Nauvoo how my love for these people has deepened.

Emma and Joseph Smith's "Mansion House".  


The old homestead and graves of Hyrum Smith, Joseph and Emma Smith.


Graves of Joseph Smith's parents.


Graves on right, homestead in middle and Mansion house back far left behind the trees. 


Flowering tree near Joseph Bates Noble's home. (Bryce's ancestor) Isn't it beautiful?


Beautiful tree along the way. Not sure what kind. 


My first discovery was while serving in the Brigham Young home today. There was a robin nest on the outside window ledge. Beautiful blue eggs. I later saw the momma bird on the nest. 


Discovery number two was meeting a man that was from Byron, Illinois where Jared grew up. He knew all the Merrills very well. He's now a permenant resident in Nauvoo. What a small world!