Halloween and Gearing up for Christmas in Nauvoo

We had fun at the Bootiful Nauvoo Halloween event. We haven't seen so many amazing pumpkins - more than 200 of them! Last year 5,000 people came to Nauvoo to watch the festivities. There were more this year but I don't know the count. Missionaries handed out kettle corn and candies. There was a parade of costumes. It was alot of fun. 

A couple of weeks ago there was a mission talent show. The Hansen's, fellow Canadians from Barnwell,  and us sang a song together. Bryce wrote the words and we sang acapella and in barbershop harmony to the tune of Winter Wonderland. We were also decked out in red flannel underwear with the women in our white pioneer aprons holding a small Canadian flag and the men in their pioneer vests. The words are as follows:

We're Canadians from the North land.

So we're not always suntanned,

But we know what to wear when it's cold out there.

Go walking in your winter underwear.

Building snowmen and skating,

Well it's just like we're dating.

Just wear your ice cleats as you walk Nauvoo streets,

Go walkin in your winter underwear.

Chorus:

Well we don't care if Nauvoo snows or freezes.

We're so warm we just don't give a hoot, eh?

In the Family Living Center there are breezes,

So put on two pairs of trousers with your flannel suit.

Sleigh bells ring, and we're listening,

As we're scratchin and itchin

Twas so cold outside we could no longer abide

Without our wooly winter underwear.

We didn't think it could happen,

But the back, it's a flappin,

So when you're cold to the core,

Close up the trap door

To go walking in your winter underwear.

Chorus:

Well we don't care if Nauvoo snows or freezes

We're so warm we just don't give a hoot, eh?

In the Wilford Woodruff house you get the sneezes, achoo,

So put on an extra sweater with you flannel suit.

When we start to perspire,

And we think we're on fire,

It's the forge that's too hot in the blacksmith shop,

We'll go outside in our winter underwear

Oh don't forget your winter underwear...

We're so glad we have our winter underwear!!!!!

Now we're gearing up for Christmas. We're in 3 choirs: the ward choir, the community choir doing 4 songs from the Messiah, and the "Miracle of Christmas" regional choir with orchestra. That's alot of choirs. Beautiful songs though. The Messiah will be performed in the local Catholic church. Nice community event. Then on Dec. 4 th there is the Christmas Walk with starts with lighting the huge tree in the Visitor's Center. The center is pitch black and then the missionaries all start singing a song about lighting the tree and we flash our flashlights that have various colors of celephane on them, on and off on and off all thru the song. Then they light the actual tree. Then people take wagon rides, listen to carollers (I'm in charge of them) at 4 different stations, watch a live Nativity at the Cultural Hall and eat lots of goodies baked and provided by the missionaries. It will be really nice. We're looking forward to it.

Missionary wise we had an amazing visit from Elder Hamula and his wife. They both gave inspiring talks over a two day period. He's with the Church History Dept. and he talked about why the church builds and maintains church history sites. There are two reasons: one, to remember what happened there and two, to go there and become a witness to the events that transpired there. As we do this, the Holy Ghost adds His witness and then we have a second witness to the truthfulness of the events that happened there. These witnesses increase your faith. This leads you to do something that will lead you to Christ. You will know first hand that what you have done has helped you. Then the Holy Ghost will add His witness and this will increase your faith on this added principle. It keeps going on and on repeating this process. 

Then there is the added importance of being a witness to the next generation so they never forget. He said that people all thru the scriptures have a tendance to forget so we have to be in the business of remembering and witnessing. He also tied the idea of remembering and witnessing into the Sacrament where we are to remember and to witness. All of this builds faith and draws us closer to Heavenly Father and Christ.