Scoville Bakery and the joy of learning

I should probably have pictures of the neat things in the bakery like the sifter or the apple peeler, but since the cookies are one of the important things that we share....  I always tell people when I give them one that for the next couple of minutes I am one of the sweetest people in Nauvoo.  Then I tell them I hope they have a sweet day in Nauvoo.  Corny but true!!  The stairs down into the basement where we have freezers with the cookies are crazy steep.  

I have started learning how to spin wool from a sister here and so that is the newest excitement in my life.  It is definitely going to take a lot of practice to get it right, but am definitely enjoying the process.  Next  I plan on learning how to work on the big looms.  I figure there are so many skills that we talk about here that I want to absorb everything I can. 

 The Young Performing Missionaries gave their final presentation Sunday evening and have now left for home.  The fall slow down has begun so there will be many changes.  Each time of year here in Nauvoo comes with it's own challenges and blessings.  About half the missionaries finish and go home here in the next month or two, so that makes for a large change.  I am looking forward to learning lots of new things during this part of the year. 

 We have been asked to play Agatha and George in the Rendezvous performance for our cast and are working diligently on our parts.  They are the comedy relief and somewhat over the top.  It does mean that I get to climb the pole on the stage which I think is a hoot.  Have thought about putting a little bit of a southern twist on my lines...we shall see, first I just need to get them all down.  The missionaries that do those parts now finish their missions and leave the first week of September. 

So much fun watching all the performances that come.  This was part of Vocal Points last performance.There are also lots of other lectures and performances that go on throughout the rest of the year.  

Tonight there was a presentation and slide show on MesoAmerica and findings that support the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  Since some of it's focus was GUATEMALA and the Salama valley, we definitely enjoyed it!

Take his Yoke

What an amazing Week!  I have to be careful with that comment, because I think I might repeat it way too many times.  This week though has had lots of special moments.  Friday morning we had the farewell breakfast for those missionaries going home.  Never seen a place set up so fast for an activity, or cleaned up so fast at the end.  Magical what about 300 missionaries can do together!  The Joseph and Lucy Mack Smith family is having their family reunion this week in Nauvoo and Elder Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve is here.  Yesterday afternoon was a special closed meeting for all of the missionaries and we were able to hear him speak.  What a treasure to hear the words of an Apostle of the Lord.  To hear his testimony of Jesus Christ and love of the Gospel.  To top it off, when he finished and they started to take him out the side door, instead he detoured down and came out to shake hands with us as he was leaving.  Elder Spradlin and I both had the opportunity to be with him, listen to his counsel and to shake hands with him.  When I realized that we were going to get too, my eyes just started filling with joy.


Today I worked in the Post Office and Dry Goods store.  Letters were expensive to send at 6 cents for up to 30 miles, and a quarter for up to 400 miles.  They were charged by the page, so you made that paper count for sure!

Take Christ's Yoke  The burden is light, because we become stronger as we become more like Christ.  We will pass through the trials and will become stronger as we leave behind the things in life that would weigh us down.  So much to learn in everything around us! 

We heard Vocal Point perform on Thursday night, then when we were on duty in the Visitor's Center on Friday  they came in to ask if they could warm up in one of the theaters.  Oh yes, excited!  No problem from me letting them use one of the stages, thinking  I would get to peak in and listen.  They were fine with that, but then we kept having visitors come in - something about being a missionary and serving.  

One of the neat parts of working in the homes in the central part of Nauvoo is walking out and hearing the band and getting to watch the Young Performing Missionaries.  Leap Frog Anyone?

This is one of my favorite quotes I have read here.  I think if everyone would apply it - we could change the world.