Nauvoo Mission 7/1/ 2012

Hi Gang, sorry for not writing sooner but things have gotten really hectic lately. The weather has turned hot and humid with avengance. You feel like you are waring a wet blanket all the time. We have started to work at 6 AM for concrete, just to avoid the heat. The heat index is above 100 almost all the time now. For Sunset last night the index was 119, a lot of really wet shirts. The pictures are of Mom at Carthage for the 168th commemoration of the martyrdom of Joseph and his brother Hyrum, same time of day and place, very inspiring to be part of a crowd of 400+ singing "Praise To The Man". One of those journal moments for sure. The Heidbreder Drug Store building at 8th and State in Quincy, was built in 1900 to house the rapidly growing chain. Previously the store was on the east side of the interection. It was started in 1875 as J. H. Heidbreder and Son. Of the orginal six stores, three of the buildings are still standing. It has been fun finding these old buildings and location of the rest. Learning lots of family history. Anna Sumerhays was involved in the serious car accident on Tues. June 26th in Pleasant Grove. She was broadsided by a truck at a intersection, it took over an hour to get her extricated from the car, with jaws of life and all. She is in the Utah Valley Hospital in the critical care unit with 5 broken ribs, (15 fractures), a punctured lung and a lacerated spleen. It is touch and go with the spleen. If anyone is down that way pop in and visit her. We love the spirit here and feel blessed to be part of it all. Take care, we love and miss you all, give all the little ones hugs.

Nauvoo Mission 6/20/2012

Hello everyone from the heartland of america the winter wheat in being harvested and 60% of all the exported wheat and corn flow down the Mississippi from this area. The first picture is me at the brickyard making mini bricks for our guests, same material, same process just smaller. The saints in Nauvoo made about 1 million bricks a year, very labor intensive process. They built 35o brick homes here. Kind of fun learning the process and seeing the results, people love the free little red brick. The next picture is of Mom and I hanging out with Ben and Earl our in resident oxen. Very gently and calm, they respond to 5 voice commands. They are lead not driven. Talk about big and strong, most of the wagons that left Nauvoo in 1846 were ox lead.
They eat anything and the yoke in much less money than bridles needed for horses. We have read about oxen but being next to them is really fun. Pretty much the same around here work, musicals, musicals, musicals, sleep. The weather is really hot and humid now much like we expected and everyone says it gets worse. My shirt is wet all day. Mom gets to work in AC sites all the time. We are enjoying all the people and the excitement that is in the air, very special feeling. We love and miss you all, take care.

Nauvoo Mission 6/12/2012

Hi Gang, This has been a very busy but exciting and rewarding week. Lots of people at the sites and in the streets. It's more like we expected. The crowds at the performances especially at Sunset are large, we had over 800 on Tues. We always do Rendevous twice each night now. The picture is of Sunset, it starts out with a childrens parade. The kids color the paper hats and follow the brass band on a march through the audience waving the flag. You can see the old folks chorus in the back with the straw hats. The stage for pageant is almost finished, we turn it over to the Arts people this week, just some little odds and ends left. Sunday we worked in the visitors center, it was great. I spoke with a non member couple who said they thought is was time to learn something about the Mormons since we were going to have one running for Pres.
They watched a film and went out to the sites. It is so great to have so much available to visitors that explain the Gospel. BYU Ball Room dancers were here also, they put on live performers for the whole week after Sunset and also a fireside Sun. evening. We love working here, it is so peaceful and the spirit is everywhere. The other picture is a scene in Rendevous of George and Agatha. Mom and I are just about ready to do this. Happy birthday to Mitch, Molly and Megan last week. We love you and miss you.

Nauvoo Mission 6/3/2012

This is a picture of the "Sunset Show. It is on an outdoor stage. We are in it two nights a week. Next week the BYU ballroom dancers start giving a show right after this one every night. Dad and I have not performed our part yet in our play. We are still practicing it. The other picture is of the Temple Quarry site. We are very busy. More and more people are coming now. It is more fun when it is busy, not so much sitting and waiting. We went to the temple on our P day and then to the sites that belong to the other church. There is so much going on at once here for the summer guests. We had our zone conference tonight and got some great teaching. This week after Sunset we went down Parley Street where the Trail of hope is and the young missionaries gave stories and songs along the way. We are so proud of Luke for his

graduation and Theo for his baptism this week. We miss you all and love you all!!,Take care!

Mom & Dad

Nauvoo Mission 5/27/2012

Hi Gang, Things are beginning to pick up around here, the sites are getting buser all the time. The weather is getting hotter and more humid each day. Which makes concrete work all the harder. The pageant stage is almost done just two more pours to go. This weeks pictures are from the sites. Elder Larsen is giving a tour in the parlor of the Herber C Kimball home and Mom is crying repentance in the herb garden at the Lyon Drug Store. We are both working hard to learn our new parts for rendevous and should be performing them by next week. Mom has to carry most of the load in the part, but I get all the

laughs. Who would have thought we'd be doing all
this singing and acting on a mission. Learning more and more about old Nauvoo and loving it. The saints who lived here were certainly remarkable people. It's great that their story is finally being told in so many differant ways. We feel special just to be a part of it. There are so many stories that turn up all over the place. It's like those behind the vail are pushing to be heard. This whole political thing is really sparking interest in the church and it is very positive. We love and miss you all, Mom & Dad

Nauvoo Mission 5/22/2012

Hi everyone! Well, Dad finally finished his work at the Clark Store. It was oficially dedicated as the Famiy Search Center. As you can see in the picture they built some beautiful arbors outside the building. There was a good crowd at the opening on Wednesday. The young performers out here for the summer sang and their brass band played. The picture of me is in the dry goods store. It's fun to learn all the tours and all the histories. We had dress rehersal for Sunset this week and it begins the this weekend and runs the whole summer. Dad is now working on the stage for pageant and the push isn't as much pressure as where he was before. The crowds are starting to increase here. We got 23 new missionaries this week. All is well with us. We miss you all and hope you are fine. Please keep in touch. Love, mom and dad

Nauvoo Mision 5/15/2012

Hi Gang, sorry for the late blog things have been busy with the open house tomorrow. We finally got ever thing done, unbelievable. Picture below is of one of the concrete, pours. I'm the one in the middle with a loaded shovel, note this scene because you will see a real change in the finished scene to follow next week. We went to Quincy on our P-day and found the locations of the 5 pharmacies the Heidbreders owned. The first ones were in the old German area of town. It was fun. There is only one original building still standing. The other picture is of the cast outside the Cultural Hall after Rendevous greeting the crowd. Mom is center right with a black shawl (haha). We built two large arbors in record time, all done by 3 old missionaries. Who would have thought. I hope things will settle down now. We love this place, things are really starting to pick up, we practiced with the young performers for Sunset, they are great. Weather is great not hot yet. We miss you all and feel sorry we

are missing all the games and such, but wouldn't

miss this experience for anything. Old Nauvoo

has really gotten into our blood. Happy birthday

to Melissa and Bob this week, we are all getting older. Sunday we had a fireside on the history of the restoration in Nauvoo, this year is the 50 year anniversary of the beginning, with old picture and all. It was interesting to see the change that has taken place and how the church policy has changed. All in all this is quite a place

we feel very blessed just to be here. Take care and keep those cards and letters coming. Mom loved her Mothers day gift, thanks to all. Much

love Mom and Dad,

Nauvoo Mission 5/6/2012

Dear family and friends,
 Another busy week has gone by.  Things are starting to pick up a little here in Nauvoo.  40 young performing missionaries came in on Wednesday. They will learn everything in 2 weeks for the summer production "Sunset on the Mississippi"  The pictures this week are of me in the Wilford Woodruf kitchen and the one of dad is in the Browning gun shop.  He was excited to get a chance to work there. We are getting better acquainted each day.  There are 160 Senior Missionaries here, 17 are senior single sistersplus 20 Young Sister Missionaries.  They are great people from all walks of life.  Each has quite a story to tell.  So many are so inspirational!  Today in R.S. some of the sisters shared some of the Nauvoo miracles in their lives that eventually brought them here.  Our Rendevous cast all went to dinner on Fri. to an old brewery bldg. in Warsaw together.  It was fun.  Dad and I have been asked to learn one of the large parts in Rendevous, so we have a lot of memorizing to do in the next few weeks.  It's a funny part and should be lots of fun!  We send our love to all.  Be sure to check out facebook for additional pictures.  Happy birthdat to Brian's Brooke this week!  Take care!

Nauvoo Mission 4/2012

 Hi Gang, This has been a pretty typical week in good Old Nauvoo.  Work, performances and P-day activities. On Tuesday for our mission training mtg. we heard from a general authority, Elder Choi of the Seventies.  He and his family also came to our Rendevous performace that night, a lot of the humor went way over their heads, they are from Korea. As you can see I spend some of my time with the jumping jack tamping already hard soil.  The temple is right behind the wrought iron fence.  For P-day we went to Keokuk and watched the 25th Annual reenactment of a civil war battle of Shiloh, Hornet's Nest. It was really quite impressive lots of smoke and loud noise. There were 4 canons that fire

back and forth at each other.  It lasted for about 45 minutes with attacks and retreats on both sides. Lots of emphasis of authenticity in clothing and weapons, a whole bunch of black powder was used also. Saturday we met the Jones (Carol and Blair) family. Bret Tueller was with them, He is married to Carol's grandaughter. They were here for a family reunion. Happy birthday to Theo and Shrader coming up. Rained all day today so things are pretty wet. We miss you all especially the ball games, but really enjoy being here and feeling the spirit.  Love Mom & Dad/ Robert and Susan

Nauvoo Mission

Hi everyone!  Another busy week has gone by.  Dad continues his work on the Clark Store restored into a family history center.  Three general authorities will be coming the middle of May for the opening.  They have been doing the concrete all around the back.  This week I worked in 3 new places, the 70's Hall, the Log Schoolhouse and the John Taylor home.  It's fun to learn about each place and do the tours.  I also got a bad cold this week, but we hear that's normal here in Nauvoo when you first get here.  We had our first week with two performances of the musical "Rendevouz".  The weather here has been cool and rainey.  We are starting to feel more comfortable with everything.  Darrel & Judy Larson called and we got to visit with them on their way to their mission this week.  We also saw a couple we worked with in Bountiful temple.

We send our love to you all, we think of you often and pray for each of you. Love, Mom & Dad, Robert & Susan

Nauvoo MissionAA

Hi gang, all is going well in Old Nauvoo. We have been busy but totally enjoying it. We performed in our first live Rendevouz this week and it went great. It was really fun it is such a great story and super music. We played to a full house and they were great. Today Mom and I worked in the Wainwright, Wheelwright and blacksmith shop together, we got to talk about building wagons and making horseshoes. I was actually working with red hot metal as you can see. Working in the sites helps one to appreciate what those people had to do on a daily basis just to survive. Talk about faith and hard work on a daily basis. We really love this place history is
everywhere. The Clark Store is almost all finished on the inside but there is a lot to do outside. It has been raining here for several days. The Open house is 15-19 May with 3 general authorities coming, so the pressure is on. I will be doing sidewalks and curbing for some time. We miss you all and pray for your well being and success. Keep the cards and letters coming. We have been to the two biggest cities near here and there is not much to do in either. It is good we are keep busy in our work. Love

Nauvoo Mission

 Hi again friends and family!  We had another good week this week with dad working on projects and me working on some new historical sites.  I got to work in the post office and Lyon's Drug store and the Family Living Center.  We also went to the temple this week.  It is so beautiful.  The bottom floor is a replica of the original room where they held their church meetings.  They don't use that part when you go through the endowment.  They have four different rooms you go through with wall paintings as part of the ceremony.  They are in pioneer style, but homey and elegant.  There is such a spirit there especially when you learn about how much they sacrificed to build their temple.  The picture of the sunset is close to our house, we walk down to the river to see it often.  Today we had an Easter program at church with a missionary choir and then Zone Conference this evening with instruction from the Mission Pres.  We continue to practice for our musical programs.  Everything is so much fun because we get to know all the other missionaries and share everything with them.  It is inspirational to learn all the history here and the great work and faith of these people.  We went over to Quincey on p day to shop as there is not much here in Nauvoo to shop in.  We send our love to you all.  Take care and be well and happy!  Love Mom & Dad, Robert & Susan

Hello everyone
from good old
Nauvoo.  We have been through a really busy week, but totally enjoyable.  Lots of song practice for the Rendezvous and Sunset.

These are two musical plays that are performed nightly by the missionaries at Nauvoo.  Rendezvous is a story about Nauvoo, Sunset is a production musical with band and all where the missionaries are the chorus. We are busy learning the music and movement parts. This requires lots of practice time.  Mom started working at the historical sites this week, the Heber C Kimbal home,   Lyon Drug and the Family Living Center (FLC).  I worked out of the carpenter shop, my companion, a former professor at UVU, and I installed a new shower sorround in the young sisters home.  There are 20 young sisters who will arrive on the 11th of April to work the visitors center for the summer. The work we do is  pretty basic and we enjoy it.  The picture above is the back or our home with the rig I get to bring home each night.  The trailer is full of power tools and supplies.  Mom and I work together on Sundays at the sites.  We worked at the FLC today.  I got the tell people about rope making, barrel making (coopering) and pottery.  This site involves participation from the viewers. Besides being interesting to me I really enjoyed meeting the people.  Mom explained candle making, bread making and the spinning process.  We will change sites each Sunday.  We were able to hear most of conference.  The weather here has been perfect and we are getting more comfortable each day.  We send our love to you all.  

MTC & Nauvoo

 Greetings to all from Nauvoo.  We had a good trip out.  We drove about twelve hours the first day, stopping in York, Nebraska to stay over.  We drove about 7 more hours the next day to Nauvoo.  We drove through miles and miles of beautiful farm lands in Iowa and Nebraska.  We stayed in a room on Main Street Nauvoo Friday night and then were assigned our housing on Saturday.  We met with the mission Pres. and his wife first, did all the paper work and then moved in.  We are staying in the Henry Thomas home right at the bottom part of Nauvoo.  You can see in the picture how great it is! It is an old fashioned two story that is built on an old foundation and the brick and cement basement we use for laundry.  We feel so luck to be in the old Nauvoo area, as many of the missionaries are living up in the town.  Henry Thomas built his home on this spot after he joined the church in the south and traveled with the saints.  He was a wealthy plantation owner who left land to all his slaves and left everything behind.  They had twelve children and his wife died at age 44.  He later traveled to Salt Lake with the saints.  His daughter wrote a history in which she remembers the prophet Joseph well and remembers seeing the dead bodies of Joseph and Hyrum when they brought them back to Nauvoo.  We have been training with the other couples from the MTC.  Dad starts his carpentry work on Wednesday because the other carpenters left and they have lots to get ready for summer.  I am training at some of the historical sites and I start tomorrow at the Heber C. Kimball home.  On Sunday after church we took a tour with the other couples over to Carthage which is always somber and humbling.  It is a holy place to visit.  On Monday we had to sing and read a script for Rondavous, which is a musical play presented each night all year round.  Every senior couple participates.  They just take your MTC group and you learn it and put on the play.  We start rehersals tomorrow--talk about out of your comfort zone!  But you just wouldn't believe how well they turn out.  We have seen two casts now and they are great!  Next we went to the sewing room to get all our clothing checked out.  The lady said that I was an answer to prayers because some of the people come with nothing done.  My two dresses will be plenty for 6 months.  Thanks to Shawna and the other ladies that made my dresses.  We have to travel over to a small town closeby to get two hats for dad at an Amish store.  It brings back memories of New York! We are excited to be here and are excited to get going on our schedules this week.  They say it gets crazy in the summer here.  We send our love to you all.  It seems like we've been gone longer than a week.  We have a fold out bed in our place, so come and stay!  We will keep in touch and remember you all in our prayers!  Much love, Mom & Dad