Nauvoo Holbrooks

 Pioneer Day The temple was open on July 24th, so the temple missionaries celebrated the holiday on Monday, July 21, our P-day. Kerri Hundley and her activities committee planned a breakfast with tons of food--french toast casseroles, fruit, egg casseroles (regular and gluten free), cinnamon rolls, muffins, milk, more fruit, and juice. It was all so delicious. We all ate until we were overly stuffed, and then there was a program: a trivia quiz, singing, stories about some pioneer ancestors, and a talk about finding happiness. Wonderful morning. Most of the temple missionaries at the breakfast had at least one ancestor who lived in Nauvoo. Joseph Holbrook, bodyguard to the Prophet Joseph, lived here. Arline had ancestors on both sides that went through Nauvoo, but none lived here. It doesn't matter whether they lived here, though. They were all part of our heritage and helped make the Church what it is today. Trivia Quiz. How many of these can you answer? We were mostly stumped. No ...

                                                            Drowned Rats                                                               (or Drenched Teenagers) A tornado warning was issued Friday morning for that evening. However, by late afternoon the forecast was changed to severe thunderstorms. After wrapping up a loose end in the temple, Arline got out to the car just before the BIG, fat raindrops started to fall. By the time we got to our apartment, torrential rain hit and we decided to wait in the car for the worst to blow over. Weather around a tornado brings heavier and longer rain than usual. Because Arline is on crutches, we've developed a new temporary driveway that takes...

" ... become as a little child ..."  --3 Nephi 11:36 This is a sequel to a previous post on June 30. If you have not read that post yet, do so before reading this one. Just a reminder--you were supposed to guess which of these items doesn't belong.                               Jeff was correct in his guess of the computer, but his logic wasn't quite what we were looking for. The computer is the object that doesn't belong because all the other items are helping Arline with her therapy or just life in general. The glass and straw Did you know a straw can be used as a kind of kazoo? As many of you know, back in March, Arline got a terrible cold and racking cough that lasted for weeks. She lost her voice and our granddaughter Emily gave Arline's talk in church before we left. The problems lingered and lingered. Two doctor visits in Salt Lake didn't help. One doctor said it was a mild sinus infection (treated) a...

  4th of July 🏴 You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.  --Erma Bombeck Small town celebrations are so much fun. There was a huge party thrown in Nauvoo--to watch the fireworks that were set off across the river in Iowa. A free barbecue with hots dogs and burgers was provided by the construction workers who are building the new temple visitors' center and hosted by the Church's FM group. People gathered on the hill just outside the temple for hours and were rewarded with a glorious sunset over the river (something we get to experience often around here). Bagpipers entertained, people broke out singing spontaneous patriotic songs, and kids had sparklers. It was fun to wat...

 Sesame Street Revisited ♫ One of these things is not like the others, One of these things does not belong ... 🎶 Can you figure out which? Post a comment and let us know if you can guess what it is. Feel free to ask what those items are.

 A Drop in the Bucket One of the first things we noticed around here is there are so many people with black tags: site missionaries, performing missionaries who do wonderful shows like "Sunset on the Mississippi" and "Love of the Savior," CES missionaries, proselyting missionaries (both old and young), service missionaries working from home, Facility Management missionaries, all in addition to those of us serving in the temple. And that's even before the pageant missionaries show up. So many opportunities to serve the Lord. It's great to be among so many wonderful people!

  This and That A few miscellaneous observations, none big enough to write a whole blog about I think they're serious about not parking in front of the garage door, A lady I visited with in the temple told me she lives in this house. It's on the road between Nauvoo and Keokuk or Quincy, so we see it a few times a week. We'd noticed how nice it looked, but never thought we'd meet the owner. We call it the Eagle House. And speaking of eagles, the eaglets are growing up and are now scruffy-looking teenagers We have a big beautiful bush in front of our bedroom window. The blossoms survived last week's storms, but not the ensuing weather. However, other flowers are growing in the bed around it now, as well as other flowers around Nauvoo.       Spring flowers in Nauvoo ^This is how we get our mail. but there are a few problems for the mail room people as evidenced by this sign: There's a Catholic church and school near the temple. One side of the school backs on a for...