Consider the lilies of the field...

Spring continues to put on a show.  This weekend we went to the temple and the grounds around the temple were nearly as beautiful as the inside.  I believe there's a scripture about that..."Consider the lilies of the field (in this case, the tulips and trees on the temple grounds), how they grow...that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." - Matt. 6:26 

On Friday Scott and I served at Pioneer Pastimes.  That's the first time it’s been open this year.  We had 35 preschoolers and kindergarteners come and it was exhausting!  They were only going to stay for one hour, during which they would take time to eat their lunches and play the pioneer games.  They ended up staying an extra hour.  They were cute though, playing  ”house" in the north cabin, climbing all over the wooden lamb and horse, and playing the other games.  Some had a hard time using the equipment as it was meant to be used. For example, the tug-o-war rope became a whip as well as a human sling shot and the dowels for the Graces game were used as swords and bats.  But it was a lot of fun to watch the kids play in ways that they usually don’t get to, free and imaginative.  It was a great place to serve on a beautiful day!

Each week we have two nights that we practice for "Sunset by the Mississippi".  We are in the blue cast.  The red and yellow casts practice on the other days of the week.  Every practice we improve just a bit and hopefully by the time we have our dress rehearsal on May 24th we will have it all down.  There are five songs that we are learning the words to and dances for four of them.  That's a lot to ask from this person who neither sings nor dances!  It gives me a total brain cramp just thinking about it!  But it'll happen.  In one fashion or another :0)

This week I've been thinking about the question that Jesus asks the Pharisees in Matthew 22, "What think ye of Christ?"  Well, do I even think of Christ?  Often? How much of my time is even devoted to thinking of him?  I do take time to study the Sunday lessons, say my prayers, and read the Book of Mormon every day.  But other than that, do I really think of him throughout my day? I can tell you right now, that’s one area I can greatly improve upon.  I let other things, other tasks, fill my mind before I think of him.  So that’s the invitation, think MORE of him.  And if I think about him and his example,  it will be easier for me to be like him.  I will be able to love as he loved and serve more like he served.

This is from last week, Easter Sunday, in the Women's Garden.

My favorite of the day...

Setting up for Pioneer Pastimes.

So there's a story behind this...
Elder and Sister Childers have been to this place in Hagerstown, MD called
Krumpe's Do-Nuts (pronounced Crump-ees).  They promise that it's the best
donut place on the planet.  Elder Childers often calls out to Scott and I, "Hey Krumpes!"
from across the room.  The man has no shame.  But we love him :0)  The Childers have a
son who lives not far from Krumpe's and he teaches seminary.  A little while back I helped
 them FaceTime with their son's early morning seminary class.  When I say "early morning",
that's exactly what I mean.  Early Morning.  So when he actually brought his seminary class to
Nauvoo two weeks ago they gave me a shirt from Krumpe's Do-Nuts as a thank you. 
I wear it with pride!

Ahhhh, Spring!

It felt like spring was coming all too slowly, then, all of a sudden, BAM! It exploded!  On Easter Sunday the tulips were in full bloom in the Women's Garden south of the Visitors' Center.  I love spring in Nauvoo!  It is inspiring and hopeful.  It reminds me of all that is good and is another example that, "all things denote there is a god". 

I would like to briefly tell about an experience I’ve recently had.  It’s a little hard to explain, so bear with me.  The point is to express my gratitude and acknowledge my blessings.  This past week has been a bit frustrating for me.  Without belaboring the point, I have a few issues with my back that cause quite a bit of pain and numbness down the back of my legs.  It makes it difficult to walk, stand and sleep.  I have had a number of steroid injections over the past year, the last one being at the end of March.  I was hopeful it would do the trick and relieve the pain.  But that hasn’t been the case.  I received a priesthood blessing that gave me hope and my patriarchal blessing says that I would have faith to heal and faith to be healed.  So what’s the deal?  I began to wonder if I had as much faith as I thought I did.  What more could I do to show my faith? How do I show my Heavenly Father that I have faith in him, in his priesthood and in his promises?  I also thought, well, maybe having this back pain is what I’m supposed to go through and it’s all for a purpose, a part of his plan. These thoughts ran through my head as I listened to General Conference last weekend.  What I learned was that, for me, it was a matter of  turning it all over to my Heavenly Father.  I really had no idea what else to do.  So each morning when I say my prayers I SPECIFICALLY ask him to take care of me and my back.  I ask that any pain I might have won’t limit my ability to serve him in the ways I’ve been asked to serve.  I promise him that I will do all I can in my responsibilities in the office to help move our mission forward and lighten the load of our mission presidency.  And to do it with a smile and a happy heart.  I just have to say that as I have done this, and exercised just a small particle of faith, really the size of a grain of mustard seed, I have felt my Heavenly Father lift my burden and carry me through the day.  It doesn't mean the back pain is gone, but it does mean that I can do my part to serve him.  All tender mercies.  And I know “from whence they come.”

These hands belong to a senior missionary couple that I
serve with here.  I sat next to them at a recent fireside.
They are representative of the many senior couples who have
dedicated their lives to loving each other and serving the Lord. 

Spring pictures from the Women's Garden: 

In front of the Brickyard.

Behind Lucy Mack Smith's home.

Seminary, Lincoln, News & Keys...

This week has flown by and been very busy.  Spring is trying to make an appearance and it brings so much hope.  I love it.  

We had the opportunity this week to FaceTime a seminary class in Sheridan Wyoming and give them a virtual tour of Nauvoo.  We did it on both Thursday and Friday morning.  It was a lot of fun.  We talked about Joseph, Wilford, John and Brigham.  We shared the stories of their dedication to the building of the temple and priesthood keys.  I hope the students were able to learn a little bit about Nauvoo, but more importantly, feel the spirit of Nauvoo.  

On Saturday we went with a group of missionaries to Springfield to see some of the Lincoln historic sites.  Even though we had been there before Scott was happy to go again to be their tour guide.  We had a fun day with them and I learned a bit more about Lincoln.  

I just wanted to share two bits of fun Crump family news.  First of all, Matthew proposed to Shannon Jensen on Friday and we are so excited to add a new member to the Crumpbunch!  Their plan is to be married in August.  Since we haven't had the chance to meet Shannon yet (only through FaceTime) we are hoping to have the two of them and Zachary come out to see us at the end of the month when this semester ends and before they all begin their summer jobs. So congratulations to Matthew and Shannon!  WhoooHooo!!

Our second bit of news is that Scott and I will be extending our mission until the middle of January.  Originally we were scheduled to return on October 2nd, but we will be staying for about three more months.  Serving a mission here in Nauvoo has been such a joy and we hope to be able to continue to give the Lord our best efforts for an additional three months. 

Sunday night we were able to attend a mission fireside with Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Presiding Bishopric.  I learned so much from him about the Priesthood keys.  It is those keys that sets this church apart from any other church on the earth.  Because we have the Priesthood keys we have been blessed with the power to Gather Israel, seal families, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  President Nelson holds all restored keys of the Priesthood.  Elder James E. Faust gave a talk in the October 1994 General Conference entitled, "The Keys That Never Rust" that is well worth reading, https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/10/the-keys-that-never-rust?lang=eng . I am grateful to belong to a church that claims the same Priesthood keys that were on the earth at the time of the Savior.  It's another way our Heavenly Father shows His love for us.

The night sky this week as I walked
along Partridge Street.

Spring flowers near the Homestead and
Smith Family Cemetery.

The barn behind the Sarah Granger Kimball home.
They're working on making it a place for larger
groups to gather for activities.

Looking from the barn south to Sarah Granger Kimball's home.

Congratulations to Matthew & Shannon!
Can't wait for August!

At Lincoln's Tomb:
Schmidts, us, Mensels, Robisons & Prettymans

Gotta do the Lincoln nose rub for good luck :0)

With the Schmidts at the museum.

Lincoln's home.
Yep, we've been here before :0)

Doubled Up

This week’s post is a combo of the last two weeks.  I let the days slip away from me and didn’t post anything last week.  Things have been busy with the YSMs returning, more guests visiting and always things to do in the office.  We are gearing up for our last group of senior missionaries that will arrive on the 12^th.  Things are changing here and it’s amazing to watch it all happen. I love being a part of the Lord’s work, in whatever capacity. 

Todd, Jennifer, Spencer and Jack Stevenson were able to spend a few days with us.  It was awesome to have them here!  We also had the chance to meet up with Dennis and Lynette Butler, their two daughters and families.  It's a blessing to be able to show people around Nauvoo and help them feel the spirit of the early pioneers.  

Last Thursday, in the wee hours of the morning, it was a bit crazy.  I had some terrible pains in my side and thought I might be having an appendicitis attack so Scott took me to the Emergency Room at the hospital in Ft. Madison.  After all kinds of tests they determined that I had two kidney stones.  One would pass soon and the other would be a little time bomb that I would have to wait for.  Once we arrived home about three hours later I did pass one of the kidney stones.  So that was our little bump in the road this week :0)

 We thoroughly enjoyed listening and learning from General Conference this weekend.  It takes on a different meaning for me here.  I listen more intently and it makes me want to step up my game. 

A few pictures from the last two weeks.

Todd and his family visited us this last weekend.
We love being able to share Nauvoo with family and friends!

Spencer, Todd, Jack and Jennifer
at Carthage.

Scott loves telling people about Jonathan Browning and his
dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ and following a prophet's direction.

Teaching Jack and Spencer the fine art of blacksmithing :0)

Dennis & Lynette Butler got the royal tour at Browning.
They were here with two of their daughters and their families.

On March 25th we had the annual Prairie Grass Burn. 
This is just a demonstration that shows what the pioneers did to
clear the prairies and how quickly the prairie grass burns.

Within five minutes the one acre lot was burned and black.

Another beautiful Nauvoo evening.