PATTERNS

Again, weather, weather, weather but this week no tornado warnings.  On Thursday we made a trip to Keokuk.  When Elder Talbot was in a store, I was waiting in the car when the sky turned dark and suddenly, the wind started rocking the car and then came the rain.  It was like huge buckets of water were emptied on the car.  The rain storm lasted for about 20 minutes.  On our way back to Nauvoo, we saw another home that a tree had fallen on the roof.  Then on Friday, the temperature was 96º and 110º with the heat index.  On our way home from Canton Sunday the sky turned black and the rain poured down.  We also could hardly see the road and in a little over 15 minutes we drove out of the storm.

With all the rain, the humidity is always high.  When ever I have been inside the temple and especially in the car, where the air conditioning blows directly on me, it cools my glasses.  Then when I come out of the temple or get out of the car, my glasses fog over to the point I can’t see and need to take them off until they warm up and the moisture is gone.

But, with all the rain storms here the corn sure does grow fast.  On our way to Canton every Sunday we pass a lot of corn and soybean fields and every week we have watched the crops grow a lot.  On June 17th, Elder Talbot walked out to a corn field and the corn was just a little taller than him.   I wonder how tall it is now.  It has been a tradition for a lot of years that when Scott calls or Elder Talbot calls him, their normal answer has been “Hay” and then “Straw”, now it is just “Corn”!  Caralee even joins in with the response at times.

Another thing with the rain, the grass is always green and needs to be mowed every week.  And here on the flats, if it doesn’t have a house on it and is not a paved street, it is grass.  I got some pictures of one of the mowers today.  It is a little bigger than the one I have in Reno to mow my small lawn.  The operator in the attached picture is here for the summer on an internship working with the Facilities Management Department.  She will return to BYUI in August to continue with school.  I asked her if she gets bored with all the mowing to be done.  She said “Sometimes.”  Her biggest issue in all the bouncing on the rough grass areas even with a spring loaded seat on the mower.  I have noticed a lot of gopher burrows in the grass areas.

On Wednesday, June 27, it was the Commemoration Memorial for the Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.  The Memorials were held here in Nauvoo at the Smith Family Cemetery and then another one at Carthage at the tie they were murdered.  We heard that both were very touching, but we were serving in the Temple and were not able to attend.  Because of these presentations, our practice for the British Pageant were changed and again we were serving in the Temple, however, that is why we are here, and we love serving in the Temple.   

Every Fast Sunday, we are assigned to a different “Break-the-Fast Group”.  We do potluck and eat at a different apartment every month.  This month we met at our neighbors apartment, the Pecks (from Centerville, Utah) along with the Phippens (from American Fork).  It turns out that the Phippens had a daughter, Camille Reese, who lived in Truckee, California for quite a few years and had visited the Tahoe North Ward quite a few times.  They knew Sheryl and Gary Lewis and John and Phyliss Rogers.  Again, it is such a small world in the church.

Nauvoo is all a buzz with the core cast for the pageants arriving.  Elder Talbot helped set up chairs Saturday morning at the Pageant Stage.  The crew setup 3,000 chairs.  On Sunday night, the core cast presented their first show – “Our Story Goes On”.  They only perform this show twice, last night and on July 29^th.  It is a musical about life portrayed in real life stories using characters from birth, growing up, marriage, children, grandparents, and death.  The only props that were used was lots of books!  The final message was the only thing that really matters in this life is how we have “loved” others following the example set by Christ and how when we leave this life, we are going to someone who also loves us.  We thoroughly enjoyed it.  One interesting fact was that the piano was the only accompaniment and it was on stage.  As I was watching her, I noticed that she didn't ever turn the page---she only pushed a button.  Do you think the sheet music was digital?  I couldn't help but think about Jamee, our daughter-in-law, and how she could have been the one playing the piano!

Speaking of piano and music, I got to play the organ at the Temple this week!!!!  I decided I would regret later if I didn't at least try.  I need to practice a few more times before I can be scheduled to play.  I'm super excited!

Our visit to the Stoddard Tin Shop proved to be very interesting and informative.  Sylvester Stoddard introduced tin in this area and tinsmiths became popular craftsmen because they made many of the items used in homes and farms.  Lanterns, candle safes, candle holders, buckets, pots, pans, shredders, and many other articles could be made quickly and economically from tin and were made by hand.  We watched how a tin pan was made from patterns.  A good tinsmith could make a tin pan in 15 to 20 minutes.  Hanging on the wall was a lot of the patterns that were used to make the items.  We also saw some hurricane lamps and learned how people could identify each other in the dark by the custom-patterned light coming from their tin lamps.  In my reading this week in the Doctrine and Covenants 52 where the Lord was giving to the elders about what they were to teach which was what the apostles and prophets have written.

14 And again, I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving the nations—

Just as the pioneers made patterns in their lamps so they could see in the dark and find their way, Christ has given us a pattern for our lives to guide and direct us be more like Him.

We love you all! 

Elder and Sister Talbot

PS.  Elder Talbot wrote some of this post.  Can you tell which paragraphs are his?

Can you find Elder Talbot in the corn field?

Humidity and air conditioning does a number on glasses but we are thankful for the air conditioning.

Dinner at Fat Jimmy's in Montrose with the Ashcrafts from Houston, Texas.

Setting up chairs for the pageants.

A beautiful cloud and sunset formation.  Sister Talbot is fascinated with the sky.

Lawn mowers in the flats.

Both sides of the Mississippi River are so shallow the it is filled with the large water lily's with the yellow flowers.  It is a beautiful site to see.

"Our Story Goes On"

At the show with our neighbors, the Pecks.