March 17, 2016 - Thursday in Nauvoo

Today marks the 174th anniversary of the Relief Society.  It is now the oldest and the largest women's organization in the world, and it started right here in Nauvoo on March 17, 1842, in the upstairs room of the Prophet Joseph Smith's Red Brick store!  Imagine that!  All the sites had been scheduled to close at 3:00pm today so that the activity and reenactment could begin at the site of the official organization.  

However, the mission presidency forgot to plan on spring break crowds coming to Nauvoo.  Even though the crowds began arriving last Saturday and continued heavy all this week, it wasn't until 12:15pm today that they decided to have all the Priesthood brethren stay in the sites until 5:00pm.  

Oh well, you can't catch all the details....  I ended up walking back home, after my shift, to get ready for the Sunset practice tonight.  Interestingly enough, I met mom coming home almost at the same exact time.  I sure did not want to sit at the Blacksmith's shop another hour after our shift had been extended!  But my legs and particularly my knee is feeling the aches and pains of the over-extension.  I am hoping to find some relief for the ache in my knee that seems to affect my shin and lower leg muscles.

I worked in the Blacksmith's shop today and we were sharing the tour assignments with the Seventies Hall about a block away.  We kept very busy walking back and forth to show these sites and relate the key messages contained in these historical settings.  I especially love teaching the youth!

I had a chance to teach a young guest the art of horseshoe making!

This family of six came in this afternoon after doing baptisms in the temple.  This precious young lady reminded me of our granddaughter, Cambry, who will be coming in just 10 days to do baptisms here in Nauvoo!  I can't wait to show them how to make a horseshoe!  And I had another family, a grandfather and his daughter and three teenage grandchildren, who came to the Seventies Hall and discovered ancestors who had been here in Nauvoo as members of the 3rd, 6th and 18th Quorums of Seventy.  They were so excited and very emotional to have connected with their family members.

On our walk this morning I caught the first glimpse of the sun coming up over the street near our new home.  This  view was happening just as we were walking the last block of our 3.5 mile trail.

The sunrise coming up as we were finishing our morning walk

Then, as we were going over to the Seventies Hall from the Blacksmith's shop this afternoon, I caught these pictures of the amazing clouds;  All three shots are right over the Mississippi River!

And we can't forget the Sunset practice!  We are in our third week of practicing and mom's dance routine is really coming together.  I am sooooo glad I have the camera!!  Take a look;

Just think of it:  some of these sisters love being on the stage and reliving their teenage years!  And singing and dancing these marvelous routines... when mom and I would just love to be their audience and be clapping for them!!  This is as good as it gets, and some of our family and friends will be able to see us on stage this summer! .... (after they sign a statement that promises that they will never tell anyone what Elder and Sister Lasher were doing under these mission pressure situations.... !)