Last Week of Pageants and crowds, not that the crowds bothered us in the grounds crew. We didn't have to stand in line to find sticks to pick up and weeds to pull. As the summer starts to wind down, I find myself evaluating this experience. Here are some things I'd like to record.
Richard gave all of Parley Street to the newest FM couple, the Stapleys. Here is what is left for us to do: Every morning before 6:00 we fill the water trucks with water and gasoline, then water the flower pots on Mulholland and Main Street, and the flower beds in front of Scoville Bakery, Browning Gun, Exodus, Weeks, the President's house, and the Kiosk. Two trucks, four sisters, we can get it done before 8:00. We stop at 7:00 for FM prayer meeting then go back out to finish. After watering all of that we come in and water the greenhouse plants. Each coleus and begonia needs to be checked. Somehow one plant can be sopping wet and the one next to it can be bone dry. So we touch the soil in each plant to see if it needs watered or not.
Next we get to decide where to go weed or pick up branches from the self-pruning trees around here. The three biggest gardens and areas have been assigned to couples, and now Parley Street houses and gardens, so we have everything else. The two biggest areas we do are the diagonal - about 500 yards of sidewalk lined with gardens, the Family Living Center garden, and all of the historic sites and missionary homes not on Parley Street. We never finish. Weeds and branches create job security.
As we are coming up to our 1 year mark ( September 3) and as summer is at it's mid-mark, I sense my attitude changing. Work is not a source of anxiety anymore. No matter how tired I am at night, I know that I will feel fine in the morning. The heat has moderated. We really only had two weeks of upper 90's, and since we work from 6-noon we didn't have to suffer. On the really hot days, when the temperature started at 80, we worked the last part of the day in the pot shop making coleus cuttings. I don't know if I'm just use to the work now, or if Richard is not having us do so much, but I feel like the work is easier. All winter and spring I worried about how I would handle the summer. It wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined it would be. Now I find myself dreading all of the leaves to rake, but I did it last year, so it will be OK. I'm thankful every day for my good health and that I'm able to do this work. The park is a lovely place to be, and I didn't have to do 40+ tours a day, telling the same information over and over again. Weeding is incredibly varied, and people do stop and chat with us. I don't know what to say when they thank us for keeping Nauvoo so beautiful, or for the lovely flowers. God and Richard are responsible for the planning of the gardens. I guess we do take if from there. People, including other missionaries, constantly say they don't know how we do all of the physical work that we do. Physical labor is certainly not my strength. I'm pretty sure I am the weakest of the ground's crew, but I have learned that I can do more than I thought I could and that confidence builds more confidence. I can even back up the trailer - which was a very steep learning curve.
The young missionaries are often building their testimonies and applying all of the gospel principles they have been taught since childhood. It is often said the most important convert is the missionary himself. For Seniors things are a little different. Our conversion has been tested over the years, but I am still learning a lot about myself, and places that my character and personality needs refining. This is an interesting school, because I am working with people who have been trying to live Christ-like lives for years. Most people here are so gracious, willing to do whatever they are asked, without complaining. It is as close to a Zion community, I do believe, that mortality has. And yet, we make mistakes, say things we shouldn't, forget to do things for others that we should. Forgiveness has to be part of the plan in Zion.
One of the most interesting aspects of a senior mission is our companion. No changing after 6 weeks, nor do we want to. Couple after couple who are headed home express the blessing of working with their spouse. We probably see less of our spouses in Nauvoo than other senior missionaries. I don't do air conditioners and he doesn't do weeding. So for 6 hours a day we aren't together. I prefer his company to any others.
The only thing I don't like about serving a mission is not being able to see my family as often as I'd like to. I do miss being able to run up to Virginia to be with Aaron's family or to Canada to work on Kelley's house. But in 7 months we will be able to do that again. And we've seen the Utahans as much here as we did in NC. So I shouldn't complain. Nauvoo is a great place to serve a mission.
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