Joy and Sorrow

Sisters of the Illinois Nauvoo Mission

The old year died to peals of laughter in the Visitor Center West Theater, where we were entertained by our fellow missionaries with acts from the sublime to the ridiculous,  including a visit from Carnak the Magnificent performing his amazing clairvoyant act.   The talent was geared to the over 60 age set.  Under 60 would have missed most of what was funny.

Oedekirk played the dulcimer 

A trio on the piano  - Jensen, Barkley, and Warner

Monoa and Draney as Karnac the Magnificent
"Clean cars, good restaurant, traffic light"
Three things you won't find in Nauvoo.
1845, 1974, 2025
Years the Weeks house was completed

The Carlsons sing So Happy Together

                                                 

The Clucks - Bailies and Plesheks

New Year's Day sites were closed, so FM missionaries also had a rare day off.  A group of us dragged our husbands away from the bowl games and went to Burlington to see Little Women.  The sisters loved it. The men left somewhat confused, except for my husband, who actually knew the story well enough to follow all of the flashbacks. 

The week started out cold, so we potted pansy seedlings into cells.  We also finished our three month project of  alphabetizing and inventorying all of the coleus.  This is my contribution to this mission - saving as many types of coleus as we could from the blight of mealy bugs this summer.

Inventory of coleus

Baby pansies

The second half of the week we took advantage of warmer weather.  First we undecorated Nauvoo.  Then I learned to use the leaf vacuum.  This looks like it would be easier and faster than raking, but not necessarily.  It was something different.   After cleaning up the president's yard, getting it ready for a new historic site director, we went on a stick run to end all stick runs.  We found huge branches on White Street and other places.  After greenhouse work, and a day off, we weren't ready for such a heavy work day, and I came home exhausted.  The next day we washed pots, took pine cones off of the greenery before sending the decorations to the burn pile, and ended at Lucy Mack Smith's house cleaning up the yard of leaves and dead plants.

Pine cones saved for next year

swags and wreaths headed to the burn pile

vacuuming leaves

Saturday morning we joined the other missionaries for a memorial service for Elder Meyocks.  Since Elder Meycocks is from the mid-west, the family decided to hold the service in Nauvoo, which is a central location for the family who are spread throughout the US.  This decision also allowed the missionaries to attend.  Elder Meyocks mother came from Iowa City, and Sister Meyocks was released from the hospital during the week, so she was able to come.   Several gave a beautiful tribute to a man whose personality and character was as large as he was.  An unusual tribute was given by the organist, Sister Barkley, who played several cowboy tunes on the organs as prelude and postlude. The teamsters arranged to give Elder Meyocks a final ride to the Visitor's center.  One speaker shared the message that the only way to eliminate sorrow in this life is to eliminate love.  Knowing that because of Jesus Christ's atonement and resurrection,  death is only a separation until we meet again brings us comfort at times like these.

The teamsters wait to load the coffin for one last ride.

The week ended on a joyous note as the sisters gathered to say good-by to Sister Lusvardi.  The room was filled with sweet feelings of sisterhood and love.  I don't exaggerate to describe the unity that exists in this community.  I've never experienced anything like it.  I have never made so many immediate friends.  There is no one who I "don't get".   We are all committed to living the gospel. None of us do it perfectly, but we are quick to forgive when things go wrong, or the foot is inserted in the mouth.  And Sister Lusvardi is the best role model of all of the sisters.  We will miss her, but then, we are all leaving in the next 18 months. There will be reunions and our paths will cross again.  That's how it is in the church.

Sister  Flanders reminded us of a story President Lusvardi told.  The Lusvardis were in a restaurant in Austria.  Some heavy drinking was going on and the party was getting more and more raucous.  President Lusvardi had enough and went to get a cab so they could go back to the hotel.  When he returned the restaurant customers were singing Edleweiss, led by Sister Lusvardi.   She had changed the atmosphere in the restaurant with music.  So we sang Edleweiss and Sisters in Zion.  She said she preferred singing in public over speaking.

The FM sisters

So the New Year begins with a roller coaster ride of emotions.  And we only have 2 months left of our Nauvoo experience.  I will miss Nauvoo - but I'm still here, so I'm going to enjoy every minute.