THE REFINER'S FIRE?

Tis not fit for man nor beast to be outdoors here this week!  I stood outside last evening at six, waiting for Steve to pick me up so we could rush home and get ready for our "Sunset...." show.  After ten minutes in the shade, I felt so horrible, and my heart went out to all the hundreds of visitors here (especially the little ones) that had been walking around to every site all day (I'm sure there were a few cases of heat stroke and sick folk).  My favorite thing this week?  AC!  Oh my goodness, how did those early settlers here stand it?  Not only was there no AC, but not very many windows, and their kitchen was the fireplace, which always had a fire going.  Wearing these long sleeved, long full dresses with petticoats and black socks when the heat index is 119 humbles me.  At least the sites are air conditioned.  Those people were amazing!  And I'm sure they didn't whine like we tend to.  We've come to accept the fact that this is how it is...you get what you get and you don't throw a fit (to quote my favorite pre-school teachers!)  We just know that we're going to be sweaty with red faces and hair curling in directions we didn't set it at.  We can do it!  Hey, we are doing it!

We've had a couple of members of the quorum of seventy visit here.  Elder Marlin K. Jensen and Elder Claudio Costa.  We love listening to them and they loved visiting the sites.  This was the first time the Costas had been here to Nauvoo.  They have been visiting all the church history sites this summer before they head home to Brazil to be over the church there.

I enjoyed two wonderful days at the Heber C. Kimball home this week, and Steve had a few shifts at the Blacksmith, where it can get pretty hot with the forge going.  Lots of work, and he's getting better at making the little horse shoes they give the kids.  I experienced the Print Shop (in fact that's where I am today..on a split shift).  We were able to serve together Sunday in the John Taylor home.  I'm glad on Sundays we get to stay together.

On our P-day we went up to Burlington, Iowa, about 35 min. away.  I was happy to find a mall (with Christopher and Banks, Bath and Body Works, etc.), JoAnn's Fabrics, a Hobby Lobby and a great buffet at "Ryans".  We shopped for groceries and filled our prescriptions there at WalMart.  Who would have thought I'd be excited to get to WalMart?  We have a small market here in Nauvoo (Duck's), two gas stations, a post office, bank, police station, and a bunch of shops and a couple cafes.  They say during the winter, most of the town closes down.  I just better have good roads to drive to Burlington or Keokuk on.  Sounds like we won't be eating out then, except on P-days...if the weather permits!  Maybe that's a good thing...

This weekend, there is supposed to be a McCune family reunion here.  My cousin (first name of McCune) is president, but now can't come...George McCune, the family historian and one who has kept this family association going for more than 40 years was coming til today, when his wife fell and broke her ankle.  I may be the only McCune in town come Friday...apparently we have 90 tickets reserved for "Rendezvous"...if you head out today, you'll make it!  The fact that they aren't aware of anyone coming makes me think that I'll be canceling all those tickets and temple session reservations!  Too hot anyway!

Now, on a spiritual note...some of our dear friends left to go home this week, after serving 18 months.  On the sister's last day, she was assigned to narrate on the wagon rides.  The rides take about an hour, and give an intro to all the sites as it travels through town and down by the river.  As they passed the beginning of the Trail of Hope (the road that the saints left on as they crossed the river and headed west), one of the pageant cast members was standing at his spot, to give a vignette to people as they walked down that trail.  He had his head bowed, and his hand over his heart.  He didn't look up as the wagon of visitors passed by.  The Sister narrating, said she looked back at him after she had passed, wondering if he was all right.  When she looked, standing behind him was a multitude of people dressed as pioneers.  She looked away, then looked again and the crowd was still there.  She wasn't going to say anything, but someone else on the wagon said "Did you see that?"  Then several commented that they did.  Needless to say, everyone on that wagon was quite emotional.  When the tour ended, they were crying and embracing one another, having shared a very sacred experience together.  That night at the Pageant, the sister found the young man she had seen that morning.  She told him that she had passed him on the trail that morning, and that she had seen a group of pioneers standing behind him.  He said, with tears in his eyes, "I knew they were there...I could'nt see them but I could feel them there with me".  Of course then they both cried and embraced.

I want you to know, that I know those early saints, who were so faithful and who knew without a doubt that the fulness of the gospel had been restored to the earth, are very aware of us, knowing that we are sharing their stories and can feel of their spirit as we go about this beautiful place....it truly is as Joseph Smith said, "the loveliest place and the best people under heaven".  We learn and grow from their experiences every day.  Love ya!