Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone.  We had a very nice Christmas here in Nauvoo.  We missed our family and friends but have many friends here and it is wonderful to be in the service of our Savior during the season of His birth. 

I wasn't planning to have a Christmas tree this year, but our dear friends the Calls had other ideas.  Sister Call gave us a tree all decorated for the season.  We were at their house and she got a roll of Saran Wrap, wrapped up the tree, and sent it home with us.  We enjoyed that tree so much and we're planning to bring it home as a sweet remembrance of our friends, the Calls.




Our Christmas Tree



Our good friends, President & Sister Call

We spent Christmas Eve at a party at the home of the Calls.  They are such dear friends.

We have had ice and geese and ducks on the Mississippi in great abundance.  The ice patterns change every day.  We have enjoyed watching the birds.

Geese on the Ice

The geese sit out on the ice till about 3:00 p.m.  Then they fly over the farmers' fields and eat and then come back about dark and stay on the river till the next afternoon.

The geese

It is really interesting to watch the geese.  They seem like they are having a big meeting.  They huddle together, sometimes in water and sometimes on ice.  Perhaps they are huddling for warmth or perhaps they are having a meeting.  Here is an example.




The geese in convention


 

The geese in flight

It is fun to hear and watch the geese as they fly.

The beautiful bald eagles are back.  What a great national bird they are.  So stately and elegant. 

A bald eagle in the tree right next to our house.

A bald eagle



A different bald eagle in the same tree



Sunset on the Mississippi Ice
 

It may seem that all of our Sunsets are the same but they are new photos.


On Christmas Day, Mark and Elder Nunn gave the missionaries a Christmas gift--their own carriage ride.  They gave three rides and they were very well attended.  Everyone enjoyed the beautiful, chilly day. 




Christmas Day Ride

The horses for the Christmas rides were Chad and Champ

Ready to go



Mark driving and Elder Nunn narrating

One of the sights we saw on the carriage ride was the Mississippi River from Inspiration Point.  The Prophet, Joseph Smith, used to ride his horse to Inspiration Point.  This is just above the upper landing.




Inspiration Point overlooking the Mississippi

 

On the Carriage Ride, we sang Christmas songs and heard wonderful stories of the people who lived here in the 1840's. 
Samuel Smith was the younger brother of the Prophet, Joseph Smith.  He was the first official missionary for the Church.  Just days after he was ordained an elder he was set apart as a missionary.  His first mission was only 3 or 4 days long.  He returned home thinking that it had been a complete failure.  But he had lent a Book of Mormon to a Methodist minister, John Green.  John's wife, Rhoda, read it and believed it.  She told her husband about it.  He read it and believed it.  Most of his congregation also joined the Church, including Rhoda's brothers and sisters.  One of her brothers was Brigham Young. A neighbor and good friend, Heber C. Kimball, also joined the Church.  From these people during their lifetime, literally thousands of people came into the church.



Elder Nunn driving and Mark narrating on a later ride

At one point on the carriage ride, you can see three spires, from the left, St. Peter & Paul's Catholic Church, the Nauvoo Temple, and our Stake Center where we attend church.  You can also see the other horses eating their morning hay.



The horses and the three spires from the carriage ride

We hope your 2013 is very happy.  We leave you with another Mississippi sunset.



Sunset on the Mississippi