Called to Sew

Welcome Home

2008-09-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

Well, Mom his home from her mission in Nauvoo now. It was great to see so many people at her home coming! I was elated I could be there. She loved her mission and nailed her talk in sacrament meeting. I think everyone was moved by her testimony.

I will see about posting some more pictures on here from her mission and homecoming, if anyone has any feel free to send them to me. I made her a book of all her mission pics, if you would like to see the pictures in it go here:

http://www.lulu.com/content/3442883

There are some beautiful shots in it from her experience in Nauvoo. I am considering making her another book with only pictures from family and friends that visited her in Nauvoo, and a few from her going away and home coming, so if any has photos they would like to add, please email me, I would love to add them in. I haven't set a timeline yet on when I will under go this project, but I don't want to drag my feet to long.

- Robert
rdowens78@aol.com
robert.owens-02@fairchild.af.mil

2008-04-03T18:25:00.000-07:00

The Time of My Life

2008-04-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Trevor Allen & Family

2008-04-03T12:12:00.001-07:00

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Christmas 2007

2007-11-22T09:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings to Family and Friends from "Old Nauvoo"

To all of you: Happy Birthdays, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year all rolled into one. Thank you so much for all that you do and all that you are.

I am enjoying my mission here more than I could ever have imagined. I can't believe how
fast the time is passing. The first couple of months were spent in learning scripts, songs and
where to be when. There are about 28 sites, only 20 that I have to learn a script for and
serve in. We perform two shows four times a week. I start each morning at 6 eith an
exercise class, then we have a prayer meeting before our sites begin. Zone and District
meetings are held once a month and we have to prepare two talks a month. Every Sunday
night we have Firesides with guest speakers and performers, also performances throughout
the year such as the BYU Ballroom Dancers and others. Once a month we have a Farewell
breakfast and on Thanksgiving and Christmas we have a dinner.

We serve in the sites six hours a day. The sites I have served in the most often are: Heber C.
Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Brigham YOung, Sarah Granger Kimball, Family Living
Center, Cultrural Hall, Visitor's Center, Wagon Tour and, of course, the Sewing Room where
we make the site and show clothes.

In the winter when there are fewer visitors we prepare for the summer rush making extra ropes, cookies, bricks, etc and other projects, such as humantitarian. The Halloween and
Christmas Walks are huge in the mission and also the community. Nauvoo and all cities
around show up for the festivities. We also have a couple of arts and craft shows and talent shows during the year.

Of course we have one "P" day during the week. I have spent that day seeing various sites
such as: Mark Twain museum and sites at Hannibal, MO; Abraham Lincoln's home and
museum in Springfield, IL; Amish and Minnonite communities and stores, John Deere
Pavillion, Mormon memorial markers at Quincy, Montrose, Brentensport, Bonapart, and
other Mormon trail and river crossings.

Along with all the fun things, I do have the privelage of bearing my testimonyand telling
visitors about Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about all
the faithful LatterDay Saints that lived here and sacrificed so much in building Nauvoo and
the majestic temple on the hill.

Thank you all for your love and support. Love to all.

Sister Owens mailto:shirleysowens@hotmail.com

2007-11-08T22:05:00.000-08:00

2007-10-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

2007-10-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

2007-10-19T20:34:00.000-07:00

2007-10-14T15:08:00.000-07:00

A visit with the Larsens...

2007-10-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

(click any image to enlarge)

Mom always excited to see a familiar face...
Here with Lester Larsen & family. (thank you to Lester & Debra for the photo's)

Lester & Debra Larsen

Dancing on the third floor of the Cultural Hall,
which was the original dance floor where Joseph, Emma,
Brigham Young and others danced.

Nature in Nauvoo

2007-10-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

(click any image to enlarge)

The river is home to ducks, geese, cranes, turtles, pelicans and eagles among other things. We watched the little goslings hatch out, grow up, and are now learning to fly as they prepare to go south for the winter.

This is a wintering ground for the eagles and when they leave the pelicans come and stay all summer.

You will see what looks like lily pads on the river, before and after they bloom. They are actually a lotus, since lilypads lay flat on the water and the lotus grows up out of the water. They only grow in 18 inches of water of less, so you can see how far out the depth is before it gets deep enough for the barges to travel.

There are deer, racoons, possums, rabbits and squirrels that I get a picture of occassionally. We always try to get a picture of the red cardinal, but they are very ellusive and it is very difficult to get their picture, although we see them quite often When the Saints were here there were bear, elk, but not now.

...and we danced

2007-09-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

(Click image to enlarge)

Words by Sister Owens:

Dancing on the third floor of the Cultural Hall, which was the original dance floor where Joseph, Emma, Brigham Young and others danced.

Cultural Hall

The Trail of Hope

2007-09-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

Comments by Sister Owens:

This is a replica of the flatboat or ferry that took the wagons across the Mississippi. 3,000 wagons and 1,500 people were lined up on Parley Street (called the street of tears) in February 1846 waiting for their turn to cross the icy Mississippi. They were taken across one at a time until the Mississippi froze over and allowed them to drive their teams across the ice. It is now called the Trail of Hope focusing on the hope the Saints had in finding a place where they could practice their religion in peace.

What the Mississppi looked like when the saints crossed

Family Living Center

2007-09-24T22:12:00.000-07:00

(click image to enlarge)

Commetns by Sister Owens:

The picture of me in front of the spinning wheel and round rug was taken in the Family Living center where we demonstrate the skills and trades of the early pioneers: clothmaking from wool and flax (linen), breadmaking in a bussel oven, candle making, rug making, rope making, pottery, and barrel making.

Dinner Plate...

2007-09-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

Comments by Sister Owens:

The flower, we call a "dinner plate hibiscus", they are huge and bloom all over "the flats" (which is what the town of Historic Nauvoo is referred to). The Young Performing missionaries demonstrate the size of the flower.

(click images to enlarge)

2007-09-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

(click images to enlarge)

Wagon Ride

2007-09-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

(Click image to enlarge)

Comments by Sister Owens:

I am a wagon ride narrator occassionally. The wagon goes through the town and I point out all the homes and sites and tell a little about each. It takes about one hour.

"CALM AS A SUMMERS BREEZE"

2007-09-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

(click image to enlarge)

Right around pageant time, we tend to get some anti-mormon stuff--this was arson attempted at several places but only successful at the Wagon Ride log cabin. On their way to Carthage, Joseph and Hyrum left the mansion house, traveled up Mulholund (by the temple) on their horses. They were never to return

to see the temple finished.

Joseph turned and said, "This is the lovliest place and the best people under heaven, little do they know what trials await them. I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am as calm as a summer breeze."

Today it has turned Fall--funny how that can happen overnight. The weather is cool and beautiful. Aaron's (Bobbi's husband) parents came to Nauvoo Sunday. It was great meeting them and getting to know them a little. We toured what sites we had time for on Sunday. They were going to the temple Monday, but Judy couldn't find her recommend so they went to the "Joseph Smith of the Restoration" and the Sweetwater Art exhibit and movie. When they finished that they were emotionally drained, but stopped by the sewing room and took me to lunch, afterwhich they probably went home, they had a long trip ahead of them. I enjoyed visiting with them.
- Love you All

A Visit from the Keay Family

2007-09-15T20:04:00.000-07:00

(Click images to enlarge)

Mission Farewell, Lapoint Utah

2007-08-25T22:41:00.000-07:00

(Click images to enlarge)