Nauvoo On The Road

Missionaries who went to Bowling Green
dressed in their site clothes

Our mission has a program that is called "Nauvoo on the Road." We have a large trailer that is pulled by a ten passenger van. The trailer contains portable stations and items for teaching pioneer skills and crafts of the 1840's. The mission sends out information to all of the schools and communities within a one hundred mile radius of Nauvoo offering to attend community events and schools to demonstrate pioneer skills and crafts. Each year, several communities and schools extend invitations to the mission to bring the program to their community functions and schools. When events are scheduled, site missionaries are assigned to go to the school or community.

Ann & Sister Tucket at candle making station

I (Ann) had the opportunity to go with "Nauvoo on the Road" today along with three couple missionaries and two other sister missionaries. All of us wore our site clothes. We went to an elementary school in Bowling Green, Missouri which is about two hours away where we met with the fourth grade students.

Sisters Phillippi & Thompson at cookie making
station showing model bustle oven

When we got set up, the students were divided into groups. The groups would then rotate through the different stations. They learned about making candles and how bricks were made. They could roll out gingerbread dough and cut out little cookies after which each child was given a gingerbread cookie which was already baked. Each group of children were able to help make rope and each class was given one of the ropes made by the students.  We also had pioneer games they could play. The children were encouraged to come to Nauvoo with their families where there are more things to do including wagon and carriage rides and everything is "free." Many do come.



When "Nauvoo on the Road" goes to community events, it is a great way to let people know about Nauvoo because most people have never heard about Nauvoo. They are encouraged to come and bring their families. Once in Nauvoo, they are able to feel the spirit that is here as the site missionaries give spiritual messages as part of their presentations and the teamsters tell stories and bear testimony.