Dear Family and Friends

Two weeks in here in Nauvoo. Although the days went slow, and week went by so fast! I can't believe it's already been a week. I don't really know what to write really. The humidity has changed significantly already in just a week. I don't think any of us are doing much complaining yet because we know the worst is to come. The only problem that I have with it so far is that I can't move the pegs on my violin, or get my bow tight enough to play well...sooooo um yeah. I have a week to get them to move before we open on Friday night. AH! speaking of which. We open on Friday, well that's when our preview shows are we technically open on Saturday night. So this is the basis of our schedule after we start performing. There are 2 different casts so 3 days a week Cast A will perform two shows of Anna Amanda in the morning while Cast B is working on the sites or in the gardens, and then the other 3 days of the week Cast B will perform Anna Amanda in the mornings, and cast A will work on sites, etc. Then in the afternoons we all perform two shows of High Hopes, and River Boats and then right after that we all perform with the senior missionaries at Sunset by the Mississippi. Long days, but we pray for the strength to keep going, and we do, even though we are just rehearsing. You do have to reserve tickets for everything but Sunset by the Mississippi. It's free, but you just have to reserve seats, I think almost all the tickets are reserved for June already. We get a half a P-day which is barely enough time to drive to Keokuk and go to Wal-Mart and back, oh and wash our van.

The spirit is so strong. I'm pretty sure I've cried everyday I've been here. It's ridiculous. No good. Our coreographer Sister Sinclair was here two summers ago as a YPM, and she said she learned how to cry here, and it hasn't changed since. That's a comforting thought. So now I'll just cry about everything when I get home. Sister Sinclair that we become that way to learn how to be mom's. Most of the Elders are so tender hearted too. I heard one of the RM's tell an Elder that that's why boys go on missions, to learn how to become men, and cry.

We went to Carthage jail this morning right after church. I have been before, but I realized today how much of it I didn't really remember. As 22 YPM's sat in the room Joseph and Hyrum died we sang part of one of our songs from High Hopes and River Boats. "We knew them both. Thanks be to God we knew them. For we were blessed to be among the few who walked and talked and looked into the eyes of a living prophet who brought us light, and taught us truth! Father in heaven grant us this day, Strength to move forward, forgive and obey, spreading thy gospel now and forthwith; Ne'er to forget that we knew a prophet of God, our brother, Joseph Smith." whew. Talk about a spiritual experience. Not very many people get to sit in that special room and sing a song like that. (In the show we sing that song right after we find out Joseph Smith was killed. It's very powerful.) Joseph was, and is a Prophet of God, and President Monson is our president today.

My ankle is doing really well! They said something like that usually would have take about 4 weeks to heal....I had almost full movement back in it in a week. I'm still working on getting it back to full strength, but I can dance on it now. I love the Sisters I get to serve with. I'm learn something new from them everyday. We help each other, and pray for each other. I also realized the importance of what I'm actually doing this week. I'm a missionary. A missionary serving the Lord. I'm set apart. It's interesting because I realized that Satan uses different tactics to get to you because you don't have worldy distractions to tempt you with. I love being a missionary. We got to have a special fireside thingy for the YPM's with Sister Susan Black again this week, and she talked about Ezra Taft Benson's life, and how he was not only obedient, but followed EXACT OBEDIENCE. That's something that the Sisters and I have been working really hard on this week is not just being kind of obedient to the rules, but to be exactly obedient. Everyone should try it, it's good for you.

I can't really think of anything else to say except for missionaries love mail (*hint hint wink wink*). I definitely am going to write to all my friends on missions because I now realize how much one letter really means. I love everyone back home. I hope everything is going well.

Love,

Sister Jones

p.s. I just had an interview with President Ludwig. He is amazing, and an inspired man called of God. I just love him and his wife.

Nauvoo Miracles

Where to start? I do not know. Actually I don't really even know what to say, because there is so much to say, but not really...if that makes sense? This has been the longest/shortest week of my life. I can't believe that we have only been here one week! All the sisters are so close to each other already. I feel like I have known them forever. They are great.

The flights here were good, and no worries, we did start rehearsing our music on the bus from St. Louis to Nauvoo. We got in late, but the President Ludwig and his wife still had us over for a late dinner. I love the mission president already. He and his wife are so amazing.

My companion is Sister McKay from California, but here family just moved to Louisiana. She is a musical dance theater major at BYU. She is so talented at everything. I am so glad that we became companions, even though I would have loved to be companions with anyone of the sisters.

The spirit here is Nauvoo is incredible. In the morning we walk out our back door of our house, and there's the temple. Just sitting there on the hill. It still seems unreal sometimes, actually most of the time. It's such a beautiful temple. Nauvoo is beautiful. ahh. I can't believe I get to live here for the summer, and have this experience.

The first 3 days we were here we sang non stop, just learning our music. Kelly DeHaan was supposed to be our music director, but he got an infection after a surgery he had, and he was in the hospital so we had the amazing Leanne Willmore. She's in charge of all Utah Honor Choirs and State Choirs, so I had seen her around. She is INCREDIBLE. She came out here last minute, and was sight-reading all the music with us. She made us sound so good. Sister Camp told her that she would love the YPM's and she said "No I won't." She did. She fell in love with all of us in 3 days, and we fell in love with her. When she was getting off at the airport she told the Bower's that she couldn't believe we had learned, and memorized all that music in 3 days. I can't tell you how much music. You wouldn't believe me. So here's Nauvoo Miracle #1. I can't memorize lyrics. I'm horrible. I never can remember. Guess what? In Nauvoo I can. I do remember, and I know the songs. Nauvoo Miracle #2. I'm way dyslexic with notes on the lines, and I mix up words all the time. Guess what? In Nauvoo I don't. I haven't mixed up words in the songs, or in my scriptures, and even after reading notes for 3 days straight I didn't even mix any of those up. Nauvoo Miracles. That's what they're called.

We have church on Sundays at 8 am with all the senior missionaries, and the young sister missionaries. I love the senior missionaries. They always just want to hug and squeeze us. They love the YPM's.

Tuesday we started dancing. I'm an awful dancer, but the Lord makes all things possible. So we had been dancing all day, and I was remembering the dances , and even having fun. We were practicing a lift turn thingy that we had to do with the elders, and I came down wrong one of the times. I don't really know what happened except for I landed on the elders foot, and turned my ankle. Really bad. I've never had a sprained ankle, but it wasn't one that you can just off. I don't really remember what happened because I almost passed out, which I've never done either, but my companion had come to hold my head, and someone went to get ice. I vaguely remember all the sisters and elders on the other side of the stage saying a prayer. They got me some water, and then I got a blessing from two of the elders. I was so mad. Mad that I had fallen. Mad that I couldn't walk. You know, doing all the why me? stuff. The mission doctor came and wrapped my foot, and then Elder Camp basically told me no more tears, and I had to be strong, and be an example to the others. They usually have 2 or 3 injuries throughout the summer, but I didn't think it would be. It was. But i am so grateful now that it was in the first week of rehearsals instead of 3 weeks into performances. I took one of the injuries for the team, and I can be ok with that. In fact I'm grateful for it now because it gave me the opportunity to accept service from my sisters. So, you ready? Nauvoo Miracle #3. I sprained my ankle Tuesday night, I was on crutches all day Wednesday (I had to sit, and watch everything, all day. That didn't go over so well, but remember I sucked it up. I sat and watched, and learned what I could by watching.) Thursday I was down to one crutch. Friday I had one crutch, until about midday, and then I could limp around with no crutches, and one shoe. Friday night I had a blessing from the mission president and Elder Bowers. I knew I would be better by Saturday morning. I just knew I would. I woke up Saturday morning I could move my ankle up, and down without any pain. I still limped though because I had a big bruise on my foot because of the way I had been walking. Saturday no crutches, and just an ankle brace. My ankle is healed. Stuff like that doesn't happen anywhere else. I don't think... I still have to be really careful with it so I don't injure it again, but I can be up on stage and mark the dances. I just have to have faith that I will know all the dances for opening night in less than two weeks. And that's Nauvoo Miracle #3.

Susan Easton Black came on Wednesday, and gave an amazing fireside on the Book of Mormon. I'm getting used to this whole missionary thing. Zone conference was last Sunday, district meeting is tonight, companionship study, etc etc, but I'm loving it. Just in case you're wondering who the Camp's are they are our directors, and such. The Bower's take care of everything else. Basically they're our mission mom and dad. I love all of them so much. The Bower's are about as sweet as they come.

Oh, let's talk about the elders. They are so stinkin talented, and hilarious. Every single one of them. This is definitely a unique mission. Where else do you get to closely interact with amazing Elders on such a peronsl level. They are so funny. They choose a word of the day, and they give clever hints throughout the day to see if the sisters can guess the word. So far we have nuclear, squishy, babies, delicious, pudding. How silly.

I love Nauvoo. I love my sisters. I truly do. I thought it would be bad to have ten girls in a little house, but I just love them all. We know that each one of us is supposed to be here this particular summer. We don't know exactly why yet, but...we'll find out.

I just wish everyone could come to Nauvoo, and find out how amazing it is.

They keep us so busy we don't have time to breathe, let alone be idle. It's a good thing. I love being busy.

I hope all is well at home. Please write me and tell me what's going on.

Love,

Sister Jones

Farewell. I made it through the semester. I made it through this week. I'm packed. I'm heading to bed, and then the airport. I got set apart tonight. Wow. I'm a Sister Jones. Have a great summer! I'm pretty sure I will!!! My sister will be putting my e-mails, and pictures up on this blog, so keep a heads up. My address will be

YPM Sister Jones

PO Box 215

Nauvoo, IL 62354

(or for packages...)
YPM Sister Jones

975 Young Street

Nauvoo, IL 62354

I'm in for the time of my life. See ya August 17th!

Love,

Sister Jones