What happens at Wal Mart stays at Wal Mart...mostly.

Along with this you should watch this new song that I'm slightly obsessed with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFo50Wf5PV8

I Will Be Me!!!

Roommates!

Well, it's a new school year! I can't believe I'm a junior already!!!! What?! Where does the time go? Ok, before I go any further, I know I haven't put up any Nauvoo pictures up yet...I'll get on that no worries. I have (31093478409128345) a lot of pictures.

Saturday night we had our first official roommate night. We made homemade corndogs, little cake bite thingys (they are super good), and we did face masks, and then drove around in my Silver Bullet (that's my mini van), and I don't remember what else we did, but it was fun!

This is us eating our corn dogs on our lovely front porch. From left to right is Geneil, Shaye, Jessica, and Ellie. (We're missing Taylor. She was camping or something.)

I lived with Taylor and Ellie last year, and Geneil and Shaye are my best friends, so we're trying out the whole roommate thing, and Jessica. I like Jessica. She's a freshman, and it's so fun to have her in our house!

These are the amazing cake bites we made. I'll have to post the recipe.

Face masks...good times...

Dear Family and Friends,

This incredible summer is coming to an end. I am so grateful to have had this experience. The Lord has blessed me by letting me be here. Here's a run down of the summer.

144 High Hopes and River Boats

144 Just Plain Anna Amanda's (I was only in 72 of these...haha only...)

72 Sunsets by the Mississippi

20 Nauvoo Pageant performances

4 pioneer dresses

3 pairs of bloomers

approx 30 bobby pins in your head everyday

2 pairs of completely trashed smelly shoes

daily middle parts

some sort of bun on the back of your head with funny curls on the side of your ears

who knows how many pairs of nasty white knee highs

bottles of hairspray, a tube of lipstick, several hairnets

sweat like you've never seen on anyone before

beautiful sunsets and huge thunderstorms

140 sets of new grandparents with unlimited treats, hugs, and love

11 new brothers

10 new sisters

I'd say I came out pretty good. I came to Nauvoo thinking that just one event this summer would change me. How wrong I was. It's the tiny little things that everyone has done daily that has changed me. Here are just a few of the things I have learned this summer. Nauvoo is a Zion community. Although Nauvoo is a special and sacred place, it's really the Christ-like people that live here. that makes it Zion. But I have also learned that Zion starts with me. If I want to be part of a Zion like community then I have to be Zion worthy too...if that makes sense. I have learned the importance of exact obedience. Through our obedience the Lord blesses us. I have learned that the spirit continually brings joy, peace, and comfort.

One of my favorite things of the summer was watching someone smile after a song, or a joke. It was nothing big, and something that we did everyday, but we made someone smile. We shared the spirit with hundreds and hundreds of people this summer, but we have learned that we can only share the spirit if we have the spirit ourselves. We are tired, and our bodies are done, but it is because we gave everything we had through the last show. We all layed in bed last night in pain because of what our bodies have done this summer. The Lord truly blessed us with so much energy, and after the last show I think he let us feel what we have done to our bodies. That way we really would know how much he helped us.

I believe it was Joseph Smith that said this about Nauvoo, "These are the lovliest people, and the lovliest place on the earth." I believe that to be true with all my heart. Nauvoo is just that way. I know that "where two or three are gathered in His name, there shall He be in the midst of them that love Him." My testimony of the Savior has grown immensely. He "went about doing good," and that is what I want to continue doing. I want to go about doing good. I love the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith: "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!" That is my testimony as well, that He lives!

Leaving Nauvoo is part of the Nauvoo experience. I think of the saints lining Parley on the edge of the Mississippi, in the beginning of February, leaving their homes, and their temple. They faced west not knowing what would happen. All they had was their faith and their families. I have learned so much from them. I will be heading west on Tuesday, looking back at the Nauvoo and the temple, but I do know I will return. I am leaving a temporary home, but I have my faith, and I am returning to my family. I love Nauvoo. I will never forget this summer, but the trick will be to remember what I have learned and gained here.

Love,

Sister Jones

My time here in Nauvoo is quickly winding down. We got to single digits in the countdown today. 9 days until we leave Nauvoo.... :( I can't even think about coming home without crying, but at the same time I can't wait to get home and start school! Life is so full of great and unexpected things. I have a new love for life, and for the gospel. Everyday my testimony is strengthend by the little things that happen. Prayers are heard and answered. I love having the Holy Ghost as a companion, and being able to listen and obey promptings that I'm given. I was prompted to talk to a family with a girl who had some disabilities, (It seems as though I am drawn to people like that here in Nauvoo. I just love them automatically). I saw them later that day, and her mom hugged me, and with tears in her eyes told me how much it had meant that I had talked to her daughter. My new friend, Allison is just 20 years old, and it sounded as if she doesn't have a whole lot longer to live. Her mom called Allison her miracle baby. I'm so glad she got to come here to Nauvoo. I am so blessed to have been just a small part of her Nauvoo experience. Anyone of the other sisters could have been the one to talk to her, but I believe Heavenly Father let me have that simple experience of talking to her.

Now that pageant is over our bodies kind of crashed, and we've all been fighting colds and things all week, but prayers are continually answered as we ask for our voice for a particular song, and it comes.

In sacrament meeting today the YPM's and YSM's sang My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee, by Rob Gardner. If you haven't not heard it, look it up, and listen! The music is simple, but the words are incredible. The part that hits me everytime is "Doubt not what thou knowest, fear not man, for he cannot hurt thee." It has been interesting throughout the summer to see the different phases of Satan. There's a conference talk by Elder Cook (?) about the 6 D's. One of those is Doubt. I feel like Satan has been working so hard to place doubts in my mind, but I will not back down. I know that this is Christ's restored church. I know that harder you work to serve the Lord, the harder Satan will work on you. But "Doubt not what thou knowest."

I know that as I return to Nauvoo throughout my life it will feel as though I'm coming home. I love singing over the balcony everyday to the visitors; "Where two or three are gathered, in His name, there shall He be in the midst of them that love Him." Wherever we are gathered in His name, He will be with us.

I pray that we may be able to finish our last week with as strong as we started.

I hope all is well at home.

Love,

Sister Jones

P.S. Funny story of the week. Our mission "dad" Elder Bowers baptized us on Wednesday at the temple. We're used to having to pull ourselves out of the water after we get baptized, but Elder Bowers pulls ya right out. It's hilarous. Sister Carmichael is only 4'10" and she seriously almost did a backflip because he pulled her out so fast. She came up, and said "Wahoo!!" haha The temple workers and everyone were laughing. It was so funny.

Hello!

What a week it's been. Last Sunday in our prep meeting with President Ludwig he said the last 3 weeks are the hardest. Monday came, and he was not lying. Our Sister Barrientos was missing a lot of performances because she has been very ill, so we were already having to cover all of her parts in the shows. So our Monday afternoon shows we were already down a sister, and after the first number Sister Carmichael got hit in the head with a barrel during the blackout...It would have been funny, but she was in the ER getting her head glued together during the rest of the shows. So here we are down two sisters with a huge dance coming up. All of the sisters knelt down in our "hut" (backstage), and I said one of the most sincere scared prayers I've ever said. There was all of a sudden this peace. We knew that the Lord was going to help us. We got up and figured out the logistics of the dance, and went on stage. It was a miracle. I know it may sound like just some show, but it was just another testimony to us that the Lord cares about little Nauvoo Productions. The dance went incredibly well, and we were able to cover for both missing sisters the entire show. We knelt in gratitude and thanks as soon as we came off stage. So that was the first part of Monday. Monday night we found out that Sister B would be going home on Tuesday due to her health problems. To lose a sister 3 weeks from the end was not fun. She collapsed in the Denver airport, and went to the hospital before even going home. She had a surgery that was needed, and is now home doing much better. We pray everyday for her, and that she will have the strength to remember her experiences here in Nauvoo. We miss her a lot.

That was the beginning of a long week. It was exhausting physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The most exciting thing of the week may or may not have been having Elder Anderson from the Quorum of the 12 here. He came to Nauvoo with his wife to record his testimony for the Special Witnesses of Christ video. He spoke to all the missionaries Thursday morning. He talked about the temple being a symbol of work here that will never end. What happens here in Nauvoo touches the world. The work will not end. He also said, In our extremities we came to know God. The Lord requries a broken heart, and a contrite spirit. Then we can receive his revelation. Chrsit gave us the perfect path for our life.

The YPM's and YSM's then had the special opportunity to sit in the living room of President Ludwigs house on Friday morning, at the feet of an apostle of the Lord. Who gets to sit in a living room with an apostle?! Not very many people, that's for sure. Elder Anderson is so kind, genuine, and down to earth. He is a real person with an amazing calling from the Lord. He told us to regenerate our spiritual selfs through scriptures and prayers. Some of my favorite things he told us is to not be afraid of the future! Embrace the life you live! He had such a positive attitude about living at this time on earth. He loves to embrace all the things it offer. He told us to relax about our future, enjoy it, and take risks! Appreciate people, and look beyond their face. Another great piece of advice he gave was "Don't get caught up with indecison. Move ahead, keep working. You can't plan everything." Anyway, wow. It was an incredible experience. I don't know what I'm going to do when I get home and don't get to meet a general authority every other week...Just kidding. :)

Pageant ended last night. Pageant was so amazing. I had the opportunity to meet so many talented people from all over. The family casts were so fun. I love meeting good strong families from all over the country. Pageant is something I would love to do with my future family. It is such a great opportunity to have your testimony strengthed here in Nauvoo.

There's not much else to say. I can't believe I'll be home in two weeks, and two days....No good.

I know the gospel is true. Have a good week!

Love, Sister Jones

I love the Sabbath Day

I love the Sabbath Day. I truly know what it means to have a day of rest, even though we still keep busy, we're not doing 6 shows. It saves on our energy a little. It seems as though Sunday is always a more beautiful day, everything is a little more still and reverent. I love it.

Bishop McMullin spoke to us again on Tuesday morning. I just want to touch on a couple of things he talked to us about. Our Father in Heaven is aware of ALL his children. We should refer to non-members as His other children. He and President Monson are good friends and so Bishop McMullin has heard a lot of the same stories over and over. One day Pres Monson asked him, "You have heard the stories, have you learned the lessons?" We can learn something new everytime we hear the same story. Men and women of faith DO. They don't just give voice. They take steps toward acting. When you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help. One of the biggest lessons I learned from his talk is to never postpone a prompting. My companion and I have tried to implemented that this week.

So with that said, yesterday there was a Roman Catholic Father Reverand at our 12:45 show. Some of the sisters were talking to him afterwards, and I went and joined the conversation. He's from Slovakia, and he was here in Nauvoo 6 years ago. He is coming to teach some of his seminary friends at the catholic cathedral in Nauvoo. He really likes it here. We were finishing up the conversation when my companion was prompted to ask him if he had ever read The Book of Mormon. He said no, and so she asked him if he would like a copy, and he said yes. I went into the Cultural Hall and there was only one copy that already had some writing in it. So I ran to the Scovil Bakery next door, and asked the senior sisters there if there was one. They didn't have one, but there just happened to be two Elders from the Des Moines, Iowa mission getting a tour at that time. They said they might have an English Book of Mormon in their car. They're spanish speaking Elders, but they had one copy of an English Book of Mormon. I ran back to the Cultural Hall, and gave the Reverand The Book of Mormon. It was so exciting. All five of us sisters bore testimony of the truthfullness of the book, and read to him Moroni 10:4-5. It was so exciting! He was so kind, and seemed excited about reading it. I'm surprised he's never been offered a copy. It was at the moment that I thought to myself, "why would I not serve a full-time mission?!" We had a good conversation after that about the tactics that Satan uses on men and women who are trying to draw nearer to God, but they think they have to remain alone all their life. Here's a man who is a good man, trying to do what God wants him to do, but he will not marry or have a family. (Unless he gets baptized! :) ) Anyway, that's probably the best missionary story for the week.

It was so great to have my family here too! I'm glad they got to experience a little bit of Nauvoo. I hope they realize that the fiddling, singing and dancing I do here will probably not happen at home. The Lord has blessed me with talent, but he has magnified it A LOT while I've been here in Nauvoo. Maybe he'll let me keep the magnification when I get home. :)

It seems like we just got here, yet to think back to the first three weeks of rehearsals it feels like it was ages ago. I still can't believe what we accomplished in those three weeks. Miracles do happen. The Lord watches out for us everyday. He answers prayers. He loves us more than we'll ever know. I'm grateful to be able to be here in Nauvoo, and be able to feel of the incredible spirit that is here. It'll be scary to go home, and not have the constant spirit like we do here. As the time that I have left here is short, I have been making many goals of what I want to be like when I get home. I want "The Challenge to Become." I don't have to go home and fall back into the way I was before Nauvoo. In fact, I would like anyway who sees me going back to the way I was, to give me a nice slap. That would be nice. I just have to remember to "Be like Sister Ludwig so I can marry someone like President Ludwig." :) Just in case you didn't know, I love my mission president and his wife. They're great.

I hope all is going well at home. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. D&C 18:10. Turn to the Lord for help, and for guidance. He is there.

Love,

Sister Jones

P.S. Does it sound like I'm going to come home an awkward missionary? I sure hope so. :)

"So that they may Remember"

Ah! This week has been amazing. We just got out of a meeting with Bishop Kevin C. McMullin in the presiding bishopric. What an incredible man. He talked about remembering, and once a missionary, always a missionary. Are we not all obligated to be missionaries? We were foreordained by our Heavenly Father to be missionaries and to serve the Lord. As we work as missionaries the Lord will magnify this fore ordination. Bishop McMullin also spoke in our sacrament meeting about never postponing a prompting. As we obey promptings the consequence becomes clear as we pursue them. He spoke with such power, and conviction. It was like a general conference talk. The president of BYU-I was here this week as well. President Clark and his wife spoke to us Wednesday morning. One of the things he touched on was being prepared to teach. Our duty will be to teach the many who will flock to hear the worlds of the gospel. Be prepared to teach. Work under the authority of the priesthood. 1. Teach the truth 2. Invite them to act, and exercise their agency. 3. Promise them blessings. Be bold. This is the Lord's work, and it is taught through the power of the Holy Ghost. Later that day my grandparents took my companion and I to lunch, and we saw the Clark's there. We got to chat with them for a minute. They are great and kind people.

It was so fun to have my grandparents here this week. They are incredible people. I want to strengthen my relationship with them. They have lived, and continue to live their life full of service to their family, grandchildren, and everyone around them. I definitely have a lot to live up to. Thank you grandpa and grandma for coming to Nauvoo to see the work I am doing here. I love you! My family also got here Thursday night. It's really a miracle that they were able to come. I want them to be able to experience Nauvoo now that we're all older. I want them to feel of the faith the saints had, and everything they had to sacrifice for what they knew was true. I want my siblings testimonies to be strengthened. I haven't seen them much because we're always on the go, but I'll be going to Carthage with them this afternoon, so that will be neat.

I got to work in Lucy Mack Smith's home this week. What an incredible woman of faith, and love for the Lord, to be able to endure all the pain and hardships she had. She lost four sons and her husband in a short time period of four years, yet she stayed faithful until the end. I can't wait to get home and study more about her and her life.

I talked to a man and his wife at the pageant one night from Southern Illinois. They came to Nauvoo because he enjoys historical things. His wife found a Book of Mormon at a thrift store a while ago, and brought it home for him to read. He read it and said it helped him understand the bible better, but that he's not really a believer. I was able to testify in that moment that I knew the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and it is another testament of Jesus Christ. I didn't get to talk to him very long because I had to run back stage before the show started, but my grandparents were sitting right next to them, and they're great missionaries so I'm sure they talked to them some more.

Time flies here. Like, really fast. Yesterday was the 17th of July...We come home the 17th of August. That is sad, but also exciting because I get to go home and be a new, better Kjersti. I'm very excited. I'm excited to keep the commitments I've made to myself. I'm excited to continue to be a missionary in different ways, and to help myself and others remember Christ.

Now after that is said let me tell you a story. So I drive the 12 passenger van for the 10 stage sisters. We go straight from our Sunset show to Pageant, but first we have to change into our 10lb pageant dresses. So here I am with this parking pass, we're driving down the road, and I drive past these cops, and then up onto to the grass behind our house ( we've done this before, there just haven't been cops around)...You see, if we go around to the next blocked road to pull into our driveway the right way, it takes too long. So...I pull into the driveway, and I'm running up the stairs in our house to change when I hear from downstairs "Sister Jones, Sister Jones" Our dear friend Mr. Cop was at our back door. I was thinking "ok, that's real cool. The first run in with the cops on the mish." So of course being the calm and collected person I innocently answer to the cop that "yes, I was driving that vehicle." (as he points to our van.) So here I am thinking I'm going to get busted for driving over the grass, and then he tells me to slow down. slow down? He said he would have to take away my "driving privileges." What is he? My mom? I was going like 5 miles an hour, and their were not people around. Silly cop. He just wanted to get us in trouble. The scary man that yelled at me a few days ago probably told him to do it. Like I said in the previous paragraph. I can't wait to go home and be a better Kjersti. :)

Remember to remember, and don't postpone promptings.

Have a good week.

Love, Sister Jones

P.S. Sorry I haven't sent any pictures. I figured I'll just post them when I get home. Plus I don't think you really want to see how I have to do my pioneer hair everyday.