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.

Hello!

Another week has flown right by. Pageant is here, and it's so exciting! There are people everywhere now. It definitely keeps us busy. Last night we finished at 9:30pm. Most of us did 6 shows yesterday. I didn't realize how amazing the pageant would be. The doctrine taught is very straight forward, most of it is from Preach My Gospel. The core cast (people that play Joseph, Emma, Hyrum, etc) are just really amazing people. We got to watch it Friday night, and I felt like they didn't have to do a lot of acting. I know Joseph Smith especially has a lot of help from the Lord for his part. Everything was just so natural. Having all the kids from the family casts really brings Nauvoo alive. It feels a lot more like it would have been in the 1840's. Pageant has never been "rained out," but that definitely doesn't mean they don't perform in the rain. Opening night was Tuesday, and the whole show was done in the pouring rain. Our dresses that already weight 10 lbs, were completely drenched, and the audience just sat there watched. Dedicated pageant fans. Last night was also the last night for the first family cast. There's a little two year old that Joseph Smith carries on for one of scenes. Last night she was saying good bye to Joseph, and she said, "I love you Joseph, and I knew you before I was a baby." wow. She was two. I really think that's one of the reasons babies can't talk. They know too much. I know that we all knew each other in the premortal life. Many times I'll meet people here, and just feel like I've known them my whole life, and I love them so much. It's really incredible.

I love everyone here in Nauvoo. The senior missionaries, the young single sisters, and especially the visitors. I love meeting and talking to amazing families from all over the country. I love meeting families from Cedar City. It makes me so excited to go back to school. I love how this is such a unique mission, where families are invited and encouraged to come visit.

One of our Elders has been really sick all week with the flu. He has a lead in High Hopes and River Boats. The show is double casted, and so one of the Elders has had to double up, and kind of combine two characters into one for most of the shows this week. It really is a miracle how everything has worked out. Oh, one of the funny things about the first show we had to do with the missing Elder...yeah, there was a general authority there. haha funny how that works. Elder Evans, and his wife, from the quorum of the seventy were here this week because we got a new member in the temple presidency. Turns out that show was one of the best we've done. We see miracles everyday. The Elder is getting better, and will hopefully be back in a couple of days.

There's a music store in Keokuk called Meister's Music. Jack Meister and his wife own the store, and they love the missionaries, especially the YPM's. They help the band all the time with their instruments. Jack has donated soooo much to Nauvoo Productions. For instance the big nice keyboard we use for Sunset by the Mississippi was donated by him, and he's always looking for more to give to us. Brother Camp was at the store the other day getting something to repair the drum kit, and Jack was looking through his inventory to see what else he could donate. Elder Camp told him no, because he has donated enough already. This is what Jack replied, "Our Country is slowly going to hell in a handbasket. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only thing that gives us hope." I love this. He and his wife are non-members, but they love Nauvoo, and they know there's something different about our church. They're willing to help in anyway possible. I know they'll get baptized someday. They're so kind.

My time left here in Nauvoo gets shorter, and shorter, but I know I will return many times. You can't live in a place like this and not be drawn back. This is my new home away from home. Everyday I thank God for everything he has given me. Everything is so beautiful. I still can't believe I get to live here. The sunsets. I will miss the sunsets. God makes them extra pretty here in Nauvoo, but why am I talking about leaving?! I still have 38 more sunsets to watch! :)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true restored gospel on this earth. We have a modern prophet on the earth today. We have apostles, and temples, and missionaries. How blessed are we! I know that the Lord has given me more than I can ever repay, because they more you serve him, the more blessings he gives. I love all of you.

Love,

Sister Jones

P.S. I was walking out to greet people before the Pageant last night and I found my grandpa and grandma Jones! It was so exciting to see them! I'm so grateful they could come to Nauvoo to visit, and also to support me. I also met my aunt's husbands, brother last night. Tony's brother, Craig. It's a small world.

Happy 4th of July!!

What a week. I haven't been this tired since I was working 3 graveyard shifts in a row. I fell asleep backstage like eight times, and then somehow I was awake enough to give my lines, and remember the dances...The Lord really does bless me with energy when I need it. Nothing too exciting happened this week, but I'm pretty sure I have some nice chiggers on my legs...It's no good, but hey, I did get to hold a baby raccoon this week. :)

I did get to work at The Brigham Young Home this week, for the first time. It is always fun to go explore a prophets home. :) We did have a beautiful family from Missouri come in for our first tour. They were from Missouri, and they had never even heard of Joseph Smith until that morning. The dad saw Nauvoo on a map, googled it, and decided to stop by. The mom especially seemed receptive to the spirit. It was a special experience.

Vocal Point was here for the last two weeks. It's fun to interact with the BYU groups that come. They had a great devotional last Sunday, and we got to go to one of their shows this week. They are a great group of nice guys.

I met a family from Cedar City this week, and it made me so happy. I could just feel Cedar City coming off of this family. I can't wait to go back in the fall! :)

Pageant is here! It's going to be an incredible experience to be in something of that magnitude. The early dance rehearsals have definitely worn our bodies down though. It opens Tuesday night!

I'm sorry I don't have anything else exciting. (Wait, I do have something exciting...We have an Elder and Sister Hughes here that are in charge of the public affairs. I'm sitting in my room one morning this week, and one of the sisters was like, "oh yeah, I can't believe that's Dean Hughes!" I was like, "Wait, what?! That's Dean Hughes?! Like the author?!" I may or may not have had a little freak out. We're surrounded by incredible people here.) I can't believe I only have 6 more weeks here. :( I love my eternal sisters. I love my mission president, and his wife. I love the Camps, and the Bowers. I LOVE the temple. Today we went and watched the video that they showed at the Nauvoo Temple open house. It brought back memories of when I was here with my family in 2002 for the open house. The Nauvoo Temple is a special place.

I'm enjoying my scripture study more and more everyday. I just want to keep reading and learning. I want to do more research, and study harder. The gospel is the true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ. President Monson is the mouthpiece for God on the earth today. I know this is true.

Love,

Sister Jones

P.S. "Miracles Happen. Some of the darkest days, bring about the best things."

P.P.S. Happy 4th of July! :)

Half Way

Well I'll just kind of start at the beginning of the week because there's so much to write about. I'm just kind of picking and choosing from my journal. First I'll share the most shocking news. I love Nauvoo. Ok, whew. I'm glad that's over. We had transfers this week! ... I was already mentally prepared to get a new companion, and then President Ludwig said, Sister Jones and Sister McKay. I was like who's Sister McKay? Oh, duh. My companion. We were the only two who didn't get transferred! Weird. We still don't know exactly why, but we're trying to figure out what the Lord has in store for us by keeping us as companions. So far we've figured we need to get to know each other better, and become more consistant in our companion study. It was weird trying to get used to the idea that we would be the only ones this summer that didn't get a new companion. If neither of us go on a full time mission then she'll be my only mission companion ever! :)

The Nauvoo Pageant is here!...setting up in our backyard. The pageant stage is literally 100 yards away from our back door. There are cars and people everywhere! We started pageant dance rehearsals yesterday, and for pretty much the rest of July we'll have dance rehearsals at 7:45 in the morning teaching all the new families that come in every week the dances. Pageant will be such a neat experience! It'll be our 6th show a day...bring it on!

Oh, exciting news! Our amazing mission president and his wife have been asked to extend their call another year! This is their second year extension! Their call was originally for two years, and then extended to three, and now they'll be here for four! They were supposed to go home in January. Sister Ludwig just said, "This way we don't have to pack up.We were just going to go home for a year, and then put our papers in again in a year." She's great! Both of them are the most incredible people I've ever met!

This week has been great! I saw a lady and her husband that used to live in our home ward. She was a YPM in 2004! How great is that?! I got to hear some of her YPM stories. (Mom, do you remember Jessica Whitehead? Yeah, it was them. She has two beautiful boys now, and they live in Michigan.) I also saw a family that from my home ward. The Larsen's! As I was working at John Taylor's house I looked and the window and saw them walking up the sidewalk! It was so exciting. I got to give them a tour and everything. The Gudmundson's from Cedar City are also here for all of July! He was one of my institute teachers, and he's in charge of the bagpipe band they're doing before the pageant.

My favorite story of the week is a family from Wisconsin. I fell in love with them. (It was a lady and her husband, and their five children. Her parents were also traveling with them.) There was something so special about them. I met them after Anna Amanda on Thursday, and talked to them for a while there. They had been to Sunset the night before, and the grandpa said he loved the fiddling so much it made him cry. Well, I saw them again Thursday night at Sunset, and just chatted with their cute girls and everything. So I'm at John Taylor's on Friday morning, and this same family comes for a tour. I get to give it to them. I had finished giving the tour, and I bore more testimony, but I was prompted to say more than what I usually do. Things about how blessed we are to be able to be with our families forever, etc. When they were leaving, the mom, Amy, stayed behind and told me how much that meant to her because her parents aren't members. (She was baptized when she was 19.) It was such a neat experience. Well, they went to Sunset again Friday night, and I talked a little more to them. Amy said that it was a miracle that her parents even came with them to Nauvoo, but now they have a positive view of the church, instead of a negative/neutral view. They came to High Hopes yesterday, and it just happened to be to the show that I was singing No Ordinary Brothers. I got to sing my testimony to them about Joseph and Hyrum. Her parents said that High Hopes was their favorite show in Nauvoo. As I was talking to Amy after that show she told me she was talking to her husband the night before, and she said that she feels like we've known each other before this. I truly believe that. I really feel like I was friends with her, and her family in the life before. Ah. I don't know. It was just so great. It makes me really think about serving a full time mission. Even if I just plant little seeds in the hearts of others. I just felt so connected to this family.

Today is our exact halfway point. How depressing. Time is just going to go by faster. Oh, random story. The oxen broke out of the fence last night, and we found them running around the Pioneer Pastime site. haha I'm sure it's the kind of entertainment the pioneers had on a Saturday night. Chasing the oxen, and trying to fix the fence. We all had a good laugh. (oh wow, I just really thought about what I said. We all had a good laugh about oxen? Maybe I've been in Nauvoo a little too long...Just kidding.:) )

Today is a special day. It marks the 166th year since the martydom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. We have been studying all week the events that led up to this day. This morning we sang Praise to the Man in sacrament meeting, and we just finished singing at the Community of Christ commemoration, and we're about to head to Carthage to sing. Carthage is going to be such a neat experience. To sing in the exact time, and place that they were killed. whew. Good thing I have waterproof mascara. I encourage everyone to read D&C 135 today. "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." "The lived for glory; they died for glory; and glory is their eternal reward. From age to age shall their names go down to poserity as gems for the sanctified." I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. He sealed his testimony with his blood on this day, June 27th, 1844. I will live my life in a way that I can share what the Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum died for. I will live a more purified, and Christ like life, and share the gospel to those around me.

Love,

Sister Jones

P.S. "Never let your attitude override your gratitude." I learned that today in sacrament meeting. :)

Hello!

Well, we started the week off with pretty much everyone having sore throats and coughs. I guess if we love each other that much we have to share everything. Even colds. Oh well. I think everyone is feeling better. It's been another fun filled week. I can't believe it's Sunday again already. It has been fun to interact with the Young Ambassador's from BYU these past couple of weeks. We only got to see one of their shows, and it was good. It was interesting though, because even though there wasn't anything bad about their performance, it took a little bit of time to refocus.

In our prep meeting this week with the President and his wife, we learned more about obedience. We cannot pick and choose what we want to obey. Sister Ludwig told a story about a man who always did all his talks from memory. Then an apostle asked him to give a certain talk written out on paper. The man didn't understand why, but he did it anyway. After he gave the talk the apostle came up to him and said "thank you for obeying the little things, now we know we can trust you with bigger things." He was exactly obedient. That seems to be a huge theme for the summer. Exact obedience. (Of course there were names in this story, but I don't remember what they were.)

Our music director that was here the first 3 days we were came this week to see our shows, and help us touch up our music. I love Sister Willmore. She really is incredible. She said she enjoyed all our shows, and that it was fun to see all of us in character.

I saw a friend this week that I met in my singles ward in Springville, and who lives in Cedar City now. It's so fun to come out from backstage and see familiar faces.

In Sunset by the Mississippi I have this short little solo in a song called Away with Rum. I blanked out on my words. Like. I could not remember them. This is the verse is supposed to go: "As for alcohol backrubs, we think they're a crime. We always condem them in song, and in rhyme. An alcohol backrub is worse than straight fin, when you think of the liquor absorbed by the skin." Here's the new version that I came up with. Now, it was super embarassing, but it gave a good laugh to everyone, and yes they're still making fun of me. "We never drink tobacco, because it's too thick...? something something in the middle of the verse, and I ended it with because it turns your skin brown...?" WHAT?! I know. It makes no sense, but that is what happened. Maybe you had to be there.

My Uncle Rich and Aunt Jean were here for a few minutes yesterday. They came and found me backstage. It was a huge surprise, but a good one! They were able to sneak in the back of the show and hear me sing, and then they had to go. Thanks for the chocolate covered pretzels Rich and Jean. They're great! :)

So, I've been thinking this week about whether I could serve a full time mission after this. I mean, I live in Zion, and it's still so hard. Satan works so hard to make you think you're not good enough, and gets you discouraged. There's nothing here really influencing us from the outside world. It's just our own minds. It's great, but I have a new respect and love for full time missionaries. Wow. Getting doors slammed in your face, getting rejected all the time, etc, etc. Someone rejected a referral card, and it hurt bad. That's nothing compared to what full time missionaries do. I've also learned I'm never going to make fun of a newly returned missionary for acting all weird and spiritual all the time. haha. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be weird when I get home, and I was only gone for a summer. But I guess it's a good thing. This place definitely humbles you, but at the same time I can still see pride slipping into little things I do. I need to remember every compliment I receive, every bow I take, every song I sing is for the Lord. It's not me. It's for the Lord. The Atonement is amazing. Here I do or say some little thing, and it's the biggest deal. Like I feel so bad until I repent, even though at home I would have thought nothing of it. Ah. I just really hope I can be strong enough to take the things I'm learning here home, and apply them to everyday life. I want to read the scriptures more and more everyday. I try and read the conference issue of the Ensign backstage. I have new and better goals for the upcoming school year, and the things I want to accomplish. I used to think I was a half decent person, but it turns out I have a lot further to go to become who Heavenly Father wants me to become. I've been trying to have the mentality that He can make a mansion out of me if I just let him. He'll probalby tear me up a bit, and it'll probably hurt a little, but think how much better I'll be after. Now I realize this is a life long process, but why not start now! Bring on the trials baby! (wait, should I be asking for trials?....I don't know. Whatever. )

Today after church we had a few minutes to run down to Lands and Records. I got hundreds, and hundreds of pages of information on a CD about my ancestors that were here in Nauvoo. Oh my gosh. It was so amazing. I can't wait until I get the time to find where their lots were, and read through some of their stories. I can't wait to find out if my ancestors knew my sister's ancestors. Tears came to my eyes as I saw several of them had gotten their endownments in the Nauvoo Temple. Ancestors from both sides. It's my new dream to go through the Nauvoo Temple first. It would be so special. (I love the Nauvoo Temple, just in case you didn't know.)

The May Flies are here. They are nast. The heat+humidity=smelly, sweaty girls in pioneer dresses. The huge thunder and lightening storms are amazing. The sunsets are beautiful. The temple has the most beautiful glow at night. It's the little things that make this place amazing. It's the little things that people do that makes it amazing. Why would we not want all of our communities, and homes to be like this? I think that's all for this week.

Oh wait, Happy Father's Day to everyone. (Everyone who is a father, that is.)

Love,

Sister Jones

Five Weeks!

I better get typing. Another fun and exciting week, with another 30 shows performed. The longer we are out here, the more my Sisters and I are realizing that we got here through our abilities to perform, but that's not really why we're out here. We've talked a lot about how we knew each other in our pre-mortal life, that we all knew we'd be coming to Nauvoo together. This is a summer that Heavenly Father knew would be in our eternal life plan. That's how important it is. We're out here to bear testimony of Jesus Christ, and his love for us. Everyday it gets easier to do that. When I sing I look directly into someone else's eyes, and I know that they can feel what I feel. It's amazing...everyday.

We just had an interesting experience this afternoon. The Bower's arranged for us to go on a tour through the Community of Christ sites. They own the Homestead, The Nauvoo House, Joseph, Hyrum's, and Emma's graves, The Mansion House, and The Red Brick Store. (well, actually they own more than that, but that's what's included in the tour.) The second we sat down to watch the video in their visitor's center I felt different. I felt heavy. The spirit was not there. Ah. It was just so weird compared to being on LDS property. The tour was all factual, and no testimony of anything. It was interesting, and I learned a lot, but I didn't really feel the spirit until the end. We were on the second floor of the Red Brick Store, and we sang "Nauvoo." It's a beautiful poem put to the music of Jupiter, from the Planets, by Holst. The spirit was there. It's so cool, because that's where the Relief Society was started, and many revelations were given, including the endownments for the temple. Anyway, there's lots more to say about the buildings, but no time to write about it. As we were driving back home down old main street past all of the shops, and homes I felt completely different. The spirit was there, and the people were happy.

A fun little fact about the Nauvoo Mission. It has the highest concentrated missionary population than in any other mission of the church. Most of them being Senior Missionary couples. I love them all. They're all grandpa's and grandma's to us. In the last couple of weeks we've received cookies, bread and jam, banana bread, muffins, ice cream, popsicles, popcorn balls, and fruit snacks from different senior sisters. They are so stinkin cute, and the only thing they want in return is a hug, and a song. Between all the senior couples there are 2,338 grandchildren, and 407 great-grandchildren in the mission right now.

I love the Nauvoo temple. The End. Oh wait, that's not all we did on P-day this week. We also did a very bad thing, and went to the Fudge Factory up on main street. Bad idea. I hope it doesn't become a weekly visit. ;) Speaking of really good food. The sisters and I are playing the Biggest Loser at our house. It's fun. We have our starting weight, and then for each pound we lose we get to write a star on the poster board. :) I've put up a couple of stars so far. ooOO! One sister has lost 18lbs since we've been here. She's lookin great.

I got to work in the Wilford Woodruff home and the Lyon Drug Store this week. Both great sites. The Young Ambassadors from BYU are here for two weeks, but we don't see them much. We're only allowed to go to one of their shows while they're here, and their fireside which is later this evening.

Oh, another cool experience. I met a 3rd great-grandson of Hyrum Smith yesterday. He and his wife are from Salt Lake, but don't know much about the church or Hyrum. We told them that we honor his heritage, and how lucky he is to be a desendant of Hyrum.

This week we've all been so tired, but Friday was bad. I was like asleep backstage, and then I'd run on stage to do a scene, and suddenly wouldn't be tired anymore, and then I'd come back off stage, and I would be just as tired. Just another Nauvoo miracle that we can function on stage. haha

I did see a family I knew this week! It was the greatest thing ever to have someone come tell you there's a family that thinks they know you, and they want to talk to you. It was my best friend (Ari) from high school, cousins. I've been on a bunch of boating trips with her family, and extended family, so that's where I got to know them. It was so great to see them, and have them recognize in a pioneer dress versus a swimsuit. haha. Their grandpa, (I call him Grandpa Booth), isn't doing very well health wise, but he loves it when Ari and I would fiddle. I played Orange Blossom at Sunset that night, and I told his daughter, (Ari's aunt) that I dedicated Orange Blossom to him that night, just in case he doesn't make it until I get home. If he does then I play it for him for reals. :) Anyway, it was so fun to see them.

We got some bikes to ride in the morning or evening after our shows, and we rode down to the Mississippi the other night. We were on a little bank, looking out over the Mississippi River, and a gorgeous sunset with the temple behind us. I DO NOT know how the saints left, (besides the horrible humidity) it's the greatest place on earth. But I suppose they left because the prophet told them to. I've learned that there are A LOT of things that we are told to do, and we don't know why, but we do them anyway, because we are obedient...if that makes any sense.

Last Sunday we went to the old Nauvoo Cemetary. It was a beautiful place. So peaceful. The Bower's got some stories together for us to read about families who buried their children there. So many children died each week, that they would just bring them all up once a week and have a big funeral. Some parents buried most, if not all of their children there. It's a very sad thing to have a cemetary of mostly infants.

Ok. You know that sissy rain showers in Utah? yeah, those don't exsist here. When it rains, it rains. Oh. My. Gosh. There is so much water. Yesterday morning we did one of our morning shows in completely wet clothes because we couldn't even make from the car to the cultural hall without getting drenched, even with umbrella's. How funny is that. I love the big lightening and thunder storms, especially at night. And there are the most gorgeous sunsets here.

Just in case you're interested in getting another point of view from Nauvoo another couple of sisters have their e-mails on blogs too, so check out, emilyelisechambers.blogspot.com, and sisterreynders.blogspot.com...or it might be janetreynders.blogspot.com. haha she couldn't remember.

Well I'm probably boring you now. I hope all is well at home, and I sure hope there's no more snow. I was going to share something insightful, but I don't know what to share...so I guess you don't get anything. Love you all

Love,

Sister Jones