"I know it's true. So much that I can't not share it."

Quote from awesome visitor. Powerhouse member missionary. Hope I can have that perspective.

TRANSFERS
Transfers took me by surprise, as usual. I was pretty sure Sis. Rancie and I were staying together until pageant was through since we need to work on pageant stuff together but we’ve been split. We’ve been together since April. This makes her my 2nd longest comp. We’re bummed but we’ll still be in the same house. (You never get transferred too far here :) ). We’re also both way pumped about our new comps and housemates. They’ll be 4 of us in the little house still. Both of our comps are newer and have never served in Nauvoo (both just in Carthage) so it’ll be fun living with them down on the flats. Our house is right with the sites. In fact, the wagon ride drives past us like 15 times a day at least. We poke our heads out and wave. ….Only in Nauvoo.

Anyway, my new comp is Sis. Thomas. For those of you who remember, I’ve already had a comp with that name. :) This is a diff one. She’s from SLC, went to BYU. We’re buddies already. She’s way cool. And the 4 of us are all very excited for the variety of closets we’ll have. Then the 2nd coolest part, drumroll….partway through the transfer I’m getting my first ever ASL companion! She’s coming in Aug and I’m so stoked to be able to have language study with my comp. It’ll be a dream. I don’t know much about her yet but I’ll fill you in when she gets here.

WHERE AM I?
So just when I think my mission isn’t THAT unusual, we have nights like last night. We had a Sunday Sociable put on by this band that plays this LDS country music. Now normally of course, that would make me throw up, but all their music is about Nauvoo and the pioneers so somehow it finds a special way into my heart. It’s the Nashville Tribute music for those of you who are into your LDS pop culture. Anyway, they were doing a show last night outdoors but of course a flash thunderstorm came so plans were changed. Long story short we found ourselves hanging out listening to this live concert at like 10:45pm. What the? It was just a hilarious situation and we just kept looking at each other saying, “this isn’t right.” For those who don’t get how weird that is, we were up past curfew (with our mission pres there, mind you) listening to music that is abnormally lively for most missionaries and probably not even allowed in some missions. Ha! So bizarre.

CALL CENTER
So we’re still calling people about the CDs. We’re getting some YPMs and pageant cast and even random visitors to come help. They love doing it. The coolest was this random 17 yr-old convert kid who road to Nauvoo from WI on his bike. Of course. He’s been in Nauvoo a few days and loved it and told someone he was praying for missionary opportunities and so he ended up getting in touch with us and coming to help in the call center. He loved it and was awesome. What a champ. We have a few pre-mission people coming in to help and they love it. Such a good chance to get used to talking to just about anyone and testifying in little ways.
Welp, gotta run. I want you all to know that any efforts we make in bringing others closer to Christ is the Lord’s work. As we keep his commandments and honor our covenants He will give us the power we need to do His work.

Love you all!
- Sis C

“I know I’m being selfish, but it’s pageant. We’re all animals now.”

This quote was Sis. Dalley. Pageant season drains and tries us in beautiful ways. :) She said this yesterday when she took the softest, biggest seat at our sisters meeting. It was pretty hysterical and she’s pretty right. :)

POISENING OUR MINDS
So, not only am I totally incapable of beginning years with anything but “18…” (yes, I was born in 1882. What seems to be the problem?) but Sis. Granja (housemate) was trying to tell her companion a story about Harry Potter, and all of the characters she was mentioning, instead of Harry or Ralph (I don’t know their actually names) were accidentally coming out of her mouth with names like “Joseph Smith” or “John Taylor” or “Brigham Young.” She couldn’t even get through her story. Ahhh, I love it!

PAGEANT MIRACLES
So for the first time in years, it rained during pageant. That never happens. It’ll rain right until pageant and it’ll rain right after but never during. But it did. The miracle was that most of the audience stayed and we had almost record-breaking attendance. Those who stayed were blessed for their efforts and there were lots of little miracles. There was one girl who came with some local missionaries. She’s been investigating the Church, but not that seriously. As she was watching pageant, she just started bawling. She couldn’t fully understand why or what was going on. She described it as both frightening and thrilling. That night she realized she wants to be baptized and that the life changes she will need to make will be worth all the sacrifice she can give.

LITTLE KIDS ARE THE COOLEST
One precious moment was at pageant I was walking around talking to people and ran across this cute pageant member. He was like an 8-yr old boy. I asked him how it was going talking to people. He said it was going okay. He then explained to me that he was supposed to go be like a missionary and talk to people after the pageant and offer then the Nauvoo Pageant CD. He’s explaining this all to me in a very matter-of-fact way, which is awesome cause I go to all their pre-show meetings and help with some of the training but he definitely didn’t recognize me. He’s telling me all about the cards then just kind of transitions and says, “so, do you have anyone you’d like to send the CD to?” So sincere! He then realized I was a missionary but still asked me in was so dang sincere. The coolest thing was that the Spirit gave me right then and idea for someone and it was just because of this boy’s simple and fearless faith.

POWER OF ONE
The other day we had a couple come to the pageant cast mtg. They had just recently joined the Church. They told of an experience they had when they were in UT (before they were baptized). They randomly met Pres. Hinckley and Pres. Monson and the wife had no clue who they were. They walked away and she put her hand on her chest and just said, “Wow. Did you feel that spirit?” (She’s a black woman. They always seem to be so in tune. :) ) They randomly came to Nauvoo last summer and saw pageant. During pageant she remembered thinking to herself “wow, they all have that spirit.” They started meeting with the missionaries as soon as they went home. It was a cool story because it reminded me that the Lord can and will use all of us who are willing as sources to carry His light. For myself, watching pageant, I’ll catch a glimpse of someone’s expression during a song, or even seeing a family I take on a tour, and just the way they carry themselves and the way they are allows their testimony to shine through. It’s been an amazing lesson to me. I love all the pageant miracles. We’ve already been able to send out over 200 CDs to people who want them delivered. Way cool! I love this work and being a part of it!

Love you! Gotta run!
-sis c

“Be yourself….a son or daughter of God.”

Quote by Pres. Uchtdorf. See below.

SPECIAL GUEST
So here in Nauvoo we occasionally get to see very special guests. Sometimes they’re coming for the purpose of talking to us and sometimes they just happen to be on their family vacations. This week we were privileged to have Pres. Uchtdorf come and visit. He was here on vacation with his wife and his 2 grandsons that are about to go into the MTC. For those who don’t know who he is, Pres. Uchtdorf is an amazing, spiritually gigantic German man who is also an apostle of the Lord and the second counselor to the prophet today. It was way cool to see him. When he first got here he came down to the outdoor performance but just kinda slipped in the back with the mission pres and his wife. Then there’s this part in the performance where they play the anthems of the different military branches and you stand up when yours is played and they take you up on stage. Don’t worry that he gets up when they play the air force anthem. Of course, everyone goes crazy. Cameras going off everywhere. No one had ANY idea he was there before that and he just gets up on stage with everyone else like it’s no big deal. Afterwards there were of course many people who wanted to meet him and he was very kind and patient. Funny that if he’d gone to Disneyland or Hawaii or somewhere else on vacation no one would’ve even looked twice at him but since they were at Church history sites, they had to plan very carefully so he wouldn’t get too mobbed everywhere he went. But he was always very gracious and took time to visit with people as he went along. The sisters in Carthage took him on a tour. No pressure. :) For the weekend he was here we had to be on our best behavior and wear blazers and all that good stuff. On fourth of July AM we had a mission breakfast and then Pres. Ludwig worked it out where Pres. Uchtdorf came and talked to all of us and the YPMs. He and his wife were hysterical. So dang cute. Then last night after they’d left we went to president’s house and ate all the leftover food Sis. Ludwig bought for their visit. Just one more perk. :)

When he was here it was so cool to hear him testify of the priesthood powers that are on the earth today. He testified of the divine process of calling missionaries to their missions and testified so strongly of the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us. I know that because of that love, God provides us with things like the scriptures and prophets today so that we can understand Him better and work better to become what He expects of us.

JULY 4TH FUN
Of course we had to go overboard this year cause I live in a house with an Aussie and a Brazilian. My comp thinks American patriotism is a bit ridiculous so we woke her up that AM to the National Anthem by the Mormon Tab. Choir and Sis. Granja and I stood respectfully in the room with our hands over our hearts humming along. She was not amused. :) Later we made an Australian cake to celebrate her sister’s wedding that was going on in Australia. It was very yummy….and happened to be red and white.

DEAF CENTRAL
Woohoo! We had two different deaf couples. One was two sisters who came. They are deaf but use oral methods of communicating (lipreading and speaking). It was SO interesting cause culturally that’s VERY different from the ASL world so it was fascinating to talk with them and get their perspective. We got to do oral interpreting for them, which basically was just mouthing VERY clearly everything that was being said with facial expressions. It was a challenge but it was way cool.

Later on in the week we had a very sweet deaf couple. They had no idea interpreting was offered here and were excited. Sis. Jones and I got to go around with them to a couple different sites. I still have a LOT of room to improve with my language skills but I’m so grateful to get the practice. And we were able to have more spiritual conversations, which was a blessing cause that’s what I’m working to get better at. The coolest part was that Sis. Jones had actually been fasting that day for an opportunity to use ASL. VERY direct answer. :)

PAGEANT IS APPROACHING
We’re getting everything geared up for pageant. The best part is that there’s a new computer-based referral system we’re using and there are some glitches that still need to be worked out but what that means is that I get to play on the computer for a couple hours a day. Yes, very fulfilling. :) The crowds are finally picking up a bit and it’s so cool to meet the pageant casts as they come in. These families are so awesome to devote so much of their time to coming out and serving in this capacity. They’re such awesome families and I’m so excited for all of the good they’ll be doing out here.

Love you all!