"...Disneyland can't compare with what goes on in Nauvoo."
Quote by Sis. Renouf, wife of the pageant president. One of the most sincere, most humble, most missionary-minded women I've met.
HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ME
Yesterday was a total day of miracles and I don’t even know how to describe it. It was just cool because since pageant has started there have been a lot of things that have pulled my attn away from the VC cause I’ll just have other stuff that needs to get done with Pageant—mostly in the call center. But yesterday I was able to spend a ton of time downstairs on the main floor with the guests and the Lord gave me amazing conversation after amazing conversation. Everyone I talked to was someone I connect with in some way. It was way cool and humbling that the Lord would bless me like that. It was like because He knew I wasn’t able to be down there as much as I wanted, He put all my amazing experiences in one day. :) Love it!
TRUTH RESTORED
Really interesting conversation I had with a woman who was formally a member of a church that branched off from the LDS Church and now is LDS. It was interesting cause she talked about how hard it was because it was so close but so different. It was harder than coming into the gospel from something that was so totally different or off-base or whatever. She said she had a real struggle knowing what to accept and what to reject from her previous beliefs. She had to really start evaluating her beliefs one-by-one, beginning with her understanding of who God is. Sis. Rancie noticed in the scriptures that whenever people start falling away, that’s usually the first doctrine that Satan corrupts is who God is and our relationship to Him. We also talked about how tricky it is that the closer something is to the truth, the harder it is to distinguish. Satan really is subtle. But we have so much comfort in knowing there are things he can NEVER counterfeit…like the feelings of peace that come through the Spirit. Anyway, I love it. I love how clear-cut the gospel is. We tend to overcomplicate things and Satan especially weaves a tangled web but the gosp is simple. The most important thing to know is that God is our Loving Heavenly Father and He sent His Son so that we could be cleansed and return to love with Them.
FAM!!!
So Dad and Joanie and Scott, thank you for coming! I was so glad you were here. :) I’ve gotten many fav reviews on my fam and how cool you guys were. I had so much fun with you guys here and thanks for taking such good care of me. We’re gonna use the candy (minus the snitches I already took) to have a post-pageant unwinding night. The dark chocolate M&Ms. Whoa! :) And bro, thanks for coming to the temple with me. That was way cool. I was really hoping and praying we’d be able to make that happen.
When my fam was here I got to show them how to make shoes in one of the sites. Incidentally, in that same site I got to fix my own shoe with an 1840s awl (I think that’s how you spell it). I was so proud of myself!
CHIGS AND CRITTERS
So the other night—this is how unified our companionship is—Sis. Thomas and I both woke up at 2am itching our chigger bites. We were both like “are you awake” “yeah” “me too. I have chiggers and they’re driving me crazy.” “me too!” Little bonding moment. Then later the other thing that kept us awake is some sort of critter that decided to move into our walls. We could hear him start at one side of the room and gradually move to the other. It was hysterical. I was hoping it was a squirrel and reflecting on our adventures in AK.
Can I tell you all how much I love Sis. Thomas. We ‘re such Engl. nerd twins. She prefers to call us “intellectuals” but I my brain has become far too mushy to merit that title. But we have tons of fun. And she’s really level-headed and keeps me in line. And she loves to go on walks so we walk often. I love it! I love walking in Nauvoo!! Today we’re going to go to the Dusty Farmer (a SUPER genuine Mid-west lunch place tucked in the middle of the cornfields) and then go listen to the brass band play at the park at noon. I love the brass band. Did I tell you that? I even got their t-shirt this yr.
GOODBYE PAGEANT, GOODBYE YPMs
Which brings me to my next point, the YPMs are all leaving. Sniff! It’ll get really quiet. In addition to that, we’re losing like 40+ senior missionaries. It’s a ton of the staple ones that we’re really tight with. We refer to it as the mass exodus. Rivaled only by the one in 1846. :) So the crowds will be slowing but we won’t be cause there will be fewer of us to do the work. The slower times though always seem to give way to miracles of their own. I love it! I loved the pageant! I love Nauvoo! I love this work!
Thanks for all the support. Love you all!
-Sis. Cartwright
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
“Sometimes adversity works in our favor.”
This quote is from Jack Renouf. He’s the pageant president and an incredibly inspired man. The quote came because we were talking about the rainstorm the night before and how it was pouring all day and then let up from pre-show through pageant and then started again as we were packing up after pageant. It was a reminder that even when bad things happen, it can work to show us the power of God. Love it!
Happy August! Whoa.
I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE
So we lost 3 of our sisters. 5 more leave at the end of this transfer. It’ll be weird to be in the last group left. But before they left we had a night in the temple. We did this last yr too. We started it by being able to clean in the temple. We were vacuuming in all the rooms on all the floors. It was way cool. We got to the 3rd floor and Sis. Rancie and I headed straight to the Celestial Room. It was SO quiet and still and peaceful. It was so, so dang cool! We spent a few quiet, prayerful moments, then turned on the vacuums and got to work. The coolest thing though was that the Spirit was so strong, even while vacuuming. Later one of the temple engineer people explained some of the murals to us and then we went to the assembly room to check that out too. It was just so cool. Just a reminder that the Spirit is in God’s temple, at any time of day. It was so fun with all of us in our white jumpsuits fluttering around dusting and vacuuming. Chores have never been so pleasant. :)
VISIT FROM THE GHOSTS OF SUMMER PAST
Ok, not ghosts. Three of the sisters from last yr came out. Sis. South, Francis, and Rasmussen. It was awesome to see them. Sis. South just kinda backed her way into our pageant booth when I was in there and I saw her from the back and didn’t think anything of it cause it was so normal for her to be there. Then it registered. It was so fun to see them and to catch up. They loved being here and loved to remind us that they were enjoying Nauvoo with the benefits of sleeping in and wearing jeans. It was so cool to see them get recharged about their missionary work and the things they learned from their missions. And I’m sure they didn’t mind being called “Sister” all weekend either. :)
SUNDAY, SUNDAY
Yesterday was a good, full day. We got to interpret for someone at church, then had dist mtg, then served in the NVC and made lots of phone calls (I’m continually inspired by the Church members who come here and their desire to share the gosp), then broke our fast at president’s house, then zone conference, then the pageant cast sociable. The Sociable is geared toward a more general (not totally LDS) audience and they perform it all around the surrounding towns when they’re here. The whole thing focuses on families and so many aspects of it really stuck out to me last night. I loved being reminded that families are here to take care of each other. I love the cycle of learning from each other and growing with each other. This all sounds corny but you know what I mean. I know families truly are ordained of God.
Love you all,
Sis C
Happy August! Whoa.
I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE
So we lost 3 of our sisters. 5 more leave at the end of this transfer. It’ll be weird to be in the last group left. But before they left we had a night in the temple. We did this last yr too. We started it by being able to clean in the temple. We were vacuuming in all the rooms on all the floors. It was way cool. We got to the 3rd floor and Sis. Rancie and I headed straight to the Celestial Room. It was SO quiet and still and peaceful. It was so, so dang cool! We spent a few quiet, prayerful moments, then turned on the vacuums and got to work. The coolest thing though was that the Spirit was so strong, even while vacuuming. Later one of the temple engineer people explained some of the murals to us and then we went to the assembly room to check that out too. It was just so cool. Just a reminder that the Spirit is in God’s temple, at any time of day. It was so fun with all of us in our white jumpsuits fluttering around dusting and vacuuming. Chores have never been so pleasant. :)
VISIT FROM THE GHOSTS OF SUMMER PAST
Ok, not ghosts. Three of the sisters from last yr came out. Sis. South, Francis, and Rasmussen. It was awesome to see them. Sis. South just kinda backed her way into our pageant booth when I was in there and I saw her from the back and didn’t think anything of it cause it was so normal for her to be there. Then it registered. It was so fun to see them and to catch up. They loved being here and loved to remind us that they were enjoying Nauvoo with the benefits of sleeping in and wearing jeans. It was so cool to see them get recharged about their missionary work and the things they learned from their missions. And I’m sure they didn’t mind being called “Sister” all weekend either. :)
SUNDAY, SUNDAY
Yesterday was a good, full day. We got to interpret for someone at church, then had dist mtg, then served in the NVC and made lots of phone calls (I’m continually inspired by the Church members who come here and their desire to share the gosp), then broke our fast at president’s house, then zone conference, then the pageant cast sociable. The Sociable is geared toward a more general (not totally LDS) audience and they perform it all around the surrounding towns when they’re here. The whole thing focuses on families and so many aspects of it really stuck out to me last night. I loved being reminded that families are here to take care of each other. I love the cycle of learning from each other and growing with each other. This all sounds corny but you know what I mean. I know families truly are ordained of God.
Love you all,
Sis C
Monday, July 28, 2008
"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
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
Monday, July 21, 2008
“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
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
Monday, July 7, 2008
“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!
Monday, June 30, 2008
"Heavenly Father is the best matchmaker of them all"
Quote from a visitor. I’m not thinking about making a match for myself, but I thought it was cute and quite profound.
LIGHTENING AND LIGHTENING BUGS….AGAIN!
Some of you more faithful readers may recognize this topic from last yr. The other day I had a cool mid-west experience though. We were coming home from a show and a crazy lightening storm happened. I think it rained for a second but mostly just warm wind and CRAZY lightening everywhere. Me and the other sisters I live with (we moved into the little “sidekick” house last transfer, not the main big one so there’s only 4 of us now) went out and watched it for like 20 min and had lots of fun playing games with the lightening (don’t worry, there were many things taller than us and I wasn’t wearing anything metallic.) Anyway, then when we were going to bed I was laying there awake after I said my prayers (this 8 hrs of sleep thing is a different world. I haven’t fallen asleep face-down on the floor or in my scriptures even once!) and I was still pretty wired from the lightening, so anyway…I was looking around and see tiny but very bright white light in the room. It would come and go and move around the top of the windowsill. All very strange. A list of things it could be. Headlights from far away, a white laser pointer, my mind…..I couldn’t tell. The lightening was still going like crazy outside so somewhere in the back of my mind (I wasn’t going to tell anyone this but I let it slip to my comp) I thought maybe it was a bit of lightening that had gotten stuck in the room in the drapes. I know, it doesn’t make ANY sense. I know. And it wasn’t my FIRST guess, just an option. Eventually I got brave enough to get up and try to get close to the light to see what it was and it came at me then flew around the room, then I solved the mystery. It was so cool though to have lightening outside and this little traveling light inside. Anyway, by the time my comp finished prayers I told her everything that happened (the bug was of course gone) and I just hurredly told her all the things I was guessing it was. A little while later after some silence she goes, (in her Aussie accent), “A piece of lightening got stuck, ay?”
DEAF COUPLE!!!
We had a deaf couple named Eric and Debbie visit and I got to spend a couple hours with them in the VC then our at the carriage ride. They’re newly married and pregnant. She’s just started coming back to church (she actually served a mission in the south) and he’s investigating. He’s planning on getting baptized but has some issues. It was way cool to get to spend so much time with them. I really prayed for the Lord to help me understand. That’s usually the problem—I can sign fine and even interpret but when they sign back my mind goes blank. But He totally helped me and I got mostly everything they said, even if it took a couple times. I wish I was skilled enough to have more in-depth conversations so I could really do missionary work in the way that I would in English but I guess all I can do is study and prepare my hardest and the Lord will make my skills equal to what He needs me for at the time. He knows what I am capable of and if I can’t help them in the way that they need, He will put them in the place of whoever can.
MARTRYDOM COMMEMORATION
We ended up getting to go to 2 programs—one that we do with the Community of Christ down at the Smith Family Cemetary (really good and very interesting to see how their church is so very different with some similar threads) and one at the jail. After the jail one I got to take a tour group through and then later all the sisters went into the martyrdom room as we closed and sang “Praise to the Man” and just had time to reflect. I know that Joseph Smith was not only an unbelievably dedicated servant of the Lord but indeed the first prophet in these latter-days. I think of not only the things that he himself suffered but the things he watched those around him to suffer, and I know that he only had the strength to bear those things because he had the assurance that it was the Lord asking him to go through it. I know that all of the things that he and the early saints suffered have been consecrated to our gain in profound, immeasurable ways.
SUNDAY SOCIABLE
So this year all the young sister missionaries did a musical fireside thing. We did one last yr too. It’s always cool because there’s no better audience than 200 beaming grandparents. We could seriously get up there and do anything and they’d be so proud. :) But plus I love it because the Spirit in the room and the love just radiates because the love that each of the missionaries and visitors in attendance carries. Their testimonies and love of the Savior radiate. The theme was Becoming One in Christ and at the end they did a video with clips of missionaries from all different parts of Nauvoo (performing missionaries, temple, Nauvoo Restoration, gardening, sewing room, teamsters, band, etc.) sharing their feelings about the gospel. Really just reminded me that as we all try to align our will with the Father’s, we become one in Him. We do this by making His highest priorities become our highest priorities and we learn in the scruiptures that His #1 priority, or rather His work and His glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” All of our most sincere, concentrated efforts in that area, whether that’s through parenthood, missionary work, being a good friend or good visiting teacher, will bring us closer to God because we are making our personal missions in life become the same as His.
After the sociable Sis Ludwig had us all over for an impromptu ice cream party. Gotta love it. :)
Ok, love you all!
LIGHTENING AND LIGHTENING BUGS….AGAIN!
Some of you more faithful readers may recognize this topic from last yr. The other day I had a cool mid-west experience though. We were coming home from a show and a crazy lightening storm happened. I think it rained for a second but mostly just warm wind and CRAZY lightening everywhere. Me and the other sisters I live with (we moved into the little “sidekick” house last transfer, not the main big one so there’s only 4 of us now) went out and watched it for like 20 min and had lots of fun playing games with the lightening (don’t worry, there were many things taller than us and I wasn’t wearing anything metallic.) Anyway, then when we were going to bed I was laying there awake after I said my prayers (this 8 hrs of sleep thing is a different world. I haven’t fallen asleep face-down on the floor or in my scriptures even once!) and I was still pretty wired from the lightening, so anyway…I was looking around and see tiny but very bright white light in the room. It would come and go and move around the top of the windowsill. All very strange. A list of things it could be. Headlights from far away, a white laser pointer, my mind…..I couldn’t tell. The lightening was still going like crazy outside so somewhere in the back of my mind (I wasn’t going to tell anyone this but I let it slip to my comp) I thought maybe it was a bit of lightening that had gotten stuck in the room in the drapes. I know, it doesn’t make ANY sense. I know. And it wasn’t my FIRST guess, just an option. Eventually I got brave enough to get up and try to get close to the light to see what it was and it came at me then flew around the room, then I solved the mystery. It was so cool though to have lightening outside and this little traveling light inside. Anyway, by the time my comp finished prayers I told her everything that happened (the bug was of course gone) and I just hurredly told her all the things I was guessing it was. A little while later after some silence she goes, (in her Aussie accent), “A piece of lightening got stuck, ay?”
DEAF COUPLE!!!
We had a deaf couple named Eric and Debbie visit and I got to spend a couple hours with them in the VC then our at the carriage ride. They’re newly married and pregnant. She’s just started coming back to church (she actually served a mission in the south) and he’s investigating. He’s planning on getting baptized but has some issues. It was way cool to get to spend so much time with them. I really prayed for the Lord to help me understand. That’s usually the problem—I can sign fine and even interpret but when they sign back my mind goes blank. But He totally helped me and I got mostly everything they said, even if it took a couple times. I wish I was skilled enough to have more in-depth conversations so I could really do missionary work in the way that I would in English but I guess all I can do is study and prepare my hardest and the Lord will make my skills equal to what He needs me for at the time. He knows what I am capable of and if I can’t help them in the way that they need, He will put them in the place of whoever can.
MARTRYDOM COMMEMORATION
We ended up getting to go to 2 programs—one that we do with the Community of Christ down at the Smith Family Cemetary (really good and very interesting to see how their church is so very different with some similar threads) and one at the jail. After the jail one I got to take a tour group through and then later all the sisters went into the martyrdom room as we closed and sang “Praise to the Man” and just had time to reflect. I know that Joseph Smith was not only an unbelievably dedicated servant of the Lord but indeed the first prophet in these latter-days. I think of not only the things that he himself suffered but the things he watched those around him to suffer, and I know that he only had the strength to bear those things because he had the assurance that it was the Lord asking him to go through it. I know that all of the things that he and the early saints suffered have been consecrated to our gain in profound, immeasurable ways.
SUNDAY SOCIABLE
So this year all the young sister missionaries did a musical fireside thing. We did one last yr too. It’s always cool because there’s no better audience than 200 beaming grandparents. We could seriously get up there and do anything and they’d be so proud. :) But plus I love it because the Spirit in the room and the love just radiates because the love that each of the missionaries and visitors in attendance carries. Their testimonies and love of the Savior radiate. The theme was Becoming One in Christ and at the end they did a video with clips of missionaries from all different parts of Nauvoo (performing missionaries, temple, Nauvoo Restoration, gardening, sewing room, teamsters, band, etc.) sharing their feelings about the gospel. Really just reminded me that as we all try to align our will with the Father’s, we become one in Him. We do this by making His highest priorities become our highest priorities and we learn in the scruiptures that His #1 priority, or rather His work and His glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” All of our most sincere, concentrated efforts in that area, whether that’s through parenthood, missionary work, being a good friend or good visiting teacher, will bring us closer to God because we are making our personal missions in life become the same as His.
After the sociable Sis Ludwig had us all over for an impromptu ice cream party. Gotta love it. :)
Ok, love you all!
Monday, June 23, 2008
"There are days when it's easy and days when it's hard, but if you are doing God's work, then there are no bad days."
This quote compliments of Amanda Lilly Menghini who found it in a book. Good find! Good quote. :)
FLOOD UPDATE
So really don’t ask me for an update cause we really haven’t been able to see how bad it is. Everything still seems fine here in Nauvoo but apparently there’s been tons of damage done in some of the surrounding areas. But the sandbagging has definitely helped. The coolest thing was that since the flood’s so severe, we got more chances to help sandbag. Tues we went back to the tiny town of Niota (by tiny I mean abt. 60 ppl) and then Wed they took all the young sisters off the schedules again, did serious rearranging and sent us all down to Quincy (abt 45 min away) for a full day of sandbagging. There we met up with about 70 missionaries from the Peoria mission and about 30 from St. Louis. Wow. It was quite the force. About 130 missionaries total. We all got those yellow shirts that the Church passes out now for natural disasters and on the back they say “Mormon Helping Hands” so there was no mistaking what group we were with—just in case people missed seeing the black badges. :) It really was amazing how many of us were able to go and we worked with the National Guard, the community members, and the convicts (they kept to themselves…) So yeah, it was way awesome.
MY NEW BEST FRIEND
So while we were sandbagging in Quincy I saw this woman there with her 3 little kids, ages 10, 7, and 5. They, obviously, weren’t the MOST skilled sandbaggers, the little 5-yr old taking fistfuls of sand to dump in buckets, but they were out there working as a fam. It was a little strange to have all those kids out there and even stranger cause they weren’t LDS. But I started talking to her and she’s totally my hero! This woman lives in Chicago (at least a 4-hr drive) and saw on the news that they needed help sandbagging on the Mississippi. She loaded her kids in the car (she thinks it’s vital that they’re personally involved with service as often as possible and takes them to soup kitchens at least once a month, among many other things), drove out to Quincy, rented a hotel room and are planning on staying until the river crests. Wow. She was so stinkin cool. We talked for a long time. She told me about how she never thought she wanted to have a family because she loved her career traveling as a filmmaker. However, as soon as she had her first daughter she dropped everything and now her family is the total center of her life. She was way excited to bring her kids to Nauvoo when I told her about it and even more excited when I told her about the Book of Mormon and how it’s another record testifying of Christ. I told her of all the things my family could’ve taught me, what I valued most were the teachings of Jesus Christ found in the Book of Mormon. She’d heard of the book before, but like most people, didn’t really understand what it was. It was so cool to talk to her. She said, “I believe you can always add to the truth you have” and she’s dead on. I’m so excited for her to get to read the Book of Mormon and see the changes in her life and her family’s.
Got 2 new sisters this week. Woohoo! Sis. Rancie and I moved into our little house down on the flats with 1 other companionship. It’s right there in the middle of everything.
Friday is the anniversary of the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith so we'll be down in Carthage for that.
Keep up all the good work and remember that Heavenly Father loves you each enough to provide miracles in your lives. :)
Love,
Sis Cartwright
FLOOD UPDATE
So really don’t ask me for an update cause we really haven’t been able to see how bad it is. Everything still seems fine here in Nauvoo but apparently there’s been tons of damage done in some of the surrounding areas. But the sandbagging has definitely helped. The coolest thing was that since the flood’s so severe, we got more chances to help sandbag. Tues we went back to the tiny town of Niota (by tiny I mean abt. 60 ppl) and then Wed they took all the young sisters off the schedules again, did serious rearranging and sent us all down to Quincy (abt 45 min away) for a full day of sandbagging. There we met up with about 70 missionaries from the Peoria mission and about 30 from St. Louis. Wow. It was quite the force. About 130 missionaries total. We all got those yellow shirts that the Church passes out now for natural disasters and on the back they say “Mormon Helping Hands” so there was no mistaking what group we were with—just in case people missed seeing the black badges. :) It really was amazing how many of us were able to go and we worked with the National Guard, the community members, and the convicts (they kept to themselves…) So yeah, it was way awesome.
MY NEW BEST FRIEND
So while we were sandbagging in Quincy I saw this woman there with her 3 little kids, ages 10, 7, and 5. They, obviously, weren’t the MOST skilled sandbaggers, the little 5-yr old taking fistfuls of sand to dump in buckets, but they were out there working as a fam. It was a little strange to have all those kids out there and even stranger cause they weren’t LDS. But I started talking to her and she’s totally my hero! This woman lives in Chicago (at least a 4-hr drive) and saw on the news that they needed help sandbagging on the Mississippi. She loaded her kids in the car (she thinks it’s vital that they’re personally involved with service as often as possible and takes them to soup kitchens at least once a month, among many other things), drove out to Quincy, rented a hotel room and are planning on staying until the river crests. Wow. She was so stinkin cool. We talked for a long time. She told me about how she never thought she wanted to have a family because she loved her career traveling as a filmmaker. However, as soon as she had her first daughter she dropped everything and now her family is the total center of her life. She was way excited to bring her kids to Nauvoo when I told her about it and even more excited when I told her about the Book of Mormon and how it’s another record testifying of Christ. I told her of all the things my family could’ve taught me, what I valued most were the teachings of Jesus Christ found in the Book of Mormon. She’d heard of the book before, but like most people, didn’t really understand what it was. It was so cool to talk to her. She said, “I believe you can always add to the truth you have” and she’s dead on. I’m so excited for her to get to read the Book of Mormon and see the changes in her life and her family’s.
Got 2 new sisters this week. Woohoo! Sis. Rancie and I moved into our little house down on the flats with 1 other companionship. It’s right there in the middle of everything.
Friday is the anniversary of the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph Smith so we'll be down in Carthage for that.
Keep up all the good work and remember that Heavenly Father loves you each enough to provide miracles in your lives. :)
Love,
Sis Cartwright
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