Letter #1

My dearest Mum, Faaahter, Booger and Princess
(and accompanying rodents and Moose)

I love this gospel. I love Nauvoo. I love my companion, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ- The ASTOUNDING Nauvoo YPMS. I love the culture and Spirit that is so strong here constantly. I love the Senior couples who have attached us with hugs, compassion, and cookies. I love the BEAUTIFUL city of Nauvoo and the Wonderful temple that I can see from my bedroom window.
But I especially love and miss all of you.

Today we started work. Elder Mortenson- our Tech Elder- is a gentle giant and would do all the work (or at least heavy lifting) if we would let him. I already love him and Sister Starrs like siblings. For not a moment have I ever felt left out of anything or different or lesser because I'm a Tech Sister.  (Though prayers for us figuring out the brand new light board would be appreciated, So many beautiful buttons that I'm almost afraid to touch it.) We've made such progress just today. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for us.

The home we are staying in is beautiful. Red brick on the outside, blonde wood on the inside. Smack dab between ******** and ******* sits the most adorable home where Sister Starrs and I live with the ten stage sisters. I thought fitting six companionships in a three bedroom house with two bathrooms would be impossible, but so far, there is absolutely no contention, just a cheerful spirit of sisterly love. (Yes, that math is right. 4 girls to a 7x15 room. And it works.)

How I wish you all could be here. Nauvoo is like Zion with a Stage Management team. Mormon Standard time has bee replaced with fifteen-minutes-early-and-do-you-need-anything? or NST. (NST[NauvooStandardTime] also means getting to church at 7:30 and discovering that all the sister missionaries get to sit on the stage.)

The Senior couples here are wonderful. I only hope that one day I will have a relationship with my own Eternal Companion that is half as wonderful as many of these couples. One man in church this morning when we arrived, called out "Babe!" and a woman, probably around 80 responded.
"This is my beautiful wife, " he told us. "She is even more beautiful now than when I married her." with his eyes sparkling with love, even after so many years.

The ward here is what I image the wards in Heaven are like. The spirit is so strong all the time. While taking a tour (on a HUGE wagon with two MASSIVE horses) it was like we were back in the 1800's. When we passed The Mansion House, where Joseph and Emma lived, you could feel the spirit of Joseph Smith right with us, as if he were right beside the wagon with us.

My dear family, I Know this gospel is true. I know it stronger everyday that I am here. I work so hard from the time I wake up at six until I fall gratefully into bed at 10:30. But I do not tire of the work because I know it is for building up the Kingdom of Heaven, to reach those who otherwise may not receive the message. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the opportunity to be here. I am so honored to wear the name of my Brother and Savior over my heart. I am thrilled to go by my last name because whenever someone calls for me, I am reminded of the amazing, supportive family I have left behind, whose faith and courage have inspired me to come and who raised me upright in the gospel. I love you all so much.

(Mom, I promise you, I am being so will taken care of here. The Mursets have an office so stacked up with anything we need and we are constantly being told to eat healthy, drink more than we think we need to. There is always so much food in the Bistro at lunch and we stocked up in Keokuk yesterday. There are two things constant in this world: Walmart and The Gospel. I bought so much healthy food. So fear not.)

Love you all, The Church is True
Sister Ambi-J Hallett