There is a quote something to the effects of "when I pull up to the pearly gates, I don't want to pull up calmly in a nice dress with a manicure and my hair percectly done. I want to pull up screeching, my car in billows of smoke, every hair out of place, paint on my pants and peanut butter on my shirt saying 'oh, man! What a ride!!' " Well... that is exactly how this week has been. And its an understatement.
In one week we have gone from not even knowing the plot of the shows to having:
-2 shows double cast
-2 evening vignettes cast
-20 Nauvoo singers songs memorized
-23 songs memorized for the musical
-2 shows blocked
- 1 show choreographed
-20 actors off book cold **(BY WEDNESDAY. That's 3 days.)
-3 technicians kind of caught up to speed.
-3 HUGE shipping crates (5'X10'X7') unpacked, inventoried, sorted, separated, dragged and distributed all over the city
-3 technicians given assignments for the shows (Stage manager for all five Yay stress!!!)
-20 actors and 3 technicians costumed in perfectly period costumes (BEAUTIFULL!!!!)
-1 band learning 94 (yes. NINETY FOUR!!!) songs and performing some just a few days after they got here
And the spirit is felt here constantly.
Nauvoo is the best city in the world. So quiet, peaceful, and gorgeous. Did you know that grass grows naturally, rabbits actually hop through dandelion spotted fields, squirrels chase each other up and down trees, turtles live on the downed branches on the Mississippi (which is beautiful, by the way.) and cardinals are real birds? (Haven't gotten a picture of them yet. They're too quick.)
It is so pretty here that its no surprise that the ASL sign is "beautiful" with an N.
We live in a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath historical home that used to be a convent. There are 12 that share the home and even though I used to think that two to a room was far too many, I already know that I'm going to get Companion Separation Anxiety when I get home. Sister Starrs and I are so close, it feels like we've been friends for years.
We got our period costumes on Thursday. first of all, a room with HUNDREDS of period costumes and about 20 in my exact size- I don't think I've ever been so giddy in my life. Narrowing it down was the hardest thing. Sister Starrs and I each get two because next week we begin working in the sites. Hers are green with white and red with black and mine are dark blue with white flowers and red with (get this one, mom!!) a huge pink bibber down the front. They are so pretty!!! We also got bloomers. Pictures attached of two very bored tech sisters playing in the sewing room while waiting for the band elders to come get fitted.
The work we've done so far is hard, but wonderful. From carrying heavy objects and organizing hundreds of props and costume peices, I have felt myself grow stronger- physically, mentally and spiritually. I love being in a place where whenever I get stressed out, I can just kneel down and say a prayer to my Heavenly Father, even if it is as trife as organizing a prop shed in a manner that would be pleasing unto Him. Sister Starrs and I have a goal to talk to someone about the gospel on our P-days (because working in the visitors center in May, you rarely see someone who isnt a missionary, let alone a member.) We talked to a woman yesterday, Haley, who was more interested in asking us about if we were happy with our hours and if we got enough breaks from our job to be considered lawful than hearing about the gospel. Oh well
The next woman we talked to told us that she was a member that raised her kids in SLC. I asked where and she told me "between 54th S. and 32nd W. on a street where there was a Stake Center at the top of the hill and a church and park at the bottom." Imagine! I came all the way out to Keokuk, Iowa to meet a woman that used to live on the Petrick's street!
As I said before, the spirit is so strong here all the time. There is a song in our musical called "No Ordinary Brothers," that takes place the night Joseph and Hyrum were martyred. The spirit fills the room so strongly and I can testify to you stronger today that the day I left that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and that this gospel that I am blessed and thankful to be serving for is true. I know that we have a living prophet today and that the true gospel has been restored.
I love you all,
All is well, All is well
Sister Hallett
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