How is it already Sunday?

(Sister Hallett's 4th-great-grandparents Capt. James Brown and Sarah Steadwell Brown) 



They say that there is opposition in all things and more opposition whenever something amazing is about to happen. And boy is that true!!! This week has been amazing but kind of hard.
We do an amazing program called "The Trail of Hope" where we take guests down Parley Street after dark and the YPMs perform entries from the early Saint's journals about the day they left. It is amazing. On our dress rehearsal night, we weren't supposed to have anyone come, just the Band members to have a little bit of practice with what we were doing. But, Lo and Behold, 86 people turned up. Sister Camp gave me the quickest rundown of what I needed to do and sent me on my way-- companionless. (Sis Starrs was organizing groups.) I said a prayer and went to greet our group, not knowing what I would say. But I opened my mouth and it was filled. I started baring my testimony of Joseph Smith and the love he had for the people and the truthfulness of the restored gospel. I spoke of my own family that crossed the river and my brave grandmother who made most of the trek without her husband or oldest son. I know I couldn't have spoken so elloquently myself and I know The Lord filled my mouth.
As I was cleaning up, another group of 50 came and I was so calm as I restored all the torches and reset the missionaries, I bore my testimony again the same way. It was amazing. As I was cleaning up the third time, after Sister Camp gave me permission to turn people away if I felt like it, a car with two women in it drove up and asked what they were doing. I felt the spirit so strongly tell me that I had to let them through. So I found them a guide and sent them on. Afterwards, one of the women came up and told me of the difficulties she had been facing and how much she needed The Trail. I spoke to her a while longer to find out she was from Salt Lake. I asked which part and she asked me if I knew where Arcadia Elementary School was, that she lives across the street. SMALL WORLD. I love tiny miracles.
A young man has come through the last few days. His name is Jay Tea. (JT.) He told us he has been inactive since he was a teenager (he's 22 now.) and on his drive from Salt Lake to Chicago, his car has broken down near temple square, which he was able to get fixed in a couple hours, near Martain's Cove in Wyoming, which took a day, and RIGHT OUTSIDE THE NAUVOO TEMPLE when he made a wrong turn and was trying to figure out how to leave Nauvoo. Nauvoo is in the middle of nowhere. You have to be aiming for Nauvoo to get to Nauvoo. If this wasn't a sign from Heavenly Father, I don't know what is. In the few days he's been here, his countanance has changed--- in church today he was BEAMING. It was amazing. I love how the gospel changes our lives.

I started sites yesterday and have to head to another one here in a few minutes. The Brigham Young House was yesterday. I loved being there. And I'm going to the Scovil Bakery today.
Anyway, I need to go. I love you all and I love the gospel.
All is well, All is well
Sister Hallett

AND a snail-mail too! With MORE photos!

(Note from Mom: After getting the awesome emails with photos, we got more in the mail! I will have to scold Sister Hallett for FOLDING the photos to fit them in a small envelope, but I was super happy to get them! Sorry for the quality- these are pictures of the pictures, my scanner is on strike! Sister Hallett's notes from the back of photos included.) 

I'm Official!

The Temple from my bathroom window. No zoom used. It is so pretty on the outside, I can't wait to go inside! I am so grateful for the Temples in the world today and that our family is sealed in the temple for eternity. I love you all so much!

Really though- the Mississippi is so Pretty!

BLOOMERS! Pioneer Clothes are better than church clothes.
TRUTH-FACT.

Some Pictures

(Note from Mom: So I got 2 emails today from someone I didn't know. Both contained photo attachments. I NEVER open attachments from people I don't know, but the subject line said "hi mom!" so I took a chance and opened them up.  Boy, am I so glad I did! Totally made my day. I will have to ask Amberlyn who it was that sent them to me.)

Doesn't She look adorable!!!

And it came to pass....

(Note from Mom: Anyone else find a hidden 'announcement' in these verses?)


From the Book of Hallett 3:1-11

1. And verily, verily it came to pass that Sister Starrs and Sister Hallett did toil in the land of Nauvoo for many more days. And Lo, they did work many long hours and hard work and did all they could to be pleasing unto the Camps, that the shows might be of a quality to magnify the work.
2. And Elder Mortenson had patience with his female companions.
3. And they did get bikes, and did ride them around the town until they were pained, and further, up the steep hill towards the temple, and yea, they did hurt many hurts for many days in the land of Nauvoo.
4. And Elder Mortenson did listen to their cries and laughed, and gave unto them chairs and told them funny stories about riding bikes in Huston, Texas in the middle of August, and did tell them to suck it up and take some aspirin. And they did.
5. And Elder Camp did forget to pick up the Technical Missionaries in the Facilities management compound, which was, at the time, about 3 miles away from the place of their working. And the techs did vow to never let him live it down, as they had to walk from FM to the visitors center and he picked them up only about 1/4 mile outside of the visitors center.
6. But they got free bread, so it was okay.
7. And Elder Mortenson had even more patience and ate his free bread, and told us about creepy haunted houses in Huston.
8. Verily, Verily in the week of hard labor, in the city of Nauvoo, in the land of Illinois, Sister Hallett did give a pass along card to a man in the Mart of Wal, and she did share the gospel with him for but a brief moment, and he believed we were like Amish Muslims, and he was mistaken. And she did meet others in the Mart of Wal, and invited them to come to a rehearsal of the shows, and they did come, and Sister Hallett rejoiced.
9. And Sister Hallett did realize her love of sharing the gospel and does desire to serve a longer season.
10. And Sister Hallett did learn to love the midwest, and the people in it, and saw them as their Father in Heaven saw them, and did love them, and desired for their salvation, and would talk to them all, had she time.
11. And she said unto her companion: "Companion, I would stay here forever, if I could" and her companion said "Sister Hallett. Stop talking like you're a missionary in the Book of Mormon."

So you could say its been a pretty great week. With utter exhaustion abound, some pretty great things have been said.

Sister Tingey: "Guys, what state are we in?"
Sister Hess: "We just crossed into Iowa."
Tingey: "I NEED TO TO EXPERIENCE IOWA!!!!"

"You know you're a YPM when Sister Romney turns to you and says in all honest excitement, 'ELDER COBIA! WE GET TO GO TO WALMART TOMORROW!!!" -Elder Cobia

(in prayer) "We thank thee for............................................... *nudge* Oh my gosh, I just fell asleep giving the prayer." -Sister Packer

(in prayer) "Please help us to fully experience this experience fully." Elder Cavenee

 "I DIDNT FORGET YOU!" -Elder Camp, picking us up on the side of a long dirt road.

"That's the joy of being a visitors center missionary. After 6 pm, we all take off our shoes." -Sister Richardson (A full time sister missionary here.)

I love you all, the church is true, all is well, all is well.

Sister Hallett.

And THEN came this VIDEO! (Yes, mom cried!!!)

This is just pure sweetness and light! You can feel their sweet spirits through the video! So beautiful! What wonderful talent in these groups!

And the Elders are just too funny :) And they sound good too!

(Mom)

Best Mother's Day photos EVER! (According to mom)

The Best City in the World

My dear friends and family,

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

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

Some photos from the field

 

 The YPM's at the St. Louis airport

 

The YPM Elders

 

The YPM Sisters 

Sister Hallett's Farewell Open House