It's NOT hump day, and I DON'T want to talk about it

(Mom note: Amberlyn refers to "hump day" meaning yesterday (Sunday) marks the 1/2 way point of her adventure in Nauvoo. We also got a bunch of photos in the mail this week. I've included some of them. Sorry for picture quality. Photos of photos- I've GOT to get my scanner working!)



Okay. So maybe it is....
But I digress

Hello! This week has been exhausting. But wonderful. I feel like I'm constantly running on empty and full at the same time! Empty of energy, but full of the spirit! It's interesting how when I start feeling homesick or missing my friends and family, how I am almost instantly calmed.

I've started giving tours that make me step back and go--- wait..... how did I just have enough energy to play with those kids or to match the level of that youth group I just bore my testimony to?
And then sometimes I give tours and I feel like I'm emulating Sister Hannah Smith.... But that's always a fun time, I like those days. (lots of hand talking, Sister Smith. All good things. All good things.)

Ummm..... Nothing too terribly exciting happened that I feel like sharing with the general public... I greatly appreciate the letters and things that people send me! I promise I do appreciate them, even if I'm slow to respond to them. I promise I have every intention of writing you back, I just have zero time. (I'm looking at you, Kyle, Robyn, Arizona Halletts, and Emma!)

Things I've Learned This Week:
-My District Leader, Elder Cobia, is Buddy the Elf. He will set up a roll play and then goof off the entire time you try to talk to him....
-Emma Smith is my hero.
-How the early saints made candles.
-When addressing children, it is perfectly acceptable to tell them that a Courting Candle was a timer that their parents would set for how long they could play with their friends--- That's what dating is, right? ;)
-Hurricanes can happen on the Mississippi river. Not really. But.... There was some damage done. Elder Camp refers to them as a "Him-icane." Because it's the opposite of a "Her-icane." Anyways. Some downed trees and some twisted street signs and a little bit of flooding, but nothing a bit of prayer, manpower and Facilities Management team couldn't fix in an afternoon.
-Youth Conferences are both awesomely amazing tools of wonder and testimony building------ and also  the bane of my existence.

Alrighty. Well. I love you all. The church is true and Heavenly Father loves you.

51 down, 51 to go. (I've also secretly been gone for like.... five years.)

Sister Hallett

(Photo's with captions from Sister Hallett)

 My Companion and I in full pioneer get-up. Those loop braids and center part though!

 The day we lived in a Hot Tub. It will only get worse from here. Why is humidity a thing?

 Have I mentioned how quickly weather changes here?

 Headset! I'm an official Tech!

 "Gird up your loins, fresh courage take" How we get stuff done: 2014 YPM-T Style!
Sister Starrs' "Hipster" dress. Only she could pull it off.

Trying to open my package from mom. Sister Starrs won the prize.
(Mom note: I may or may not have completely wrapped each package with clear packing tape, and then decorated it with cute packing tape.) ;)

Just another Manic Sunday

This Week In Nauvoo I've Learned:

-Santa is Mormon. No joke. I sat behind him in Sunday School today. And he was visiting Nauvoo. Santa Claus is doing a month long church history tour, ladies and gentlemen.

-When you pray in January that you would just carry the water bottles if you were allowed to go to Nauvoo, don't be surprised when you're having a grumpy grump day in June that someone will literally hand you the cart that holds all the water bottles. Heavenly Father sure has a sense of humor. 

-Preschool teachers and animators with missionary daughters set loose in the dollar store send the best packages. (Thanks mom and dad!!)

-I have some awesome friends and family that send me lots of mail and they've noticed in the mail room. Thank you all!!! 

-The D&C is AWESOME! I spent a week on just one chapter. (76. Go read it. Now.) 

So this week has been good, but hard. Everyone is sick, and when everyone is sick, no one is. (If that makes sense....) the show must go on and The Work cannot be delayed, so we're living on ibuprofen, throat coat and blessings. Prayers would be greatly appreciated in our behalf. However sick we are offstage though, miracles happen on stage. People whose voices are barely above a whisper can suddenly belt and do beautiful arias onstage. Then they get back and can't speak again. The Work Will Not Be Delayed. 

My mission has been really hard on my scriptures and journal. My journal is mostly duct tape these days and I'm going to have to get a good new set of scriptures when I get home, because mine are falling apart too... They're wearing out for good use though!!! 

Well. I'm off to the Community of Christ tour. (Joseph Smith sites.) I love Nauvoo, the gospel and you!

Sister Hallett

Tell Sister Hallett She's a Spinster Week

Hey y'all! Weeks go by so quick here and I don't have too much to say. But I do have a couple funny stories.

So one of the joys of working in the Nauvoo mission is getting to work with over three hundred senior missionaries. Their stories are fascinating and they are all such wonderful people and they-- the sisters in particular-- love talking to us. 

One of the downsides is that they see me, a college girl, 19 years old without a boyfriend or missionary and instantly think something is wrong with me. In the last week I have been told:

- I need to "settle down" and "make a goal to be married within the year." 

- I need to quit regular school and try cosmetology school. 

- I need to "quit being so picky" and "just pick one."

- If I didn't get married soon, I'd end up with a widow or a divorcee. 

- Choose one of the YPM Elders and date and marry him when we get home. 

(VERY LARGE NOTE: NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN, I DO NOT AGREE WITH THEM, NOR DO I WANT TO DATE ANY OF THE YPM ELDERS. END OF ALL CAPS NOTE.) 

Sister Camp says they all just want to have grandbabies, even if it's through their Nauvoo kids. 

Funny story number two: During Trail of Hope, I walk through the crowd and talk to people, share my testimony etc. 

This week I had one woman-- member, with her kids-- stop me and tell me that I was NOT in ANY circumstances an "actual missionary." I calmly asked her what she meant, and she said that the stage performers were because they were sharing their testimonies through their talents, but all I was doing was moving around microphones and that wasn't missionary work. She was so angry about it. Like my being a tech was personally offensive to her... But I just laughed a little and bore my testimony- which she rolled her eyes through-- and moved on. People are so funny sometimes. But you've just got to turn the other cheek with people like that and remember that they're children of Heavenly Father too. 

Took a tour of Carthage Jail this morning. The spirit was immensely strong. Words cannot express how much I love this gospel and how much I want you all to come experience Nauvoo.

The church is true

I love you all

Sister Hallett

When it Rains in Nauvoo...

It pours. Hard. Out of (Literally) the clear blue sky. Ruining your pair of comfortable shoes and damaging a microphone speaker. But thank heavens for the impression I had to pick up my scriptures right before it started raining.
But I digress.
I feel like this week has gone by so quickly that I have nothing to say-- but then I remember that I'm Sister Hallett and so of course I have things to say!

First: There are worse things in this world than Seagulls. Mayflies and gnats. I've figured out that pure vanilla keeps the gnats away. If anyone knows any mayfly tricks, they'd be greatly appreciated.
Also- Rain in Nauvoo is crazy. We got rained out of a performance, my favorite shoes may never be the same and we are worried about some of our speakers... but by the time we got it all inside it had stopped and the most BEAUTIFUL rainbow had appeared.

We started working at sites this week. I've worked in the Brigham Young Home, the Family Living Center (I made bread and talked to 5th graders. I was like a duck to water!!) the Schoolhouse, the John Taylor Home, and Wilford Woodruff home. I love working there because I get to learn about the history and then almost immediately get to start teaching it. I LOVE TALKING TO PEOPLE.

I had a great experience on Wednesday night. While doing Trail of Hope, I met a man and woman who had met earlier that day in Nauvoo. She was a member, he was not. She spoke English, he did not. They were both from the same city in France, near the German boarder.
I spoke to Sylvie in English for a little while about Nauvoo and the trail-- when all of a sudden, I had the strongest impression to bear my testimony to them in French. I was terrified and my inner dialogue went something like:
Sister Hallett: What? That's crazy, I can't do that
Spirit: Do it
SH: But my French isn't that good, what can I do, bear witness that the strawberries are bought at the grocery store?
S: Do it.
SH: But what if I make a mistake? French are really critical!
S: stop arguing and do it.
SH: But--- but!!!!
S: Do.... It.... Right.... Now.
SH: Okay.......

And so I started talking. At first a little shakily, but soon I was bearing my testimony with words and conjugations that I know weren't in my vocabulary.
When I was finished, Sylvie looked at me with little bits of tears in her eyes and thanked me for my testimony in "Absolutely perfect" French. I was so surprised, but I know that Heavenly Father knows Marco and Sylvie personally, just as he knows me personally, and in that moment, they needed to hear the gospel in their own tongue.

I love this gospel so much. I am grateful for the miracles I see happen every day.

I love and miss you all,

All is Well, All is Well

 Sister Amberlyn Hallett

 

Brigham Young Home

 Wilford Woodruff Home

 Family Living Center

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!!!