August 6, 2014

Oh, it's been a good week.

Last Thursday, we were at the cast meeting just before pageant started and, as the meeting ended of course we started to get up to leave the stand. This kid, one of the family cast who is probably like 18, was walking off the choir seats and waving (very excitedly) at us at the same time when, all of a sudden, he plummets to the ground. He gets up very quickly and stumbles towards us with a wild look in his eye and his hands out and goes "Sisters. That was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me." We were just as startled as he was but we busted out laughing. Oh my gracious. We never got his name or anything but we laughed about it for days.

That next day, we were assigned to Nauvoo On The Road. It's when you, the comp, and a few senior couples go to surrounding areas (our was only 20 minutes away but sometimes it's up to an hour) to fairs or expos in your pioneer attire and show them the pioneer games or candle/brick/cookie making or whatever. we can't proselyte unless people ask questions but the real goal is to get people to come to Nauvoo itself and feel the spirit there. So this particular NOTR, we were at a 'Thresher Days' thing. It took me a long time to figure out, and I'm still not sure if I know what it is, but a thresher is a thing that they used to use to separate, for example, the corn ears from the stalks. It was a very fun fair thing- old machines and cars with people selling funnel cakes and quilts. I entered a raffle for a quilt, but, of course, I didn't win. I don't know what possessed me to do that but we got into a very good conversation with like 8 people at once. Midwesterners are so kind- we went in to enter the raffle and left having made friends with all 8 of those people, a cucumber, a huge zucchini, and two tatted bookmarks. Apparently tatting is a dying art of lace-making or something. It's beautiful! ALSO right next to our little area was a petting zoo. A PETTING ZOO. Complete with goats (three of whom were baby goats. So little), sheep (and their lambs), rabbits (one of them who we named Vivian got real tired of me holding her so I've got some nice memoirs from her on my wrist), three donkeys, two horses, some chickens (one laid an egg!), and these way cute pigs. Pig noses are so cool. They way they (the pigs not their noses) act reminds me so much of Tippy. 

On Sunday of course it was fast and testimony meeting. We were interpreting for two deaf men that day and one of them, named Michael, felt strongly that he should go up and bear his testimony. He asked if I would voice for him. Me?! Voice?! Aw geez I mean I've always done that for my parents when the plumber came around or something but never for a man I don't know at a sacrament meeting of 500 people! (Let me back up for a second. I took the sacrament and told Heavenly Father, 'look, I just feel like I'm coasting a bit. It's not bad, I just feel like my faith isn't growing or I'm just not progressing as much as I want.' And it was not even 10 minutes later that I was on the stand waiting for our turn and praying my heart out for help. Thanks, Heavenly Father!) But I did it! It was a very powerful experience. He talked about how his son is on a mission in Croatia and was transferred to Serbia and how his son has changed drastically, and that missionary work was so important.

On Monday we were at Pioneer Pastimes when some other sisters came running over from the Lyon Drug store. They said they had something very cool to show us. So we get there and (the Lyon Drug store has an incredible garden out back. Windsor Lyon was an herbalist doctor so that's why the garden is there, to represent that) they show us this plant called a sensitive plant. You touch it and it's leaves retract! What! We scoured the garden finding all the plants to touch. :)

Yesterday, we were in the Visitor's Center and we met this awesome family! They were very spiritually prepared to come here. Why come to Nauvoo and leave having not benefited from it, I don't know, but some people do. Anyway they asked for a tour of the VC so I took them over to the First Vision statue to begin with. As we were about to move on, the father stopped the whole family (this is actually two combined families, probably like 12 people total, mostly teenagers) and says with emotion in his voice, 'Kids, listen to what she's saying. It's true. Listen to your feelings, because that's how the Holy Ghost will tell you that what she is saying is true." It was very sweet. By the end of the tour, after I showed them the Christus, we had planned to part ways but they asked me to show them the Women's Garden. I rounded up Sister Etherington and we went out there. I love doing Women's Garden tours. I get to share my personal philosophies on life mixed with doctrine and scriptures. Literally every single tour is different. Many of them were in tears by the end. The dad again stopped the family and asked how many of them had learned something in the VC or Women's Garden tour- all of them raised their hand- and again reminded them of the feelings of the spirit. Later that day, all us sisters watch Sunset By the Mississippi (because it will end soon) and they found us and got a picture with us. :) This time they had a puppy with them, which was definitely a bonus.

All us sisters have been working on matching each sister with their spirit animal, alter ego (villain), and.... well I forget what the other is called, but it's the Disney person who you are closest to. My Disney person is the Tangled Rapunzel, and my spirit animal is Maximus the horse also from Tangled (not even because I like horses! it just fits). My alter ego has yet to be decided.

Love,

Ashley