Sunday, July 14th

Hello!! It's been a crazy week... Rather short. And only four more to go... WAH!!!! :(

 We started performing in Pageant this week. Our schedules are slightly different... We have all the same things, except no Trail on weekday evenings. Instead, we do TOH Thursday and Saturday mornings with the Core Cast of pageant filling in for Sarah Leavitt, Brigham Young, the Greeter, and Eliza R. Snow. They also add Jane Manning. Jane Manning was a beautiful woman. She was an African American member who walked about 800 miles with her family to get to Nauvoo. Their feet got so dry they cracked and bled until you could see their footprints in blood... But then they said a prayer together as a group and asked to be healed. And they were! So neat. The YPMs also do TOH on Sunday nights, and the Band YPMs get to come help with crowd control and company captain-ing. It's so neat to have them their and be able to sing and pray at the end of the day as a whole family of 40 YPMs.

I'm glad to hear you and Emma still love all the music to our shows! I'd be afraid you'd be sick of it, since you came to it twice a day almost every day you were here! Haha. What recordings do you guys listen to? Ones on Youtube from previous years, or did you record our stuff?

 

I loved getting all your post cards! It was a perfect way to wrap up your time here, since you had given them to me periodically throughout the week. The last one made me cry! I was so happy you guys got to come here and experience the beauty of Nauvoo, both temporally and spiritually!

I'm glad you guys are having fun in NY!! I'm so jealous that you got to see Newsies! Maybe we can go again when I get home? ;) did you go do baptisms in the Manhattan temple? I remember we got to with LIGHT! Such a neat experience. Interesting, since it doubles as a chapel, too, right? But it was amazing to find such peace in such a crazy, noisy city! And you got to see Wicked! How was that? Better than to two times you saw it when it came to Gammage? Haha!  

 EMMA! I LOVE YOUR HAIR CUT! You look so posh and grown up! Ah! So adorable! Can I copy you?

We do have to go to all three hours of church. We only did the one hour thing the first Sunday we were here. Speaking of Church... Guess who sat with me in RS? Mama Nelson! Elder Nelson's family is here for the week. It's so great to see them! What happy people! Sister Spittle's family came this last week, too.

I'm sorry this email hasn't been more meaningful or Spiritual. It's been a tough week for some reason. But, like we sing in High Hopes, "Peace, together we'll find peace... All is well!" All is really well. The saints are such wonderful examples of that. They were asked to leave almost everything they owned and start a journey that could last years, but they did so willingly, with faith and hope. Their testimonies kept them going. Though the task ahead seemed dreary, and they faced many trials along the way, they kept their spirits up, because they knew it would be alright in the end. I thought of that this week as I sang that song. Though there are trials that have been placed in my path here in Nauvoo, all is well! I have a testimony of this true gospel, and my family has been sealed in the Temple for all time and eternity! What more could you ask for? Everything else will work itself out, you know? 

 I love you guys! Emma, I would love a letter about your trip to NY! And all your other happenings! You can type it if you want, I just want a letter!!! :) Love you all! Travel safe! Keep the Spirit with Nauvoo, and don't be afraid to share it! Something I've learned here is that the best missionaries are the bold ones. That's a personal goal I have: BE BOLD! Love you, talk to you soon!

xoxo Sister Welch