Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A Hot Time in Nauvoo
Nauvoo Heat Index all last week was well above 100 degrees F. It was so so hot outside, we would walk from the car to the buildings and you would already start to sweat. It was wonderful:) Because it was so HOT, our evening outdoor show was moved inside every night! It's different to do inside, and we can't quite do all the same numbers, but it was a fun adventure. Plus when we come inside we get to wear our wireless mics rather than the stand mics we use on the outdoor stage, so the sound is a bunch better! Our neighbors the Ballings came too, I ran into them on Saturday night during Sunset show. They are here for the Pageant all this week.
After Sister Cook left earlier last week, we thought we would have a normal run week. But we were surprised on Thursday when Elder Mark Lucivardi came and wanted to see our show. He is the General Authority over our department here and came in the early summer to see the other cast's show. So this time he could only come to the 2:30 HHRB show, but wanted to see our cast, so we switched shows for him. It was great, he loved the show. Sister Steele was out sick on Saturday, but was back by Sunday. Other than that we were all in good health and running well with the shows.
On Sunday we put on what's called a 'Sociable' here in Nauvoo. It's basically like a Fireside musical presentation. All the BYU groups that come put one on, as well as special speakers, and the young sister missionaries as well. So we took our turn. Because of our busy schedule and because the band is never with us, we really didn't have much time to prepare our group numbers other than Sundays. So most of the small group numbers had to practice on their own, and then we spent from 12-5pm on Sunday putting the whole blocking and order of the program together. We performed on the indoor stage and had two performances, 6:30 and 7:45, so all the guests and Missionaries could see it. I accompanied Elder Toone on the guitar for his solo, and I sang in a quartet the song 'Write thy name upon my heart.' The program was great, and even better the second time through. The most moving part of the program though was the accompaniment of the Spirit. It was strong and consistent throughout the program. It was a great upliftment for the busy week ahead. And even though we didn't get any rest on Sunday, the different schedule and work rejuvenated us for this week. One of the band YPM sisters even said the program changed her life. Nauvoo is truly a sacred place. Specially on that stage!
Love, Elder Rose
Monday, July 18, 2011
More Nauvoo Adventures
Hello all,
Today's been busy, but great. Elder Costa, of the Presidency of the Seventy, has been here this weekend. He spoke in Church today, and then he met with just the Young Missionaries (roughly 60 of us). It is so neat to meet with a General Authority in a close setting. He said to be sure to tell our families "thanks" for preparing us to be here, and to tell you that we are all Noble and "Choised" spirits! (and he wrote it on the white board and he's from Brazil so he spelled it like that and said it like that too!) He also came to the show HHRB on Friday, (along with Mary Cook of the YW General Presidency.) We actually had a really neat experience that day. On Friday we were all really tired...which is normal for a Friday. We were told he was coming to the show, but one of our themes has been to do the same "our best" show for everyone, and that we shouldn't change to impress. But we should do our show in best harmony with the overall picture. Anyway, with all the sickness and everything this week, Friday was one of the only days that everyone was on stage together. Before the show we all knelt together on the stage and Elder Camp offered a pray on our behalf. That show was a testimony strengthening show for us all. Elder Camp told us that it was the best show he's seen us do to date! Our group has a great unity, and everyone works together really well, specially when were on stage together. We really are being helped by our spiritual friends. We do so much every day, and by the end of the week we really start to feel the heat! I know if we didn't rely on the help we recieve we couldn't do the things we do!
Most everyone was in good enough health this week. Elder Elwood has had the worst of it, he was out with no voice for about three days. Elder Johnson had to cover his part. Others were under the weather now and again, but no one else traded parts. Yesterday morning however Elder Harrison (who also opened his mission call this week to Colorado Springs Mission. It was actually sent to his Utah residence and they had to send it to him here...) he had an in-grown toe thing, and the doc cut it off in the morning so he was out for the dancing. So his counter part did the show JPAA with our cast in the morning. As we were setting up for the show we realized not only does Elder Harrison do the part of the Tattletale twin, he also does the Puppet Show part of Andy, and Elder Christiansen his counterpart does only the Tattletale twin.... So I volunteered to be the Puppet!!! and O MY FUNNY it was so fun, the sisters that I did it with said it was so fun, and I thought it was fun. I only had to be prompted a few times on some of the jokes, but overall it was so so exciting!!! Maybe I'll get to do it again sometime.... Because he was out, that meant that I also had to cover for him in the HHRB in the stickpole stunt....which was really cool, I got to do a flip thing on stage! It's really fun sometimes, but sad, that people sit out. Because covering for them on stage is exciting and new! I had to do a few of Elder Elwoods "off William" lines too, so overall I was covering lines and making things fun.
Another new thing in Sunset is the clogging. During the show we do a little clogging to "When the Saints Come Marching In". There is a break where three people do a trio solo in front! Well, we asked the Camps if we could do it with them, and then Elder Fairborn and I learned the part and performed it on Friday and Satruday....it was really nervexciting but it's so fun to do the clog solo part too! On Saturday Elder Costa was there too!!! We will be meeting with Sister Cook tonight over at the Presidents home...while we eat Ice Cream.
On Friday Mornings my cast does what we call street strolling. This is were we take the Guitar and go sing to people who are on the streets of Old Nauvoo... This week was really interesting because on Friday morning all the sisters had to be at the sites to help cover for all the senior sisters who were out sick, and that left the 5 of us Elders...except Elder Toone, and Elder Elwood were on vocal rest and could not sing....So it was just the three of us, Elder Hazen, Elder Harrison and I left to roam and sing to the visitors! but we put some quick arrangements of some old pioneer songs and went on our way!
One funny thing we did for a few days on stage was start passing objects without our director or the audience knowing. So we started by passing a vanilla wafer, and it was really funny. The joke was that who ever had them by the end of the show would have to eat them!! except it kinda got crumbly fast....But one Elder...who will remain nameless didn't like our little game and thought it was childish or something and so when he was passed the cookie he smashed it and threw it away! So we learned not to pass it to him, Except Elder Hazen apparently didn't get the message, and during the second show we were passing a guitar pick (O and you just pass it by shaking hands with someone or something like that.) And during the dance 'Nauvoo whoop-de-do' Sister Steele passed it to Elder Hazen who was playing Brigham Young, well after the dance right before the scene ends, Brigham and this Elder characters shake hands, and Elder Hazen passed him the pick. He didn't like that. When Elder Hazen came off stage we were all laughing and telling who we had passed the pick to... then Elder told us that he had passed it to this Elder....and All at once we all went "Ooooooo" and we all knew that we might not see that pick untill the show was over!! What an adventure...
We are all having so much fun... I appreciate all the lovely letters that I've been receiving! Thanks!
The weather is HOT, and we have "who can sweat the most" competitions during Sunset show! We love it!
I'm out of Time, We're staying busy.
Much Love
Elder ROSE
Monday, July 11, 2011
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