Week 10: Where did the time go?

07/17/2016: My Dearest Friends and Family, 

It is amazing how time flies!   We are now half way done with the pageant season, and yesterday marked 1 month until I am home.

At the start of the week, the second (and final) pageant work crew arrived, and they rock! I have really enjoyed getting to know them when the emerge from under the stage. They have carried on the tradition of doing the Highland Fling backstage during the Nauvoo Pageant, which I love. It is so cool being part of the pageant family and hearing how I am missed when my jobs do not magically get done during rehearsal. Even though pageant means there is no time to rest, I will really miss it when it is done. 

Thursday afternoon, we were all told the bad news that Elder Contreras would be going home the next morning so that his broken foot could heal properly. I knew I would miss having him around, but I was surprised to discover that I could feel a tangible void from the absence of his spirit here. Indeed, not having him here is hard, but I am glad that his foot will be able to heal as it should so that he can soon be back dancing.

This week, Elder Camp shared with us a proverb, "Your faith can move mountains, but do not be surprised when God hands you a shovel."  We can do anything through faith in God, but it is important that we put in the work first. Then, God will enable us to do more than we can do alone as we trust in him. "As much as ye shall put your trust in God, even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 38:5)

Pictures:  (1) Elder Wilson (one of the coolest senior missionaries) with a horse that we all think is emo with his hair the way it is. 

(2) Elder Camp loves us tech sisters so much that he designed and ordered "Sisters in Black" shirts for us. You cannot read the entirety of the back, but it is from Men in Black.

-Sister Sylvestre