First Rendezvous Show

These are our performance costumes

This week we performed in our first Rendezvous shows. So far we haven't been given any big parts. However, I had a very short line in one of the shows. Until the summer schedule starts, our cast will be performing two nights a week. There are now three casts. Once the summer season starts (Memorial Day), we will do two shows on two nights then one performance of Sunset on the Mississippi followed by one night off and then repeat the cycle.

Wednesday just as we were leaving for a practice prior to the show we were having a major thunder storm ( which resulted in about five inches of rain and a 20 foot rise in the Mississippi River), a bolt of lightening took out our power. We managed to put together some temporary lighting for the practice. However, we didn't think we would be able to put on the show.

People starting arriving for the show shortly before the scheduled starting time. The lights were still out and we were trying to decide whether or not we would have to cancel the show. President Gililland came in with a guest from Germany just at starting time. He said we needed to put on the show. Just as soon as he said that, the power came on and we were able to do the show.

This past week we increased the number of missionaries here in Nauvoo. We had 20 young sister missionaries come. Half of those are new and half are returning. Young sister missionaries who are called to the Nauvoo mission come for six months during the spring through the fall. They are then sent to other missions throughout the country to do regular proselyting work. Then the next spring they return for the last six months of their mission.

Just this past weekend, we had 44 more senior missionaries arrive (20 couples and 4 sisters). There have also been Temple missionaries arriving just in time for the busy summer season. The temple has shut down until the 29 April for some maintenance and for training the new temple missionaries. The temple missionaries serve under the temple president. With the surge in both senior missionaries and temple missionaries, we now fill the chapel and half of the cultural hall for sacrament meeting.

The senior sisters call this the 30 pound mission. Because of the way the period dresses are cut with what looks like the waist line being around their hip, it makes them look 30 pounds heavier than they really are.

Kevin called tonight. Noah got on the phone to tell us that he received the Aaronic Priesthood today and was ordained a Deacon. He told us that he was real nervous about his interview with his bishop because he thought that he would have to pass some kind of test. Noah is really excited to be a Deacon and to be able to attend priesthood meeting with his dad.