Sing. Dance. Testify.: A Wonderful Week Again

Dear anyone who wants to read this,

A wonderful week again. So do you want to know something cool? We have now performed 86 shows!
Yeah crazy huh!? Life in Nauvoo is getting even more exciting as more and more people are coming through here! The folk dancers have been here from BYU for the past 2 weeks and it has been so fun. They perform after we get done with Sunset every night. President Ludwig let us stay past curfew one night and watch them perform, since there performance goes past curfew. I am excited for the other groups that will becoming this summer too! Some of my favorite parts about being in Nauvoo are being able to talk to people after the shows, getting referrals and making commitments. Another favorite part is working with the Seniors in the sites twice a week. I love them! Ok, seriously, I don't have favorite parts. Everything is so fun and hard work and it's wonderful.

So this week had some exciting changes. I play ma in Anna Amanda now. Yeah, Elder Camp pulled me into his office one day and wanted me to learn the part, so Sister Aramaki and I switched roles, and she has the one line at the end now, haha. Good times. I also did the clogging solo this week. Usually I just do the trio with Sister Steele and Sister Carroll but now Sister Camp wants us to take turns doing it, so that was exciting.

And the other awesome change is this...President Ludwig is starting something completely new with the YPM's that they have never done. Today was our first day doing it...Once a week, we are now going out with our companions into the streets and talking to people about Nauvoo, getting referrals, and bearing testimony. This morning after church was our first morning. Sister Camp is calling it “street strolling.” It is awesome.

Elder Johnson told Sister Aramaki and I this week, that he could see us on FEAR FACTOR. Crazy huh? I guess we do daring things or something. Haha, life is wonderful. This afternoon we took a tour of the Community of Christ sites and sang for our tour guide on the top floor of the Red Brick Store. The spirit was so strong and I think there were angels singing with us. I couldn't look at Sister Murset while we were singing because she was crying and it was making me cry. Also, we sang in church today, and I'm pretty sure we had the help of angels too. I know that Angels help us. Oh, another awesome thing that happened this week is that Susan Easton Black spoke to just the YPM's for an early morning district meeting on Friday. It was amazing, she talked all about the Prophet Joseph's last 20 days. I am so grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith. I love Him and the early Saints. I know we are still led by a living prophet today. What a miraculous blessing that is in our lives. Christ lives and loves us. Hurrah for Israel!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, in the temple this week I did confirmations for a lady named Elizabeth Hoffman and it was her birthday! She was turning 186 that day! Happy Birthday Elizabeth Hoffman! What a wonderful birthday present, to be baptized on your birthday!

Love, Sister Paulsen

Me and Sister Pettit with the Laytons after Sunset show. Cutest family ever! We committed them to read D&C 135 and Joseph Smith History 1-20 as a family before they went to Carthage. The next day they came to Sunset, and said, "WE did it! What do you want us to do now?" So cute, they have 6 kids but only 4 are in the picture.

God loves us to send us beautiful sunsets like this right outside of the Visitors Center

Sister Aramaki and I by the Mississippi

Great Advertising...our Van in Nauvoo

Only in Nauvoo can you hold a butterfly and not have it fly away

The sisters in the stairwell of the Cultural Hall (where we perform Anna Amanda)...(and the alarm really doesn't go off, because we are allowed to go up there to get our props..hehe, so just so ya know we aren't disobeying rules)

The Elders doing a handstand contest.