One week...

Robert Boyd's "Nauvoo Red Leaves"

By this time next Monday, I will be having ice cream with the Nauvoo mission president and his wife and starting a two-week whirlwind performance tour. I am SO excited (just so you know)!! In addition to over 20 performances in about 14 days, our itinerary includes some other fun stuff, like visiting the Lincoln Museum in Springfield and a memorial service at Carthage on the anniversary of Joseph Smith's martyrdom--not to mention a couple of temple trips in Nauvoo. Even though I've been to Nauvoo before, I've never been able to do baptisms there because something always happens to me right before...Let's knock on wood that things go well this time! :)

I'm excited to spend this last trip with a cast that I know and love so much. I'm auditioning again in the fall, but I know that there are people who are leaving for good after this tour. Of all the things I've done with my life over the last two years, I consider Living Legends to be the best. Even though there was barely a 24-hour period between deciding to audition and showing up to my first audition time, I think I knew for a long time before that that it was something I really wanted to do, so I'm glad that Janielle and the section leaders decided to take a chance on me. It was the place where, outside of my roommates, I feel like I have made the most lasting friendships and felt the greatest joy in what I do.

I know that all the performing groups act as missionaries of sorts when they are out on tour, but I feel like our show really is something special and has a power unique to our group. It connects my faith with my heritage and testifies to me that we really are children of our Heavenly Father, and He has not forgotten us. He has made promises to our ancestors that their descendants would know the truth, and we are helping to fulfill that promise. I now read the Book of Mormon and see myself even more in it, the role that I play and the things He has said.

Sorry, I'm terrible at expressing myself sometimes, but I really do love what I'm doing with this group. It has been the biggest blessing in my life thus far, and I'm trying to do my best at giving back. I feel so grateful for the opportunities it has given me and my testimony to grow, and I hope that one day I can actually feel qualified to be in the position that I am and serve in God's kingdom the way he needs me to.

LOVE. That's all I can really express right now.

(Also...I can post another very happy thing as soon as someone gets home at the end of the week... :D)