Week ELEVEN: The Tale of Sister Ashby Embarrassing Herself in Nauvoo

Photo Credit:  Sister Sherry Curtis (Senior Missionary Leader)

Hello, Dearest Family and Friends!

The title of this email is interesting, yes, but I promise it is inspiring. The other night at "Pageant", I realized how I never cease to amaze myself at how many times I can embarrass myself in one day. Thankfully, I have not tripped in "The Promise"... yet.  (We still have three weeks to go.)  But, many other countless things have happened. I am sure I already told you about the 4 wasps. Well, they are back. I fell off the wagon wheel trick the other day, got stuck under Elder Eagans' winter shawl during the leaving Nauvoo scene and neither of us could contain ourselves, almost fell off the stage, fell on Elder Dickson during "Sunset", biffed it on the "Sunset" stage after only being on stage for 5 minutes (and all we were doing was walking), twisted my ankles, tripped on the pebble ground backstage at "Pageant,  and countless other things. But, I believe the best one was at the "Pageant" on Friday night. We were in the "Nauvoo Pageant" doing the final prayer scene after the Evening Dance. The lights dim to a deep blue so it is kinda' hard to see. We are all seated with our cute little stage families the YPMs are adopted into. My family was on the far stage left. As we were finishing up our little stage prayer, the guy holding the lantern was holding it right above my head. As sister Kelly said, "Amen", I went "AMEN!" sorta' loud and then stood up really fast. My head hit the lantern and it made this really loud sound.  I was so embarrassed.  But, it was hilarious, so that is all good.  Mom sent a thought in a letter last week. "You don't need to be perfect to inspire others.  Let people be inspired by how you deal with your imperfection."

"The Promise"
(Photo credits: YPM mom, Catherine Bullock)

Sister Ashby and Elder Dickson in "Sunset by the Mississippi"

Sister Bills, Elder French, Sister Ashby in "Sunset"
(Photo Credits:  YPM parent Carmen French)

"Pageant" is interesting because we have all these protestors come to them.  Sister Nelson [one of the stage YPMs] says it's her dream to one day "get into a heated discussion with a protestor...but that's not very Christlike, so it's unlikely to happen."

My voice is hanging in there! Still weak, but good! That's kinda' how all of us are at this point! It was so much fun to see Jessie and be completely surprised by that! The first time I saw her was at the "Trail of Hope" last Sunday when she walked up with her cute kids. I completely broke character for a hot second and then went back into it.

Two weeks ago, I composed a beautiful picture with my vocal rest whiteboard of a movie pitch. Since there were 9 of us on vocal rest at the time, we all decided to play a game. The movie "A Quiet Place" is pretty popular, right?  So, anyway, we all were pretending that we were in the quiet place and if we talked, we died.  So, I created a beautiful inspiring picture of all of us in the forest with the title caption: "A QUIET PLACE. WHERE VOCAL REST IS THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE."  Too bad I didn't have my camera!

Everyone is getting sick. I developed this nasty chest cough four days ago and it's been really annoying, but it's getting better. So, hopefully, it will be gone soon. Elder Dickson has a really bad fever but is getting better and some others have coughs, too.  I don't have a fever or any other symptoms.  Just an annoying chest cough.  It's weird.  Whenever I am on stage for "The Promise", I'm fine.  And then, as soon as I step off stage, I start coughing again.  

Sister McCurdy who is in my morning (Red) cast has been very sick.  She's been having health challenges for a while with her stomach and got really, really sick several days ago.  Our cast went and visited her in the hospital today after church.  She looked really good!  She will hopefully be getting released soon and back to performing by Wednesday.  Yay! We miss her and have all been praying for her!

Sister Adams, Sister Hoagland, Sister Smith, Sister Jackson, Sister Isaacson, Sister McCurdy, Sister Bills, Sister Ashby

Sister Hoagland, Sister Adams, Sister Isaacson, Sister Ashby
(Photo credits: Shared by Sister Isaacson via Wendi Isaacson)

I AM HOME IN THREE WEEKS!  How insane is that?  I cannot believe it is almost over.  It is so SAD!!!

[At Sister Isaacson's opening of her mission call] Late last night, I peeked at the computer screen just before the Zoom call with family. I was kinda' scared of my "reflection" for a second because we had just finished "Pageant". LOL!  Sister Isaacson has been called to the Portugal, Lisbon mission.  [Elder Goodwin opened his mission call to the Philippines this past week, too.]

I have been meaning to send out letters, but I haven't finished them yet!  I will send them this week; those will include some of the amazing spiritual experiences and missionary moments I have had, including the ASL INTERPRETING EXPERIENCE!  Boy, was that the most terrifying thing of my entire life!

I had a dream this week that you all came to Nauvoo, and I was so sad when I woke up and realized it was just a dream.

LOVE YOU ALL! SEE YOU IN A WEEK, FAM BAM!

P.S.  Can you bring me some more Singer's Spray (I'm out of both bottles)...or you could bring me some treats (that would be cool)...or, like if you stop by a McDonald's...BRING ME FRIES!