They're gone......

After three months of very intense performing, our wonderful Young Performing Missionaries are gone.  They went home last Tuesday.  It was so sad to have them leave.  They are so tired and exhausted from all the shows.  They never stopped from 9:00 in the morning to 9:00 at night.  Everything from serious and spiritual to cute and witty to downright funny.  Such talent.  They never met each other until they arrived in Nauvoo in June.  It was a three month mission for them.  They came together and performed like they had worked together for years.  Four received their full time mission calls while here.  One young man is going to Rome.  Another young lady is going to Japan.  The other two are going to stay in the USA.  All are just as excited for each other as they can be.

There were 40 performers altogether.  17 in the Nauvoo Brass Band, 20 performing in the dance and doing street shows.  The other three were sound technicians. 

On the last day the performers went around to see what the other half had done with their shows.  I didn't realize that they were divided into two groups for the different street shows, so they were able to see each other on this last day.   

This little girl is from Cosmopolis WA.  She played the trombone, sang and whistled.  She was amazingly good at whistling.  She also was amazingly humble.  Such a sweet heart.  One Sunday we were able to attend their early Sunday morning Sacrament Meeting.  We hardly recognized any of the girls in regular clothes and with their hair down.  For all the shows their hair had to be up. 

This young man was also a trombone player.  He sang with the girl above.  Such harmony.  But when I asked there was not any sparks between them.  Sorry. 

The Sister playing the violin and jumping in the air served her mission in Spokane.  She had just got home and submitted her application for this, and was selected.  Pretty nice. 

All the YPM's could clog and tap dance, sing and some played instruments. 

It's going to be too quiet without these special people.  The bore testimony through song, stories, dance and of course they would share their testimony at the end of many of their performances.

Truly a delight and such a great addition to the Nauvoo experience.

What a joy to discover 40 young people in this day and age that are dedicated to the gospel, know the Lord answers prayers and are not ashamed to tell the world.

THANK YOU!