Today (Sunday) is the 45th day that I've been here! Isn't that crazy? A part of me can't believe it's been that long but an even bigger part of me feels like I've been out for a year. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days!
Big shout out-to Daddy on this Father's Day! Boy, do I love you! Thank you for raising me the way that you did and for loving me always. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he assigned you to us kids. How grateful I am for that! I'll thank him everyday, forever!
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| Wearing the necklace her dad gave her |
Thing are in full swing over here! We have two wagon tours everyday, a concert on the corner right in front of the old post office, a concert in The Women's Garden, one at Carthage, and our awesome "Sunset by the Mississippi" show every night! They sure know how to keep us busy! I know without a doubt that angels have been with me this entire mission. There is absolutely no way I would be able to do all that we do, play as much as we play, day in and day out, without heavenly help. Sister Holbrook shared a thought the second week we were here that has stuck with me and I'm sure will continue to stick with me for the rest of my life...She said that we were some of the angels that helped the Saints on their journey so long ago and now, they are the angels that are helping us here and now on our journeys. If that doesn't motivate me to be the best missionary I can be, I don't know what will! I am so grateful for those angels and for the love and strength I receive from my earthly angels as well. I can feel love and prayers from family and friends everyday!
A few really neat things that have happened over the past few weeks! The Mormon world is a small one. But it's especially small here in Nauvoo! One night as we were all at The Trail of Hope, Sister Holbrook and Sister Chaput were talking to a family and found out they're from Grantsville! So they called me over and sure enough! It was Mrs Ashby and her sweet family! I gave her a big hug and we caught up a little bit. She filled me in on all the happenings of high school orchestra and all things GHS! it was a great tender mercy! They came to our concerts so I got to see them around town until they left! And just yesterday at our Carthage concertm we were cleaning up and a man approached me and said, "Favero? Do you have any relatives named Randy?" and I got all excited and said, "Yes! He's a cousin!" Well, this man, Kenny Maze, served with Randy in Italy many years ago. Randy even welcomed him off the plane! What!? How crazy awesome is that!? There have been a few more people and families with connections to either me or Grantsville or the Favero family and every time I meet them, my smile gets a little bit bigger!
I mentioned The Trail of Hope a little bit but didn't really say what is is that we do there! Every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday the trail turns into Parley Street in 1846. The stage missionaries are set up along the trail leading all the way to the Mississippi River. My job is to lead groups of visitors down and stop at each station to listen to the missionaries perform actual journal entries and stories from the Saints. It's go tot be one of my very favorite things. The Spirit is so present and so strong. The longer I am here, the stronger my testimony of the Saints grows! I could go down that trail and listen to those stories 800 times and each time would feel like the very first! Can you imagine? Leaving your beautiful home that you've saved all of your money to build, the beautiful temple that your husband or brothers or fathers have worked so hard to establish to cross miles and miles of unknown? To get where? They didn't know! But there's a reason it's called The Trail of Hope! Those brave families put their trust in The Lord. Because of that, I'm here in this beautiful place today! Because of that, the church is where it is today! Now you tell me that this church isn't true! What an incredible manifestation of faith and love.
So many wonderful things happen here everyday! I don' tknow how I got so lucky to be a part of it all! Or how I got so lucky to come to know so many great people!
Funny story, when the senior missionaries find out what my name is an that I'm Italian, every time, without fail, especially the elders will say "You must be a great cook?" or "Watch out! Someone's gonna snatch you up so fast!" or "Wow! Italian, why are you on a mission? A beauty like you has probably had to turn down so many men!" And I just laugh and try to get my face to turn back to it's normal color. Haha! I think all these grandpas miss their granddaughters or something. Haha! I wouldn't trade it for anything. The endless love that comes from those sweet couples is an incredible blessing to me! It does make me miss grandma and grandpa though!
Alright, this is super long...but I want to let you know that I am SO happy here in Nauvoo. I know that God is so aware of each of us. I know that we are each right where we're supposed to be!
i love this Gospel!
I love all of you!
Sister Favero
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