Ouch! Are those mosquito or chigger bites?

The biggest drawback to performing Sunset By the Mississippi is that the stage is outside. When you're sweet, you're sweet, and this poor sister must be over the top in sweetness. Sister Kupfer was so chewed up after hosting Sunset By the Mississippi that she had to resort to herbal swabs with band aides for added protection.

 No one is sure whether she had mosquito or chigger bites. It was probably a combination. Whatever it was, you may want to make a note to yourself. A little bug repellent is well worth the effort if you're hanging out along the Mississippi River. The outdoor stage holds about 800 guests. I cringe when I see children rolling around in the surrounding fields of grass. The mission sprays for chiggers, but that apparently doesn't get rid of all of them. (The Mission Doctor here provides Permethrin spray to deter chigger bites.)

Farewell Nauvoo
The Nauvoo mission has a breakfast prior to missionaries departing for home. This month all of the Young Performing Missionaries as well as a host of others were honored. After breakfast, the "soon-to-be-departed-ones" perform a skit and or song. Below are a few of the performers.

 The majority of missionaries are needed in the summer months when crowds come for the Pageants so many missionaries begin their service in the spring and end after the second summer.

 We are loosing two couples from Carthage within the next few weeks. News for Elder Johnson and me is that we will be moving to Nauvoo in about 10 days. Initially, we were told that our "jail sentence" would be six months so it looks like we are getting out on good behavior since we've only served here for 3 1/2 months. :) The crowds of people usually dwindle a week after the Pageants end so the new couples here should have a relatively easy transition.

More Numbers:
We had over 20,000 guests at the Carthage Jail in the month of July 2014. 

August hasn't slowed down for us yet. Elder Johnson and I were required to work today (Sunday, August 3rd). We had over 800 guests in four and a half hours. We are exhausted!!!!! Did I say, "We are exhausted" ?

The end....I'm going to bed!