Song of Cumorah: HCP Eighteenth Day

What? The very last day of pageant? Time flew past. Pageant is a time out of time experiene where it feels like you are in a vacume. Life just goes whizzing by.

Elder Runia was a member of the cast. He was recently made a member of the 5^th Quorum of the Seventy. I think he is in Alyson and Bill Freedman’s ward. He gave a wonderful talk in this last sacrament meeting. My favorite part was a story he told about Elder Ballard. Elder Ballard was speaking to Elder Runia's Quorum about his grandfather Melvin Ballard who was also an apostle. He had experienced an amazing dream about the Savior where he kissed his feet and Jesus hugged him. He had never felt such love. Russell Ballard heard his grandfather tell this story in talks and he heard him tell this story to other people but he yearned to sit on his knee and hear it from him personally. He wanted to hear his grandfather’s testimony first hand. He knew his grandfather was a good man but he always felt he was too busy for him. He has remembered this lesson and always tried to make special time for his children and grandchildren. He counseled: “Never be so busy that you don’t tell your children and grandchildren of your testimony. Sit them on your knee. Look them in the eye. Tell them of the special experiences you have had. Don’t let them just read about them in your journal or hear about it second hand.”

Elder Runia reminded us that this is following Christ’s example where in 3^rd Nephi Christ takes the time to connect with each child—in fact with all 2,500 people.

It was a hard day of goodbyes today.

Abigail and Lily

Lily and Madison

Becky Nielsen and Jane

Emma's Y9 Cast Team

Mattew Kofoed and his four week old little brother (the youngest member of the cast)

 We all cried as we pulled away from the beloved Hill Cumorah

That afternoon we drove to Kirtland. First we went to the Morley Farm it was amazingly peaceful there. We were one of the only families there. I was shocked to learn that God the Father had appeared there. In fact, I had never known that God the Father had appeared a total of five times in Kirtland--more than any other place that we know of! The whole place of Kirtland felt so special to me, so holy. It was nice to be there on Sunday and it was different from Palmyra and Nauvoo in that so few were there. It added to the peaceful quietude. 

Morley Farm

Newel K. Whitney Store

Inside the Whitney Store

Kirtland Temple

Before I left pageant I told Stephanie that if I had been given the chance to be a Trumpeter or to have the exact pageant experience I had as a Harvest Worker and Tableau Tribe Woman I wouldn't have changed a thing. I am so grateful to have met the people I did and to have had so much fun and spiritual experiences. It was just perfect.