A great day in Nauvoo!

I have just a quick minute to make a post. I will copy my journal entry for yesterday. It was a great day! Just like many others we have had this summer.

Tues., July 28, 2009 - Things are starting to wind down to the close of Pageant. The comments are all about “this is the last time for……” It makes me sad to think about everyone leaving. We have been surrounded by “the best people under the heavens”. What a choice experience this has been to rub shoulders with spiritual giants and sometimes the giants are in little bodies!
Our missionary orientation meeting this morning was so spiritual. The Tues morning missionary meetings have all been a spiritual feast. How often do you get to hear your mission president, temple president, pageant president and wives all speak in one meeting. Then adding to that the singing of the Core Cast, the work crew (14 young men ) singing Sons of Helaman and the closing hymn “I Stand All Amazed”. Brad Thompson, our pageant music director, leads the closing song and through his directing he helps the song become a true bearing of testimony for the people in the congregation. This has been one of the highlights of our experience this summer.
We had a young man come up to us during the preshow, gave us a big hug and was so excited to see us. We didn’t recognize him at all but during the course of the conversation we found out that he was a full time missionary in Pocatello. He had Thanksgiving dinner with us in our home on Moonglow. His name is Nick Conrad. Sure wish I could remember the situation.
A neat experience at the pageant last night…….There was a group of 5-6 retired age people sitting across the aisle from us. We could hear their comments during the pageant. They were really into the show, laughing at the right times, making very positive comments all through the production. We could tell that the cast really had these folks with them. The young sister missionaries were right there with them when the pageant ended. One of the sister missionaries came to me just bubbling over with excitement. She said this family had come to Nauvoo because the older man had been raised here and he just wanted to come back and visit. They had just “stumbled” onto the pageant and decided to stay and watch. Their comment to the sister missionaries was , “You Mormons are not at all like what people say you are like. You are really nice people!” They wanted to know more about the church and filled out a referral card.
We have so enjoyed getting to know the core cast. They are the finest people you could know. They are not only good on the stage but they are wonderful people off the stage. They are so kind and respectful and appreciative. It has been a delightful experience to get to know them. I feel like the young adults are “my kids” and they will really be missed.