Highlands of Heaven

It's Sunday, and we finished our rehearsals for Nauvoo on Friday with a bang!! I've had some incredible stuff happen this week.

One. My cousin, Emily, had never seen the Pageant because she was on her mission both years. And, of course, she was going to be out of town for Friday, so she came on Wednesday to our first dress rehearsal. It was a great run-through, but near the end, one of our actors had to take her son home. Well, she has some critical lines at the end, and this was Emy's first time hearing them! So after I finished my line, and turned to see that she wasn't there, I walked over and started singing and praying that I could remember these lines I had never said. In my broken Scottish accent, I managed to get through it. Now, I didn't want anyone to commend me or say how great it was. It was two lines, after all, and Emy needed to hear them. But I made a comment afterward and David Warner, our director, pointed the action out and everyone started clapping. It was so wierd. I just saw a need and filled it! Oh well. It was fun to have a husband for a 45 second scene.

Two. We can do hard things. We can build things we've never built before to go places we've never gone before. Doing the Sunday Sociable this week was so marvelously refreshing. Completely different from last year, or anything I've seen, and it is so much fun. We performed it at 3:00 on Friday. Music really transcends time and place and situation and brings you completely to the present. That doesn't make a lot of sense, but in my head it does. When you are singing, with or without a partner, that song is what is present and is what matters. Randy and his family came and loved it. Preston, too. It was so fun to be able to use your talents to bring people to Christ. Totally amazing.

Three. I find that when I don't know how to handle something, I shut down. I had a few experiences this week that I've never had to deal with before. When they arose, I completely shut down. When your job in the Pageant is to be completely open, shutting down is detrimental. Opening back up was the hardest thing. I'm working on it.

Four. We met Elder Perry in the hallway. It was awesome. I seriously have the best job in the world. I was experiencing a 'shut down' moment, and he shook my hand and all traces of pain or sadness in my heart and spirit disappeared. It was incredible, and such a blessing!

Five. I had the best district ever! I am learning to much, and they helped me tremendously! I'm not a great leader or speaker, but I'm definately learning. In the beginning stages of rehearsal last week, I taught the women the opening dance. Yes. I taught a dance. It was awesome! I had so much fun doing it. A few days later, the stage manager asked if I would teach the children what they do in the parade. Ok- me, teaching kids. Check. Not experienced in this field at all. I didn't even know what they were supposed to do. But there I was, teaching the kids as I was making it up. One of the sisters commented on how great I was with them! Me? Great with kids? Who would have thought? I figure I'm getting to that age where I should know what to do with them, so I'm getting experiences with them by the truckload. I'm growing so much this year!