We Survived Pageant!

Hey Everyone!

If I thought mission life was crazy before pageant, I had no idea what crazy was.  Pageant was wonderfully insane.  Wake up at 6:30, sort referrals at 7:30, go to a shift at 8:30, eat lunch at 3:00, meet as many people as possible, go do referral calling, study, eat dinner at 6:30, go work at the Information Booth from 6:45 to 9:00, watch pageant with investigators, go back and work the Information Booth from 10:30 to 11:30, fall like a rock into bed at midnight, and do it all again the next day.

"So tired" is an understatement.  But the Lord blessed me with health and enough rest to function.  Not to mention I was chugging water all day which helped.  The first six days of Pageant mode at the Sites, Sister Butters and I were at the Joseph Smith Farm and it just so happened to be the hottest week (no joke). Being stationed in the upstairs of the log home without air conditioning and no windows to open for one to two hours was no picnic.  But it was so worth it being up there teaching about the very even of Moroni appearing in that room to where the Spirit was just so strong.  Angels were definately helping me and all the Sisters that were assigned there.

The last five days of pageant mode, we were stationed at the Grandin Building.  It didn't hit me how much we talk at the Grandin Building when we conduct a tour until then.  Multiply that with so many additional tours to cover all the tourists . . . our voices were shot.  But again, well worth it.  Being able to testify of the Book of Mormon for five hours and feel the Spirit so strongly made it all worth it.

A Pageant night has only been cancelled five times in 37 years.  This just so happens to be one of those five.  Pageant was cancelled the night we took this pic because of rain, lightening, and thunder.  But we were a part of history! haha.  We were very wet in this pic even with an umbrella waiting for pageant to start or be cancelled.  Only pic from the week. Sorry.

A few days before Pageant, one of the Temple Couple Missionaries called to ask us to take their neighbors to the Pageant since they weren't going to be able to make it.  They had it all set up for this family they live next door to to come to Pageant on closing night, and all we had to do was meet them and sit with them during the performance.  Of course, we accepted and when closing night came we waited at the appointed spot.  I felt as if I was waiting for a blind date as the time ticked 15 minutes passed the time they were supposed to be there.  But don't worry, there is a happy ending to this story.  They finally did come and we hit it off with them immediately.  This was the first time the Rogers family had seen Pageant even though they lived in Palmyra all their lives.  Mr. Rogers and his three kids (17-year old girl and 13-year old twin boys) had come and they were so much fun!  They loved Pageant and added us right away on Facebook, and we've been chatting with them ever since.  We're hoping to schedule an appointment with them soon.  They are so open and ready for the Gospel and Sister Butters and I can just see them being in Pageant one year.  Love the Rogers family!

Well it is again the last week of the transfer.  I am most likely staying but we will see what happens :).  I can't believe I've been out for 8 months!  It flies way too quickly.  I am going into my sixth transfer and there are only 12 transfers for an 18-month mission.  What is this?!?!

Love and miss you!
Love,
Sister Killen