July 19th and Today's Question

Time seems to be fast coming to a close for our part in the pageant -- too fast! We are experiencing some very mixed emotions. It has been a wonderful experience.

It rained yesterday - and last night. The rain fell fairly heavy during the late afternoon and then stopped. A drizzle began just after the pageant started and kept up for about half of the show. When it came time to 'erect' the temple (made of cloth), the rain stopped. Had it continued, it would have made it difficult to store it again after the show. It is rolled up and put in pieces in baskets. So we are grateful it did not get wet! Immediately after the show, we took it back down in case the rain started up again.

These are just a couple of pictures of the pageant. We wish all of you could see it! We have had several audience members tell us that they have seen the Hill Cumorah Pageant (some had just come from there) but that they found the Nauvoo Pageant to be even better! There is much taught in this pageant about the Book of Mormon being a wonderful companion to the Bible, Eternal families and our belief in Jesus Christ.

Our cast has been able to increase the number of those we share the Gospel to over previous years. It is a great opportunity to share the joy of what the Lord has given us with others! There are many stories to tell and we hope to be able to share them when we return.

Tonight will be our last opportunity to participate in this wonderful production. We leave on Monday and plan on visiting a couple of Church sites on our way back -- hopefully Adam-Ondi-Ahman and/or Far West.

Today's Question: What was the date the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred? Anyone catch any other signigficance of that day and month?

We are anxious to see everyone again and look forward to returning home.

The Caldwell's

Sorry! Been kind of hectic the last couple of days!

The weather has finally caught up with us. July came back yesterday and it is hot and muggy! Like it should be this time of year, but has not been. Insead, we have had rain, lightning, wind, etc. -- but never at pageant time. We have seen lightning around us at pageant time but we nothing has occurred which would hinder a performance.

We have had a great time meeting and talking with people as they come to the pageant. Melba is also in costume now (see picture) and people are much more excited to talk to us. When we go into the audience after the show, everyone says, "Oh you were wonderful!" We just smile and say, "Thank you!" and then talk to them about their experience.

We offer a CD of pageant music to those not of our faith. That music is wonderful and will likely lift and touch many hearts. Those who attend can request a CD for qualifying friends and family. But we also know they will not likely remember contact information for them, so we record their own information and then they receive a call when they return home during which they can provide that information.

Melba and I have had wonderful birthdays here. It is indeed a wonderful place to celebrate birthdays! And Melba's sister Marcia has gone beyond the mark in taking us out to dinner plus fixing us another dinner and giving us a couple of wonderful gifts attached to this wonderful experience here.

Yesterday, we helped take the youth in the pageant to the Nauvoo Temple. Needless, to say, it was another very wonderful experience! I was with a young returned missionary who had never actually performed baptisms in the temple before. So we made certain he was the one doing the baptising for a while. He really enjoyed that!

This morning we walked done Parley Street -- the one the saints used when they left Nauvoo and crossed the frozen Mississippi. Members of the cast were stationed along that path and portrayed people of that time, quoting from their journals about that difficult experience. It was very moving.

Today's question: Today that road is called the Trail of Hope. But how was it referred to by the saints as they left Nauvoo?

Monday July 14th and Today's Question

Today was another day off -- no show on Mondays. But the hot weather is returning. It was in the 90's today but the humidity was low until this evening.

We attended a session at the Nauvoo Temple today. What a beautiful temple inside! In the dressing room, they gave me a name for whom I was to act as proxy. The name was George Caldwell Thurman! What's the odds.! The name had been submitted by Dianne Johnson of Orem, Utah. I'll have to give her a call.

This evening we attended a fireside at the outdoor stage site. Michael Kennedy spoke. He is the 4th great-grandson of Joseph and Ema Smith and the first of all their descendants to be active enough to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. But he had to join the Church first! He had a good story to tell.

After he joined the Church, he started tracking down Smith family descendants, trying to bring the Gospel to them. But he wasn't having much success. When he mentioned his problem to some of the brethren, they told him that he would not be successful in converting them, until he had provided Gospel blessings for those in the family who had already crossed the veil. He would then have their help in teaching family here on this earth.

That is an interesting thought.

A bit later in the evening, we attended Sunset By The Mississippi. The missionaries serving here are "asked" to participate in putting on this evening show of song, dance and storytelling. What a hoot! These are not professional entertainers but just regular folks that get out there and have a good time. It was a very enjoyable evening!

Today's Question: What year was the original Nauvoo Temple dedicated?

Sunday, July 13 2008 & today's question

The weather continues to be very unusual. It rained yesterday but stopped and dried out just in time for the pageant. Then it rained some more during the night. The temperture AND humidity have been very low on most days with only two days having been really hot and muggy. Temperatures were in the 70's today even with a clear sky and lots of sunshine. It is gorgeous! And it is supposed to continue like this for much of the coming week!

The pageant is doing very well and we are enjoying our service and visit here. These people work very hard -- and like it! I have often mused that this is must be a little bit like what the millenium will be; lots of saints working very hard to bring the Gospel to Heavenly Father's children.

Sunday meetings are like Stake Conference! The 8:00 am block is full of missionaries and the 2:00 pm block is full of pageant cast!

We have been setting records for missionary work and are really excited about that! It is surprising to see who the Lord brings to this place. President Hinckley said (paraphrased), 'Those who come to Nauvoo are brought here by appointment.' And we have had people from all parts of the world visiting here. All the more significant when we stop and think that Nauvoo is not exactly a destination point! But here they come, anyway. Brought here by the Lord to here the Gospel!

The only sad part is that we only have this next week left to participate in this great effort and to associate with these wonderful people! Then we must return to dreary old Utah (no offense)!

Today's question: How many sunstones (picutured above) were used in the Nauvoo Temple?

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