Oh wow, pageant is crazy, but oh so much fun. At most of the sites we have been doing something called park mode, I may have mentioned before. Basically, there are missionaries standing outside the homes telling the stories, and it goes on a loop all day. I have never been so busy on my mission, and yet we have the opportunity to teach thousands. To quote a previous sister missionary who served here, "today I taught the Restoration to more people than any missionary in the world." And it's true.
About half the tours I take have been Spanish, and oh what a joy it is to speak Spanish. One evening at the Smith farm after we finished park mode (because everyone had already fled to pageant) a Spanish tour walked in so I took them, then just as we were finishing a group that had just been walking through heard me speaking Spanish so they asked for a Spanish tour as well. They were from Honduras, and one in the group wasn't a member. He was just soaking everything up like a sponge, hearing everything for the first time. What a joy it was to preach the Restoration at the very place it began.
One of the most special experiences on my mission was taking the High Point Youth on tour. They caught me at the Peter Whitmer farm, their last stop. It was the coolest thing to see those I knew, but even more special was sharing a few of the stories and experiences that have meant so much to me the past few months, and what they can mean for all of us. I saw myself in them, from just a couple years ago, and knew there was so much in store for those youth. They are amazing.
I have loved every minute of the past few days. Even when my calves (which are becoming very defined) are screaming, or the sun is pounding, or the rain leaks in through my Book of Mormon. The words of the great prophet Joseph Smith are very appropriate for such a time as this. "Shall we not go on with so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth unto singing. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord and let all the sons of God shout for joy!" I have many reasons to shout for joy, and so I will.
P.S. I have not seen Pageant yet, but I will be Saturday, so I'll be sure to report on the experience ;)
1. Dead after a day at the Smith farm
2. Everyone dead after a day at the Grandin Building
3. Picture with President and Sister Baughan from High Point at the Peter Whitmer farm
4. Photo from a few weeks ago the mission gave us--shaking hands with President Uchtdorf and meeting his wife, slightly flipping out
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