68,000. That is the number of guests we received this year as a result of Pageant, and what a miracle it was, and now we're all kind of feeling the effects of it. Though exhausted, it was still strange on
Monday walking into the Hill, sitting down, and waiting. Kind of made me a little fidgety. I would still love to relay some of the experiences here.
Pageant was one amazing experience. We served at the Hill on Saturday and saved seats in the morning, then walked over at the end of the day. The pageant itself was loud, majestic, fast-paced, energetic, and very beautiful. The scene of the descending Christ appearing to those in the Americas brought tears to my eyes and again made me realize how Jesus Christ is not only the Savior of the Old World, but the new world, and the WHOLE world. His love is never ending, and outstretching, and so REAL. I felt it for everyone who walked into the sites, all sixty eight thousand of them.
There were sooooo many tours that came through, and picking the experiences to share is pretty rough, but I'll share a few that really stick out. At the Whitmer farm there was a tour of youth from a stake in Philadelphia and they were awesome. There's something about youth groups that kind of just fill me with energy. They are always so willing to learn and prepared for a spiritual experience, and being young, are humble enough to realize these sites can have an impact on their lives. The stories of the people we tell are more than just stories, but ways we can realize how to repent and how to change, and these youth were willing to do that.
The first day after Pageant we still had all the pageant crowds going back home. While serving at the Grandin, three Spanish tours came in a row, and then another youth group from Florida. It's all kind of a blur, but it honestly felt like something came over me, and that something is the Spirit. It transformed me and guided my words, Spanish or English, to help those understand the message of the Book of Mormon in the way they needed. I often find myself inviting people to read the Book of Mormon every day, especially at the Grandin--the place where it was published. And for those who have not seen Pageant, it is the story of the Book of Mormon. The people in the Americas, their prophesyings, wars and contentions, progressions and change. In the same way they changed because of Christ's influence, we can be as well. But in order to learn how it is so necessary to read from
this book. So an invite to all who are reading this, please read from the Book of Mormon--each day. In it there is safety for the soul, and a power that comes into our lives.
I love you all, and also am very thankful for the prayers of energy this way. They were very much felt. And though it is sad to see such a wonderful time in my mission end, it will always be treasured. In the words of Oliver Cowdery, that I may or may not have used before, "These were days never to be forgotten." Truly they are.
Love from the shadow of the Hill Cumorah,
Hermana Abreu
1. With Sister Dickey under the Pageant stage!
2. Taking the youth group from Philadelphia
3. With Abinadi :)
4. We can now say we met Joseph Smith!!!
5. New facsimiles of the original manuscript pages we touched before
they were put on display
6. In the corn fields near the Martin Harris farm
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