"Receive These Things"

It was an emotional weekend. Surprisingly so. As overwhelming and stressful (at times) that I found this calling..that of Ward Cultural Events Director...it had been a much better experience helping to put together this play, this huge stake cultural extravaganza, than I had ever thought. I didn't realize that in fulfilling this calling, in serving these kids...that it would bless my life as well. Or that I would get so attached to them. I spent a good chunk of Sacrament Meeting yesterday frantically wiping away the tears that were rolling down my cheeks and wishing mightily for waterproof mascara. Those Deacons passing the Sacrament? Those were my cute {oh, sorry...FEARSOME} Stripling Warriors. The three youth speakers? One was a singer from vocal company, one was on tech crew, one was Ether from scene 3...the scene that Brittney and I directed.

It all started back in November when the 2nd counselor in the bishopric pulled me aside to give me another calling. (I already had 2). He didn't really have many details about what my calling would entail...just that the stake youth were putting on some sort of cultural event and I, along with my cute neighbor and friend Brittney, was more or less being called to be a part of it in some way on the ward level. Was I willing? Ummm...okay? I'm always willing to accept any calling. It's just usually nice to have an idea of what I'm agreeing to do!

(Sweet, wonderful, amazing Brittney...I could NOT have done this without her!)

More details later I learned how this whole things had come about. If you remember, President Monson, at almost every General Conference, talks about his travels to dedicate new temples. And almost always there is some kind of big cultural celebration involving the members of the church there...usually the youth. And he has made the comment that he wished that every youth of the church could have that kind of experience...to be involved in some sort of big cultural event like that. Our stake president took that comment to heart. He made some callings on the stake level who then decided our youth would be putting on a musical called "Receive These Things." This was to take the place of youth conference this year and would involve every single kid in some way or another...as an actor, singer, dancer, tech crew, costumes, make-up...you name it.

(Rebekah and her friend Whittney were in vocal company. Rebekah, though not one of my actors in scene 3, was in the small group that came out to sing "You're Not Alone.)

"Receive These Things" was a musical taking modern day issues that kids face, ie: modesty, morality, loneliness, choosing the right, etc...and then finding Book of Mormon stories and lessons that paralleled those issues. Brittney and I learned that each ward would be assigned a scene, that we would be directing said scene, but that the youth of our ward would actually be spread out throughout the play and that we would also need to be the liason between the stake and our ward in making sure all those kids knew what they were supposed to be doing, where they were supposed to be and when. It was a monumental task and I was quite overwhelmed and almost dreading it in the beginning. I could not fathom how we were going to pull this off. But Brittney and I plugged away at every assignment we were given by the stake, found answers to all of the questions from the youth and youth leaders...and after sign ups, auditions, casting and schedules...many emails and a few meetings later, we were set to begin rehearsals.

Our scene was the "lonely girl" scene. About...you guessed it....a girl who was lonely and had no friends. So we blocked a high school scene...lockers and prom posters, texting and studying, football boys and giggling girls and even a big "Will you go to prom with me?" all around this lonely girl... with not one soul paying any attention to her. She has a few monologues along the way..."Why won't anyone be my friend? Am I not pretty enough, are my standards too high" etc. Long story short...she pulls out her Book of Mormon and reads about Alma, Moroni and Ether...all who have found themselves alone at one time or another (with kids playing the parts of these three Book of Mormon characters on the other side of the stage). Remember the song "You're Not Alone" by Michael McLean? (As big as it was in my high school seminary days, none of the kids now recognize it.) Seven girls did a little ballet type dance to the song while another few girls (including my Rebekah and Julianne) sang. (Luckily I didn't have to choreograph the dance seeing as my dancing skills are...well, severely limited.) And in the end, Lonely Girl realizes that she is never truly alone...and on that note, a trio of girls come out and invite her to go to the pep rally.

(Julianne and her friend Taylor. Julianne, like Rebekah was in vocal company and also the smaller "You're Not Alone" group. Taylor was in my scene.)

Rehearsals were a bit crazy and chaotic in the beginning. Brittney and I made cookies and treats to try and bribe the kids to pay attention. :) These were kids who hadn't ever done anything like this before, most of them. Who hadn't even realistically asked to be a part of it and who didn't really feel or understand the responsibility of what having a part in a play meant. I spent countless time assuring them that each of their parts, no matter how small (there were over 300 kids to cast, after all) were important. Teaching them theatre/acting etiquette, timing, lines, big motions on stage, etc. But it wasn't until we began rehearsing on the big stage that it all started to sink in. That is, I think, when the reality of what we were doing really hit all of us. And I, as well as they, realized that this was really going to work! It took some serious time, work and prayer...even a special fast and doubtless, a few miracles, but we did it!

(Scene 3 aka "Lonely Girl" scene. I LOVE these kids!!)

I was anxious and stressed about our scene on opening night. The timing of each kid was rather crucial for it all to go over the way we'd rehearsed. Brittney and I helped the kids know when to go on from opposite sides of the stage...and then watched and hoped. Chills ran through my body as I realized that they were doing the scene better than they'd ever done it! The kids on my side came off with expectant but happy looks on their faces. "Did I do okay??" We practically skipped back to the green room, we were so excited, all of us, with how the scene went. Being scene 3 meant that we were allowed to slip into some side seats to watch the rest of the show. Brittney and I sat together, proud as punch of not only the kids in our scene but all our other kids from the ward as well, in other scenes throughout the show....the vocal company, the Stripling Warriors doing their "Haka" dance down the aisles (SO COOL, by the way), etc.

At the very end of the show one girl came out into the spotlight and began singing, acapella, "The Spirit of God." After a couple of lines, a second girl joined her, and then a third singing a trio. By the time the organ started in on the second verse, vocal company had moved from their seats up to the stage to sing. By the chorus the entire rest of the cast... tech crew, makeup and costume committees and all... filed up to the stage filling every possible space, all singing "We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven...Hosanna to God and the Lamb!" All the ward directors were also invited to go up on stage and sing. Not that I could get a note out...tears were pouring down my face before I even made it up to the stage. It was AMAZING!! I don't think I'll ever sing that song again without thinking of that moment. Bryan asked me yesterday who the play had been for...the audience watching it or the youth putting it on? My response was immediate, it was for the youth. Did I think that the stake president's objectives for requesting this cultural event, had been met? Without a doubt, YES! There were kids that chose not to participate and I feel bad that they missed the experience. I'm sure that there were kids that DID participate that still didn't really "get" it. But I think the majority of them, to some extent or another, learned something, felt something, had their testimony grow or, if nothing else, just enjoyed being part of something different and big with their friends. But I am absolutely sure that they made memories that they will cherish. I'm SO glad I was able to share this experience with them. I know that the experiences and memories I made will stick with me for a long time to come.