Easter

Miracles and Tender Mercies

It would take me ages to write about all the miracles of the Easter Pageant so I will just list some. 

Olive missed one dance competition but was able to participate in all of another competition. (Balancing her dance commitments with Easter Pageant is a big stressor for me.)

Marcie had been very sad about her costume and thankfully opened up to me about it. Broke my heart. She was crying herself to sleep and even woke up crying about it in the night. It woke Austin up. He prayed for her and fell asleep and had a dream that he was in the Celestial room of the temple. A small group of women were walking past him and he knew they were busy. As they passed him, one of them came into focus but he didn't recognize her. She said, "Please tell Marcie I think her costume is beautiful." He said he would and they continued to walk past him. Then he felt that they had stopped and he turned around. The same girl said, "Don't forget to tell her." And it was then that he was given to know that she was Melanie, our sister. I can't describe how this affected me. It was my favorite miracle of all. 

During the final scene of one performance, Landon saw Christ in the air right behind the actor Christ. When Marcie and Austin asked him if he looked like the pictures we have of him he said, no. He just knew it was Him. He went home and drew a picture of it and has been adamant about his experience. Marcie had her own special witness to believe him. 

Getting to associate with Barb Abney and the Stanfields. Barb is Miriam King's sister and has never married. She was in the pageant just to help the Stanfields with their new baby. She is an angel human. Someone else described her as the closest thing to having Heavenly Mother on earth and I couldn't agree more. 

Getting to testify at the special reception- couple telling Sis. Johnston that I quoted her talk about becoming whole. Being recorded for a podcast.

YW "egged" our house. Monahans heart attacked our house on the last night. Tasha gave us hand carved sparrows. Kelly Dixon left an egg hunt in front yard.

Lisa Hogle made us dinner

Wonderful Passover dinner with family group.

Getting to hold baby Henry for the Triumphal Entry and him looking to Christ to be picked up.

Getting to see Kenzi Fackerell so much

Spending Super Saturdays with Figs and loving on baby Jane

Hearing Dana Rogers son sing Watch the Lamb, hearing couple play guitar and sing "The Commission" 

Tanner taking initiative to greet and shake hands with everyone at special reception in visitor's center

Being with Elder Haws, Eileen and kids at special reception

Unfortunately, the entire family got sick with a nasty, super contagious stomach bug that kept them home from rehearsals, but I don't think anyone had to miss an actual performance. And I was the only one who didn't get sick. I kept waiting for it, but miraculously I stayed healthy!

It was all SO SPECIAL. Memories I will always treasure. So happy we took the time to take this picture. It's my new phone wallpaper. 

We were group leaders this year and loved our small "family" group!

Collin rizzing up the ladies.

Olive was so happy to be with Elsie again this year!

Collin was so afraid of catching the stomach bug. Sadly, I think it was the next day he came down with it after this picture. 

Everyone peacefully watched General Conference. Mind Blown. We've truly "made it". 

During Gethsemene and Crucifixion, we took turns reading Easter books to the little ones to keep them reverent. 

On the last night, we met up with the Figs for a picnic dinner before the final devotional.

Olive talking to her crush. 

Getting this text from my mom was so sweet. 

I guess TPing is still a thing!

I love my hallelujah bracelet paired with my cross bracelet! I got one for Jenee too. 

Let the Holy Week activities commence!!

On Palm Sunday I was the keynote speaker at our Stake Relief Society conference. The stake RS president asked me in January and I have been a STRESS CASE ever since. She originally told me it would be an hour and a half and basically handed it over to me to figure out musical numbers and everything. I cannot even describe the anxiety. It gradually morphed and I actually only ended up speaking maybe 40 minutes. They knew I loved Easter and I really felt the pressure to make it something spectacular. I spent countless hours preparing. All with the biggest pit in my stomach and weight on my chest. Again, I can't begin to describe how this weighed on me and how much anxiety I had over it. I also was asked to put up displays in the cultural hall for the women to look at afterward and have a handout ready for them to take home. All my Easter books and decorations covered three, long tables. Plus a whiteboard. 

Mom and Dad were in Switzerland. But Travis, Marcie, Abbey and Camilla came to support me. They are the best. I felt like I could float to the moon when it was finally over. Many women were extraordinarily kind in their compliments. It was humbling to hear how much they were affected. I give all praise to God. It was truly all Him. I am just the weak messenger. I spent the next hour talking with women who came and wanted to visit. Best night of sleep ever. 

Bring on the Holy Week activities!!

Like I mentioned, our Passover dinner with our pageant family was sublime. Probably my favorite one yet. I was so thrilled that everyone came, including Barb! It was an honor to have her in our home. The lesson went well and the food was yummy and we had fun visiting afterward. 

I don't think I've ever put together a Seder plate before. I explained what it all meant to our guests. 

The guy next to me is Joshua. He is married and lives in Washington but came down for a month to be in the pageant. The couple with the baby is Becca Scott. Turns out she teaches ballet at Inspire so Olive already knew her! Her son, Henry, is the sweetest baby and I got to hold him during the Triumphal Entry scene. 

During Holy Week I was driving Olive to dance when suddenly this alert came up on my dashboard and my car stopped being able to accelerate. Well, it could accelerate but VERY VERY slowly and it couldn't go normal speeds. Which made it a hazard to try and drive. I did not have time to deal with this. I needed a functioning car. I said a prayer and told Heavenly Father I did not have time to put my car in the shop this week. I needed to be able to drive to pageant. The next time I started my car the alert was off and it functioned normally. The day after Easter the alert went back on and it stopped working like it should. THE DAY AFTER EASTER It was not a coincidence and I knew it was a direct blessing. I have tears in my eyes typing this remembering how kind God is. 

One night, Lisa Hogle dropped off two pans of Monte Cristo sandwiches that we could eat for dinner whenever we wanted. Those sandwiches were so yummy and came in clutch! Of all people, she could easily say she has too much on her plate with Evan's condition to serve others, but she still does. 

We were spotlighted on the church's Instagram page!

A kind message from a girl I went to elementary school with.

The Gilbert temple was closed so I went to the Mesa temple on the same day our cousin, Katie Hogle, wondered if we could lay down a blanket on the lawn of the pageant to save her and her daughter a place to see it that night. She couldn't get there until right before it started and her daughter has been struggling and she felt impressed to bring her to the pageant. I was so glad I was in a position to help!

We love visiting with the crowd each night before the performances!

This is Ruth Davis! We work in the temple together. I love her. 

Olive and I made an Instagram video of a popular dance to one of Forrest Frank's songs! It was fun to do it in our costumes!

I challenged our family to share a Book of Mormon with someone before Easter. We all wrote our testimonies on the cover of our books first. I made cookies to give with them. I shared mine with our neighbor, Jessica Folcannon, across the street. Olive shared hers with our neighbor, Jacquie Connors. Weston gave his to his friend, Liam Dixon. Travis gave his to his assistant, Morgan. Collin and Tanner are still working on it.  :)

We met the cousins at the theater to see an animated movie about Jesus called King of Kings.

Our family was invited to speak at a special reception before the pageant that certain community guests were invited to. Travis, Olive and I each spoke. Elder Jose Alonso and his wife were there which was special! So was Elder Haws and his family, which was a treat to see them all! The mayor of Mesa, Mark Freeman, wanted a picture with us too. He was very kind and said nice things about us. We got many compliments on Olive and what she said. We also got compliments on sweet Tanner! I had given them all a pep talk before we went in to make sure and be friendly and go up to people and shake their hands and look them in the eyes and ask them questions. Tanner took this to heart and spent the night going up to everyone and introducing himself, shaking hands and talking to people. I was straight amazed and SO proud of him! He usually never leaves my side in public and does not naturally go out of his way to talk to people. A man approached me and said he runs a podcast and was touched by what I had said and asked if he could share the recording he made of me on his podcast. Another couple who I forget their title, but they were higher up in the church, said they were speaking at a Utah college graduation ceremony and the wife wondered if she could quote some of what I had said. She also loved how I brought up Sis. Johnson's conference talk about being whole in Christ while we wait on healing and said she would tell Sis. Johnson herself about it the next time she saw her!! Needless to say, I was humbled and overwhelmed at God's help that night with what I felt inspired to talk about. 

My therapist!! Oh I love Crystal Bowman!

One night the weather was terrible. We prayed and prayed but it didn't get better. It was so cold and windy and rainy. Somehow the show went on and gratefully no angels were hurt on those high stands. We heard Bro. Nielsen was up there on his hands and knees with towels trying to wipe down the angel stage so they could do their performance safely. 

Our ward did an egg hunt in the park Saturday morning!

Olive and I unknowingly matched!

Resurrection Rolls!

On our last night we met up with the Figs for a picnic dinner! We have LOVED being able to do the pageant with them this year!

Here are some of the professional pictures that were taken.

Our family group!

The last night is so emotional. My favorite part is the last scene when we slowly fall to our knees and lift our arms to our Savior who is raised up, glowing and brilliant, saying He'll be with us always. 

The last night is strike night. Everyone stays to help take down the props, lights and everything else! I stayed a few hours then left with Tanner and Olive, but Travis and the older boys stayed a bit longer. When I pulled into my driveway, physically and emotionally exhausted but with the happiest heart, our yard and house was covered in hearts and these signs. Turned out to be the Monahans but I didn't know this for weeks. I cried all over again. I didn't think I could experience such grateful joy. 

Sad to say goodbye to these!

EASTER!

The basket lives on!

I love our devotional at the cemetery. We had sunny weather this year!

Weston's lamp was so creative! It was a fish with a hook in it's mouth.

I don't know which child did this, but I found Christ taped to the cross on the piano.

Who are these guys?! We hardly recognized them without their beards!

Marcie and I showed up wearing the exact same thing minus the color of dress but it was the same dress, haha! Same shoes and bracelets too!

Collin found the BIG egg in the cousins egg hunt! A hundred buckaroos!

Love these bracelets that Marcie brought!

I can't remember exactly when we did this, but we went to the MCO's Easter concert. They did it a little differently this time and had to be centered around Christ's visitation to the Americas. I heard that the people who participated in this felt it was life changing.