The End of the Mormon Miracle Pageant

I wasn't in the very first Mormon Miracle Pageant in 1967, but I came on the scene in 1970 when my family moved from Haddon Heights, New Jersey to Manti, Utah.

Now it's 2019 and the pageant is over.

Bob gave Carolyn and me a good-bye Pageant squeeze!

 My arms weren't quite long enough to get a very wide-framed picture of me, Andy, and Bob with Pageant props in the background. (What ARE they going to do with all those fake rocks, I wonder?)

Andy made a pretty good security guy before he played the role of the Savior in his home-grown beard.

Once we found seats, we saved them with a sign our son wrote that says: "RESERVED FOR JOSEPH SMITH'S GRANDPARENTS. Seriously, their son's son is playing mature Joseph tonight and they'd appreciate it if you let them sit here to watch. Thanks."

 We even got pictures with some of the cast members! 

(Our grandchildren, and nephew, Jonathan, who's not a cast member this year, but was in years past.) 

 Bob helped Carolyn stand on a chair so she could see how many people were in the audience.

 Our sister Rebecca was there, too!

 I took a picture for the family album of Andy in costume "descending" to the people in the Americas.

 It was a good run, Mormon Miracle Pageant!

I know some people are sad the pageant is over, but, hey, even the dinosaurs didn't live forever.

I used to miss old things much more than I do now that I've learned that things change. It's much more rewarding to look forward to what's next instead of getting a neck ache twisting around to stare back at the past.

Do you like change?

Or do you prefer things to stay the same?

2016 Mormon Miracle Pageant Pictures!

When we (Bob and I) went to the Mormon Miracle Pageant on Thursday, June 16, we got to see our son, Andy, who is sharing the role of playing the part of the Savior with another actor. 

He grew his own beard, but he had to borrow some long hair to fulfill the role.

I love that guy! 

(Both my son and the the Savior, who he portrays.)

When I saw him talking to the children around him on the hill, I asked what he was talking to them about. He replied that he was telling them how much Jesus loves them.

I also got to see two of my cousins, sisters Cathy (on my right, your left, holding the pictures of Jesus) and Dawn (on my left, your right. The lady in the bun walking past may be a distant relative, but we haven't traced our family tree back to Adam yet to identify her!) 

Cathy and Dawn used to be Anderson's like me, because our fathers were brothers.

It was so fun to see them and hug them!

Do you have cousins? (I think I have 45 firsts!) 

How many do you have?

Do like to see them?

When was the last time you did?

(I saw some from the other side two days later, but it was at a wedding reception where asking them to stop and take a picture might have made the wedding photographers feel redundant!)

Interesting Things from the Mormon Miracle Pageant

Okay, I've come up for air after being in the Mormon Miracle Pageant for two weeks. Not only did I perform so I wasn't home until 11:30 p.m., I also hurried to get to my book booth by 10:00 a.m. so I could smile at people and tell them all about the magical books we had. Other things I came across at the Pageant: A one-eyed lady who was blinded when she pulled suspenders out of her washing machine and a buckle flipped up and hit her in the eye, a snippet of conversation that went, "She cheated on me with a leprechaun," a ten year old entrepreneur who made and sold bows and arrows, earned $50.00 washing people's windows, and sold his Halloween candy the day after Halloween to bring home a whopping $15.00.
My friend, Jean, also helped me pick up fallen branches with seeds that my bunnies like to eat. We stuffed them in a bag and put them in my car. (That's a real friend!)
One day Michael went with me and said, "I think I want to go to BYU."
"Okay," I said, feeling a puff of pride that he was already looking forward to higher education.
"I haven't really decided," he continued. "But they're the only ones who make that really good cookies and cream milk."
Hey, that's a good reason! Michael got sunburned at the pool one day (He even had a T-shirt on, the little blondie!) and suffered from heat stroke for two days. He's fine now, it's just that his face is peeling.
One last thing- all of you who came back to see me at the Pageant booth, I am delighted you came. I'm so very sorry that it's hard for me to remember people. I can see in some of your eyes that you're disappointed I don't remember you. It's not one of my talents, or else my people memory brain cells died when I was born with the cord wrapped around my neck. The oxygen tent may not have helped much, either.
Please know that I do care about you and hope that you have as much fun having me get reacquainted with you as I do!