Manti Pageant

Wendee and Aaron invited us to join them in attending the Mormon Miracle Pageant. I wasn't sure at first, but then thought it should be a great opportunity. And it really was.

We left Friday afternoon at around 4:15 p.m. It's about a 2 hour drive, so we had a long drive ahead that got even longer as we hit rush hour traffic. I wasn't used to driving the truck (which I had borrowed from Mom and Dad) so I almost had an accident as soon as I got on 21st. I neglected to check the blind spot mirror and tried to merge, right into another truck. Oops. Not a great start, and the traffic was bad until out of the Provo area, so it wasn't nice. But I got comfortable in the truck again and had no more problems like that.

Right when we get out of the bad traffic, the rain starts. This was no ordinary rain. It was a deluge! It was raining so hard through the Moroni/Ephraim area that I had the wipers on full blast and I still couldn't see well. There were puddles in the road that made it very slippery. It was a white knuckle ride that had me thinking we were probably going to have to go home. There was no way that the pageant could go on with the rain coming down so hard. And there was no way I would camp in it. I was getting very ready to turn right around.

Then, about 2 miles out of Manti, the rain stopped. It was amazing. It didn't look like it had rained at all in Manti! Not one drop! But the wind was blowing hard, to the South, blowing the storm right for us. So we put up the tents as quickly as possible. We knew that the storm was going to hit any moment. We got all the gear inside the tents and looked around.

The wind had stopped. There were dark, angry clouds all around Manti. But right over the town, there were only light, wispy clouds. It was an absolute miracle. Aaron had prayed for a "rain bubble" over us, and that was exactly what it was; the storm raged all around us, but not a drop fell in Manti. It was a very faith promoting experience. I knew at that moment that Heavenly Father wanted me to be there. I'm sure that there were others needing the same thing, but I knew that He was looking out for me, creating an uplifting experience that I really needed at the time.

The pageant was wonderful! The angel Moroni on top of the temple was awe inspiring, as was the scene when the Lord visited the Nephites. Dessa was cute when the young Joseph was praying in the woods and a spotlight came on, indicating the visit of Heavenly Father and Jesus. She asked how the light was coming out of the sky. (It almost looked like it was.) She got excited and said that God was going to visit us for real, right now. It was so great to hear that from her. I had to explain the light, but she kept saying that it was coming from heaven. It was so well done. They had fire bursts during the storm at the time of the Crucifixion and also to show the wickedness of the Lamenites. That was really cool.

It was exactly what I needed at that moment. I needed that push of inspiration to get me back on track. I haven't been to church in months, and after a visit from the bishop and his counselor on Thursday, and the pageant on Friday, I knew it was time to go back. I knew I was missing a big piece of my life again. As I sat in church today, I realized that I had missed it. I really need that lift each week that church brings. And the kids need it also. I think that is why things have been a little more angry and loud around here lately. We are feeling the loss of the Spirit in our home. It makes a huge difference, one I won't forget, with my Heavenly Father's help.