Farewell

Lennard and Emma went to the Visitor's Center early this morning to get tickets for the Harper's to do the Carriage ride and go see "The Promise".  Ben slept in. We had a quick breakfast and then we headed up to the chapel for our Cast Testimony meeting.  We arrived 15 minutes before it was supposed to start and there were only 3 other families there.  We all laughed and thought, "Do Mormons believe in being on time?" ha! ha!

Eventually we filled the chapel and had an amazing testimony meeting.  The kids had a hard time sitting still for almost 2 1/2 hours.  Emma ended up finally falling asleep on Lennard's lap.

 We had just enough time afterwards to change and get the tickets to Alicia at the Visitors Center. Then, while Lennard was in line to get pageant seats for them, the kids and I walked down to the Scovil Bakery (just for the cookie!).  Then we went down to Pioneer Pastimes. The kids loved playing the games and Emma gathered a group of kids together to play 'house'.  They weren't very happy when we had to leave.

 We decided to have a bit of quiet time before things get crazy tonight. We are meeting Len Sr and the Harper's for dinner again.  This time they say there's brisket.  Yum! 

It's so hard to believe this is our final performance.  In some ways it feels like we've been here way longer than two weeks and in other ways the time has gone by way too fast!

Dinner was great and we left in enough time to get to HQ and get changed into our costumes before Company meeting. Our Cast meeting was full of tender moments.  Before it started, Lauren Mace, gave Emma a big pencil and Ben a key chain from London. 

 Then, during the meeting the director, assistant director, choreographer, etc all spoke and bore testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. My emotions were very near the surface the whole night. It's amazing how fast you build relationships with people when you are in an intense situation like this. I've been quite frustrated with how much the kids have been fighting - which makes me angry and not as patient. I've been wanting this experience to pull us together and it doesn't feel like it sometimes. Then as one of the directors was talking they quoted the scripture about 'Be still and know that I am God." It spoke to my heart and made me realize that I get too caught up in the details and sometimes I need to just 'be still'.  I'm grateful that we've been able to serve as a family and meet so many wonderful people.

Nichols' family in Nauvoo

Bluff District - Bohman and Nichols families

Jed, Sara, Mary Lou, Joseph Weyland and Lennard

 The final performance was great. It was extremely humid and I was dripping with sweat!  As we did our costume changes, they'd take the costume pieces we took off as fast as we'd get them off. Emma ended up getting her fingers slammed in the dressing room door, but she was so brave and went on for the stick ball scene even though she was still hurting.

I sang my heart out as the temple walls went up.  What an experience!  As the finale finished we all looked around and realized it was done.  I got a few hugs and tears were shed.  We had a closing prayer on the stage and then everyone had to get off the stage so the temple could be put down.

The kids were able to get changed while we waited for Lennard and then we had to get to HQ to turn in our costumes. They have it down to a science and we got it done in no time. We got our CD of pictures and then headed to the trailer so Lennard could shave his beard off! He was SO excited and the kids loved watching it happen.  He looks at least ten years younger! I cut his hair outside afterwards and he kept rubbing his head! lol 

Weyland's got back to their trailer shortly afterwards and we popped over.  Their reaction to seeing Lennard without a beard was great.  Camilla even told Lennard to 'go away' because he didn't look like Santa anymore!  She did give him a big hug though. They have been such a wonderful family.  It was 12:45 before we finally got to bed. I'd thrown in three loads of laundry so that everything would be done before leaving in the morning!