Nauvoo Fair and Pageant

 The Nauvoo Pageant is so incredibly motivational.  I find it to be very spiritual and feeel the truth of their message.  We were able to see both the British version and the Nauvoo version.  In the British version they build a large ship as a back drop, and in the Nauvoo version they build a large temple.  Both were pretty cool.

Before the pageant there is an hour worth of fair where you can try your luck at a maypole or period centered games.  There is also music and dancing.  I tried the line dance and Sheri the Polka.  It was pretty fun.  I tried my hand at the Maypole the second night.  I did the maypole with fourth grade many years ago.  

Caleb Report: Truth Will Prevail; Pageant Strike, One Week

I honestly have never felt this way before. It literally feels like there is a black cloud of despair looming above my head that everyone can see but me. Somehow everyone knows to ask the question "how long have you been out?" and then I'm forced to reply as I get a little queezy... "I have a week and a half left" Man, its rough. But, I have been praying for the enabling power of the atonement and I can definitely feel Gods presence. The Lord is good thats for sure. 

We had some cool events take place this week. Pageant ended and we were able to watch it 3 times this week. The last night, Saturday, we were asked to help with Strike. It was really fun actually. During the pageant we took down the country fair which takes place nearby. That went quickly. But we were sweating the whole time and then for about an hour and a half afterward we helped stack 3,000 chairs into trailers. wow... that was exhausting. Once we completed that we helped take down lights and get the lights into trailers. It involved some pretty intense repelling and rope systems. It was pretty crazy. WE left the pageant grounds and didn't get home until 1. Then, up again at 6:30. Plus, we had gotten home at 12 the night previous so we were beat. 6 or so hours of sleep each night. Plus super hard labor involved. It was awful. But the Lord blesses us and we get through.

One of the main themes of the British pageant is that "Truth Will Prevail." All of the miracles that took place in the British Isles are amazing. Thousands of people joining the church. Truth does prevail. I have seen that on my mission. A lot of people have the mentality that it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as it is right for you. But that mentality is completely natural and contrary to God. Truth is truth. Regardless of opinion. So no matter what I believe may or may not be right doesn't matter in Gods eyes when there are certain immortal truths at stake. Those are unalterable. So, it's important to find what God wants. The way to do that is to read the Book of Mormon, and then ask God if it's true. The Spirit you feel will change your life forever. And the answer you receive will help you learn who God truly is. The spirit is the master teacher. So I want to become a Master Seeker of that Spirit. When you lose the spirit you are lost. So find yourself. Read the Book of Mormon and let God's truth Prevail.

Caleb's Weekly Report (only two left); Nauvoo Pageant

Family, 

Wow, another busy week full of miracles and fun. I can"t describe the way I am feeling. I'm so excited to be home and to see family again and start up home life again. But, I love the mission and the people are great and being a missionary is by far the best thing I have ever done. So it's a little interesting. I guess the typical conflicted feelings that you have when you gear up for the end. It's pretty interesting. But! I am definitely still living up the time I have left and we are working hard. 

We had a good exchange with the Elders in Keokuk today. It's like the most interesting place on Earth. And it's also the Geode capital of the World. We are going Geode hunting today. IT should be cool.

Anyways, the work is starting to pick up again here. We have found some new people to teach so hopefully we can get some people on date and prepped for baptism before I go. 

I have seriously just fallen in love with Nauvoo. The Pageant is amazing. We met a Brother and Sister who have received a 5 year call to be the supervisors of the stage crew. The crew is all volunteer young men over 16 who work 18 hours a day. During the show they move the stage. (like the stage literally moves and pieces rotate and they are under the stage moving the thing) and there is also a 60 foot prop of the Nauvoo temple which stands up and down. The temple has a counterweight of 2000 pounds that they men have to push in perfect coordination when they stand it up and down. The Brother who is in charge is recruiting people for next year. So he asked Elder Broadbent and I if we were interested in watching how the stage moved. So of course we agreed. And it's one of the most impressive things I have ever seen.He wants us to apply. We will see. 

I love the Lord and I love being a missionary. I miss you all and will see you soon!

Caleb Is Stoked About Nauvoo Pageant

leadership meeting front row, second from right

zone conference, top row, second from left.

Just a brief note from Caleb about zone conference and the Nauvoo Pageant.

Family,

Nauvoo has stolen my heart. There is honestly no place like it in the world. We had Zone Conference on Friday in the Nauvoo Stake Center. we were lucky enough for he Nauvoo Pageant core cast to come and perform one of the historical Vignettes that they do. The vignette was focused on the calling and missions of the 12 apostles and the sacrifices that they went through to get there. It was amazing. They performed for us in the chapel. On there way in they shook the hands of the missionaries sitting in the aisles. Some how I ended up in the aisle. I had the privilege of shaking hands with Willford Woodruff, Brigham Young, and Parley P. Pratt. Although the actors were portraying these men it seemed as if I was shaking hands personally with the apostles themselves. I think I cried the entire 20 minutes that they were performing. I will never forget the feeling that I had when I watched. It was remarkable.

Elder Broadbent and I gave a training to about 90 missionaries at zone conference this week. We trained bout church attendance and how to get investigators there. It was really cool. The spirit was really strong. Although we didn't have too much time to train it's been amazing to see the direct correlation between the training that we gave and the number of people in the Nauvoo zone who attended church. Hopefully the missionaries in the other zones followed the counsel we gave as well and are benefiting from doing so.

I have a firm testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel. It has especially been confirmed this week as I had another opportunity to view the Nauvoo Pageant and to hear President Jensen speak about the Restoration and Joseph Smith. I love it. The gospel truly has been restored. 

Caleb Ushers Nauvoo Pageant

Caleb and Elder Broadbent at Youth Conference

 Pictures are borrowed from Facebook

Caleb and Elder Broadbent at Nauvoo Pageant

Some excerpts from Caleb's letter"

Family,

This week was pretty ridiculous. On Tuesday we went to Mission Leadership Council in Iowa CIty which lasts all day. On Wednesday we proselyted at the pageant. On Thursday we had a district meeting and then exchanges following. On Friday the other districts meeting and we had to weekly plan. On Saturday we spoke at a Youth Conference in Macomb and then headed over to the pageant to proselyte again. So we have done tons of traveling. But the miracles keep flowing.

     There were several cool experiences that happened this week. The first is Youth Conference. President Jensen asked us to speak with him at a Youth Conference in Macomb. It was so cool to sit next President and Sister Jensen on the stand. There was so much power it was unbelievable. We sang for an opening hymn "Called To Serve" and the spirit was ridiculously strong and present. It was amazing. President and Sister Jensen spoke, then Elder Broadbent spoke about the MTC. I had the opportunity to bat clean up and talk about the first few weeks in the mission field. It was fun. Then Elder Broadbent and I did a Q&A. Never done one of those before. It was really cool! 

     We had planned to drive from Macomb to the temple to do an endowment session, but the Conference took longer than we thought. So we stopped through Carthage and took a tour of the jail. Brother Joseph was a prophet. There is no doubt in my mind. We then drove through Hamilton and on our way up to Nauvoo, but the rain was relentless. The road that goes along the Mississippi flooded and a few cars tried to make through the massive puddles but ended up swamping the engines. Luckily we had our truck and made it through ok. We drove through it and then parked on the side of the road and pushed the cars out. The water was above our knees! It was so intense and we definitely got soaking wet! It's the closest I've gotten to swimming on my mission. It was fun. Luckily we had changed out of our suits after the conference so it was no biggy. I had even brought an extra pair of shoes and socks for some reason. So we drove to Nauvoo and changed. The rain still hadn't stopped though. We drove past the pageant grounds and things were swamped. They cancelled the country fair which happened prior to the Pageant. So we just wiped down chairs and set up them back up properly and then waited for the pageant to start. A stake President from Texas said the opening prayer (also, a member reported to us that prayers were being said in the temple to stop the rain so the pageant could still go on) and asked Father in Heaven to say a prayer. I watched as clouds split in half to go around Nauvoo. It was an absolute miracle. I honestly have never seen anything like it! The sky was so black all around, but it didn't rain. What a miracle/ god hears and answers our prayers. The Nauvoo Pageant has only been cancelled due to weather once. That is remarkable!

I have a testimony of the restored gospel. I love this work. I truly due. Time is flying by. And I can't stand it. Our mission President shared a story this week which made me think, He talked about when he was called as stake president and the president previous to him was super disappointed to be released. The member of the Seventy who was reorganizing the Stake Presidency asked the former President why he was said. The answer is obvious (he was eing released) and then the Seventy said "There is no reason to be sad! You just served for Ten Years! You should be happy." And that is the attitude that I have currently. I am excited to be finished. Not because I won't miss it. Cause I will. But because I just served the Lord with all of my heart might mind and strength for two years! Why would I not be glad? Besides, I am still a member of the restored gospel. I will still have the same responsibilites to find teach ad baptize, just in a different capacity.  am excited to serve the Lord forever. 

I truly love this work. Time is flying. But its time well spent.

I love you!