The Shows....

or as we liked to refer to it---The Elder Brandon Dickson watch---

Elder Dickson and his family are one of our dear friends and neighbors.  He lives just around the corner from us except while he is serving his mission in Nauvoo.  He actually was one of the missionaries who spoke when Jena did.  Brandon and Jena have been close friends since kindergarden when they moved in and have been in many plays together over the years.  Although taking Jena to Nauvoo had always been on the list of things to do, since she was just a baby last time, we decided to go this year so that we could share Nauvoo with Brandon.  He is one talented young man and it was so fun to share our time in Nauvoo watching him (and texting pictures to his mom).

Here is a sample:

"Sunset on the Mississippi"--this was an evening variety show and the first time that we saw Brandon.  He knew we were coming but didn't expect to see us until Friday.

The Brass Band is also young performing missionaries

I think this is one of the opening numbers where Brandon (in the blue hat) did a long whistling number.

 "Grandmother's feather bed"

 Brandon has good comic timing and did great in this "advertising song" about a rug whip.

Brandon had seen us as he with the other missionaries had walked through the audience during the Children's parade.  When he did his solo, he came and sang to Jena during part of it.

 These trumpeters are playing each other's trumpets.  It was fun to watch.

 Closing number where the young performing missionaries did sign language with their song.

 Our favorite performing missionary!

Elder Dickson and Jena

We quickly left that show and headed to "The Rendezvous in Old Nauvoo".  This was performed in the Cultural Hall by the Senior Missionaries. This show talked about some of the emotions and experiences of the Saints as they prepared once again to leave their comfortable homes and head west.

This song, sung by the men alone, was my favorite.  I wish that I had the words because they were so powerful sung by these men, many I am sure who have never performed before their mission here. The dialogue right before this talked about whether they should fight the mobs with guns or should they leave like their leaders had asked.  They left, because they had to----and they left because they wanted to-----definitely worth seeing just for this song alone. 

Friday morning we got tickets for "Just Plain Anna Amanda" and to our surprise--after the puppet show part of the show

 out popped our favorite performer---

 He was grandpa on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday casts.

This is a cute little show about Anna Amanda learning that she is special just the way she is and she needs to be the best at what she is.

Friday afternoon was "The Promise", a show that we knew that Brandon would be in.  It was held at the visitor's center.

We still got surprised when we were waiting in line.  All of the sudden we heard singing from above and looked up and saw the missionaries sing in the balcony.  I had not even noticed the upper floor.  I think they sang "Love at Home".  It was beautiful.

 A bit fuzzy from my cell phone but there is Elder Dickson who smiled when he got our glance.

"The Promise"-

Waiting for the show to start---

His "Bishop" role---

After this show, we got a family shot with Brandon.

As we waited to take this picture, we got to observe Brandon as he interacted with the other audience members.  One part of their service is to talk to people after their shows and share their testimonies when appropriate.  Watching Brandon talk to these "strangers" with his happy nature and kind heart, I realized that he wasn't just called on this mission because of his great talent in performing and music but because of his sweet and kind nature and his happy smile. I wish that his mother could have been there that moment (although as I write this, they are in Nauvoo sharing these experiences with him. Nauvoo is the only mission where families are encouraged to come and visit their young missionaries.)

Brandon asked us to come back again to the "Sunset by the Mississippi" because he wanted Jena to come with him during the Children's Parade. He pulled a tambourine for her and she walked with him through the audience and up on stage for the opening number.  Clearfield Falcons--on stage again!

How fun was that!!!

And there was still one more show "Trail of Hope".  At dusk, they light some kerosene lamps along the Parley Road down to the Mississippi River and some of the young performing missionaries tell the stories of different Saints who traveled down the road and across the Mississippi.  Often these were words from the person's journal (how did they keep a journal in those days when I can't today with all of the modern conveniences?)

No pictures were allowed along this short walk but we did get some before it started:

When we visited in 1997, this was known as the Trail of Tears.  When Pres. Hinckley dedicated the Nauvoo Temple in 2002, he asked that the name be changed to the Trail of Hope.  There were certainly tears as the Saints left their homes and headed west, but they did it out of hope for a better future for themselves and for their families.  And now that the Nauvoo Temple once again sat on the hill of their beloved Nauvoo, it is a reminder that their hopes were realized in the west.

 Our guide down the path---one of the performing missionaries

Brandon told us that he performs the part of Brigham Young on Sundays for this walk, but tonight he only had to sing some songs while we were waiting for the walk to start. (We were able to pass him some chocolate candies for which he was very excited.)

We ended up at the Mississippi River and had some quiet moment there looking across this river--about a mile across at this point, and imagined what it was like on those winter days so long ago.

Like many others, I knelt down and touched the water's edge.  I have mentioned before that there were some things which must be touched--to cement the moment or honor the experience.  I don't know why--that is just how I am--and this was a quiet touching moment as I ponder not only the Mormon pioneers who crossed this wide river, but my own relatives who traveled west to Oregon. This river has thousands of stories to tell!

Humid weather is not good for my hair.

Another magical moment happened as we left the river and started walking up the hill.  We saw Brandon and he was able to spend some time with us, sharing more about his experiences as a missionary and things about their daily lives.  It was great.

One reason we had chosen June to make our trip is so that Jena could see the fire flies.  I love fire flies but she was too little to remember them from Plano, but I knew that they were in Nauvoo. However we had not seen any at all on the first night we were here.  While walking down the Trail of Hope, I had seen a few but not quickly enough to show them to Jena.  I mentioned that to Brandon and immediately fire flies were everywhere.  We had turned a small turn and along the base of a row of trees were hundreds of fire flies.  Brandon was able to catch one and showed it to Jena.  They were like little fireworks going off all around us.  It was the perfect end to the Trail of Hope and our visit to Nauvoo.

Brandon told us that when he saw us the first time, it was like his two worlds collided.  At each show he would look for us and sing and dance for us to enjoy.  I asked if it made it harder for him and he (being the kind person he was) said no, he loved it.  He knew his parents would be there in a few weeks as well and in a day or two our neighbors and his friends, the Allens would be there.

It was wonderful to be in Nauvoo and share these moments with Brandon.  It was perfect.