Mission Musings: THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT V: The Production

Today marks one week since the Hill Cumorah Pageant ended. What a busy, glorious time it was. We went to see the pageant every night including the dress rehearsal. I took lots of pictures, but I'm not very good at using my SLR camera at night. I read my instruction book, consulted Pioneer Woman Photography, and did a Google search for help. In the end I was pleased with many of my pictures, especially considering I took them from 120 yards distance. However, it ended up being Divine help that enabled me to take the pictures (the results of which I was happy, even though they are not the greatest quality). I say Divine help because I thought I put my camera on the aperture setting but it was too dark for me to check the setting. When I got home I realized I had it on a manual setting. So I accidentally ended up getting pretty good pictures, some may say it was an accident, I say it was the tender mercies of the Lord.

In the next three posting of this blog I will tell the story depicted in the Hill Cumorah Pageant using pictures and words. So. . .here is Part I:

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The pageant begins as trumpeters play from the top level of the stage, and the cast, that has been mingling with the audience, forms an impressive processional onto the stage. (Two pictures below)

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Lehi (below in blue) is a prophet in Jerusalem 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. He warns the people of Jerusalem that they must repent, but instead they try to kill him. He takes his family and flees into the wilderness.

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While in the wilderness Lehi has a vision of the tree of life. He partakes of the fruit of the tree and desires his family to partake also. The fruit is very desirable and represents the love of God. (Nephi, Lehi's son is in the striped blue robe.)

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After Lehi tells his family about the vision, his son Nephi wants to understand the meaning of it. He has the same vision, in which an angel gives him an interpretation and also foretells the birth, the ministry and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. (Below the angel shows Nephi, in vision, the birth of Christ and Christ calling His 12 apostles.)

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Lehi leads his family (with Ishmael's family that joined them) further into the wilderness and they come to the ocean. Nephi is commanded to build a ship but his older brothers mock him, "Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship. . ."

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Nephi's older brothers even tried to throw him into the sea but by the power of God they could not touch him or else they would wither as a dried reed. Then he spake some profound words to them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. . .how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?

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After that, Nephi's brothers, Laman and Lemuel began to help him build the ship. When it was finished they all sailed to the promised land, the Americas.

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Once in the new world, the family prospers and Lehi blesses his children, then he dies. Nephi keeps a record of his people on plates of metal which will eventually become part of the Book of Mormon.

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Laman and Lemuel are still rebellious and plan to kill Nephi and his followers. Warned by the Lord, Nephi leads his people to safety. His family comes to be know as the Nephites and their enemies come to be known as the Lamanites.