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Show Page 12 The Second Miracle By Karen Buchanan this experience, so much so, that when his beloved father died five months later, he remembered and was comforted by the words he had spoken in the production earlier that year. He said that those words gave him the courage to go on with his fathers w ork and to give comfort to his mother in such a way that he may not have been able to do without that reassurance. Many young boys and girls look forward to Pageant time the way other youth anticipate summer camp or other vacation many people in preparation, serving and ancillary services. It activities. They often memorize is estimated that at least 65,700 the whole dialogue and can be hours are voluntarily contributed heard reciting the lines together. in the presentation of the Pageant Many of the girls are in the final each year. This kind of dedication angel scene where they often is in itself a miracle by todays perform with their mothers in a often stated standard of "vv hat's in special bonding it for me". experience. But there is something in it Families often arrange famchildren in ancient America. The for these volunteers. Besides the ily vacations to accommodate the Mormon Miracle Pageant tells of wonderful feeling of contributing Pageant experience. One Nephi this great event. It explains a to grand effort, many individufamily travels more than 50 miles Christ's teachings of Eternal als come away with rewarding from their home to perform in the Life, that the earthly commitPageant. They usually arrive personal experiences. One young ments we make to each other can man tells of going to South home after one o'clock in the continue after death America as a missionary to teach morning on performance nights. The Pageant also tells of the the Restored Gospel. New and The Pageant participants dedicate migration of the Mormon piovery "green, he found himself at least 20 nights for rehearsals neers from their homes in the answering questions about the and performances. Midwest to the western United Church with quotations he had Performers are encouraged States Territories. They had been learned from participating in the to study and learn the scriptures driven from their beautiful city of Pageant most of his young life. vv hich tell of the ev ents they enact. He reported to his family that Nauvoo, Illinois, by violent mobs. Often this study extends beyond As they traveled by w agon train to those experiences each summer their own personal involvement the great Salt Lake, the miracles had impressed on his young mind and on to other scriptures which continued. They felt the blessings a knowledge and understanding teach the concepts portrayed in of God over their journey and and love of the Church that he the complete production. when they arriv ed at their destinacould not have learned in any The Pageant is in a state of tion they made the desert blossom other way, even in the Missionary constant change, however small, as a rose, as the Prophet Isaiah had to keep it vibrant and alive to both Training Center. Another young man, a repromised in the Old Testament. performers and audience. Many The restoration of the Gospel turned missionary, played the Pageant goers come back year of Jesus Christ w as truly a miracle important role of Robert, the after year and each finds his own and has proven to continue to be a young romantic lead in the little miracle in viewing the miracle in the lives of the more Pageant. Robert joins the church production again and again. than ten million members of The and travels west with the pioFirst time attenders may find their Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Da- y neers. In the journey his young miracle waiting here too, whether Saints (the Mormons). wife dies and he learns first hand in the form of new insights, But there is another miracle the reality of life after death. The renewed faith or perhaps much involved with the Pageant that is y oung actor was greatly moved by needed peace of mind. The Mormon Miracle Pageant is the story of the miracle of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in modern times. It tells of the Church in ancient America and of how these great truths were restored by God and His Son, Jesus Christ, through Joseph Smith in 1830. These were truly miraculous happenings as God and Christ appeared to a young boy in upstate New York. They told him that the true Church of Christ had been taken from the earth in the first century when His apostles were killed, and that he, Joseph Smith, was to be the instrument in the Lord's hands to bring about the restoration of that Gospel. An important part of the Gospel restoration was the restoring of the Book of Mormon, the record of God's dealings w ith His not told in words. This is the miracle of the more than 1,000 people behind the scenes and in the production itself. Besides the nearly 550 people who actually appear before the public, there are equally as many working with costumes, makeup, and scenery. Support services such as parking attendants, traffic coordinators, and health and security are involved each personnel night. The food served at the church buildings and in the park and church food booths involves mother-daught- Christensen rendition of what the temple landscaping if like looked have original plans had been followed. may A VIEW FROM THE PAST - C.C.A. er Famous C.C .A. Christensen painting shows early plan for landscaping This painting represents a most unusual view of the Manti unusual because the Temple temple landscaping never appeared as it is portrayed here. Great steps or ledges were cut into the hill during the building phase of the temple, and some consideration had been given to planting them with shrubs and vines which would flow from one level to another. The idea never materialized, however, and by 1907 earth was hauled in to The historic Manti Temple will be open for endowment sessions on all days of the Mormon Miracle Pageant. Sessions will be held each day, Tuesday through Saturday at the following times: 7:30 a.m.; 8:30 a.m.; 9:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m.; 1:30a.m.; 12:30p.m.; 1:30p.m.; 2:30 p.m.; 3:30 p.m. No evening sessions will be held during the pageant. Times listed are the times that sessions begin. Names are assigned beginning 12 hour prior to each session starting time. The Temple, which was rededicated June, 1985, following several years spent carefully restoring and updating its facilities, utilizes the traditional live endowment ceremony, as opposed to the filmed presentation used in all but the Salt Lake and Manti Temples. The Manti Temple was first dedicated in 888. Public and private dedication ceremonies were held at that time, because some of the participants in the secret dedication were wanted by federal officers on charges of practicing plu1 One of the many projects to accomplish before the Pageant can begin is hoisting the six light towers into place. Hundreds of workers spend thousands of hours in preparation for ay production. The greatest event of the mm Everyone Invited ! ; ral marriage. On May 26, 1963, the 75th anniversary of the Temple was observed. A four hour and 45 As scenes from the Book of minute Solemn Assembly was Mormon unfold into vivid imagheld in the assembly room upstairs ery on Manti's temple hill, the narin the Temple, attended by all the rator speaks of "...the greatest General Authorities of the Church event of the book" the appearand 1500 Priesthood leaders from ance of Jesus Christ to the ancient the 26 Stakes which then cominhabitants of the Americas. the prised Temple District. Presi"Because of its scope and dent David O. McKay presided at magnitude," the narrator says, "it the gathering and the Spoken is saved for each person to exWord was broadcast from the perience, individually, as you read Manti Temple, accompanied by it and it." the Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake Nonmembers of the LDS City. Church can obtain a copy of the On July 10, 1974, President Book of Mormon by either filling Spencer W. Kimball addressed a out a request card and mailing it 71 stake fireside at the foot of the in, or by speaking to a stake or fullTemple Hill. The group present time missionary in one of the inyoung adults from all formation booths located at the stakes south of the Point of the northwest and southeast comers of Mountain. the temple grounds. Another milestone in the As supplies are limited, memTemples history occurred during bers of the Church are encouraged the 1976 national Bicentennial celnot to request copies of the Book ebration, when on June 12 that of Morion. year, the Mormon Tabernacle Book (of Mormon) smooth the hill to its present shape While there, it was damaged and and limestone stairs were built later taken for repairs. Upon its refrom the base of the hill to the west turn, it was hung in the Wells door. These stairs were removed Room in the temple, where it reand replaced with more lawn in mained until the remodeling of the 1940. temple in 1981. At this time the painting was This painting has been in the taken for cleaning and it was disit from crethe time was temple ated. At some point the lower half covered that beneath the green of the painting was covered with lawn was a somewhat different a coat of green to resemble grass. depiction of the landscaping. It It was hung at times by various was restored to its original state temple presidents and spent some and now hangs in the lobby at the years in the attic of the temple. north entrance to the temple. Many historical milestones highlighted by Manti Temple 1 the June 1999 Mormon Miracle Pageant Supplement Messenger-Enterpris- e the foot of the Temple Hill. Later, ' in 1 967, a new visitors center vas( concert at the foot of the Temple built at the top of the hill, but this Hill. building is no longer used for that On June 10, 1977, President purpose. Visitors are again welSpencer W. Kimball presided over comed at the foot of the hill in the' yet another Solemn Assembly in 1925 building. Choir and the Utah Symphony combined to present an open-ai- r the Temple. At that time, 975 priesthood leaders from 35 stakes assembled to hear the Church leader. June, 1985 saw a steady stream of prominent leaders of the LDS Church and their families during the three days of the The Manti Temple was the fifth temple to be completed in the Church's history and the third since the Church headquarters were moved to Utah in 1 847. Con- struction of this Temple was begun in 1877 and completed in 1888. Completed early that 1888 were temples in St. George and Temples Missionary services were es- Logan. The Salt Lake Temple, tablished in 1925 with the con- begun in 1853 was completed and struction of the Visitors Center at dedicated after 40 years of construction, in 1893. Visit the missionary booths at the corners inside the seating area for more information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da- y Saints. back bt popular demantdi thmk Da i in must Again this season, beginning June 1st re-re- Wand-crafte-d gifts, souvenirs and home decor. Open every day of the Pageant from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sanpete County Fairgrounds Exhibition Building Horseshoe Mfn. Lodge & Sil s Horseshoe Mtn. Restaurant 850 So. Hwy. 89 - Mt. Pleasant Call www. horseshoemtn com . frOQR C |