Red Choir Day 2: Greater than the sum of its parts.

Yesterday Elder Kerr made a comment that only crazy Brits would attempt something like this – today I think we understood more of what he meant! The core cast have been assembled for just over a week, the family cast for 5 days, and the choir for just 2 days. And we open on Wednesday! (Technically our dress rehearsal tomorrow is a performance, but to a limited audience of around 500 – including the youth from the local area). But Elder Kerr also reminded us of the need to have faith, and I know that it will somehow all come together and be amazing.

We began today as a choir by being put into districts – each district has a leader who is asked to look after us throughout the pageant and lead things like Family Home Evening. The rest of the day was taken up with safety guidance, singing, lunch, hairstyle instruction, singing, dinner, FHE, walking to and from the pageant theatre, singing, and finished with a full run through.

Well, we have just finished the run through, and WOW. This pageant is made up of hundreds of people; cast (both family and core), choir, crew…but seeing it all start to come together this evening was a reminder to all that it truly is far greater than the sum of all its parts.

During our district’s family home evening earlier this evening, we discussed the importance of Christ’s atonement, and the knowledge that we are all – every one of us here on this earth – children of our Heavenly Father, who loves each and every one of us as His individual children. I know that as we truly come to know and understand this, the way we treat others changes. None of us are perfect, and we will all make mistakes. But when we remind ourselves that we are each His children, we start to see others the way He would have us see them, and treat them how He would have us treat them. In doing this, we are truly blessed, not only in the way we feel about ourselves and others, but in gaining new friends, and in the way that our testimony grows.

When we finished our run through tonight, we were invited to share some of the things we learned from it. It was great to hear so many different things that were learned during the course of the evening: that you don’t need blood, violence, swearing etc to have an amazing show; that even though there are rough edges in need of smoothing, we could still feel the Spirit; that God is with us – otherwise how on earth would this be possible?! I love the feeling here at pageant, the smiles and laughter and the camaraderie between us. One of my favourite comments was from a child in the cast: “That was EPIC!”

I know that as people come to see this pageant, they will be changed. Perhaps they will see the world a little differently. Perhaps they will have their eyes opened to greater truths. Maybe they will have a greater desire to come to know their Lord and Saviour. However it will happen, it will happen. Because we truly are greater than the sum of our parts, and when we – crazy Brits that we are! - all pull together like this, you cannot help but feel His love.