ONE LAST WORD

How to sum it all up, I thought? 

How to get the emotions, feelings, growth from all of you together? 

Nearly impossible, I'm sure.  But I came close.

I asked you to send me one word, those of you who participated and immersed yourself in this musical these past few months.  One word to cover it all.

This is what you sent me. 

Some were duplicated several times, others one of a kind.  I loved what it became, a work of art in itself as I read your words and they melded together, creating the summarized masterpiece of what this experience has become for us all.


Director and Friend, Keturah, shared her one word thoughts a little more deeply than some:
"I also wanted to give you my one word: Unforgettable. This experience was unforgettable in so many ways. I will never forget how the Lord watched over me, and all of us through out this entire process. I will never forget the atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ who made it possible for one as small as me to act as a conduit for the Spirit of God, and help do His work in the lives of so many. It is impossible to ever forget the many many miracles that began happening right from the beginning of this journey, and never stopped down to the last minute of the last performance. The miracles will even continue on in all of our lives, and the lives of any who were able to experience the production. The people who have come into my life because of this wonderful experience are absolutely unforgettable!! I will never, nor could I ever, forget even a one of them! The people who came into place in every aspect, from my new right arm and the other half of my brain, to the entire Production staff, to my new best Builder friend, to my adorable dance instructor, our pianists extraordinaire, our Amazing Orchestra Director, to our insanely valuable Stage Crew (slash do everything in the world team) to the Tech, I will never forget a soul or the hard work they lovingly gave with never a complaint (or at least not too many :) haha) I have new best friends of every age. People who I never would have known, are now my unforgettables. I have loved every minute of this journey and will repeat that it was "A Joy" forever. I know that the Lord made all the burdens light, and the rewards so great I cannot contain them. I am so eternally grateful for what this brought to my life and to the lives of so many wonderful people in our incredible Hyde Park Stake. The Lord truly does know each of us and what we need in our lives, this will ever be a faith building and testimony growing experience in my mind, and when I'm old and senile and can remember nothing else, this will be unforgettable still!! I love my Savior, and my Heavenly Father more than I can say and I love my wonderful Hyde Park Stake Family!! You are UNFORGETTABLE!"




I thought about President Randall, then, and his inspiration in seeing this need to be fulfilled in our stake.  I imagine the prayers and pondering he must have done to receive the needed direction in how to help our stake..... and I am grateful.  (This will be given as a gift on canvas for him to hang up and remember how this experience has changed lives.) 


I loved how President Salisbury stated it in his email to me.... "That was really what we wanted the musical to be, was a taste of Zion, people of one heart and one mind. People pure in heart, not perfect, but pure and perfect in their desire for a successful stake musical."




I've seen your faces, witnessed you in action, watched in awe....
and testify that you are just that... pure and perfect in desires... creating ZION and changing lives.  


My one last word?

 ONENESS ....
  .... defined as the quality or state of being one;
                                 wholeness;

                                      A state or condition of perfect harmony;

                                        Unison.... of mind and purpose.


                    
                 Such is the state of the Hyde Park Stake after experiencing... the musical.... ZION.
                                                                                          May it linger in our hearts forever.