Cast Testimonies Continued:
As I ponder the many thoughts and feeling that have entered my heart during the rehearsing and performance of this play, I truly marveled and was reminded frequently, at what a privilege it has been in my life to have been blessed with an undeniable testimony of the veracity of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and of his vision of the Father and the Son in that sacred grove. Though I have always realized the great sacrifice that he made, being in this play brought to life week after week, the reality of how much he truly sacrificed, that he committed to and gave his whole life for the gospel and it’s restoration. It was a most humbling experience as I watched those with whom I worked with in the cast reenact the joyous, sad and trying times the prophet endured. Though of a cheerful nature, it brought home forcibly that what he endured would have caused most men to shrink and fall away under the intense persecution he received. He truly submitted to the will of the Father in his life after much trial, testing, faith and refinement. It made me give serious consideration to my own life and how does my life compare, in some very small way. Am I progressing towards truly understanding the will of the Father and submitting willingly? It made me turn inward and take an intense look inside as to the progress in my life and my willingness to submit completely to the will of my Father. One line in the play that I was fortunate to give was that the prophet truly exemplified the Savior’s teaching “Great love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends “. made me realize how fortunate and blessed I have been that I was one of those friends that the prophet sacrificed his life for and it touched my heart over and over how blessed I am that I know his life’s work was true and from our Father in Heaven as well as pondering the great blessings in my life because of someone who was willing to give so much. As we live our lives and go through the daily routines, it can often times be a challenge to feel the testifying power of the Spirit, somehow, every single day but this play brought that incredible blessing into my life as I listened to those who at first simply read and rehearsed their parts, then began to bring the Spirit and their acting became entwined with their testimonies and gradually it became a great joy to attend rehearsals several times a week and feel of that sweet testifying spirit over and over again. The Spirit continued to testify of something that I already knew with all my being to be true but was as the living water that the Savior taught about as I freely drank and could not seem to get enough. I knew, I still know and somehow participating in this play strengthened my testimony to depths I could never have imagined. It also reminded me that I look forward to the day when I can hopefully sit at his feet and listen as he testifies of the Savior and of his life’s journey.
- Scott M. (Brother Morley, Thomas Colborn, Man)