So this last Saturday my son, Big Z and My brother Mr. B had the unique, once in a lifetime privilege of preforming in the Gilbert Arizona Temple Cultural Celebration.
It was NOT easy.
The big Saturday before hand was a killer! The dust was so bad many kids had to go the doctor or worse the hospital. Big Z came home swollen in his face his eyes were red, lungs hurt a little.
However, I think I'm going to get some hate mail because I was praying this would happen, that it would be HARD on them.
I heard a quite a few someones say 2 days before, "You will see, the Lord will make sure it doesn't rain". And at first I thought, " "Well, maybe".
But then that night, I spoke to my husband.
I was saying WHY should the Lord make everything easy for them?
This is a temple of our God!
It's not a new symphony hall, a white house or even the Olympics.
I believe deeply that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. The history of building temples past is filled with SACRIFICE! Oh the hardships they went through!!
Our kids are young and could use this challenge of their faith. The majority could have that blessing of KNOWING what they did for this temple, how they are a part of it's story. Our sweet kiddos were learning only a smidge of this as they could barely breathe through the dust the weekend before.
And while us helicopter parents were busy praying for no rain these kids were praying for no dust. They were/are learning what to pray for and what matters most. I'm told the rain didn't really kick in hard till about 30 minutes before the performance, which to me shows again something. If the rain came too early parents would have pulled their kids, the field would have been sludge and the kids health and energy would have been zapped.
But as for my son, he came home soaked and wiped out physically. He gave his parents (us) a big hug (which I thought was a bit odd) then hobbled off to a hot shower. Had he really learned something about being thankful for everything good in his life? I guess later the question was answered as he testified of miracles and stories!
How can I put a price tag on that? Was the price they paid too high for this solidifying of this faith in God during trials while doing something so meaningful and historical?
I'm just saying that (in normal calculated risks) we don't need to tuck them away from the elements of life and never let them experience normal things. How can they be thankful for the sun if they have never been through the rain?
My heart just pounds and my eyes water for this beautiful sacrifice that they made. The memory forged by the elements is now a permanent part of their life story and speaks volumes of the character they have.
( Capt. Moroni in the rain above, with permission from Jerry Furguson)
My son wouldn't have missed it for the world. I am so thankful for his strong heart and spirit!
Our kids can do hard things!!
That's what I wanted for them! They really did suffer quite a bit this night, truly. The behind the scenes stories keep pouring in. Some kids didn't get to participate as they would have liked. My heart goes out to those sweethearts who went through so much more than just a bad night. I'm not happy they were sad and in pain, I am proud of their efforts which at least to me, was not in vain! They had a purpose.
My perspective sees teens who are told everyday how they are a chosen generation but have never get a chance to prove it, especially in this rare way, before. AND THEY JUST SHINED!
I am amazed and proud at how they sang and danced through the rain, which is a decision I hope they make throughout the storms of their lives!
That's all I'm trying to say.
So, yes, I prayed for the rain, send the hate mail addressed to me. Thx!
20 comments:
Love this! My parents served as captains and my sister was a soloist in the celebration. They said it was tough for sure but MUCH better than the dust the week before. All those kids will have that memory of working so hard in the rain. It's wonderful!
Great post! Kids can do hard things like you said! And they need to... to grow! Don't we all? Uncle Doug and I were given new callings as a nurturing couple in a YSA ward in one of the YSA stakes here in Utah. It's amazing the testimonies of these kids. A lot of them are return missionaries... guys/girls both! The stake pres. of the YSA told us that 50 % of returning missionaries go inactive! So we are working hard to rescue and keep up with those on missions from our boundaries so they will feel a part of a greater good. We are here to help them learn how to run the various organizations in the church. Plus we will be going on Pioneer Trek with our home stakes youth this Summer as a ma/pa. This will be my first time doing the actual trek. I've helped cook 2 other times in past. Lots of growth coming our way too. Never too old to grow.... or too young! Keep up the good work.
I completely agree with you! Our prayers aren't always answered the way we think that they should be, and sometimes you just need to work hard when the storms are swirling all around. Thanks for sharing!
If you watched the weather news that night, you saw that most areas of the valley had over an inch of rain. Some had 1.5-1.75 inches. The town with the smallest official rain total was....Gilbert. What I found miraculous was that there was just the right amount of rain to make it memorable and exciting, without making it a disaster. 1.75 inches of rain would have flooded the park and ended the event. We needed the rain and it felt like a blessing to me.
Well said. I was there and witnessed these valiant youth discovering how strong they are and how much they love their prophet. Their sacrifice was sufficient before The Lord! Thank you for your words. It made me tear up for yet another time. I'm so grateful I was given the opportunity to serve in this event.
Its amazing to me that so many were hoping it would not rain, I was very thankful it did. I knew that if I did not rain, the kids may have not done such a GREAT JOB. They would have been worried about their Hair, their Makeup, What everyone thought of them and how they felt about others around them. The rain washed all of those silly things away. The rain made this a Cleansing of the Spirit for each of them as they worked hard to do their part in spite of the Rain. They came away Happy and wet with a much stronger Spirit. Not a facebook moment for their friends to see their Hair and make up. The Lord knew what he had Planned for that event. How many days had we gone without the rain? It was all in the Plan and the Program went off as HE had Planned.
Elder Kent S Richards said in his talk in the 3rd Dedicatory Session something to the effect of "The Lord opened the windows of Heaven last night and poured out blessings upon our youth." Because we live in a desert place, we know the value of rain & water and we know where it comes from. Sometimes the Lord sends it distilling like dew from Heaven and sometimes He pours it out upon us! The rain made the Celebration all the more memorable for the youth. They will never forget this experience!
My daughter was there too, and I'm so glad it rained. The hardships made it mean that much more to her. I'm so impressed by the fantastic attitudes of the youth. I've only heard and seen positivity come from this experience. We, as humans, appreciate things more the harder we work for them. I keep thinking that it took 12000 teenagers celebrating a new temple to get this dried up valley some rain!!
Psalms 72
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
(I also attended the 3rd dedication session!)
Thanks for your post. I doubt you'll get any hate mail, and if you do that person clearly missed the point.
Thanks for your perspective. I watched the show online from far away, although I grew up in Mesa. Many family members participated in this -- they all said that they were thankful for the rain and the experience. And I think what Elder Eyering said in his remarks will come to pass, that they will always remember this experience.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I was one of those who said, "Heavenly Father will make sure it doesn't rain during their performance!" But as you pointed out, it was more important that it didn't rain before the actual show time. I loved reading this and knowing that my girls had to persevere. So much is just handed to them and they don't often get to experience "hard things." They will never forget this and they will have amazing stories to tell from their experience. Thank you, again for posting this!
Wow! I'm blown away by your perspective! I LOVE it! They CAN do hard things, and Saturday night was a testament to that fact! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings on this. :-)
Well said! truly the best event ever for the strength built.I am a grandma that prays daily for tests like these to protect them from the very real evil of the world.
Sorry, but your perspective is just that: YOUR perspective. My daughters are severely asthmatic, and had to be inside for the majority of that storm, because of the damage that could have been done to their lungs, including the onset of an attack which, if not treated, could have killed them. My youngest daughter has to carry an EpiPen with her at all times in the event that she has a an asthma attack so severe that she stops breathing. Wanting kids to be resilient is one thing. Teaching them to press on through adversity is commendable. Wanting kids to get rained on where they can be exposed to the elements and inclement weather and possibly life threatening situations? Absolutely absurd. I'm glad my daughter didn't participate, because I like her just the way she is: alive in my home.
Rita, your comment doesn't make sense. Which is worse for asthma? Dust or rain?
All the asthmatics that I know of have a lot more trouble with dust!
Dust was causing all sorts of trouble for those kids. The rain was a blessing in disguise. It reduced the particulates in the air.
Furthermore, if you are so upset about the rain, ranting on this blog post is just silly and unproductive.Take your complaint up with God. Hundreds of people prayed for the weather to be calm that night, but He didn't will it to be such. He knows what He is doing, even if we don't agree with His choices.
P.S. if your daughter didn't even participate that night, then what is your gripe?
I happen to know the Service family. Did you know that her husband and one of her kids has severe asthma? I think she also had a large brain tumor removed a few years ago. They know all about medical problems.
I Honestly Loved every word of this post! So many things about this event have touched my soul. You have brought to me a new perspective on this whole event. Thank you for writing it, and for sharing.
When it was raining, I thought of the song my sister-in-law wrote--When I am Baptized. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. That's what we need to enter the temple.
Thank you so much for sharing this-I couldnt agree with you more. I shared this with my missionary son as well as our Young Women this week. I loved how you said they are called a chosen generation and this night they got to prove it. And YES they can do hard things!!
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