BOTR withdrawals

I'm feeling withdrawals from Built On The Rock.  It was over a week ago.  I attended 5 performances, including the last full dress rehearsal.  And I would keep going if there were any more performances.  The costumes were amazing. The talent was incredible.  The spirit was palpable.  The youth were glowing.  The testimonies were undeniable. 
Elli and Emma: they made me cry. 
I just can't express enough how much I loved watching my own daughters participate in and be immersed in something so powerful and so life-changing. 

Clearly, the following videos of their biggest roles don't do their performances or the production any justice.  You can't get the full spirit of the show with just a small piece of it and you can't quite feel the full effect of the 200+ kids in the risers singing back up and doing small hand movements.  But hopefully you CAN see a little bit of what makes me so proud as a mom. 

Emma dances in a scene that portrays Alma the Younger, just after he believes Abinadi's words and escapes the wicked King Noah.  The vocal soloist in this WATERS OF MORMON scene is unbelievable.  The girls dancing are being baptized by Alma the Younger.  It was a very beautiful number to watch and listen to. 

 

(Emma's scene was immediately before Elli's big scene and it's a little blurry.  I think we fixed that problem before recording Elli's scene)

 

Elli was one of 4 "modern teens" that are on a hike together, discussing seminary and the Book of Mormon (one of the teens has stopped attending seminary and is questioning the church and the Book of Mormon; the other 3 teens are telling him about the Book of Mormon and how it's changed their lives.  The modern teen scenes lay the groundwork for the Book of Mormon stories scenes)

This is Elli's biggest moment in the play when she sings this song, ROCK OF MY REDEEMER.  Because the spotlight is on her, she is completely washed out, but she sounds incredible. 

so, so proud of both my girls. 

 

 

(the final scene, emma is in the risers just behind elli's head)

(love this natural shot of elli looking for someone)

(thank you grandma Nevada and grandma and grandpa Barry for coming!)

(Madsen staring at kids in elaborate costumes)

 

 

I hope that my girls and their friends will remember this Built On The Rock journey like they remember their baptism days.  I hope they will remember the power that is in the Book of Mormon and the lessons they can learn in modern times from the testimonies of the prophets in the stories that are told.  Mostly, I hope they will remember how it felt to testify of Christ with such passion and confidence.  What a blessing it is to be their mother and to watch their testimonies explode through song and dance. 

 

Can't wait for Nolan to experience this in 4 years.

 

this link will take you to the Built On The Rock website where you can find out more about the music and the production, including how to put it on in your own stakes. 

 

 

 

Grandma Nevada (from Arizona) comes to Washington

Can you even imagine how excited (and confused) my state-loving Madsen was? 

 

Grandma came for Built On The Rock.  In addition to those 3 exhausting days (another post),

we "google hung out" with most of the Harward sibs (we missed you, Chad!) on Mother's Day,

went out to lunch at a different restaurant every day,

didn't go to Sprouts (we don't have one in Washington;

even though mom asked me every day if we did),

went to a northwest beach,

had lunch atop the Space Needle,

bought raspberries at Pike Place Market (I'm leaving out a story),

and grandma was tested on her states and capitals knowledge.

 

 

 

 

I'm thrilled that Madsen got so much face time with grandma.  Since he fell asleep on the way to and from the airport (when we picked her up AND when we dropped her off), he is still thoroughly confused as to where she came from and where she disappeared to. 

 

hopefully it won't be too long before he gets to see her again. 

emma at {nearly} 15

Emma is

• a dancer
• a singer
• a learner
• a friend
• a missionary
• an arguer
• a nurturer
• an artist
• a hoarder
• a leader
• a musical-theater junkie
• a Netflix entire-season-in-one-sitting watcher
• a napper
• a gourmet popcorn popper
• a soft-pretzel maker
• a bathtub (did she fall asleep in there?) soaker
• an earphone-in-one-ear-24/7-music-listener
• a baby lover
• a crier
• a forgiver
• a thinker
• a rule follower
• a cream cheese hater
• a clothes-borrower
• a caesar salad lover
• a john green and jodi picoult reader
• a physical-ailments-complainer
• a talker
• a yoga-pants-whenever-she-can-get-away-with-it wearer
• a self-conscious-selfie-taker
• a very loved daughter

side note:  Ellison and Emma both bore amazing testimonies today in sacrament meeting about the upcoming youth conference production of Built On The Rock.  I am so proud of both of them for both recognizing and sharing the little ways that being a part of this experience has strengthened them.  I can't express enough how excited I am to watch them this weekend.