Tuesday
night we went to another mission presidency meeting at the
Christensens. We went to show them one of displays and give them an
update of our progress. They were all really impressed. We've been
having a debate about having a Christus - President wants a 6' one
(apparently there's a replica of the real ones that are hollow inside so
it's not as heavy). We had a discussion about if the size changes the
magnitude of the message it conveys. We are having a Book of Mormon
roundtable that you see at other temple visitors' centers and S. Wagner
and I thought it would be sweet to put the smaller ones you can get at
desert book at the very top. What better way to say the Book of Mormon
is another testament of Jesus Christ? Everyone's all up in arms in this
discussion while in the mean time President Christensen keeps getting up
and walking out of the room doing something. In my mind i think "what
the heak is he doing? Only President Christensen can just walk in and
out of conversations and get away with it". He comes back in with a
table (still in the mean time everyones talking), places a 19" Christus
on top, and puts it in the center of the room. He sits back down. 10
minutes later - back up, adjusts the Christus, sits back down. It seemed
like no one else thought it was as hilarious as I did in my head. Looks
like we all need to calm down and remember who's at the center of all
that we do.
IT GETS BETTER…..
President tells us that
he is picking up Elder Perry and Elder Rasband from the airport to take
them to a couple meetings and that the chances are very small that
they'll have time to stop and look at the PVC but to be set up at the LP
chapel for the day just in case.
We drive down with the assistants and sit in the LP chapel
literally almost all day with no further update. Good thing our work is
portable so we could still get stuff done. We knew they had to leave at 3
to make their flight and my watch now said….3. Chances are getting
slimmer. 10 minutes later…in walks Elder Perry, Elder Rasband, and the
head of Public Affairs in Salt Lake. Considering Elder Perry is the one
in conference that pushed chapel tours, Elder Rasband was the one stoked
at the missionary meeting about the PVC, and then add head of Public
Affairs…we got the right people in the room.
I got to shake (most likely) the future prophet's hand! Woa. And
they loved it. Shocker. Hopefully this will get things rolling in Salt
Lake faster.
Last Main Display DONE!
The
Restoration board has caused us some major problems. Satan has attacked
the restoration since….forever….and apparently he thinks our board is
important enough to attack as well. We've never started from scratch so
many times. We really wanted a picture of the first vision but there are
NO good versions out there. We searched far and wide…even got
connections with the people who were involved in making Prophet of the
Restoration. NOTHING. Come on people - this is kind of a fundamental
belief…lets depict it….in a not lame way. After going over draft over
draft we feel pretty good about a version. It's not the first vision,
it's a boy (who looks like Joseph Smith) reading…the board looked pretty
awesome. We showed it to President and Sister Packard and they did not
like it. Blast. But they said we could send it in to be printed anyway.
We've exhausted every resource possible - we got nothin left! I was
ready to call it quits and print the one we had but diligent and
faithful sister Wagner was still convinced there was a way. At this
point I may or may not want to throw myself in front of a bus. The
assistants have been helping us with this problem board and they saw the
vision that didn't exist as well so we were like what do we do?? It
doesn't exist! We have approval to send in the board but it's just not
right. One of the elders was like well then just take the picture you
want yourself…….it gets quiet. We had thought about that…but couldn't
think of a way or a person to really depict it without mocking it or
having it look tacky. Then I was like "well….YOU kinda look like Joseph
Smith…"
Then it gets quiet again…."guys lets do it."
We didn't
even tell President Packard - we knew he was bummed at the board and
didn't want to propose false hopes if it didn't work.
We called our most patient and perfect graphic designer and
proposed the wacky idea. Next thing we know, the next day we're taking a
road trip to New Hampshire!
We were messing around making
fun of the idea on the way up..but we said an opening prayer before we
started and as soon as we got going there was a huge shift of
atmosphere. As soon as sister warner (our graphic designer) would get
ready to take the picture, light would break through the clouds. I'm not
sure what it would actually feel like if we were able to look on at the
simple prayer…but I think I got a bit of an idea. It was…..incredible.
When has there ever been an easy way to describe the spirit?
THE BOARD LOOKS INCREDIBLE. We sent it to President
(still not telling him who the real joseph smith was) and he and sister
packard almost died over the phone. They were SO happy. You have to know
President Packard to understand but he always has the motto of saying
yes first….and then figuring out how to do it. He always says 'There's
only one grade in the MBM. Premium grade.' We were like "President, we
thought we'd have to let you down and not find a solution…..and we were
right..there were no pre-made solutions. so we just created one
ourselves! The last board was a B+ and as we know there's only one grade
in the MBM…." He was like a little boy in a candy store it was too
hilarious. He still doesn't know who played Joseph Smith because you
can't even tell but we told the APs they could tell him today. Can't
wait to hear his reaction.
Hopefully that gives you just a sliver of the
reality of my week. You'd think it would feel like there were more hours
in the week if you were awake in more of them than usual buuuut
apparently not.
Love,
Sister Bell
keepin it real!
1.Proof of Elder Perry
2. Behind the scenes photo shoot fun
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