Wednesday - Full Run-through

They call it a very bad heat wave. The news stations are recommending people stay inside unless they absolutely have to go out. We were outside ALL day! We were rehearsing in the sun. I believe it only got to 90 degrees.

The chairs were setup yesterday, today we setup the last two rows and washed all the chairs in the 9am sun. Now it is done, I hope. Even when we are waiting to do the next rehearsal or activity we are outside. It was a good day, we had success.

The 3rd missionary training lesson was completed. We are now ready to receive the visitors, talk to them about the BofM and Jesus Christ, invite them to do something and get a comment card filled out.

Today's fare: French toast, scrambled eggs, yogurt and cottage cheese. Meleah and Spencer added a bow of cereal. Lunch was a bummer, Meleah and SPencer went to choir practice and when they finished the only food left was salad. Let's just say they were not happy. We were able to get a PBJ for them to eat. For Dinner, stir-fry, rice, cream puff, fruit dish. Meleah was not happy again. Spencer did not eat well so I asked his problem and he said he downed a few Pop-tarts available from his cast team leaders. We are surviving.

Tonight we ran through the whole performance (after a loaded day of practices) in full costume. THe costumes are great. Janette, Meleah and Larry walk in together for the opening processional. Janette walked up in her costume, all I saw was a lady looking at me strangely. Finally I recognized her (the heat is getting to me). She has a wig of brunette hair that is 18" long. She was not easy for me to recognize. Meleah has braided hair and Spencer and Larry have "man skirts"(we wear clothes underneath!).

The place we are staying is called Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, New York.

I asked some of our "local" cast team members about special regional food that we should try while we are here. Here is the list:

• Grape pie
• Salt potatoes (you buy a sack of new potatoes that includes a pound of salt for cooking)
• Garbage plate (fries, hamburger patty, and other, not sure what)

The one place I am most interested in trying is Grill and Chill in Palmyra. I have not been to Palmyra yet, no church sites other than the Hill. We are saving these for after the pageant.

This is not a vacation, this is WORK; sweaty, hot and miserable work in a very sacred place. This is all really cool. No matter what, this is an experience we will remember. It is great doing something crazy like this. I have not figured out why people keep coming back year after year. However, the pageant is really neat and the spirit is strong. We are involved in something real special, that is for sure.

Good night. I need my 5 hours of sleep.