happenings in Palmyra

After flying back to New York, we hopped out of bed early the next morning to participate in a big Erie Canal Bike ride, starting at Buffalo and ending in Albany. Unlike some others, who rode for the entire 6 day-500 mile trip,we just rode a wimpy 20 miles, from Fairport to Palmyra. Carl had fixed up some bikes we found at the mission home. Our "team" was very small, just us and Elder Servoss, his grandson, and two of the young men missionaries.

It was lots of fun, even when Elder Servoss' bike got a flat. We had a fun visit with a good Samaritan who stopped and patched up the tube. (We had forgotten to bring our patch kit.)

The bike ride was also very scenic, as we rode alongside the Erie Canal.

This past week also marked the start of the Hill Cumorah Pageant where, on dress rehearsal night,  we were so happy to see  two of our former missionaries, who recently finished their missions and came back as members of the cast.

Elder Swaner is a Nephite warrior, while Elder Hulse is Alma.

Pageant is even more amazing now, in its 75th year, than it was when we last attended, about 20 years ago,with 8 kids in tow.

We loved the special effects. This boat ends up sailing in a storm, complete with thunder, lightning, wind and rain. The passengers are thrown about and the sail ends up shredded and torn.

The cast of 750 people, from all over the country, do an incredible job. They have less than a week to rehearse.

It's off to pageant again tonight, bringing with us some new friends who have never been to Pageant before and who know little about our church. Tomorrow night we help man the information booth, as we did last week.  It  is so much fun, meeting people from all over.