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End, modify, or continue?   Wow!

 

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing across the earth. As this occurs, local Church leaders and members are encouraged to focus on gospel learning in their homes and to participate in Sabbath worship and the Church’s supporting programs for children, youth, individuals and families. The goal of every activity in the Church should be to increase faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to share His gospel message throughout the world. Local celebrations of culture and history may be appropriate. Larger productions, such as pageants, are discouraged. As it relates to existing pageants, conversations with local Church and community leaders are underway to appropriately end, modify or continue these productions.

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https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/statement-local-celebrations-pageants-october-2018

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Can long time members tell me why these pageants should end? I attended the Nauvoo pageant a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Maybe because I was a new member, I dunno. It was like going to outdoor theater. I thought it was fine, so I was a bit surprised to see this new statement. Do they take too much money and members' time or something?

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I've been to the Hill Cumorah Pageant a few times, but no others.  The newsroom statement is too vague for any of us to guess accurately at why it was made.  However, I expect this is key:

2 hours ago, Grunt said:

The goal of every activity in the Church should be to increase faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to share His gospel message throughout the world.

I imagine every pageant or similar event will be evaluated to determine how well or poorly it does at this.  Perhaps also to determine whether this is its primary purpose.  Based on the results of the evaluation, the pageant / event will either be cut, changed, or continued as-is.

I could be all wrong, but this is the best conclusion I can draw from what the newsroom release said.

Edited by zil
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2 hours ago, zil said:

I've been to the Hill Cumorah Pageant a few times, but no others.  The newsroom statement is too vague for any of us to guess accurately at why it was made.  However, I expect this is key:

I imagine every pageant or similar event will be evaluated to determine how well or poorly it does at this.  Perhaps also to determine whether this is its primary purpose.  Based on the results of the evaluation, the pageant / event will either be cut, changed, or continued as-is.

I could be all wrong, but this is the best conclusion I can draw from what the newsroom release said.

I hope that they do not stop nativities. Nativities are a big draw in my area and help to remind others of our worship of Christ. 

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I saw the British pageant and it was absolutely awful. It was a poorly written live action 90s Disney movie in all honesty.

It was so bad I decided to stay home the next night when the Nauvoo pageant was happening and play scrabble with my brother.

The theatrical representations of early church history are just that... theatrical.

Edited by Fether
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Guest MormonGator
7 hours ago, Vort said:

Is it just me, or do others find pageants to be anachronistic, like circuses, parades, roadshows, metal cowboy-themed lunch boxes, and orange circus peanuts?

Wow. @Vort and I agree on something else. Just wow. 

I see that I've enlightened you young man. You are learning. Very proud of you. 

Edited by MormonGator
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Hill Cumorah Pageant to come to an end https://eu.thespectrum.com/story/news/local/2018/10/27/lds-church-discourages-large-pageants/1794664002/

Manti Pageant to be scaled back https://www.ksl.com/article/46415519/manti-pageant-to-be-scaled-down-following-statement-from-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints?fbclid=IwAR3Id-tAntGbr-1-rn0uaIhLUdr5P1tfj-c4nHQgqPFHVmNBlHeHGLQvgS4

I never felt the urge to attend a pageant so will have no impact on me, but can understand that some will mourn the passing of these events

 

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The President of the Navuoo Pageant (passing through) attended our ward today, he was very adamant that despite this latest news the Nauvoo Pageant would remain in place.
Without the Nauvoo pageant, Nauvoo might unfortunately turn into a ghost town.

Edited by NeedleinA
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41 minutes ago, NeedleinA said:

The President of the Navuoo Pageant (passing through) attended our ward today, he was very adamant that despite this latest news the Nauvoo Pageant would remain in place.
Without the Nauvoo pageant, Nauvoo might unfortunately turn into a ghost town.

Ya, and where would all those full time hecklers would lose their jobs

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I can't say I understand the association of the decisions with focusing more on gospel learning in the home. I went to the Manti pageant a few times as a youth. Maybe 2 or 3 times. I can't say I learned the gospel from it. I doubt anyone does. And I certainly can't say it really took me away from home learning. It was a youth activity that took part of a day away in the summer, as youth activities do, and will continue to do I suspect. (I can't imagine they want us to become recluses.)

In point of fact, however, I did come across my first "anti-Mormon" literature at the Manti pageant. So I guess I did do some learning in a way.

Anyhow, saving money, etc., makes sense. But I don't get how it's being associated with the gospel learning in the home thing.

Edited by The Folk Prophet
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8 hours ago, Vort said:

I doubt it. Behind only Salt Lake City and maybe Provo, Nauvoo is the Mormon Mecca.

Sorry, let me rephrase it a little bit. The City of Nauvoo might become a ghost town without the pageant. Since it is not too far away from us we have been fortunate to visit at variety of times throughout the year. If its not summer, pageant time, Nauvoo is basically crickets. A variety of restaurants and even motels are closed in the off season. Last time we went was November, the only thing open to eat was gas station pizza. We took the pizza and ate it across the street in front of the Temple. No lie... the Temple president came out after his shift and asked us if we were okay or needed assistance. G-h-o-s-t town.

Edited by NeedleinA
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On 10/27/2018 at 1:42 PM, Vort said:

Is it just me, or do others find pageants to be anachronistic, like circuses, parades, roadshows, cowboy-themed metal lunch boxes, and orange circus peanuts?

On 10/27/2018 at 2:25 PM, classylady said:

I wonder if the Hill Cumorah Pageant and the Manti Pageant will continue? Those are the only two I’m really familiar with, though I think I’ve heard of smaller pageants now and then. I can’t remember the names of any others.

18 hours ago, KScience said:

Hill Cumorah Pageant to come to an end https://eu.thespectrum.com/story/news/local/2018/10/27/lds-church-discourages-large-pageants/1794664002/

Manti Pageant to be scaled back https://www.ksl.com/article/46415519/manti-pageant-to-be-scaled-down-following-statement-from-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints?fbclid=IwAR3Id-tAntGbr-1-rn0uaIhLUdr5P1tfj-c4nHQgqPFHVmNBlHeHGLQvgS4

I never felt the urge to attend a pageant so will have no impact on me, but can understand that some will mourn the passing of these events

12 hours ago, NeedleinA said:

The President of the Navuoo Pageant (passing through) attended our ward today, he was very adamant that despite this latest news the Nauvoo Pageant would remain in place.
Without the Nauvoo pageant, Nauvoo might unfortunately turn into a ghost town.

I've never attended the Manti and Hill Cumorah Pageants.  So, I have no idea what they are like.  People have told me they were amazing.  But no details.

I had thought that they were historical reenactments.  If they are set in the background of Church History, I see that they might have a place.  If they have little to nothing to do with Church History, I don't see why the Church would fund it.  Those who want to carry on without Church funding should be allowed to do so.

Nauvoo isn't just a "Pageant".  It is a city sized outdoor museum.  I certainly hope they keep it up and running for historical purposes.  I know that I really felt the Spirit while visiting there.  And I learned a LOT about Church history by listening to all the hosts/guides.  There was something about seeing things up close and even handling some of these items that brought the history closer.  The films and all the shows were specifically Church History focused - not just history - "related".

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1 minute ago, Carborendum said:

I've never attended the Manti and Hill Cumorah Pageants.  So, I have no idea what they are like.  People have told me they were amazing.  But no details.

When we were at Penn State, we went one year to the Hill Cumorah Pageant. My wife (a Pittsburgher) had been before, but it was my first time. (Apparently also my last time.) It consisted of a dramatization of the abridged Nephite history and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

It was fine. Which is to say, it seemed to check all the boxes. I'm sure many were filled with the Spirit. I was not particularly inspired by it. If I had lived near Palmyra, I might have taken my kids every year just because it was an easy-to-attend religiously oriented activity in an important historical site. If I lived in the Northeast, I may have taken them once or twice while they were growing up. But for myself, I did not find it nearly to the point where I would go out of my way and at expense just to see it.

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14 hours ago, NeedleinA said:

The President of the Navuoo Pageant (passing through) attended our ward today, he was very adamant that despite this latest news the Nauvoo Pageant would remain in place.
Without the Nauvoo pageant, Nauvoo might unfortunately turn into a ghost town.

That is kind of crazy.  The Hill Cumorah Pageant is far more famous.  It would probably tend to have a bigger impact on Missionary Work, Perfecting the Members, and everything else than any other pageant out there.  According to local news it supposedly is closing around 2020. 

Not sure what anyone is thinking if they are keeping the Nauvoo Pageant and closing the Hill Cumorah.  This is one of those decisions that really does not make sense now, but maybe it will in the future when we have a broader view of history and the events that occur in the future. 

I'm rather saddened that they are closing the Pageants.  For some Youth they were a good gospel and spiritual building item. 

The HONEST truth about the entire program for people to teach their families more in the home.  Those who already did so will continue to do so.  Those who did not and had no intention of doing so, will NOT do so anyways.  As much as people want it to, it's NOT going to magically cause people to change their lifelong habits.  It means that kids that do not get gospel teaching in their homes will have less exposure to these teachings in their lives. 

This happens at the university ALL THE TIME.  Those students that learned to study and pay attention in High School continue to do so.  Those who never did so, for the most part (not all, but there are a LOT of them) continue to not study.  Many of those flunk out (at least of some of the more intense Universities out there). 

Most of these changes affect the very group that the church should be the MOST concerned about.  The children and youth.  The change of shorter church hours and now this change of pageants means that those children that only got their lessons at church about the gospel, or grew their testimony at pageants will now no longer have those avenues.  It may not be massive numbers, but with how narrow the church has with it's retention and baptisms right now, every little bit may matter a great deal.

Hopefully the trends we see at universities and the world in regards to people's habits and tendencies will not be seen in the church.  Hopefully it will be the exact opposite in the church than anywhere else. 

We may see how this was inspired in the future.  I hope so.  Right now, some of the decisions in regards to the young people are not making a whole lot of sense to me, but we can only trust in the Prophet and the General Authorities that they are being inspired in these choices.

If this trend continues we'll see something either reduce missionary service or do away with it or some other decision in that league, though I hope not.

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1 hour ago, JohnsonJones said:

The HONEST truth about the entire program for people to teach their families more in the home. 

The Nauvoo pageant in our regional area is a time for parents to gather their kids and go off and perform together. Numerous testimonies, faith building experiences have been shared by those who not simply attended but by all the members over the years who offered up service together as participants. I'm sure there will be many sad members who looked forward to this experience in other areas.

Roadshows...gone
Pageants...going
Boy Scouts...going

What is next, green Jello?

Edited by NeedleinA
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