Stage Report

OK ... so I've always thought that performers are "different." Well, "different" is too mild! I was pretty stunned on the first night of rehearsals. We started with the director making us do a bunch of stretches and breathing exercises. I thought, "did I end up in a yoga class?" Then he starts talking to us about some of the basics of the production. The entire time, the guy sitting next to me is singing his parts. I'm annoyed. The director doesn't even seem to notice. I look around me and start to see that everything that the director says is reflected in some type of movement, facial expression, or song by everyone in the room except Miles and me. We're like zombies. I'm on an alien planet surrounded by the natives and I've gone into shock!

Later, me and some of the other apostles and disciples are singing a song. It's definitely a churchy type of song but out of the corner of my eye, I spot some type of movement that seems incongruent with what I'm hearing and feeling. I glance over to my right, and there, a large woman who plays an angel is really getting into the song with a moon-walking-break-dancing routine; she is cheered on by other angels. Suddenly, the herald angel thing takes on a very different meaning.

I return home to a sleepless night as I'm haunted by anxiety over what I've gotten myself into. I desperately try to think of a way out but I can't. Thoughts of opening my mouth to sing my solo line with sounds like frogs or the death screams of rabbits escaping fill my mind. I'm convinced I will ruin the entire production. People will lose their testimonies and leave the church. Less actives who come with missionary-minded friends will ask to have their names removed from the rolls of the church! What am I to do?

It's the next day and it is bad. It's also our 22nd anniversary but I don't really feel like celebrating. I've had 3 ... maybe 4 hours of sleep. I invite Tina to eat lunch with me -- that's the only break that I'll have today. I hope by then I'll be in a good mood. I'm not. By the time we meet for lunch I've worked myself up to a frenzy. I'm ready to jettison anything and everything that causes me stress. Number one on my list is the play, especially the singing part. I've written an email to Randy explaining that I can't sing or act and I understand if he wants to get someone else. I've talked to the chair of my department about not being involved in teaching the science foundations class that's supposed to start this fall. I unload all of this on Tina during lunch. And then I start to remember why I married this woman.

Tina is a good listener. She doesn't say much but I can see what she is feeling in her eyes. There is understanding and tenderness; sympathy and love. OK ... this is getting mushy. Let's just say I felt understood and loved. I also felt strength. I didn't want to let her down; I knew she believed that I could do this. I decided to try. I talked to Randy and learned that I could back out of the singing if I really wanted to but he assured me that I could do it and I should at least try. He told me he was inspired to ask me for some reason. He helped me to understand this production is about bearing testimony and that since I have a testimony, I could share it. He admonished me to go to the Lord for help. I did and I found peace. Rehearsal that night wasn't so frightening -- it was even a bit fun. I slept that night.

It has been a roller coaster. The next day was difficult too. That singing thing was coming up soon. I had another sleepless night but I maintained my resolve. I got 10 minutes of instruction from Randy on how to sing. A few minutes of practice and another 20 minutes of pep talk and visiting.

The first part of practice that night didn't involve me singing. It was the scene where Miles has his dialog. I had been very anxious to see him in action. It was great; he was fun and he added a dimension to the scene that I hadn't imagined. We've practiced that scene without him and it wasn't nearly as good. The director decided to incorporate him into a scene that he wasn't written into.

The roller coaster ride has continued but it is getting better. I find that I enjoy the practices. I've actually sung my solo line enough now that it doesn't make me nervous. No one has laughed at me ... not even the break-dancing angel.

Bryce's Last Email

My last words to everyone (until I see you again):

Well everyone, family and friends, I just want to sum up, to the best of my ability, my mission in a few words. I hope I can be guided to know what to say, because I'm not sure how to express something as momentous as my mission experience in just a few words.

To say the least, the mission was a roller coaster. I learned a lot from the positive experiences as well as the negative. I think most importantly, I learned that the gospel is the most important thing in our lives no matter what; I learned that we don't have the gospel just so that we can be happy ourselves; I know now that God gives it to us so that we can pass it along. The happiness that comes from the gospel multiplies itself when we're sharing it and allowing it to not only change our own lives, but the lives of those around us. I've never had a better experience than sharing what I have. I don't want it to end. Everyday I think of how I will take the opportunities to share the gospel after my mission. I don't want to make the mistake that so many members of the church make by thinking that when the mission is over, sharing the gospel is over, too.

I just want to testify that I know the Book of Mormon is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet, and I have no doubts about that in my mind, despite the fact that I've heard every crazy thing about him that there is out there as a missionary, I've felt the spirit so much as I've testified of his prophethood and the resoration that was brought to pass through him. Most of all, I know that Jesus is the Christ; no one could change anybody's life the way that he's changed mine and those I've been blessed to teach but Him. His atonement is real; it repairs broken lives when we look to Him. I know that he directs the work that members and missionaries alike are engaged in. As the world worsens, the church becomes better! I haven't seen that in any other church out here. The Lord strengthens us in our trials, and I've experienced that many times out here. I'm sad to leave, but I'm also excited to return to the poeple I love...that would be all of you. I'll see you soon!

Love, Elder Lowry

I can't believe I said "yes!"

So ... can you picture me and Miles on stage in front of hundreds of people performing a play? No? Neither can I. But that is what is going to happen. We're going to be in the university's Savior of the World production! Miles will be playing Aaron the son of John. I will be playing John the Beloved. I even have to sing in this thing. Fortunately, I think there is only one line that I have to sing by myself. In the other places I'll be singing with at least one other apostle and usually with the other 10. I can't believe I said "yes!"

I got a phone call this evening from Randy Kempton who is a friend of mine and just happens to be a choir director on campus and in charge of the vocal aspects of the production. He started the conversation off in a way that let me know he was going to ask a big favor. As he explained what he wanted, I couldn't bring myself to say no immediately. I was stunned when I felt that I should do this. I figured this might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to be in a play with Miles. I felt that this could be a very special experience for us. Randy, for those who don't know him, is one of our backpacking buddies. He has heard me "sing" before so he knows the risk he is taking. I sure hope he doesn't regret asking us. (Perhaps there's a scriptural reference that I've missed that indicates John was tone deaf.)

We will start practices on Monday and will be practicing most every night until the play starts on July 1st. We will be performing on the 1st and 2nd and then again on the 7th through the 12th. We will do a matinée and an evening performance on the 12th.

If you're stunned by all of this, so am I!

Next to last email from Bryce

Here's a video that a member in the ward that Bryce is serving in sent yesterday after Bryce and his companion had dinner with them.



(Below is the latest email from Bryce. Original spelling retained.)

Dear Dad,

Thanks for the email. SOrry about last week. Didn't have much to say.

Right now I'm covering two wards, Raymond and Acacia Park. They're really slow. THis whole stake is slow. President Harmsen even shut down one of the wards in the stake. I've never seen taht happen before. Our ward mission leaders won't even have correlation with us. And President Harmsen is disappointed in this district (the way it was last transfer). I don't know if you knew that I've been a district leader for the past few months...they usually send a letter to the families of the missionary that gets the call. I've taken it upon myself to help the district get to work. I'm already seeing good results. I'm happy, and I think that may be my mission here in this area before I go home (no, I'm not counting the days, I wanna stay!).

We had a district fast on Sunday to help the work pick up and so that we can leave our areas better than we found them, and that President Watrous (new president next transfer) won't be disappointed in the Fullerton South distric the way president Harmsen was. So that's how things are going. No progressing investigators yet, though tracting has shown to be unusually productive over the past week. I'm happy here, despite the situations.

I love you all so much! Next week is probably my last to email. Missionaries get to go to Disnely Land their second to last week in the field, so in two weeks that's where I'll be. Fun! Though I'd rather be allowed to hang out with members and recent converts before I go home.

anyway, take care. I'm out of time.

-Bryce