NAUVOO, Illinois — Visiting with family members in Historic Nauvoo, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles took time to attend a pre-show devotional with cast and crew of the Nauvoo and British pageants on Saturday, July 12.
“We come because we have a big portion of our family here,” he told the audience at the Pageant Performance Center in Nauvoo, Illinois.
“We get to see our family perform with you. What greater thrill can grandparents have than that?” beamed Elder Rasband after introducing Christian and Monica Rasband, their eight children and Monica Rasband’s mother, Roxanne Ingalls — all of whom were in the cast that night.
Standing at the podium with Elder Wayne Larsen, Nauvoo Performances chairman, Elder Rasband asked how long it had been since a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had been able to attend the Nauvoo Pageant. When the answer came as 14 years, Elder Rasband responded, “I think it is high time one of us got here.”
“Because it has been so long,” he continued, “I have a little message from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: We love you, we thank you, and we need you. Don’t ever for a minute think that you are not appreciated.”
He expounded on each part of the message and repeated it with a request: “Will you take that into your hearts?”
Recalling the Prophet of his youth, Elder Rasband told of a time when he was 8 years old and made eye contact with President David O. McKay during a July 24 Pioneer Day parade.
“That is why I can say I know President David O. McKay,” he joked. “It is because of that moment that we connected, and I will never forget it.”
The young Elder McKay served a mission in Scotland, applicable to this audience. “He was getting discouraged,” Elder Rasband recounted, “until he went to a place called Stirling Castle … and saw a plaque that had this statement on it: ‘What e’er thou art, act well thy part.’ Can that apply to all of you here tonight?”
Pointing to a young man on the technical crew, he asked if his role was important to the performance. The entire audience answered with a resounding yes. Elder Rasband responded that most of the people in the room might not be the lead actor, but they all had important roles to play.
“My message to you is to take into your heart the same way David O. McKay took into his heart this message that he gave time and time again in his life: ‘What e’er thou art, act well thy part.’ Do that not only here in the Nauvoo Pageant tonight but for the rest of your life in whatever you’re called upon to do.”
Elder Rasband then reviewed the parable of the talents (see Matthew 25:14-30), noting that all have been given gifts and talents from God and are invited to multiply them. “Don’t ever be content with where you are. Try in your life to add to your talents,” he admonished.
“I add my testimony to all of yours,” he concluded, “and so as we go forward tonight, let us add glory to the name of Christ. Let us add honor to the name of Christ as we build up His Church and build up His kingdom through this magnificent Nauvoo Pageant.”
Rain had canceled the British Pageant the night before, but weather was fair for the Nauvoo Pageant, and the Rasbands said they loved watching their grandchildren and all their new friends share the message of the restored gospel and the power and truth of the Book of Mormon with an audience of about 2,000 visitors.
As Elder Rasband and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, departed, Elder Larsen said: “It was a priceless honor to have an Apostle on the grounds and to have him bear witness of the significance of this work. It was just amazingly felt and heard and appreciated by all of us.”
Sister Kristine Larsen, Nauvoo Performances co-chair, added: “It meant a lot to us to watch them love those grandkids and be a part of what they were doing here. It is clear family is first to Elder and Sister Rasband.”
The Rasbands toured some historic sites on Friday, July 11, and met with Nauvoo performing missionaries. On Saturday, July 12, they visited the Pageant Country Fair with their grandchildren. Sister Rasband took a turn at the maypole, and Elder Rasband connected on a few swings at stick ball. He joined grandson William on the dance floor for the Irish fling and tried other games as well before enjoying the night’s performance. (See nauvoopageant.org for more on the pageants and activities in Historic Nauvoo.)
Echoing in the minds of many of the performers were his solemn words from the devotional: “I affirm to all of you tonight that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is smiling on Nauvoo. I feel it. I know it. I love the Lord.”
