In the span of two days, a meetinghouse in Herriman, Utah, is transformed into an immersive experience that brings to life the final week of Jesus Christ’s ministry.
Each year during Holy Week, the Herriman Utah Anthem Stake invites youth groups, families and the public to view multiple vignettes depicting moments from the week leading up to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
This year, the immersive experience is taking place March 25-26 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Stake Primary president Beth Nestman said prayer and counsel helped the stake’s effort to make Easter more Christ-centered.
“It’s the most important thing in our lives,” she said. “It’s the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that means everything.”
The vignettes portray scenes from Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when He cleansed the temple, washed His disciples’ feet, administered the Last Supper, performed the Atonement in Gethsemane, died on the cross and was resurrected.
In addition to those scenes, the stake added a new vignette last year titled “Other Sheep.” This vignette shows Christ’s ministry to the Americas after His resurrection. Nestman said the stake presidency felt strongly that the event needed to include the Book of Mormon.
With each room, those in charge of decorating asked themselves one question: “How do we transform this enough so it feels like you are as close as you can be to being immersed in the last week of Christ’s life?”
“Our goal was to provide a community event where all could come and reflect on our Savior and what He went through that week in an interactive way,” said Cyndi Costley. “For instance, the Palm Sunday room reflects the joy and awe that may have been felt. The cleansing of the temple shows frustration. The Last Supper conveys somberness. The Crucifixion brings darkness. The tomb reflects confusion, but also hope and amazement. Then the Resurrection expresses gratitude, appreciation, hope and love.”
One room depicting Gethsemane includes an artificial rock representing the location where Christ knelt in prayer.
“We have a simple backdrop that shows the nighttime,” Nestman said. “The lights are very dim, and you hear a rendition of Primary children singing ‘Gethsemane.’ It hits you very deeply.”
With many prayers and helping hands, the event provides a visual learning experience that adds meaning to the Easter season.
“It means the world to me because I am a visual learner,” Nestman said. “So to have it be more visual gives it so much more meaning.”
Through experiences like this, organizers hope visitors leave with a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and a renewed focus on Him during the Easter season.
“We wanted those who attended to feel a deeper love and a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ,” Costley said. “We wanted to convey through all the senses what it was like to walk in His shoes.”
