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Pageant is wrapping up this week so we decided we needed to take one more shot at seeing the Nauvoo Pageant since we probably won't ever be back here again.  It was a good choice as the night's weather was spectacular as well as the performances.  After the pageant we got to meet with some of the cast that Arlene wanted to meet.  We also sat next to our favorite site missionary sisters once again.

The opening was attended with flags, bagpipes, singing the National Anthem, and prayer.

Lots of pageant show going on throughout the evening.

One of the highlights of the pageant is erecting the temple in pieces.  It's large and goes up  bit by bit, a little at a time.  Of course, it goes up as the story unfolds.

Then they begin to put up the temple walls...

Almost there...

...and done!  Pretty phenomenal temple, huh?   

At the end, they light up the real temple in the background as they sing the closing songs.  It's pretty impressive.  Unfortunately, I was sitting a little too far to the left to get the whole temple in the final picture.    

Arlene got a chance to talk to one of her favorite singers, Dallyn Bayles.  He sang at one of the other presentations and he has a phenomenal tenor voice.

Arlene also got to talk to Aurora and Scott who play the Lairds in the pageant.  They are wonderful actors and they also play in one of the temple videos, just in case you might recognize them. 

Just a really nice evening for us.  In a few days, the pageant ends and all of this goes away for the year.  The stage will be empty and Nauvoo begins to empty out as the end of summer slowly comes around.  School will start in a few weeks and the kids will no longer be here but the retired folks will start coming for the late summer rush but that is never as much as the summer rush.  As things wind down, we are getting ready to head on home, making plans for a couple of temple visits back here and that final drive across the mid-west to home and the end of our mission.  We've been here almost 18 months now, but it seems like forever...some days.