Life is Just a Bowl of Berrys : Catching Up

The sweet baby who played "Baby Jesus." Isn't she adorable?

Savior of the World Part I

So many things have happened. Before Christmas, our stake performed "Savior of the World Part I" about Christ's birth. It was a marvelous experience. Again, I stood in the back and directed the music. I also choreographed a simple dance number, which was really fun for me. But everything was so well done; we had a wonderful director and I was amazed at the talent in our stake. We did three performances.

While naturally impressed with the story of our Savior's birth, I was particularly touched by the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. It's not one I had ever thought much about.

Luke 1:6 says this about them: “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were not well stricken in years.

So our play portrayed the ache that particularly Elisabeth had in her heart to have a child and Zacharias’ desire to draw the lot to burn the incense in the holy temple.

What an incredible blessing then, that both in one day received the desired blessings of their hearts! Zacharias is so astonished at the amazing good news from the angel Gabriel that he can’t quite believe it and is struck dumb as a sign.

Elisabeth is, of course, thrilled that Zacharias has finally drawn the lot as he desired, but naturally is concerned that the experience was too much for him. What I found most poignant about the story was how Zacharias tried so meaningfully to convey to Elisabeth that she was finally to be given the greatest desire of her heart--a child. How amazed and overjoyed then, she must have felt when she finally understood the message! How blessed and grateful they both must have felt!

Perhaps it is because I am around the same age Elisabeth must have been; the age where children are no longer possible that I somehow understood how she must have longed and ached for children. I could picture in my mind's eye what it must have been like for her when she finally knew; I could never watch that tender, powerful scene without crying.

Zacharias tries to show Elisabeth she will have a child.

There is a quote from The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles,” which tells the rest of the story:

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught:

‘When Herod’s edict went forth to destroy the young children, John was about six months older than Jesus and came under this hellish edict, and Zacharias caused his mother to take him into the mountains, where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When his father refused to disclose his hiding place, and being the officiating high priest at the Temple that year, was slain by Herod’s order, between the porch and the altar, as Jesus said.’

“Zacharias died, then, to save his son: he died a noble martyr, perhaps the first of the Christian era.”

Zacharias sacrificed his life to protect his son, while Elisabeth sacrificed her life as she raised her son without a father. Both made tremendous sacrifices for the one who would one day baptize the Son of God.

I’ll never think of Zacharias and Elisabeth quite the same way again.

"Savior of the World, Part I," also brought so many aspects of the story of Mary and Joseph; what they both must have gone through. The part the shepherds played in Christ's birth; it has all added so much to my appreciation of what happened so very long ago. I don't think Christmas will ever be quite the same for me again.

It will be much more meaningful.

Here are a few of my favorite moments in the production: