|
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE GONDAS
We have never had a web site before, and are not very
savvy when it comes to technology. The reason we set up this web site
was because of our calling as Hobart
Directors at the Hill Cumorah Pageant. We felt like it might be
helpful to have a place where those who are planning on coming to
Pageant, especially those who will be staying at Hobart College, could
find information about Pageant, and also learn a little about who they
will be serving with when they get back to New York. So, here is a
little bit of information about Marcia and Jeff, and our family.
Jeff, (that’s me), was born in and grew up in Reno, Nevada. After high
school graduation I went to the University of Wyoming on a football
scholarship. While there, during my freshman year, I met Marcia. Marcia
grew up on a cattle ranch in Fort Bridger, Wyoming. It
didn’t take too long for us to figure out that we made a pretty good
pair. On December 29 during one of the most ferocious blizzards in Salt
Lake City history, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple.
After completing our undergraduate degrees at the University of Wyoming,
we stayed in Laramie, so I could go to Law School. After completion I
took an associate’s position with a small law firm in Sheridan, Wyoming,
where we have been ever since. It is hard for us to believe it has been
thirty years since we first came to Sheridan.
The Church is not terribly strong in this part of the world. There are
three wards and a college branch in our town. However, our Stake Center is
in Gillette, which is 100 miles east. Not surprisingly, there are many
opportunities to serve for those of us who are active in the Church. I
have been a Bishop, a counselor in the Stake Presidency for 9 years,
College Branch President for 7 years, and am now the High Priest Group Leader
in our ward. Marcia has served in every Ward Auxiliary Presidency more
than once, and has been the President of each Auxiliary at least once.
She is now a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency.
We love the Gospel, and it has always been a great blessing in our
lives.
We have six (6) children. Our oldest is Karin. After obtaining her
degree from BYU, (in Dietetics), she took a position as a pharmaceutical
sales rep. Six successful years later, she was pretty tired of the job,
and made a bold decision to go back to school. So, she is now studying
to become a physician’s assistant. She served a mission in Argentina.
She was able to be in the Hill Cumorah Pageant with us two times, in
2003, and 2004. In fact, she was in large part the catalyst that got us
interested in going to Pageant in the first place.
Our second child is Shaun. He served a mission in Colombia. He is
married to Kate, and they have five children. Shaun also got his under
graduate degree at BYU, (in Chemistry). Thereafter he went to Medical
School at the University of Washington. He is now a medical doctor in
his fourth year of radiology residency training. Kate and Shaun, and our
adorable grand children Ethan, Brian, Stephanie, Sarah, and little Shaun Jeffrey
are now in Kansas. We sure wish we lived a little closer to all of them.
Our third child is Jennifer. She also graduated from BYU, (with a degree
in Health Promotions.) She loves dancing, music and singing, and just
having fun. She and her husband, Derrell, are living in Phoenix.
Jennifer went back to Pageant with us in 2004, which made it
extra special for all of us.
Our fourth child is Michael. He served a mission in Paraguay. A year or
so after his return he met Suzy. They have been married now for over four
years, and they have our other adorable grand children, a handsome boy
named Camden, and little Charlize. Michael has a degree in Spanish from University of
Wyoming. He is now taking classes, preparing to go to Pharmacy School.
Our fifth child is Stephanie. Unfortunately, Stephanie was born with a
terminal liver disease known as biliary atresia. Despite all of her
doctors’ best efforts, and much fasting and prayer, she passed away from
that disease when she was about nineteen months old. We kind of think
all of our children our angels, but Stephanie truly is our angel child.
Child number six is Jeffrey II, the new and improved version of yours
truly. He is currently serving a mission in the Peru Lima Central
Mission. He will be returning July 16, 2008 and we are hoping he will fly to
Rochester and spend the last few days at the pageant with us. Jeffrey is very
athletic, but loves music, (especially singing), even more. He is a
three year Pageant participant, being in the cast in 2003, 2004, and
2005.
It is interesting to reflect on how we became involved with the Pageant.
We took a trip back east the summer of 1991 with the whole family, and
saw the Pageant for the first time. Karin and Marcia talked about
applying and trying to come back as participants. However, then we got
busy and just kind of forgot about it. Then in 2003, Karin was visiting
with a good friend of hers, Tammy Krebs, whose family had been Pageant
cast members, and they started scheming to go to Pageant that year. We
decided to apply, and were accepted. So, Marcia, Karin, Jeffrey and I
went back to New York as participants.
One thing you learn quickly as a Pageant participant is that it is not a
vacation, and the experience can be a little trying, both physically and
emotionally. However, it is, above all that, one of the most unique,
uplifting spiritual experiences you will ever have. At the conclusion of
our first Pageant in 2003, Jeffrey, Karin, Marcia, and I were on the bus
riding to the Rochester, NY Airport to catch our flights home. It was a
Sunday afternoon. As a parent, I was wondering what Jeffrey was really
thinking about the whole experience. At that time he was 16 years old,
and as a parent you never know for sure what your teenager thinks at
that time in their life. Out of the blue, Jeffrey spoke up and said, “We
have to come back next year.” Well, that was all we needed to hear.
Knowing he had had a spiritual experience, and wanted to return was all
we could have hoped for. And, truly, that is the way we all felt. Thus,
we applied and were accepted back the following year. And the rest, as
they say, is history. The Pageant has changed our lives. It has
strengthened our testimonies, and our understanding and appreciation for
the Book of Mormon has grown so much through the experience.
People come from all over the world to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant.
Last year a little before the pageant began, Jeffrey sent us an e-mail
and told us that there is another Elder in his mission who was in the 2005
Pageant with him. That Elder told Jeffrey, at a recent Zone Conference,
that he met a lady in one of the Wards in Peru who had been to see the Pageant.
He was in her home looking through a photo album and found a photo of Jeffrey
taken at the 2003 Pageant. Interesting.
We will probably add more thoughts on the Pageant later, but that is it
for now. We are excited to be involved in the 2008 Pageant and look
forward to meeting and getting to know everyone who will be in the Cast,
especially those of you who will be staying at Hobart College.
Hobart College.
|
