Joseph the Carpenter

This weekend I completed one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had and the most fulfilling in my performing on stage. Earlier this year in September I was cast to play the role of Joseph in the Savior of the World production at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. My family and I will be forever blessed because of this. We are so blessed to have a knowledge of Jesus Christ and the supreme role He plays in all our lives as our Savior. He lives. I know this more now because of the role I played of his earthly father in this production.

Joseph was a righteous man. While betrothed to Mary he came to the knowledge that she was pregnant; that she’d been overshadowed by the power of the Highest and that she was expecting the Son of God. His trial of faith was great: should he follow the law he had always understood, or trust that Mary was to bear the long awaited Messiah? Many others in scripture have had similar trials of transgressing the laws they understand to observe something higher from above. Adam transgressed the law he understood in the Garden of Eden to keep the rest of God’s commandments with Eve. Nephi killed Laban in order to save generations by preserving sacred records. Joseph quickly acted in faith and he and Mary were wed. What an example of doing what the Lord asks no matter how difficult.

I learned several things playing this role:

• The Lord puts the right people in the right place at the right time to do His will. I felt that I was the recipient of so much love, support and direction from others through this experience which allowed me to share my testimony effectively as Joseph. No one was cast in this show by accident or coincidence, nor did anyone attend that wasn’t prepared to in some special way.
• Sometimes we’re asked to head a different direction than we originally chart for ourselves. Change is okay. We will receive more than we can possibly plan if we put our faith in the Lord and do what He asks.
• I see how families are organized in a way that allows us to accomplish so much with the help of the Lord. A family, whether that be immediate, extended, a ward or stake, or a cast of performers, with a singular focus, can bring to pass incredible things. My cast family helped me overcome feeling inadequate to play in this role through their examples, their testimonies, and their love and support.
• We all receive help from beyond the veil. While I wasn’t performing as Joseph, I got to be a part of that spiritual realm of beings who are anxiously helping those on this earth through life’s experiences. The colonnade in this production has so much to teach us and helps shed a glimmer of light on a much larger picture than we can see with our human eyes. It has broadened my vision of what I see in the temple and brings comfort to me through trials.
• The Lord answers prayers. Personal revelation comes to those who ask and most often follows sincere prayer. Answers aren’t always immediate and are often revealed in phases as we are able to grasp and understand them.
• The Lord magnifies our abilities to do hard things. We didn’t know how it would be possible to manage our family affairs when we started this journey, but it was clear this was something we needed to do, and we were helped every step of the way to accomplish what we were responsible to do. My children, and specifically my two young boys, have been so patient, willing, and joyful these last few months.
• People hearing your testimony will have an experience if they can tell that the you've had an experience in attaining your testimony. I found this to be true portraying Joseph and I find it is the same in life.

I’ve often asked myself now that this is over, ‘What next?’ How will I be able to continue forward on this spiritual level we’ve experienced? What will replace this source of joy? What will I aim to implement in my life this next year so that it is equally or more rewarding? I’m still unsure of the specifics, but feel confident that as I’m willing to share what I’ve learned the path I should take will illuminate as I go to do what the Lord would have me do.

Last of all, I owe much of having this experience to 3 people. Marinda, thank you for telling me about this production. Even though it took me nearly a year to actually consider it for myself it took a seed that you planted to get me started. What a wonderful friend you are for sharing something so special. Becky, you are the force in our family that truly believes that we can do hard things. I’m so grateful for your desire to give so much in our family and in this production. I’m almost certain this idea would have fallen off of my radar without your passion around it. Katie, you were placed in the right place in the right time to say the right thing. “I really think you should do it,” was all it took to solidify my last minute decision. Thanks for joining me as well. Not only were you that last bit of encouragement to get started down this path, but you’ve been a smiling face and a wonderful friend all along the way in support of this play and everything else going on in life these last few months.

What a journey 2012 has provided. I look forward to 2013 and beyond optimistically that the joy and progress that we’ve seen as this year has past will continue to grow.