Dancing Moroni

Juswan and Aischa Tandiman in front of the Cebu temple earlier this year with their four daughters Bianca, Vanessa, Priscilla and Patricia. They all went to the Cebu temple following Vanessa's service as a missionary in Indonesia and just prior to Priscilla beginning her service in the Cebu Mission. (Oldest daughter Bianca served in the SLC Temple Square Mission).

Years ago as a missionary in Jakarta Indonesia I had the pleasure of getting to know young Juswan Tandiman and Aischa Meyer--both impressive youth in the branch. After they both served missions in Indonesia they attended BYU-Hawaii, got married, settled in Jakarta, and raised four talented daughters. They have faithfully served in many church callings. Brother Juswan is currently serving as the first patriarch of the relatively new Jakarta Stake. Our friendship has continued throughout the years. Sister Aischa sends out weekly letters to the missionaries who served with them when Juswan was mission president. I was happily added to her mailing list because of my on-going project writing about the history of the LDS Church in Indonesia. In yesterday's letter, Aischa sent along these three photos with the last two coming from their third daughter Priscilla who is currently serving as a Mormon missionary and weathering the natural disasters in the Cebu Philippines mission. (Marie's niece Josie Tueller is also currently serving in that mission)

In the top photo, Moroni is facing forward to blow his trumpet.

After the 7.2 Cebu earthquake a few months ago, Moroni shifted his stance and started blowing more to the left.

Then, after the strong winds of Haiyan (aka Yolanda) blustered through Cebu, Moroni shifted his stance again and started blowing to the right.

Sister Aischa summed it all up: "Moroni is quite the dancer, isn't he?"

Double Trouble in Walla Walla

Last Thursday the third graders at Brookside Elementary put on a play based on the children's book "Double Trouble in Walla Walla" which is full of double words that rhyme. Will was selected to play the role of the principal (Mr. Thomas) which required that he wear a suit. We bought him a black suit for the part. Last week he was excited to wear his suit to church--where he was to give a talk in Primary, but once at church he took it off and his dad carried the coat for all of the meetings including during Will's talk. Today he decided to wear his suit again only this time he wore it for all three hours. He did a good job in the play. He has recently taken to singing Sarah's songs form Bye Bye Birdie. There may be more acting in the future of this young man.

The principal dismisses the students.

Bye Bye Birdie

 

What follows are photos from the first two nights of Springville High School's fun production of Bye Bye Birdie. Sarah was in the chorus/ensemble and was a delight to watch. Most rehearsals were after school but during this past week of late night dress rehearsals Sarah amazingly still made it up in time for her early morning seminary class on A days. She has been one busy girl.





The overture included a choir of girls singing their love of Conrad. Sarah is second from the right in pink sweater and white keds. Sarah bought her glasses a few years ago for her Wenda (from Where's Waldo fame) costume. She decided last minute to add it to her character's look.



The musical starts with Rosie and her boss Albert making plans for one last hit song for Conrad Birdie before his Army service begins. She proposes that Conrad give "one last kiss" to a lucky fan somewhere in America.

The lucky girl chosen is Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple Ohio who has just gotten pinned to Hugo. In the ever funny song "the Telephone Hour" the teens of  Sweet Apple make calls to spread the word that she really got pinned.



"Going steady, going steady, going steady, steady for good"





Poor Harvey Johnson (on the right) with his cracking voice keeps trying to get a date with Penelope Ann, Charity and Deborah Sue.

Singing and dancing in 'Telephone Hour" was Sarah's favorite scene in the show.
 


The MacAfee home where newly pinned Kim gets the call inviting her to be the last kiss of Conrad.



 That inspired her to sing "How lovely to be a woman"



Meanwhile in NYC Sarah and her quintet, with help from Albert, practice singing "We Love You Conrad" for a departure celebration when he boards the train at Penn Station for the trip to Ohio. 

 A short sample of Sarah's singing.



Albert then cheers up a young lady who is sad Conrad was going in the Army by singing "Put on a happy face."



Hard working Rosie loading the bags, while Albert's over-bearing, over-protective, mom, tries to discourage him from finally getting around to doing something about Rosie, who has been dutiful waiting for eight years for Albert to settle down with her and be a English teacher. 

The farewell at Penn Station when his fans laud Conrad with the song "A healthy, normal American boy."

 The quintet singing "We love you Conrad."

On his arrival at Sweet Apple, Kim and other fans, give their Conrad Birdie Pledge.

Kim's boy friend Hugo is not happy with the prospects of her kissing Conrad so she gives him encouragement by singing her love for Hugo in "One Boy"

The Mayor give Conrad a key to the city, his wife faints, girls scream, then he sings "Honestly Sincere" which makes more girls scream and then most everyone else faints.

Half fallen Sarah on the right is one of the last to faint.

Next morning at the MacAfee home Conrad comes down for breakfast with fans gathered to watch.

He responds with a nice burp.

The MacAfee family then learns that Conrad will kiss Kim on the Ed Sullivan show which inspires the family and then the cast to sing a "Hymn for a Sunday Evening"  in praise of Ed Sullivan.

Meanwhile Rosie learns that Albert will not stand up to his mom so she decides to quit and leave, but only after getting Hugo to help ruin the Ed Sullivan gig.

Just as Conrad is about to kiss Kim, Hugo slugs Conrad.

Sarah is right there with great expressions of shock. (When do Tony nominations come out?)

Act II opens with Rosie getting ready to leave. She is then joined by Kim who is mad at Hugo so the two commiserate by singing "What did I ever see in him?"

Conrad then sets out to enjoy his last pre-Army night with "A lot of livin' to do."

"Moonlight swims and someone to hold you."

With are the youth of the town out gallivanting, Mr. and Mrs MacAfee sing "What's the matter with kids today?"

Rosie seeks solace in a bar.

Albert calls and tries to win her back.



 

Conrad and Kim end up going to the ice house--where she finds out she wasn't quite ready to be all grown up.

Other fans join them and since they are drinking and Kim is still young, he is arrested.

Upset fans.

Albert's mother Mae continues to make Rosie's life miserable. Her main problem is that Rosie is Hispanic.

In mockery of Mae's prejudice, Rosie hams it up by singing "Spanish Rose' in which she  uses a Spanish accent (she was born in Allentown, PA) to sing about all types of Hispanic stereotypes.



Albert puts Conrad and his meddling mom on the train back to NYC and then he makes up with Rosie (by singing "Rosie") and proposes that they marry and settle down in Sweet Apple where he will finally give up the music industry and become an English Teacher. A happy ending but the Broadway version lacks a big show stopping finale.

After the final bows and just as the curtain was coming down.

Joel imitating Sarah.