The Funnest Weekend EVER

I just had the best weekend ever! I was invited to go to a cabin with my friend from school. It was just going to be pretty laid back, like eating, playing games, watching a movie under the stars, etc. On the way up there my friend let it slip that this was no ordinary cabin, it is valued at $7 million. Um yeah, isn't that a mansion? Yeah. Anywho, it was so much fun! We played ping pong, air hockey, we watched I, Robot under the beautiful night sky (actually, he and I didn't watch, we don't like that movie. He taught me about the constellations). Then we all decided we were freezing so we went inside and watched Hitch in the home theater. Amazing! Then we all went to bed and woke up VERY late. I had such a hard time leaving the cabin, I could really get used to that sort of life!

Saturday night I went to the Manti Pageant. It's official name is "The Mormon Miracle Pageant" and it's about Joseph Smith, the Restoration and some of the Book of Mormon stories. My friends Eliza and Sariah's ward rented a bus and I was able to tag along. My friend Jordan (the cabin boy) came with and it was a great time! First of all, I will never, ever live in Manti. It is roughly 45 minutes off the freeway....ew. Secondly, I think the only thing that ever happens in Manti is the pageant. Back to the pageant, we got there around 7pm to be able to save a big section of rows for our group. We were then dropped off at a park to have dinner and play around before the pageant began at 9:30. We played on the swings, threw a ball around and I almost broke my ring finger. I currently have a black and blue sausage in between my pinkie and middle finger on my left hand. (thanks Jordan and Sariah...jerks). The pageant itself was kinda cheesy but it was good too. The ride home was long, bumpy and not good for sleeping.

Sunday morning I took Jordan to the Deaf ward Sacrament Meeting so he could see what I do. It is a really cool experience, I love going to the Deaf ward! There were two babies blessed and the way they do it is all the men start in the circle and then the person administering the blessing goes to the pulpit and signs the blessing. After he has finished he returns to the circle, lays his hands on the baby once more and the it is done. Yay for babies and Deaf people!

At noon I went to Catholic mass in Spanish!!! For one of my classes I had to go have a cultural experience where I would be the linguistic minority. Eliza and Sariah planned to go to Mass and invited me along...it was awesome! We were pulling into the parking lot and started noticing that everyone walking up to the church was wearing jeans. We were all still in our clothes from church (we looked mighty fine if you ask me) and other than the fact that we were 3 white girls, we stuck out BAD. The outside of the church was the place to be, they were holding a car was with donations going to the church and there were vendors selling food! Love it. So we get into the church and it was packed! We had to stand in the back (I was in 3 inch stilettos) and people kept looking at us funny. I love awkward situations! The service was about 45 minutes and started with singing (accompanied by guitars) and then 2 women took turns saying a short sermon each. After the ladies spoke, the Father took over and delivered the bulk of the sermon. He ended with, "Feliz dia de los padres!" Happy Fathers Day! Then they started passing around collection baskets and a women approached the 3 of us and asked if we knew Spanish. We all said we didn't and she then invited 2 of us to take the wine and wafers to the front of the congregation for the sacrament. Eliza and Sariah did it, I didn't want to! I have a jacked finger and super tall shoes, I was imagining very embarrassing things happening to me. The altar boy came to the back so they could walk behind him. As they were waiting to go, the collection baskets started to come in and some of the money fell on the ground. The altar boy helped to pick it up and as he bent down he came VERY close to hitting Eliza in the head with the crucifix he was carrying. I wish! That would have been the greatest story!

What a good weekend, I don't think I'll top that one for a while. Have an amazing week!