PHOTO ESSAY

When the committee chairman of the Kansas City Cultural Celebration, Todd Hendrickson, began planning for the event, he imagined that maybe 12 to 15 hundred youth would sign up to participate. They held a fireside on the web for all the teens in the temple district (that spans four states) and they introduced the website where the kids could sign up. People began signing up before the fireside was finished, and ultimately over 3,000 youth opted to perform in the event designed to celebrate a new temple coming to western Missouri. For many that wasn’t an easy decision. That happened to be the night of prom in scores of schools. It coincided with end-of-year sports events that had to be missed. Yet again and again, kids chose to give up these very important activities to them to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event and they wrote in a memory book called “Little Miracles” that they were so happy with their decision. They said they felt a power and blessing that no prom could have ever yielded. So join us in photo at the celebration called “Of One Heart in the Heartland.”

Billboard announces the youth celebration at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium that seats 10,000. The line wound around the building more than two hours before the performance started.

In addition to all the dance groups, the temple region formed their own youth choir for the event.

This young woman played in the orchestra and danced as well, doing double duty through the night.

A thrill coursed through the audience when the prophet arrived, and all arose to their feet. 3,000 youth gazed up at him, hoping they would do their best that evening. “If you make a mistake, don’t worry,” he said. “We won’t notice. You have spent long hours preparing for this evening. May I assure you that any effort you put forth will be rewarded many times over.”

President Monson said that the temple that would be dedicated in the morning “would shine as a beacon of righteousness for all who will follow its light, the light of the gospel, the light of the Savior. We thank our Heavenly Father for the blessings that this temple and all temples bring into our lives.”

The seats are filled and a sea of youth sit on the floor waiting for their show to begin.

The youth began by singing “Arise,” a call for each of them to step forth boldly and be who they are as righteous youth of the latter-days.

Flags and ribbons are flung through the air with courage and dash. Shall the youth of Zion falter in defending truth and right? No.

“Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” D&C 115:5.

With an “Of One Heart in the Heartland”, the various sections were broken into themes based around hearts. This theme which harked back to the history of the Latter-day Saints in Missouri was called ”Willing Hearts”.

It was in Missouri that members of the United States Army approached church leaders asking for a battalion of men to march to California and fight in the Mexican War. They became the famous Mormon Battalion.

“Take ye whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord.”

It takes real finesse to dance on a crowded floor!

President Monson told the youth that one of the fun things about the celebration is that they would get to change partners many times.

The youth made it look like it wasn’t all persecution in the early days in Missouri, but there was time for fun.

She’s glad she practiced the violin!

As he fiddles, this is undoubtedly his biggest audience yet.

The narrator told us, “The Latter-day Saints truly experienced the “refiner’s fire” during their years in Missouri, but because of their willingness to follow the prophet, willingness to remain true in the face of adversity, they received invaluable revelation and the promise of great blessings.”

This looks fun!

This blue grass melody ends with a flourish.

Yee-ahhh. How can we keep from shouting?

In the “Inspired Hearts” section of the celebration, the narration celebrated those heartland people who had made a mark on the nation with their intelligence and vitality. Here the teens dance to Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag”

“The Telephone Hour” from Bye Bye Birdie finds the teens sharing the latest news on the telephone.

The telephones are giant and the smiles are big.

With the prophet listening, the kids have to make sure that the news they are sharing about Kim and Hugo “going steady for good” isn’t misunderstood.

Next up is a section called “Courageous Hearts”. “Be strong and of a good courage, and do it; fear not, nor be dismayed…until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

These veterans earned heartfelt applause from the audience as patriotism swept across their hearts.

We’re glad she didn’t flag, while carrying her load here. The youth sang and danced to “America the Beautiful”.

The heartland is still a place of patriotism and love of country. President Monson told the group that when he joined the Navy, “the hardest thing I had to do was leave my girlfriend, Frances. Off I went to San Diego and the Navy. It didn’t hurt me. On my honor I will do my duty. I hope that’s our pledge to our great country.”

President Monson told the youth, I have an interesting tie on tonight. It’s the flag of all the nations. I admit I love the flag of America. I wrote an essay once called the symbol of America, our flag. I was shocked. I won first place.”

Change is what Missouri is all about, and one of the great ones was the influx of people of different backgrounds in to the state. Here is a vibrant and energized Polynesian dance that the crowd loved.

“All groups possess rich cultural traditions, which are joyously passed down to their posterity,” the narrator explained.

Precision, rhythm and animation marked this dance number from the islands.

There may have never been more modest, nor enchanting hula dancers.

Large groups of Hispanic people have come to Missouri, and many have joined the Church.

These kids are having a rollicking good time as they dance to El Triste.

Immigrants from European nations have also made Missouri their home.

This couple is having fun doing their circle dance.

Did you ever associate Russia with Missouri? Immigrants came from that frozen land as well, and these young men are demonstrating that they can learn the fine art of the Russian dance. Impressive.

For the Russian dance, the kids did flips and high kicks, capturing the Russian style—and beaming all the time.

Whoever taught these kids to keep smiling as they performed did a good job.

The rebuilding is symbolized by the wooden frames of houses arising before the audience’s eyes. Actual artifacts left behind after the tornado had done its job were brought on stage, including some paintings that had once hung in the stake center.

A family stands unbroken by the tornado’s devastation. Mormon helping hands bring boxes and supplies to help those who have been stripped of all they owned.

“But ye are a chosen generation…peculiar people: that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Then in “Sharing Hearts”, the youth sang, “I Hope They Call me on a Mission”, “I Want to be a Missionary Now,” and finally “The Army of Helaman” as the missionaries from the Independence Missouri marched in to a standing ovation.

Joy floods every face including President Monson’s.

Every youth as they sang this song felt that they could arise and do it.

Three thousand youth were singing and signing, Jenny Phillips song, “We Believe.” Darkness rages now More than it ever has before But our faith is sure We are standing tall We are standing strong We can clearly see between Right and wrong [Chorus] We believe in being honest We believe in being true Chaste and benevolent Doing good to all men We believe all things We hope all things We seek the virtuous All that is praiseworthy We’re standing sure We believe

The Spirit penetrated the heart, like fire in the bones. Everywhere the faces of the youth were running with tears.

Everyone is moved, so moved. The truth is something to cheer about.

When you feel the Spirit like this, it is too much to contain.

You are flooded with love.

And you’ll never be the same again.