Fleas versus the Paris Opera

Actual size of New Zealand fleas

 

 

When I was 27, I left my oscillating dance career to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Several months earlier, I was living and dancing in New York City. When I left New York, I thought I was returning to my native Utah to marry my boyfriend. But when I returned, my boyfriend had decided his dating days were not quite over. Several months later, I made the decision to serve a mission. After making this decision, I was concerned others might think I was running away from a broken heart. (Admittedly, running away was a part of the equation!) When I shared my concerns with my ecclesiastical leader, he replied, "It doesn't matter." I don't know if he meant: it doesn't matter what others think or it doesn't matter because regardless of the reason of wanting to serve, the decision to serve a mission is still a good idea. So, I made preparations to leave. Besides running away, I did have other- more benevolent reasons for wanting to serve. I had found peace in Christ's teachings and I wanted to share that peace with others.

Opéra National de Paris

 

 

 

 

After serving in New Zealand for 6 months, I received a letter from my friends in the 

Nikolais/Murray Louis Dance Company. They were dancing at the Pairs Opera- one of the most famous opera houses in the world! I was jealous and discouraged. I was living in a flea invested basement flat, wearing a navy blue skirt and riding a bike around town! Ugh! My life was definitely not the seemingly glamorous life my friends were living- dancing at the Paris Opera! After receiving their letter, I was at a low point. Straight-away, I did the only thing I could think to do: I went into the bathroom and knelt beside the green fiberglass bathtub and prayed. I cried, "Dear Heavenly Father, is dancing all that bad? I don't get it. I feel so sad." After several moments of pouring out my heart to God, the following thought came to my mind: "If...if you truly want to be like Jesus Christ- this is the way." And so I was taught. Of course, dancing is praiseworthy and a gift from God. And yet, for me, coming to know my Savior required me to serve and share His teachings.

Since returning from my mission 25 years ago, my main goal in life has been to become more like Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for the ecclesiastical leader that saw beyond my immediate heart-break and understood when we serve our Savior, we come to know Him and desire to be more like Him. It's been years since my mission in New Zealand, and I'm far from being like my Savior. Consequently, I will continue to find ways to serve Jesus Christ and learn of Him. He is my exemplar, my master, my brother and my friend. 

Me and my missionary hair, 1993