Her friends, Lauren Timmins and Allison Andrews, agreed the effort was worth it, even though they sat in the stadium on Friday during 100-plus degree heat from 3 to 11 p.m. for the dress rehearsal.

"I think it's impressive that the stadium is full," Timmins said. "It's amazing how many they got to participate," Andrews added. "It's really cool to be a part of it."

The program opened with 2,400 flag carriers marching in formation across the field and through the stands, accompanied by a choir of 16,000 voices that filled the north end of the stadium. More than 5,200 dancers then moved onto the field, hundreds waving streamers in a dance of "shouting for joy."

Choreographed dance numbers, musical performances and an energetic Tongan drum circle teaching chants to the audience drew appreciative cheers from the crowd.

Organizers got the entire stadium involved with packets of three-colored scarves placed under each seat. Rolling "waves" of color rotated around the stadium along with a variety of directed chants from the crowd. As scores of cameras flashed in the stands, they spelled out "Joseph's 200," "Follow the Prophet" and "Choose Light," with help from the director.

The last phrase was the theme for the evening, with each participant also wearing a glow-in-the-dark wristband with the phrase. Following President Hinckley's remarks, the stadium was illuminated with more than 52,000 light wands that spread gradually around the stadium as the audience joined the choir and hundreds of LDS missionaries singing a final anthem, "The Spirit of God."

In addition to Joseph Smith's bicentennial, the LDS Church is also marking the 175th anniversary of its organization in 1830 this year.

As the festivities at the U. were getting under way in earnest, celebrants in northern Utah were winding through the second of two spectaculars staged Saturday at Weber State University's Dee Event Center.

LDS artists Sam Cardon and Cherie Call wrote and arranged music specifically for the show, which drew some 58,000 young people from Davis and Weber counties. Because of its size, the group had to be split for two separate but similar performances with two separate casts.

Musicians Jon Schmidt, Enoch Train and the a cappella group T-Minus 5 also performed, with Bruce Newbold and Spence Kinard providing the live narration.

Thousands helped beat out the rhythms of service in a gigantic stomp number and lit the indoor arena with 24,000 glow sticks before witnessing the finale burst with pyrotechnics.

Katelyn Krum, a participating teen, didn't hide her enthusiasm.

"Some people say that church is so rigid, and I think it's awesome that we can all get together and celebrate like this. I'm so excited!"

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E-mail: carrie@desnews.com