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[00:00:00] Morgan Jones Pearson: In the Disney animated film Encanto, Dolores Madrigal has a special ability to hear everything. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, we've been invited to develop a special kind of hearing ourselves. This ability is available to anyone who seeks it. The ability to hear him. It is a skill that Adassa, who plays Dolores Madrigal, has learned to seek over time.

It has influenced the roles she's accepted and the ones she's turned down. It has influenced the kind of mom and the kind of disciple she's chosen to be. Adassa has also worked in the entertainment industry as a voice actress, including her role as the character Dolores in the Disney movie Encanto. She received nominations for Collaboration of the Year favorite pop song at the 2022 American Music Awards for her work on the viral hit song, We Don't Talk About Bruno.

This is All In, an LDS Living podcast where we ask the question, what does it really mean to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ? I'm Morgan Pearson, and I am honored to have Adassa on the line with me today. Adassa, welcome.

[00:01:14] Adassa: Hello. Thank you for having me.

[00:01:17] Morgan Jones Pearson: Well, this is such a treat for me. I feel like I've watched your music videos and your So incredibly talented.

So I'm so excited to have the chance to learn more about you and your background, but in your first interview with the directors of Disney's Conto, you showed them a picture of your grandmother and your mother, who you said had grand dreams of being singers, but who felt there wasn't a place for them in the entertainment industry.

You were in a movie that's all about family. I'm wondering in that audition, did you know? The storyline. And did you know that what you were telling the directors directly correlated to that storyline?

[00:02:01] Adassa: I did not. Honestly, what I thought was this is an opportunity for, you know, other people who are not close to me and my family to hear about the stories.

about them and how they were able to, through adversity, you know, come to an, a place they didn't know anyone in, you know, it was just them by themselves. My father was the first one to come to the United States and he was just here on his own and he had to do it from scratch. Honestly, I just wanted them to know who they were and the sacrifices they made for us to have opportunities here in the United States.

And so now, honestly, my parents are not perfect and I don't think anybody can say that their family is perfect, but that is exactly why we come here to earth is to learn our lessons is to grow, is to hopefully become, change people to learn from our mistakes. But I'm grateful that they did have the resilience to come to a country they knew nothing of and no one.

And be able to make it in such a wonderful way. And so that's what I was completely focused on talking to the directors, which was, I need you to know their story. And after I told them their story, and I showed the pictures of my grandfather, my grandmother, and how my mom wanted to be a singer, my grandmother wanted to be a singer, and those things just weren't, you know, weren't in the cards for them, that still, I was like, no, I'm gonna carry the torch for them.

And, uh, and then afterwards they were like, Okay, so are you going to sing? And I was like, yeah! I'll sing.

[00:03:25] Morgan Jones Pearson: I love that so much. So really quickly, before we get too far into this, you mentioned your dad coming to the United States and I understand that you actually have another religion to thank for your family coming to America, the Seventh Day Adventist.

which is the religion that I understand you grew up in. How grateful are you for your Seventh day Adventist roots?

[00:03:50] Adassa: I am very grateful to have had a knowledge of God and Jesus Christ in some way. I'm very grateful that my parents both believed in the religion so much so that they taught it to their children.

And I am grateful that they planted within me a seed that grew. And so I'm very grateful to have grown up Seventh day Adventist. I am the first person who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints from my family. I am a convert to this church and I am forever grateful for them having a seed of the gospel because I've met a lot of people that just have no seed of God or Christ or anything in their lives.

And, and I see the difficulty sometimes it is to just find. their truth and find God and find some kind of spirituality. Like, let's say not even getting to the God part, but just like being spiritual and like knowing right from wrong and not you being your own God and directing your own actions and everything.

So I'm very grateful that I had, um, a structured religion to help me know right from wrong, to help me know God and to help me know that Jesus Christ died for my sins and for the sins of everyone. And then I am forever thankful to my husband because once I met him, and then I started meeting with the missionaries, because even though he had served a mission and he knew so much, he was like, I think you need, I need them.

You need the missionaries. I don't want you to be convinced into the gospel. I want you to find your own conversion. And if it is in the church of Jesus Christ, let it be so. And if it's not, then I will also investigate your church and we'll see where we land. And that was how we began our relationship was.

studying each other's religions and seeing where we would land. Because the first thing he asked me is like, if you feel that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is not the truth and the gospel, will you leave your faith? And will you, would you be with me? And I said, no. And he's like, okay, so then let's do this because I was not willing to leave my faith.

If I didn't feel that this church was true, if this gospel was true for me, that was it. It was like I needed to know for me. And I knew that regardless of the risk, I was willing to take, take it because number one, I needed to know, even if it depends on having a person that I love not being in my life. I wasn't willing to make that compromise for God.

And so I knew going into it that I was going to be full heartedly in search of what I would find as the principles that I wanted governing my life and the fullness of the gospel, which I did find within the church of Jesus Christ. But I'm forever grateful for the seed that my parents left within my heart.

Of God and having that fear of God. And then it grew into the love of the gospel and his principles and knowing that I just want, I want to be with my heavenly father once again, and I'm grateful for the promises that we have. If we are worthy of having an eternal family and being sealed in the temple and, you know, just having all these blessings.

So yes, I'm forever grateful for that seed.

[00:06:49] Morgan Jones Pearson: You have seven kids, which cannot be a popular thing in Hollywood. So how does being a mom to seven kids compare to your glitzy red carpet experiences?

[00:07:02] Adassa: Oh, it is. It is the thing that keeps me grounded because you walk into a world that is real but not real because when you are on stages and everything and you have the praise of the people, you can easily become desensitized on the realities of life where you are responsible for other individuals because you have so much catered to you.

But to me, it's the best way to be able to be a real person is when you have a family life and you can somehow unite that. And at the beginning of my career, I cannot say that I did that properly because I was so scared to lose my opportunity. I wanted success so bad. And that's the thing, when it becomes more than just your passion and it walks into your God territory, that's when.

Your principles become not a, you know what I mean? Flexible when they shouldn't be. And I honestly didn't have my testimony where it is now, where I did go through that, and I'm very grateful for the opportunities that came through it. But at the same time, I made some decisions in my youth that I'm like, well, I learned, you know, and then I had opportunities also that brought even this in kind of opportunity because I had the longevity of a career, but being in reggaeton, in hip hop, and then.

you know, pop world where values need to constantly be put to the test. And, and sometimes you feel you need to compromise, you know what, you have to dress this certain way and you have to say, or sing certain things that you know that are like, Oh, that's a little racy. And so I know that all of that is out there in the internet.

And honestly, that was the hardest part was for me to embrace 100 percent of who I am was because I felt like I wasn't worthy of doing a Christian album. Like what I just released with Deseret book, you know, in Jesus, we are one. I felt so much apprehension because I was like, I am so unworthy to even sing his name because look, I've made mistakes.

I've led a life that wasn't aligned with my principles. And how can I possibly now sing to his name and praise him? And I'm like, because We don't come here to be saints. We come here to be perfected. We want to become saints and in that we're striving every day to be as good as we can be, but we're not yet.

And that is the wonderful thing about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the redemptive grace. of salvation because he died for our sins because he knew we would not be perfect because he's the only one that has been perfect, but we come here to be tried. And what our trials, there's things that we want out of life.

We want certain successes. We want money. We want people to love us or whatever it is that it could be, or, you know, monetary success, success in business. And sometimes. Your principles and God become secondary and then third, and then somehow they fall off the top five, sometimes fall off the top 10. And so at the beginning of my career, I just wanted, I wanted so bad to be rich and to be famous and, and whatever it took.

So what does it take when that's what you want? You got to study your competition. You got to beat them. You at least have to come up to their plate. And so when you're constantly comparing yourself to them and constantly in that, rat race of who's better. How do I top them off? Then you lose. Who you are.

And then to, at one point I was just like, you know what, I've done enough in the music industry, but I got to a point where I'm like, I want to focus on my family. I don't want the rest of my life to pass me by chasing this carrot that keeps moving, you know? And I want to focus on family. And so at that point we only had two kids.

My husband has went from his first marriage and, and he, wonderful guy. Um, I'm so grateful that I get to be a part of his life and he lets me into his life. And we had our daughter. And so at that point I was like, that's it. I stepped away from music and we had had 10 successful years in music. I'm not saying they were easy for a woman in that genre.

It's like hard climb. But after taking that break and focusing on family, I noticed the difference. I like started to read my scriptures full heartedly. I started going to the church activities with my kids. I was able to go to church on Sundays because I usually traveled every weekend. And, and that just brought me to another level of spirituality recognition, another level of dedication.

And so when I now unite both things again, because I was given this miracle of an opportunity, honestly, it was God the whole way. Then it was like, okay, so now what are you going to do? That's how I felt. It's like, okay, you've lived it the other way. I, you got to live 100 percent just being a stay at home mom, cooking, baking bread, being with your kids, just being a homeschooling parent.

Now I'm going to give you this opportunity, what you're going to do. And uh, and that's when everything actually fell into place. And that's where we have found a harmony. And we, and now I understand that there are opportunities of making more money in which I have to say no. And I'm glad to say no, because I know that there are opportunities of family that are worthwhile and have.

They're priceless. They have no price. So you couldn't pay me enough to not have this opportunity to be there at a recital with my kids or take that vacation or be that Sunday when my kid is going to talk in church, you know? So I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be able to say no and know that that is exactly what I want to say and not feel like, Oh my gosh, this is so hard.

It used to feel like that before, but now I'm like, I'm glad I get to prove how much I love. Jesus Christ. But at the same time, when I'm working, I'm like, I'm all in. I'm all in. I am there for the kids. I'm there doing that show, you know, singing in that stage or whatever it is, if it's the Oscars, if it's the Grammys, if it's, you know, the Hollywood bowl, I'm a hundred percent there.

And whenever I can bring my kids into it, I do.

[00:12:53] Morgan Jones Pearson: Wow, you are incredible. I am like pumped up over here. Um, but I wanna ask you a couple of follow-up questions based on that one. I feel like there are so many people that are in a similar boat to what you just described, people that want so badly to succeed, whether it's in a profession like yours or something totally different and are willing to make sacrifices because.

Or put other things in further priority down the list. Um, so how did or actually let me ask you this What would be your advice to? someone in that boat where it's like do I sacrifice these things and put my career first? Or how do I handle that?

[00:13:46] Adassa: That's a difficult question to answer and a really good one.

I would have to say it all depends on where you are in your own personal conversion story. Because I am personally 100 percent all in, and I am willing to make covenants now. That I wasn't ready to make then, and promises now. So when I say I'm all in, I'm all in with Jesus. I'm all in with God, I'm all in, and he is the only one that I'm following.

And then my husband and I are a team and we know where, when, where we wanna go together. So if you are alone and starting in the industry and you're young. Number one, I would say, work on your testimony before you work on anything else because you will be tested in every possible way that you can't even imagine you think you know.

But you don't know because this life will test you in ways that you may not be ready if you do not have a full set of armor on you. So if you know that these are the principles that want that you want guiding your life, because you see the fruits of those principles within your family, within your own life, up to this point in your life that you're in.

Then there is no question what you would say yes and no to. So look at success, visualize success for yourself today. So you can say, all right, if I was offered a million dollar role. But in this role, I would need to take off my top, or if I was offered this opportunity to do a show on Broadway but in this show, I would have to say these certain words that I don't feel comfortable saying, then what would you say?

If you answer, oh, absolutely not, I wouldn't take it, then you're good. If you answer, oh gosh, that's really hard, then you need to work on your conversion. To whatever level you are in, keep working at it because if you're not sure, then you will find yourself in difficult situations because the worst thing that could happen is success if you start on the wrong path, because then it's only going to lead you to more opportunities of which you wanted to say no, but you didn't.

And then you keep having to say yes, because that first one got you there. So how can you say no? Now they already know you for the thing you said you wouldn't, but then you did do. So that's where that slippery slope, it becomes like an avalanche and you won't be able to stop it. And at one point you wonder, well, why does this artist end up like leaving the church or being a drug addict is because they knew they shouldn't have said yes, but they did.

And then that opened the doors into more yeses that they should have said no to. But then again, It's your story. It's your life. It's your journey. And sometimes there's people that can advise you all the good things and all the positive and how to stay on the right road. But you still go, yeah, but I still want to know what that's like.

And that's why we're here on earth. So, but I would recommend if you don't want to make mistakes that you will be like dreading or feeling embarrassed about or feeling like I should have never. Work on your conversion, read the scriptures, find God, find Jesus first, and then start walking within the snakes.

[00:17:04] Morgan Jones Pearson: Such good advice. I think that is spot on. Okay, the other question that I wanted to ask is, you mentioned that getting this role role. Um, in a Disney movie of all things, um, was totally a god thing. I wondered if you could tell me a little bit more about that.

[00:17:23] Adassa: Well, I had stepped away from music. It had been almost 10 years and I was focusing in on the kids.

So we went from two kids to seven during that time. And so what I was completely gung ho on reading my scriptures, working on my testimony, working on being the best mom I could be. But every baby, we would release a single or a couple of singles and put them up on our YouTube channel just so I can like have a reason to get back in shape.

You know what I mean? It's just like when you're in it, I mean, you that run, you know, it's like, you get this high when you're like, I have a purpose. I need to do that half. marathon. Like I need to prepare. So then you just put yourself in that state of mind. I'm going to be more careful with my food. I'm going to hit the gym a little bit more, all that.

So every baby, I would always put myself in that state of mind because I'm like, you never know when you could get an opportunity to sing at church or an opportunity to do something. So I would always live in a state of being ready. And so in this particular case, we had just had our last baby, and then my husband and I went to a vacation in just in Miami after just Enjoying being parents.

We're like, okay, we need to just be us for just a few days and we did. And then Gabriel was like, you know what? The light looks so nice coming in through the window. Why don't we shoot a video for that song we did? And I was like, right now he's like, yeah, it's perfect. And so we put up the camera and it was a one shot or just like.

beginning to end. And, um, the song was called Por qué y no yo. Háblame claro. Dime por qué acabó. Lo de nosotros pasión. And I was using this tone of voice that I hadn't really used, you know, like this intimate tone. And we put it up. Amazing. And, uh, seriously, that was it. We were like, send. Okay, let's go eat.

And so, a few months went by, and honestly, it did not have that many views. It had maybe 300 views. And then we, I, uh, went to update my phone and then a whole bunch of messages came in from the YouTube channels email that I had not checked literally in like three years, but they loaded up just when you say, you know, like you have to update all of your emails and at the top of it was one saying, we would like to get ahold of Adassa and it was, it was very simple.

It was like, we would like to get ahold of Adassa for an opportunity. If you could give us a call back to this number. or replied to this email. And so I was like, whatever. Here's the prince from Dubai promising me like 10 million, you know? But I still answered it. I was like, ah, whatever. Hi, this is Naomi. I just acted like I was my own secretary.

You can reach Gabriel Candiani at this email. And, uh, and I put his phone number and then I left it. And I went upstairs to wash dishes, do clothes, what I usually do. And then my husband calls me from the studio downstairs and he's like, Hey, you should come down. It's Disney. Mind you, I have been a lover of Disney films since I was a kid.

I fell in love with music with You know, The Little Mermaid, that was the film for me. It was the one that got me. I wanted to be part of that world. I was that girl, you know? But when I met my husband, before starting with him, I was just like, my determination was like, I was going to go to Stetson University and then I was going to be, An extra at Disney.

Like that was it. That was the highlight. Like that's what I wanted to do. Cause I was finally going to do music and I was going to do it in the way that was tangible. Cause I tangible goals, you know, I don't come from money. My family is very humble and simple. So I was like, I can do that. I can do that on my own.

And then when I met him, he was like, ah, let's go to some labels. And that's when I got signed to the record label business. And then, and I was signed with universal Latino and I. Travel the world. And I had a great experience. And that's when I stepped away. So that dream was like, I put a pin in it and okay, we're just going to leave that up there in the shelf.

We'll look at it from time to time. And, uh, and so when this opportunity came up, we were like, I was just like, what now? I was 40. What was like 41, 42 years old. It was like, really? I felt like Sarah. No, I'm going to have a baby right now. Like not in my cute years. Like now. Okay. Um, so then I was like, okay, let's do it.

And so we immediately got into the booth. I recorded, we sent in the demo and it's literally said we had 24 hours to send it in and we immediately sent it, it was done, but it under that email was said, like in case of emergencies only you can call this number. And so we send it off and we didn't hear anything and we didn't hear anything.

And like three hours before the cutoff time, my husband's like, we need to call him. And I was like, no. Yeah. I mean, this is the thing of the business. You don't hear back. It's a no except the truth. They don't like it. You know, that was me. And, uh, and so he insisted and we called in and they were like, Oh, I'm sorry.

Uh, what demo you send something. And we're like, Oh yes. I said in my audition and it had gone to spam and it became like an ongoing joke with the people at Disney. Cause everything we would ever send to them was going to spam because we weren't white listed. So yeah, it was a miracle. Number one, my husband insisted.

I'm so grateful. But the fact that that miracle of all of a sudden this phone that I get updated. This email and then we get sent to spam and boom, my husband's like, no, insist. And then after all of that, I was like, this is amazing. This is incredible. We get the call back and I'm like, what? Cause I thought, okay, they got my demo.

We got through that one. But when we get the call back, I was like, no way. And that's when I prepared. And I wanted to tell them about my family. And, uh, so I was on cloud nine after that. But see, the Lord had a lot more lessons in store. The next day, I was feeling a little queasy. And it had been a few days feeling queasy.

So I just thought I was pregnant. And my husband was like, No, we're going to have to get the Amazon truck. You know, the big old vehicle that's a 16 seater that looks like the Amazon delivery truck. Like that is like this. We were going 10 people. Yeah, it would be, it would be too many. And so I'm like, okay, well, let me go to the, I told him, and this was literally the next day after this audition with everybody and wow, meeting the directors.

And they told him, I'm going to go to the ER real quick. I'll have, I'll get a quick blood test because all the pregnancy tests were coming out negative, but it had happened on our second daughter that everything came out negative. And then literally on April fools, they call us April fools. And I thought it was literally an April fool's joke.

He was like, Oh, congratulations, you are pregnant. You know? So I went to the hospital and literally within an hour of being there, I wasn't able to talk. I couldn't walk. I started slurring my words and, and then I became paralyzed. I did not know what was going on. And we had had COVID in that year. At the beginning, our whole family got COVID and it was, it was tough getting through it.

There were moments where we were like, whoa, are we going to survive this? But that moment was Way harder and so I mustered enough strength to kind of call my husband and I was stuttering every single word and he was like, what's going on? They were still under COVID restrictions, so they wouldn't let him into the hospital.

They ran tests, blood tests, MRI, CT scans They were just trying to find it and they were like, we don't understand what is going on. I think you're having effects from COVID. You might have long, you know, long haul COVID and I was like What am I going to do? And they were like, we can't do anything for you.

So I signed myself out, I put myself responsible because they wouldn't allow me to leave unless I did that. And so I was like, I want to go home to die. I thought I was going to die. So my husband wheels me out of the hospital, puts me in the car. We leave the other car there, which I'd driven myself. He had stayed home with the kids.

And I went home to die. I literally wrote my will, I had some witnesses from church come and some friends of ours to sign the document where I stated what I wanted to happen with my kids, with our things at home, and uh, And then I just stayed home and it was, I couldn't move. I couldn't move. It was neck down.

And then all of a sudden I would regain a little bit, the ability to just walk a little and then it would just shut down. And if I tried to talk and walk at the same time, I would faint. And it was just this weird thing. And it was horrible. And we had a two year old during that time, she was barely going to be two, our baby.

And so we had a friend of ours, which is also our home teacher. He told us, you know what? I'm a paramedic. And I think you may be having like signs of like maybe a stroke, let, let me go and take you guys to Vanderbilt. And so he drove us all the way to Vanderbilt, 14 hours later, more CT scans, more blood work.

A neurologist came and he sat with me. While my husband had been sitting outside for those 14 hours with the brother from church, and he sat with me and said, we can run a spinal tap. We can run more tests. But with COVID, there are so many unknowns. All we can do is just monitor and maybe give you something for pain.

But I was like, I'm not in pain. I'm unable to function. And he, they were like, we don't, we can't do anything else. And so I came home and so my husband and I started praying the church, the whole ward started fasting and we just asked Heavenly Father for revelation on what we needed to do because we didn't know.

And so I started fasting and then we started my husband started receiving these ideas and I really feel like it was from Heavenly Father of what we should do. So we would have to figure out what is triggering the situation. And so we started figuring out what foods did, what I could do, what I couldn't do.

So I started living off of shakes just the first month, one shake a day. That's all I could take. Two shakes was too much. It would just, I would not be able to like digest it. And one day that I was feeling a little bit better. And I remember the day like it was yesterday was the biggest testimony that I.

Have of my husband being the man for me for all eternity. It was that I told him I need to take a bath. I just want to relax in the shower and I was able to walk a little. And so I went into the bath and I just, I was just relaxing and, and I filled it. I was filling up the tub. And in that moment I felt all my limbs go numb.

And then I started sinking and I couldn't pull myself out of the water and I couldn't talk. And I just thought I'm going to drown in my bath. And I thought this is it. This is how I go and I tried to muster enough strength to speak and to, to call out for him and the water kept rising and all of a sudden he walks in through the door and he sees me and I look up at him and he just grabs me and takes me out of the bath and he places me on the bed and I just start crying and I go like, you I cannot believe this is going to be the rest of our lives.

I'm just a head in a bed. I'm of no use. I'm completely useless. And he just looked at me the same way he would look at me when I was perfectly fine. And he said, if this is our reality, then we will deal with it. If this is the truth of what we have to live, then you don't worry about it. If all I can do is talk to you for the rest of your life, then that is all we will do.

We will figure it out and I was just crying and he would tell me just stop crying. It's going to make it worse. And he was right. And little by little, within a few hours, I was better. But instead of asking why is this happening that moment? I knew that I needed to start asking, what do I need to learn from this?

What is it that I need to learn? Because I kept talking at God. I kept talking and talking and saying, maybe it was this, maybe it was that thing I ate. Maybe it was, I was too excited the day of it. Uh, maybe I just, you know, I ate that. I don't know. Was it the, was it the shrimp? What did I do? Like I stopped questioning it.

I stopped asking myself anything. I stopped. Believing all the lies of you're worthless, you, you're, you're good for nothing. All of those voices that's just start rolling around your head and making you feel like you are of no value. And I just started saying, Lord, I need you, I need you to teach me what I need to learn.

And I need you to soften my heart so that I can learn these lessons. And if it is in thy will for me to survive this, that I may do so. And then I started feeling the peace. And I can't say that it started happening. Automatically, but the peace was the first thing that I felt and I knew that I needed to stop trying to control everything and I needed to allow my family to serve me and allow my church family to serve me.

And then I did. And I, and the more that I started doing that, I started feeling relief. And the more that I just let the spirit guide our lives, I would feel better. And the more that I started focusing deliberately on what I was eating, and making sure that I kept my emotions relaxed, and I had to start whispering to my kids because I noticed if I speak loudly, I faint.

But if I whisper Then I could talk to them. So everything in our home started, Hi honey, could you take this to the room please? Thank you so much. And being a Latina, we're so loud as you can tell. I was so ingrained since I was a child that the only form of communication was loud, and if you didn't listen, it gets louder.

And the Spirit started teaching me, there's other ways to speak. There's other ways to communicate with your children. You can do it. quietly. You can do it calmly. You can do it with the right, the right tone. And I started learning these things and I never thought my kids would be so multiple. I was like, what?

I've been a homeschool parent and I could have done this different this whole time. And so I started learning. I was like, wow, I can ask them nicely. I can, even when they're not doing something that I'm asking them, I can say, you know. It would really help me if you do this because I would do it if I could, but I can't.

So I really need your help and your strength to help me because mommy can't do this right now. So to admit weakness, to admit not having my full capacity to my children, I didn't notice how being vulnerable could help me become a better parent. So sometimes we dread the moments of weakness, but honestly, in the moments of weakness, we can become more strong than we can ever be.

And during the time that I was doing that and finding my, my growth as a mother and as a person, we get a phone call. And who is it? It's Jamie Sparrow Roberts, the casting director for not just this film of Encanto, but she was the casting director for Frozen and for Wreck It Ralph and for Moana. She called personally to congratulate us.

And in that day, I remember I was laying down on my husband's lap, literally in this room when it was still a studio. And he put his hand over the microphone of the phone and he's like, Baby, you can't take this. You gotta tell him you can't take it. And I told him, you call him if I'm dead. I'm taking this.

And, uh, and I had just, we had started, you know, trying to walk and talk a little bit. I mean, I was getting better. And so he's like, And I'm like stall and so I'm just like trying to pull myself together so I can muster some strength because they're like, he told me he's like, they're going to want to talk to you.

And so he's just letting her talk and asking questions like, okay, she's going to have to fly to LA. They're like, no, because of COVID restrictions, you can do it from home. And so we were like, just getting information. And then at one point he's like, so we'd like, I'd like to talk to her. And I was like.

Here we go. Here we go. Here we go. And I said, thank you so much. When do I start? That was all I could do. I literally almost fainted in his lap and they were like, well, it's about three weeks. And, uh, so for three weeks I was training like Rocky, but in reverse, like everything was super slow mo. But I was like, I'm going from here to the kitchen, literally, but all slow mo.

So I would just train and we got to like where I could finally do things and, and, and that day it was a miracle when I was finally with the directors, when I recorded, we don't talk about Bruno. I have my eyes closed. It was because I was like, I was giving everything I had. And even though I could rap like nobody's business, that was the most I could do that day, you know?

And so I feel like it was a miracle because I went from feeling like I had accomplished so many things in my life and feeling filled to becoming fulfilled as a mother and, and being able to live that journey. To feeling the compassion of those around me and their love and to grow as a parent and know that there are other ways to speak and treat your children and that they are stronger and more resilient than you think.

And yes, a seven year old can wash dishes. You know, I didn't know that. Sometimes I'm like, I want to do everything and I want to take care of everything because I want everything just so, so OCD sometimes within me as women. I noticed that they can be strong and they can become stronger and it's okay. We can survive things as a family.

And so, you know, the fulfilling of that, of that gift, that if we really, truly want our families to be together forever. Then there's going to be moments in which the whole family will be required to show humility and strength and love and compassion, the whole family, it's not just individual. And so I truly feel grateful for everything, including the difficult moments because it made me grow quicker and in such a way that I never thought I could grow.

And my testimony became as iron solid as it could possibly be at this point in my life. for me to know that it is only by his grace that I stand and it is only by his grace that I sing and it is only because he still sees that there's more growth in me that I exist in this moment in time, and I am not about to waste one second of it.

[00:35:33] Morgan Jones Pearson: Wow. That is so great. I just am such a fan of you. Um, before we wrap up, before we get to our last question, I have to ask you as a Disney fan myself, and as a Lin Manuel Miranda fan, was it as great as you'd imagine it would be?

[00:35:54] Adassa: It's even better. I would say because we are all humans and it is truly a gift to be able to see a person that you have like a high regard of like it's larger than life, almost intangible as I have seen Lin Manuel Miranda.

When you meet him, he lets you feel his humanity and you are just dealing with another human. He makes you feel like you are best friends forever and so relaxed. You can be free to just explore your talents and meeting everybody at Disney was the same way. It was walking into a family. So this whole grandeur of the thing that we see from the outside made tangible was a beautiful sight.

To be able to be a part now of this Encanto family with people who I've admired. Like, um, you know, when you see Lin Manuel him, you know, being part of this project, but then also every single actor, every single voice actor in this project is amazing to me, you know, Wilmer Valderrama to me, my husband and I used to watch the 70 show like, and he's such a cool individual.

John Leguizamo, same thing. So Diane Guerrero, we have become. so acquainted now. Whenever I like send her a quick message or she sends me one, you know, we're obviously busy people, but it's just beautiful to have that. And so I will say that the culmination of being able to become that Madrigal family as we have was when we walked that carpet and we finally saw each other, like we were physically there in that environment together.

And it was so beautiful to watch the film together and, and just appreciate each other's talents. with a group of individuals who have also partaken of this beautiful tribute to a Latino family and, and the hardships that you endure through life yet spoken in a way that is digestible for a five year old, you know, and for a three year old to be able to sing along, but for your grandma to cry because she realizes, you know, there are Brunos in the closet that we all need to talk about and let out of the closet, you know, so we can become a.

Stronger family. And then when we did the Hollywood Bowl special that we were finally on stage together and to have him kind of give, like I would say, kind of like the blessing over this beautiful project and introduce us all. I think it was wonderful to be able to just share the mic, sing the songs together on that stage, reenacting that film that brought us together.

And we will forever be bound together as a Madrigal family. So I'm forever grateful for these people. They are just people like us. But they all have been called to a special work. And so I'm just glad and humbled to be among them. One of these people that get to showcase our talents to the world, but also unite them in a common love of music and wonder.

[00:38:42] Morgan Jones Pearson: Well, I watched some of the clips from that Hollywood Bowl show as I prepared for this, and it was so fun, so neat. Um, I can't help but think as I listened to you, Adassa, that it cannot be a coincidence. First of all, I think it's kind of wild, like, most voice actors, I feel like their character doesn't usually look like them.

But you look like your character and when you are a mom and you're in a movie that your kids can watch and enjoy. Um, do you think it's a coincidence that the opportunity of a lifetime came as a role in a Disney movie about a Colombian family when you are a wife and a mother who comes from a Colombian family?

[00:39:24] Adassa: No, there are no coincidences. You just have to be ready and I feel like when I started reading my scriptures really really intensely my husband one day He had told me and this was before all of this happened after we recorded that single He said, you know, you're really getting close to the Spirit Lord's gonna call you for something if you keep going with that and I was like, babe, it's just these stories They're like becoming real in my mind.

I can't put it down And, uh, and I needed to, I needed, it wasn't just the stories now, I know that there is more education that happens when you read from the word and when you get closer to the spirit, there are things that happen within you that change and those changes are for the better. I know sometimes we want to hang on to the natural man within us, but if we just let go of that and then just look to God and know that he can see us, he's not trying to change us.

He's trying to magnify who we already are. That's the thing that a lot of people have confused, that, like, God is some tyrant, and that he just wants you to be like a chair that he can mold and sit on. It's not that way. Actually, God sees you and says, Look, if you just let me help you You can become the best you because I can see who you can be.

And if you allow me to work in your heart, and if you allow me to show you the way you will be the most joyful with what I have in store for you, or you can do it your way. Either way, I still love you. You know, that's that's how he is. He's like either way. I still love you I still love you because imagine this you look at your kid And I think kids are the easiest way for us to understand and that's why we're being so attacked as women to like why are You gonna have kids and there's so much fear and and ooh kids I mean there have been times that I have done shows and Comic cons in which I go I have seven kids and there's people in the audience that go.

Ew Ew. Which is appalling. It is, but it happens and it's okay because you know, we have become programmed almost in society to dread being a parent. Like you're going to lose your liberties and it's not, you're going to lose the person within you that is keeping you from becoming the most you can become.

Because when you let go and let God And you allow your children to teach you. And you notice that your children sometimes are right. And you admit it, you become a bigger and better person. And so I have felt. that he's given me the opportunities to grow and through the children, that's how he's done it for me in a big way.

And, and I feel like I am a better person because of it, but I never thought in a million years this would happen, but I know for sure it was not a coincidence, but he was preparing me. And I think the last of it was preparing me even mentally to deal. With all the opportunities that came after, because then I was ready to say no, when these seven figure deals were coming in and opportunity six and seven figures.

And I was saying no. And I was, and I knew that I was becoming ready for that because I wanted to say yes to the right things. And so at first, after this success happened, it was just a lot of roles and a lot of opportunities that I was like. This is what I've been training for . And I knew this was my rocky experience.

This was the rocky experience. This is when I was like, boom, boom. No. And I was knocking it out and I knew, I was like, Nope, this is not the right thing. This is not it. And my husband and I were like, we know it. If, if we get to just keep the modest life we have, we're good. We're hanging onto that. And if the Lord says, this is where you need to live because this is the life that you need for your kids.

And I'm like, yes. This is what we're going to hang on to. And I'm not going to say yes, because all of this money is waiting for me because I don't want to be known for that. I want to be known for what is good and what is right. And after saying no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And then all of a sudden my husband and I said, it's time to do an album.

And we started working on an album and it was like, you know, just popular music, which is what I've always done. It's like this pop record. And then all of a sudden we felt like, Nope. And we were almost done with it and we're like, no, we need to do a grateful album. And that's when we did In Jesus We Are One and just being completely grateful to Heavenly Father for saving me and for giving me this opportunity.

And it was just grateful to Almighty God for his blessings. And when we did that album, then all of a sudden we received this call through our agent and through Desert Book. And they were like, Hey, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir would like to know if you're available for these dates. to go to Mexico and to do a world tour with them.

And I was like, and this is the opportunity we were waiting to say yes to, you know? And I felt forever grateful because I knew that I was clean and I knew that I had been walking the path that he wanted for me. And all those no's led me to the yes that truly mattered. And when I stepped on that stage with the amazing Tabernacle Choir in Temple Square.

And stepped on that stage and I saw those saints in that group and also the people that came that are not from the Church of Jesus Christ, but were invited to be a part of that moment. And those nights were filled with people singing and enjoying good music, music that elevates the spirit. And I was one of those voices among them and I will be forever grateful for that opportunity.

And then we closed out in Salt Lake City. So yes, every opportunity that you say no to because it doesn't align with your principles will open the doors. In ways that you will never believe, to a yes that you can gladly say, I knew that I was waiting for this, yes. And, uh, it will forever change your life because it did mine.

And everybody in their own lives doesn't necessarily have to have a magical experience like Disney to know it is magic. And he is real. And every single thing happening in your life right now, as hard as it can be, will be for your education and will be for your good because he loves you. He loves you more than you know, and he knows who you are and he just wants you to become the best you, you can be.

[00:45:30] Morgan Jones Pearson: Well, Adassa, I felt like you just answered our last question, but the last question that we always ask on this show is what does it mean to you to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ? And I wonder if you have anything else that you want to add about that.

[00:45:44] Adassa: All in to me means that even if you have to leave behind people because they don't align with your principles, and sometimes those relationships.

have to take a second stage to your conversion. Know that he loves them too. And there's no such thing as time. It's just a construct of this mortal existence in which we're in, but he sees every single one of his children and he loves them. And for me being all in is being all in with my gifts, with my talent, with my knowledge, with my heart, with my time, with my money.

I know that in him, he will multiply every single gift I have. every scent, every good feeling like the loaves and the fishes. And I leave everything I am in his hands so that he can magnify with his spirit. And that's what it means to be all in for me.

[00:46:43] Morgan Jones Pearson: Adassa, thank you so, so much. I have enjoyed this more than you know.

[00:46:48] Adassa: Thank you for the opportunity and I'm so grateful if just to share my grain of sand with all of you, just know that you are worth it. Life is worth living and we are here for a purpose and he loves, he loves you.

[00:47:03] Morgan Jones Pearson: You're awesome. Thank you so much.

[00:47:06] Adassa: Thank you.

[00:47:06] Morgan Jones Pearson: We are so grateful to Adassa for joining us on this week's episode. You can find Adassa's new Christian album "In Jesus We Are One" on streaming platforms or in Deseret Book. Now we're so grateful to Derek Campbell of Mix at Six Studios for his help with this episode. And we look forward to being with you again next week.