Stake Conference

This weekend was the Mesa South's stake conference, and guess who was asked to play the organ for this morning? Me! I thought for sure I would have gotten out of it, because just last November our ward was in charge of the music provided for the Regional conference. Somehow we drew the short straw again, and were asked to do it AGAIN. But you know what the advantage to doing it twice in a row is? The second time was far less nerve racking.

Now, in our stake center it has always bothered me at large functions that you just could not hear the organ while you were singing. Especially if you are sitting in the metal chairs all the way in the back, so 4 or 5 different tempos start going and its just a mess. So I decided, no matter what, all the stops were going to be pulled, within reason of course. And as I looked at the hymn choices of "Come, Come ye Saints", and "Scatter Sunshine" and "Hark all Ye Nations", I thought these are all very upbeat hymns, so a big full organ sound should accompany it quite nicely.

Well, I pulled all the stops and do you know what I learned afterward? The people in the back COULD hear the organ, so much so that some noticed that there were 3 beats instead of 4 in some of the measures of Come Come ye Saints, and even the Stake Presidency commented, "I've never heard this organ played with so much force".

Maybe I overdid it, but you know what? The people sang, and sang with feeling. The spirit was so strong that it near brought me to tears. I believe that through the power of the hymns, testimonies are born and strengthened. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to play, not once, but twice in such a spiritual setting. I have felt angels carry the music of the organ and move my fingers and feet so that the spirit could be present in a meeting. I thank God, with all my heart, for the gift of music which has played such an important part of my life.