Another choir

To show that I am not the only old man singing in a ward choir.

A new choir experience

As I was getting ready to go to Ward Choir practice this morning, I thought about my experience with the stake choir last Sunday. They are putting on an Easter Oratorio complete with Orchestra accompaniment. I have never before seen such organization. As we came in we were directed to a table where we signed up and checked out music in a black binder complete with practice schedule and performance list in the front and a pencil in a baggie for marking the music and a pronunciation guide for the one piece that we are doing in Latin. There was also a list of things to mark in each piece. We also checked out a practice CD with the piano accompaniment and parts played along with some sort of electronic keyboard so we could practice at home. The practice was very professionally run with no wasted time. Should be a neat experience.


The program is:
Prelude - Did Jesus Really Live Again - children's choir
Prelude - I Believe in Christ - solo or ensemble
Prelude - He Sent His Son - solo or ensemble
Prelude - When He Comes Again - solo or ensemble
Prelude - Easter Hosanna - youth choir
Oratorio
Behold the Lamb of God - adult choir and orchestra
Come Unto Christ - solo or ensemble
Oh Savior, What Are These Tears? - solo or ensemble
Did You See Him in the Garden? - adult choir and orchestra
For Me Alone by Sassy DeFord - solo or ensemble
O Divine Redeemer - solo or ensemble
Gethsemane - solo or ensemble
I Stand All Amazed - solo or ensemble
Sheep May Safely Graze - solo or ensemble
Crown Him With Many Crowns - Adult choir and orchestra
How Great is the Miracle - solo or ensemble
Alegria Vida Allelulia - combined youth and children's choir and orchestra
O Magnum Mysterium - Adult choir a capella
This is the Christ - Adult Choir and orchestra
Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Adult choir and orchestra

Things I hope you will teach my grandchildren

At the end of the year as we were finishing out study of the Book of Mormon, I was thinking about the situation of Moroni, left alone to fend for himself and try to stay away from the Lamanites who would have killed him if he did not deny Christ. We don’t know if he was eventually caught by the Lamanites or translated or died alone in the wilderness. I thought that his situation was in some respects like that of the Willie and Martin handcart companies. They were pushed to the extreme as well. I wondered how I would respond in such a situation. Would I be strong enough to stay faithful? We all can say and hope that we would remain faithful and endure well, but until we are put in that situation how do we know? Our real natures would be revealed only when we are pushed to our limits. I think that all of us will at some point be tried in that way in the pre-earth life, in this life or in the next - not for the Lord’s sake, I think he already knows how we will react – but for our sake, so we will know. Think of the power and confidence that knowledge that we are faithful even when pushed to our limits could give us.

President Hinckley told a story about the Martin Hand cart company ………“Years later, a group in Cedar City were talking about her and others who were in those ill-fated companies. Members of the group spoke critically of the Church and its leaders because the company of converts had been permitted to start so late in the season. I now quote from a manuscript which I have:

“One old man in the corner sat silent and listened as long as he could stand it. Then he arose and said things that no person who heard will ever forget. His face was white with emotion, yet he spoke calmly, deliberately, but with great earnestness and sincerity.

“He said in substance, ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts mean nothing here for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. A mistake to send the handcart company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Not one of that company ever apostatized or left the Church because every one of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.” (Our Mission of Saving, Ensign, November 1991)

Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.

9 For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.

(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 97:8 - 9)

M.J. Stapely and her children

These two pictures are of Mary Janet Stapely Bringhurst and her children.  This one is of her with her sons (l to r) Marias William (will), Charles, Samuel, and Leo.

This one is of her and her daughters (l to r) Arvilla, Vera, and Veda. (Taken about 1926 so Grandma would have been about 38 years old)

 

The children in order of age were Will, Veda, Samuel, Vera, Leo, Charles and Arvilla.  For our children who remember Julia Blake who lived in our ward and her cousin who lived in the North Stake, they are descendents of Leo.