MTC Week #69 - Come 'Round Right

There are three things I wanted to write about today, so I'll jump write into the first.

1 - Today's Music and the Spoken Word broadcast marked the first for the new members of the choir. It was fun to see their enthusiasm and feel their anticipation as they officially began their Mormon Tabernacle Choir journey. After the broadcast was over, Lloyd Newell had all of us sit down except for the new members, and then proceeded to recognize them in front of all who were in attendance. We all clapped and smiled and I'm sure the rest of us in the Choir were perhaps thinking back to the day we joined. I know I was. Yes, it was only a year ago for me, but at least for today, it seemed like a long time ago.

2 - Tour excitement is starting to build as our choir leaders are giving us more and more information about it. With verbal announcements before rehearsals and written paragraphs in our weekly email announcements, we're starting to think about it and prepare for it more. While we're still waiting for a more detailed day-to-day itinerary, there are pockets of time here and there when we're not performing or rehearsing that we'll be able to do some sight seeing. The current choice before us is how we'll be spending some free time in D.C. We're to pick whether to go on a tour of Mount Vernon (see the mansion and gardens, the family tomb, and spend a short time in the museum and gift shop) or to go to the National Mall (and visit the Smithsonian Museums, Ford’s Theater, Arlington Cemetery, or the Monument Walk, among other sites). In not too much longer, we'll begin a slew of extra rehearsals to prepare for the two concert programs we'll be performing at the various venues (one is for when we perform indoors, one for outdoors). Fun times ahead!

3 - There was one song we sang today that had me really thinking. I thought about the words over and over again and I just wanted to share a few things that came to me. The title of the song is "Simple Gifts" and is a Shaker song composed in 1848:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.

These words speak to the very core of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Life is good when we live simply; when we come down from pride and live in humility; when we focus on loving others and treating them with respect; when we submit to the trials and hard things of life that allow us to molded into the person God wants us to be; and when, at the end of each day, we have turned from temptation and weakness and our individualized vices and have thus "come 'round right." 

Until next time, God be with you.