Each time the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings Sunday mornings, there's always something that moves me. It may be a certain lyric, someone in the audience, a spiritual remark made by a choir member, or simply feeling unified (in a world that is anything but). Today, though, two songs took the emotional spotlight for me and try as I might, the tears just wouldn't stay in my eyes.
The first was "Nella Fantasia"--a song sung in Italian based on the theme "Gabriel's Oboe" from the 1986 film, The Mission. Guest soloist Stanford Olsen did a fantastic job and as we all sang, I just thought about the men in the film who stood up to the military and ultimately gave their lives in trying to defend the cause of Christianity and the Guarani people (who were eventually killed). It also made me think of how strongly I try to believe in the cause of truth--and my goal of trying to live each day, according to that truth.
The second song was one of my favorites, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling". The song speaks of being changed, of being made pure and spotless, of accepting our Savior and wanting to be like Him. I think this song impacts me so much because when I'm in the middle of singing it, and I'm thinking about the words and what they mean, I realize that I really do want this! I want to be changed into the person I need to become so I can make it back to live with a Heavenly Father and Mother who love me and who have promised that families can be together forever. Remembering all of this, though, in every day life, it not always the easiest thing to do. My faith wavers. Trials hit and I want to give up. And just when I begin to wonder what I really DO want, I have experiences like the one today that bring me back to the answer.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
My soul just loves that verse.
Before ending today, I just wanted to say thanks to two new Choir friends. After almost five years of carpooling with just my good friend Ben, Alan and Willy (who just joined the choir this year) are now part of the carpool fun! What great guys they are. It will be fun to get to know them more as we ride to and from our weekly musical adventures.
Until next time, God be with you.
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