Dress Rehearsal

Sister Kapik, choir manager and Sister Webb, choir conductor --

For almost 2 months I have had the privilege of meeting each week with these talented women.They have shared their testimony of music and of the Savior.

I will never forget this experience.

I have been changed ... for the better.

Our last practice was on Sunday and we always have a guest chorister for warm-ups. It was Donald Ripplinger, retired associate conductor for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He is hilarious and likes to have things go HIS way. I loved it. We sang "As Sisters In Zion" and "We'll Bring the World His Truth." I am not sure we sang to his standard but he taught us so much in just 30 minutes!

It took about 30 minutes to get lined up and in our seats. I sit next to our amazing choir manager, Kam Kapik. She has given countless hours to make sure everything goes smoothly. I had the pleasure of being one of her assistants. I also sit next to another new friend, Alayna. She is a young mother of 5. Her mother passed away from cancer a few years ago. She and her sister sang at the funeral. Her Mom was only 52. We have shared many tender moments. I know this experience has helped her continue to heal and find peace. She misses her Mom so much and now focuses on supporting her Dad.

 

A sea of white ready for the Conference! It was so exciting to sit in the choir loft. When the organ started to play I started to cry.  Big surprise! It was an incredible experience to actually sing in the Conference Center.

Relief Society Choir

“Through the miracle of music, the Spirit of the Lord descends upon us, and we are made ready for gospel instruction and worship” ~ Dallin H. Oaks

For the past few months I have had the privilege of being part of an amazing choir family. Three Alpine Stakes and three Highland Stakes will be providing the choir for the General Relief Society meeting on September 27. It will be broadcast by satellite from the Conference Center all over the world and translated into many languages. We will hear inspiring messages from the General Relief Society Presidency and a member of the First Presidency. I have made new friends and have been taught many wonderful gems by our choir director, Merrilee Webb. We have a meeting prior to each practice where I have met all the members of the General Relief Society Presidency and many members of the Board. It has been a once in a life time experience for me. I feel so blessed to be able to join with over 300 other women as we unite our voices in song and praise to the Lord.

So… if you watch you might see a familiar face.

Birthday, birthday comin' to earth day!

Christopher Glenn Williams was born September 18 at 9:44 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs. 8 ½ oz. Who can be prepared for the love that fills your heart to overflowing when your first child is born? Until that point I thought I knew what love was. I remember looking at you after you were born and thinking “are you really mine.” You have always been my “son”shine!
Happy Birthday son, I love you so, so much!

Family Home Evening with Nicklas Hansen

He arrived - our dear friend Nicklas all the way from Denmark! Mark served about 9 months of his mission in Horsens, Nicklas' home town and they became good friends. We had the opportunity of spending time with Nicklas when we went to Denmark. Nicklas is so kind and is a faithful member of the church in Denmark. He is also very talented and plays the piano beautifully. He and Mark sang "I Am a Child of God" in Danish. We had a wonderful night with family and friends. We love you Nicklas - come back soon!

Lee, Grandma and Pam waiting for our F.H.E. guest.

Celebrating Mark and Tiffani's engagement

 

Mark asked the girl of his dreams to marry him one year ago on September 10. He worked all summer to get the perfect "bling" for Tiffani. He popped the question at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (the same place Tim asked me, only it was called the Hotel Utah waaaay back then) and we were so happy she said YES. We love her! She is everything you could hope for - always pleasant, so loving, fun, patient and is beautiful inside and out. She is oh, so tiferiffic!!

My Favorite Cowboy

Can it be that it has been 15 years since my Dad passed away? He was just 66 years old and I miss him everyday. He was my example - he worked hard, gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, honored his parents and was grateful for all he had been given. I always knew he loved me.

Having been gone from Cheyenne for over 20 years, I can say with conviction, that it takes a special kind of person who likes to live on the prairies of Wyoming. And even though I now live in a green valley with many trees, I often miss the serenity and peacefulness of the prairies. Dad loved those prairies and in them he took strength, because of their closeness to the Lord, and its symbol as an unobstructed view into the eternities. Not long after he was baptized he received his patriarchal blessing. One line I love goes like this: "Truly desire to be a man of Christ so that your vision can be increased just like as on a clear day you can see for miles across the prairies a man of Christ with clear vision will be able to see into the eternities." He is a man of Christ and if he were here today, he would tell you without question that the most important event in his life was when he joined the church. I have many letters from him and he always told me how happy he was since being baptized and how good Heavenly Father was to him. He was only a members for 5 years before his death but embraced the gospel and had a firm testimony. My comfort comes in knowing that I will see him again. 
 

Save a chair for me Dad!