Saturday, November 16, 2013

          The crowds today made up for yesterday and any other slow day last week.  It was unbelievably busy and Glade manned the front desk alone for hours and could have used at least two assistants!   The youth just kept coming and coming for baptisms.  There was even a group who came—unscheduled—and wanted to be worked in some place.  The “passes” for the 2:00 and 4:00 o’clock sessions were all given out in the early morning and there were a few disappointments because the sessions just filled up too fast.  

          This was our early day, in the early week; and I was up before 5:00 a.m., worked a full schedule at the temple, stopped by our apartment to change clothes, grabbed my music and a granola bar, and headed to the church for choir practice and a conference session. 

We started practicing at 1:30 and ended just before 3:00 p.m.  The conference was scheduled to start at 3:00, and as that hour approached, I kept looking around for all of the people.  There were only a few sprinkled around the chapel, the technology set-up was still in progress, and no presiding Priesthood appeared anywhere. 

Well, I started playing prelude (no one asked me to play, but it seemed appropriate since no one else was there to do it) about 2:55 and I kept playing and playing and waiting.  Gradually a few more people came, but the chapel was slow to fill.  More than 45 minutes later, the meeting finally started!  I know that this culture has an abstract perception of time, but that was a little crazy to start a stake conference meeting 50 minutes late!  Coupled with the rehearsal, that is a long time for bones to be parked on a piano bench.

Of course, it was all in Spanish, but I felt like it was a great meeting.  There were several video clips, reverent audience participation, and talks that weren’t too long.  There was lots of music and the choir did great.  The meeting adjourned close to 5:30 instead of 4:30, and then preparations were underway for the Priesthood meeting.  I was so glad to go home and can’t remember when I have been so tired.  (That’s not a complaint—just a statement of fact.  I am so happy that I had the chance to play.  It’s my only way to participate outside the temple.  My poor old self is just running lower on stamina than it used to.)

We heard that it snowed in Rigby, Logan, and Kaysville.  Enjoy!!  Good night!