A Full Plate

I woke up at 5am today, excited for the day ahead. Not knowing how the day would unfold however, I was very nervous.

I arrived at church this morning at 7am. I rehearsed for approximately 2 hours on the organ before heading to branch presidency and branch council meetings.

During Elder’s Quorum, our Quorum President, Chris Nieuwenhuis gave us a lesson based on Elder David A. Bednar’s recent conference message. I loved the message about how the Lord’s burden is easy and his yoke is light. It immediately reminded me of the chorus from George Frederick Handel.

In Sunday School, we read out of 1 Samuel Chapter 18. I’m not sure if we read more than just 18 or if my headache that I had prohibited me from remembering that. We discussed how we mush be kind to one another, how to teach others to be kind, and ways we’ve kind to others recently.

I participated a lot during Sacrament meeting today. I gave a talk and performed a musical number. I snapchatted several people for hymn requests and 2 people responded. Both Steven Richards and Kjirstin Pond chose “Hope of Israel,” Kjirstin chose “True to the Faith” which happened to closely align with my talk. Our sacrament hymn was “Reverently and Meekly Now,” a unique sacrament hymn as it is written from the perspective of Jesus Christ. Beautiful music indeed. My special musical number was Clay Christiansen’s arrangement of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”

Robert Fordham, a member of the branch spoke about the importance of family history work. My talk about living true to the faith and how I can establish my own legacy of faith is posted below. The High Councilor over the YSAs in the Green Bay stake also spoke to us.

After church, I asked someone on a date. She said she was busy on the day I wanted to go but still wants to go out with me. Yay!

As if my sabbath day could not get any better, I also received my patriarchal blessing today. After my patriarchal blessing, my mother and I went to see Sister Morgan Johnston at her mission farewell open house thing.

I loved today’s broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. I loved the piece that the Men of the Tabernacle Choir performed, “Alleluia,” a beautiful way to say praise Ye The Lord. I also loved hearing the Choir perform “Guide Us O Thou Great Jehovah.” I absolutely love Mack Wilberg’s harmonies! Lloyd Newell, announcer for the Choir shared a lovely message of how trials in life are our greatest teaching moments.