He Comes Again!

Easter was last week and it was probably the best Easter I have ever had in my entire life. The Kaysville Stake performed the cantata, He Comes Again. It was truly amazing. It has definitely been a while since I have felt the spirit this strong. Everything went so perfect. All of the instrumentalists and soloists were incredible. After we finished performing, there was not a dry eye in the choir or the congregation. I could not believe the impact it had on so many peoples lives.
 I have really enjoyed receiving phone calls and emails from people telling me of their experiences and how the cantata effected them. I had hoped and prayed, when I started writing this over a year ago, that it would be something inspired and something that could uplift many and help increase testimonies for all that would hear it. I had no idea the impact it would have on my life. It was amazing to study the Savior's life almost on a daily basis as I would write each of the songs. I know that my testimony has increased exponentially and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me this talent and allowing me to have this opportunity to share it with so many people.
This was such an amazing way to celebrate Easter. I can think of no better way to celebrate the life, death and Resurrection of our Savior than by coming together as a stake family and singing praises unto Him. We truly celebrated the greatest gift that has ever been and ever will be given to us that night. I am just so incredibly grateful to have been a part of it. I feel like I have been floating these last few days, being carried by the spirit that so richly filled my soul.
Thank you to the Kaysville Stake choir for being so wonderful and giving so much of your time. Thank you to all that helped make this night so wonderful. I know I don't even know how many hours went into making this so wonderful and how many people were involved, but I so appreciate everything that was done. And I especially want to thank Ben Dee, our Stake choir director. I have said this before, but it is true... He is the best choir director I have ever had the privilege of playing the piano for. He is the one who made it all happen and to him I will always be thankful!!
I can't wait until next year. We are going to make this an annual event now. I hope even more people will be able to have the opportunity to participate next year and experience the blessings that we all felt this year.
Now the only question is, what am I supposed to do in the mean time?? I guess its time to start on all of those projects that were neglected over the past year:)

The Cantata is finished!!

Well, I have really been neglecting this blog. I thought I would at least take a few minutes and write an update. The music for the cantata is finished. I finished the last song just a few weeks before our stake started practicing for the performance. I had no idea how long this would take me, but I am so excited that it is done and I am even more excited to hear the whole thing. I have been working on getting recordings of each song onto my website so that it is easier for everyone to hear how the songs sound and so that you can practice with them if you would like.
  I am so lucky to live in such a talented stake, and even more lucky that they are willing to come and record songs for me so that I can put them on the website. Thank you to everyone that has helped already.
  I am so amazed, as I look back to when I was writing each song for the cantata, at how blessed I was. I truly feel like each song was inspired. I can't even describe how I felt each time I would sit down to write the lyrics. I have always struggled with lyrics, but for some reason with this cantata, I felt the spirit so strongly as I would start to write, and many songs came so quickly, some almost too fast. I had a hard time sometimes writing things down fast enough. And then there were times when I would wake up in the middle of the night with a new melody in my head for the next song. What an amazing experience! I am almost sad that it is finished.
  I thought I would want a break from writing for a little while, but after a few days, I started to go crazy. I needed to write something! So, I am in the Young Women's presidency in my ward, and I thought.....I should write a song for their new theme for this year, "Arise and Shine Forth". So, I just finished a song called, "I Will Arise and Shine Forth". It is on the site along with a recording done by the very talented, Joni Hayes. She is amazing. Take a listen. I have also just started an arrangement of the hymn, "Guide Me To Thee" for SATB. Hopefully it will be done in the next week or so.
  That's about all that is going on. I am loving each Sunday night as I go to practice with our stake. It is so much fun hearing these songs come to life. Anyone in the Kaysville, UT area that wants to sing with us should come. We would love it.
  And last but not least, I wanted to thank Ben Dee. He is our stake choir director and is the most amazing director that I have ever had the opportunity to play for. He knows how to have a good time and laugh with everyone, but also knows how to draw the spirit in. He makes my songs sound so much better than I ever thought they could, and he is always encouraging me to write more (I always take that as a good sign that he likes what I have written). It was his faith in me that helped me to have faith in myself to write a cantata. And, not only is he an amazing director, he has also taken over my website for me. I am terrible with computers, and I was just lucky to be able to publish things onto my site. But, he took it upon himself to re-do my site, make it look beautiful, and make it easier to read or find what you are looking for. I don't know how to thank him enough. Thanks Ben!! (He also has recorded a few songs for me....he has an amazing voice as well.....take a listen to "On My Way"....that's him!)