More Choir Tour ....

This top picture is at the Newell K. Whitney Store in Kirtland, OH.
Barry was in charge of all the venue sales for the tour(on his vacation time). He set a lofty goal of 100,000 in sales. At the first stop in Toronto, he and his team (all volunteers- a lot of choir spouses) sold 22,000! They were working like crazy. The funny thing is, the theater only held about 1500 people! We did two concerts there though. Barry had shared his goal with everyone and before long the whole choir knew about it! He would be asked by several people every day how the sales were going. By the second venue sales were already up to 44,000. Yes... by the end he made his goal and even went over by 9,000. Choir Pres. promised him a steak dinner if he made the goal...we'll see. We performed in four outdoor venues-The Blossom ampitheater in Cleveland, Riverbend in Cincinatti, Ravinia in Chicago and Chautauqua in NY. The hottest was in Cleveland. It must have been 90 degrees and 90% humidity. We were informed there that a broadcast was going to be taped for future a showing. I only hope there were not too many closeups because most of us were dripping with sweat, especially me! When the bright lights were turned on it must have gotten to 110 degrees easy(add a hot flash to that! I about died). In Cincinatti we were the opening concert for the summer season with the Cincinatti Pops. Conductor ,was a lot of fun. He did something weird though...he made us all bow together! He was so thrilled with our sound and ability that he said a number of times that we had to move to Cincinatti. He never had anything to say to us but praise. There were over 10,000 there at Riverbend. All of the crowds were so enthusiastic and warm. It was a pleasure to perform for them. This picture was taken at Chautauqua during "Ah El Novio" Boy was I glad to get to the last two venues that were indoors. We performed in Nashville and Memphis. The latter for the very first time in the choir's history. At this point, KSL's and her cameraman joined our tour. We had a general authority travelling with us as well. We also had church security and travel department people with us. The tour was extremely well organized as you can imagine it would have to be with 574 people. We stayed in the nicest hotels, mostly Marriots and ate very delicious food...too much I'm afraid. I learned something though... food cannot energize you alone, you have to have enough rest as well. We lacked the rest portion a lot. I rested on the bus rides but you know how that is...I never really slept. Check out the list on the top left for some of our great newspaper reviews! Copy and paste the address .

A 12 Day Mission

Well we're back from the choir tour. It was honestly so busy that I never had time to enter a post.
Here is an example: On the second day in Toronto we were up at 7am and bussed to sound checks at 10 am,then bussed to lunch, bussed back to 2 hour matinee concert , bussed back for dinner , bussed to evening two hour concert. After the concert we left Toronto in an eleven bus convoy stopped at the border for passport checks on every bus, and to Buffalo, NY to arrive for sleep at 1:30 am. That morning up at 7am leave at 9am for Chautauqua, NY. Sound check at 11:30 matinee at 2:00 hang out around the grounds til evening concert at 7:30. Around 10pm load buses for Cleveland to arrive around 2am. YAY got to sleep in til 8:30! These were our hardest days. It was a difficult and demanding tour physically,mentally . I felt at times that I was pressed to my limits. I remembered the pioneers that "in their extremities they became aquainted with God" I hoped that would be true for me and then I was reminded that I was only singing!!! This was a happy opportunity to bring peace and comfort to others! The Lord blessed me greatly and gave me strength of voice and spirit. We sang to over 50,000 people who shed tears of joy as they witnessed the Lord's choir perform with His power and love.
The choir is an amazing ambassador for the church to soften hearts and open doors. More to come....

Preparing for Choir Tour

We'll be leaving in about a week to go on a choir tour to Canada and the midwest. We'll be in Toronto,Chataqua, Cincinatti,Cleveland, Chicago, Nashville, &Memphis. Please email anyone you know that lives in these areas to support the choir, take a nonmember friend, and go to the concert. It'll be for 12 days and includes 7 venues and 9 concerts. I'm suffering from a head cold right now so keep me in your prayers that I'll have a strong singing voice for the tour. We'll be traveling with 574 people in 11 buses. Barry has been given the big job of arranging all the CD sales at every venue. So his trip has been paid for this time by the choir. He has a goal of selling $100,000. We'll be performing hymns,classical,folk,broadway,patriotic, etc. Some of my favorites on tour will be The Impossible Dream, Morning Has Broken, Cindy, Come Thou Fount of Every blessing, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Betelehemu. Tours are very demanding and exhausting. Although the tour planners allow for as much sight-seeing as time will allow, I usually sleep in and skip it if there was a concert the night before. Its important to reserve your energy. I have to admit though, that I do slip in some tennis just a little if I can with some choir friends. I need to make sure I bring plenty of cough drops, travel pillows, ear plugs, eye covers and sleeping pills. Those are my staples for a tour. I'll try to blog often while on tour to give you a feel for it. We will literally be on a 12 day mission for the church. I feel the weight of that responsibility and ask for your thoughts and prayers in this worthy endeavor to touch the hearts and minds of the people we come in contact with. Thanks!!!

Here's our newest high school graduate

Britney has graduated from American Fork High School this past week. She had great intentions of sending out announcements, she even made them...so you still may get one.
She ended the year voted as "most improved student". She even did well in her Algebra 2 class. She was a member of the tennis team, choir and orchestra. We are very happy for her to pass the milestone in her life!

A Memorial Day prayer

I thank God this day for this land of America, the greatest country on the face of the earth. She is a light and hope to the world of freedom and a better life. I thank Him for those who" more than self their country loved " that have given their lives for Her. I thank God for the abundant freedoms and possessions we have. I only pray that all citizens will remember that we have our "liberty in law", laws founded on the laws of God. Amen

The Age of No Common Sense

I went to the gym this morning and watched some TV while I exercised. We decided about three years ago to give up TV. I do not miss it at all except when it comes around Memorial day for the US Tennis Open or other big tennis events. As I watched today at the gym I was stunned with the lack of common sense that seemed to pervade almost every story I saw. California wants to install a new power plant system that would cut down pollution dramatically. The environMENTALists say "No!" it MAY have some affect upon the natural landscape...so what about human kind ??! Another story said "Does sexy attire in the work place hinder a women's progression in her career? DUH! If a woman does not respect her own body no one else will either. Then to top it off...within this same 30 minute period...the whole discussion about immunizing young girls against sexually transmitted diseases. Has the world gone crazy? The commentators spoke as if being chaste were completely out of the question and irrelevant. Truly this is the age of no common sense! You better guard your own with your life!

Bryce has gone to Curacao !

We received word today that Bryce is flying 490 miles south of PR to serve now in Curacao which is part of his mission. This is a beautiful small island 38 miles long and 8 miles wide . Its actually part of South America 40 miles from Venezuela. It has a dutch influence and the language is a new one he'll have to learn called Papiamientu(dutch,english and spanish mix). There are 150,000 people made up of black, english,dutch and jewish descent. It should be cooler and not as humid and it is out of the hurricane region. We loved hearing his voice on mother's day...I wish I had recorded it!