Today I was released from the ward calling I have held since 2003. I was released for a few months in late 2006 and then called again in early 2007, so essentially I have been the ward choir director in the Mountainville 3rd Ward for 7 years. For most of that time I had 2, 3, or 4 other callings in addition to choir, but choir has been a constant. It’s a calling that I really love and I am sad to see it go, but with some current health issues that I am experiencing, it was felt by my Bishop that I need a break. I have worked with so many great people during those years and seen so much growth in my fellow musicians that I feel truly blessed. It’s been an emotional day, but I had visits from two families this afternoon with gifts to tell me how much I had influenced them, so I also feel loved.
Scott and Sue Family
August updates from Elder Brian
Here are some excerpts from recent letters:
8-3-2010
Jueves: There was another baptism in our ward on Friday, and apparently they asked me to sing, so I wrote an arrangement of “Our Savior’s Love and I Feel My Savior’s Love”. I always thought those would go good together. So I had one day to write it, and that is what I did in my little free time.
Domingo: Well today was a dream. We had the baptismal service of … They asked me to baptize all of them, so I did it. It was pretty crazy, an amazing spiritual experience. Wow, if ever you feel empowered by the priesthood. The service itself was very nice. I also sang for it, my arrangement of I am a child of God, and When I am baptized, and I sang it right before the actual ordinance…The story of [this family] was a miracle, an Ensign article in the making. They were the stories that you hear about from missionaries and you wonder if it will ever happen to you. P.S. I am planning on it happening more throughout my mission :). They were the golden investigators and now new members of the church.
8-10-2010
Viernes: We did weekly planning and we went out to [a family] and we taught them about prayer and it was really good. After that I went on exchanges with…my district leader and we went up to Valley Center which I have never been to before. It is in the mountains and it is complete country. The elders live on a chicken farm and they drive a pick-up. It is great! We taught some good lessons…
Sabado: So pretty much I love Valley Center and want to serve up there. We did service in the morning and we cut beaks off of little chickens. It was…interesting and really fun. We did a lot of walking on empty dirt roads and then in the evening we went back over to Escondido. We met two new investigators…
8-17-2010
Tuesday: I bought a new suit at the thrift store. Brand new, I had to hem it (Mom you would be proud), and it was $11. Sweet!! It is a little big around the waist, but just throw a belt on it and cinch it up and you are good. We went and played volleyball for district activity and then we went over to [a family] and met with them for a little bit.
8-24-2010
So transfer news……I am leaving Escondido. I was really sad when I found out, but I was kind of expecting it. My district leader called me on Saturday evening with the news. Then 20 minutes later, the assistants call. Never a good thing. They asked me to be the pianist for the transfer meeting. Sweet! Then I got called as Senior Companion. What?! Then I am going to be a district leader….WHAT?!?!? Umm. Yeah that was a surprise. I am still in my greenie area! Gah!! I don’t know anything!! So I was stressed out for like 10 minutes and then I got a hold of myself and now I am just excited! So here in a few hours, I am gonna be going to a completely new area, as a senior companion, as a district leader. Wow.
8-31-2010
Ok so for the transfer news: I am serving in Oceanside!!! Oceanside is beautiful, after the heat of Escondido. The air is so fresh and the weather is unbeatable. I am the district leader of a brand new created Oceanside Spanish District…Haha and get this…I am in a full-time bike area. AGAIN!?!?! Yep, pretty much I will not have driven a car for a full year after I leave this area. My bike, is gonna last I hope, I am honestly not sure.
Wednesday: The bike that [my companion] is using broke down, so now because I am an expert at fixing bikes, we got that fixed.
My Happiness Project
Five of my dearest friends met together last month to discuss our book club pick: “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. We had a lively discussion on the meaning of compromise vs. collaboration and what really makes us happy and what doesn’t. At first glance, we seem an unlikely group, thrown together originally because of our volunteer work, but the bonds we’ve formed have helped all of us in good and bad times. They gave me courage to change because I was wavering on how many of the concepts I wanted to implement in my life. I am not elastic enough to want a full-blown project like the author, so I gave myself permission to cherry-pick some of the ideas that really resonated with me. So I am going to spend the next few months working on the following resolutions. Some of these things I do already, but could do better; some need to be started; and some just need to be done with regularity. I am hoping to see an increase in my level of happiness as I am more mindful of what I choose to do in my life.
Vitality: exercise better; toss, restore, organize; tackle a nagging task
Remember Love: don’t expect praise or appreciation; give proofs of love
Aim Higher: blog regularly; enjoy now; plan my days
Lighten Up: take time for projects; cut people slack
Contemplate the Heavens: scripture study; temple attendance
Brian Stokes Mitchell concert
Last night Scott and I attended the Brian Stokes Mitchell concert at BYU and it was fantastic! I got the tickets as soon as the season ticket options was available in July and it was a good thing because it sold out the first day single seat tickets were available. He is such an amazing singer and actor and so personable on the stage. He introduced each song and told stories and I was just in heaven. He opened with “Some Enchanted Evening” and sang mostly Broadway music, with a Gershwin tune and a “list” song called “Waters of March” by the well-known Brazilian composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim. During this song he also played the melodion and said he is always asked what that’s called. He said it’s a harmonica with a keyboard for those, like him, who are too lazy to learn the harmonica.
He sang “Soliloquy” from “Carousel” and said it’s the best musical theater song ever written for a baritone. I’ve always loved the music from that show and he was so powerful. He also sang “This Nearly Was Mine” from “South Pacific” which is my favorite from that show and said it’s the 11:00 song from SP. He explained that when Broadway shows used to start at 8:30 pm, there was always a powerful song that came at about 11 pm in the show that was the apex of the emotional arc of the story and in SP, it’s Emile’s song, “This Nearly Was Mine”. So I was right to love that one the best. 🙂 His rendition made you feel as if he really had lost everything. It was awesome.
He also sang “Dulcinea”, “Stars”, “Another Hundred People”, “Wheels of a Dream”, “The Impossible Dream”, “Where is the Life that Late I Led?”, “New Words!”, and “I Was Here”, plus some others. He was backed by piano, bass, and drums. The whole show was really great and I am so glad we were able to attend. After the show we waited in line for an hour and a half to get a program signed for Brian. We told him that Brian is in the musical theater program at BYU, is a baritone, and dreams of being on Broadway. He said, “Good for you for spelling Brian the right way, and my condolences to you as parents that he wants to be on Broadway”. Then he laughed and signed the program, To Brian, Sing!!, Brian Stokes Mitchell
New pix from Brian
We received a CD with new pictures of Brian in Escondido, California.
(click on a photo to view them all in a gallery)
