Calgary Temple Dedication

Bringing Cameron home didn't slow down the festivities surrounding the dedication of our temple one bit.  In fact I would have to say that his homecoming made everything that weekend more real for me.  My miracles were so fresh.  I had just lived tangible truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, and I felt an overwhelming sense of grandeur and gratitude.

I am a professional oboist.  I have had some pretty amazing musical experiences in my life.  None of the experiences I have had have matched the venture I have had singing with the Calgary Temple Dedication Choir.  I don't know why I was given the opportunity as opposed to someone else.  I was humbled, honored, and excited when I got that amazing phone call after my audition in June.  We had a lot of rehearsals and I grew to LOVE each member of that choir and my director has become one of the most amazing people I know in my life.  Karen Baker has such a gift of bringing the spirit of the Holy Ghost to every rehearsal while teaching us how to sound our best.

Every time I sang I felt so close to my Heavenly Father.  As the date for the dedication got closer I began to experience miracles.  Almost every miracle or important experience that happened with Cameron happened the same day as a choir rehearsal.  I felt honored to be able to walk into that choir practice and sing my praises to my God, who I know loves me.

Then came the dedication weekend!

Our final rehearsals inside the temple were amazing!  I wish I had a larger vocabulary so that I could accurately write how it felt to rehearse in the celestial room with my friends.  I teared up every time!

Then it was the day the temple of God was to be dedicated.  I was so excited and scared all at the same time!!!  I was about to sing for the prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson.  I knew that where I would be standing I would be in his direct line of sight while I was singing.  I wanted to sing praises to my Heavenly Father and I wanted to sing well for my prophet.

The dedication began and there are no words to express how wonderful it was.  As I stood in that celestial room and sang I was overcome!  I have never sung so well in my life and I know that I was surrounded my angels lifting their voices with mine.  After the dedicatory prayer I sang the Hossanna Anthem and struggled to continue because of the love my Father in Heaven has for me and I for Him.  I was not the only one in our choir who struggled to keep my voice steady as my emotions completely took over my body.

I will be eternally grateful for the experiences I had while rehearsing for this special day.
I will be eternally grateful for the experience I had to be in that Celestial room and sing for my God.

I know that this church is true, with all my mind body, and soul.

The church News asked us for some of the choir members experiences being in the dedicatory choirs.  I wasn't able to meet the dead line (having a newborn sort affects things like that) but my director wrote in on my behalf and our sweet Cameron boy is briefly mentioned as one of the miracles.  

ARTICLE ABOUT THE CHOIRS

AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE DEDICATION