"Abide with me 'tis eventide. The day is past and gone.
The shadows of the evening fall. The night is coming on.
Within my heart, a welcome guest. Within my home abide
Oh Savior stay this night with me, behold 'tis eventide.
Oh Savior stay this night with me, behold 'tis eventide."
These are the lyrics to the song that I sang last night at another one of our missionary musical firesides. The theme of the program was "My Soul Hungered" (prayer). We assembled a musical group together and threw this arrangement together this past week. The piece started with me singing the first two lines a cappella. The third line, the piano came in. And the fourth and fifth, an elder sang a duet. Then there was a musical interlude with a violinist and the piano. The second verse, another elder joined in for a trio. The very end, the violinist joined us and we broke into a 4 part piece. And it ended with an elder singing a cappella and then the violin did one of those high note hold thingys.
I was so incredibly nervous. Of course we performed last, so I had the whole time to worry and pray. I literally prayed pretty much the entire time. HaHa. Which is ironic because the whole theme of the fireside was prayer.
But it turned out really well!!!! I was so happy and relieved when it was done.
Let me explain a little bit more of the back story. During our rehearsals, I kept telling Elder Bowser and Elder Short that I didn't want to do the solo. And I kept trying to pawn it off on them. But they wouldn't let me. They said I had to do it. But I was literally sick to my stomach with nerves. I don't know if I've ever been that nervous.
Elder Bowser told me, "Sister Andelin, you have a beautiful voice. All you are lacking is confidence!"
I didn't believe him and continued to be nervous.
Elder Short told me, "Sister Andelin. Think about the words and what they mean."
Later on Elder Bowser said,
"Sister Andelin. You are being selfish. Stop thinking about yourself. Forget yourself and get to work...by singing! This song isn't about you. It is about the Savior. So sing for Him! You are hiding your talent under a bushel and what does the Savior say about that?"
That really hit me. And I realized I had to sing the song. And I needed help from God :)
But it all went really well.
We got so many compliments afterwards and people just kept coming up to me. Some people said they were brought to tears.
A man brought up a RC (recent convert) and INV (Investigator) and told me, "You have a lot of admirers here tonight. You have a beautiful soprano voice- so clean and soft. These ladies here loved it and were brought to tears and wanted to meet you."
I started talking to them, but it had to be translated because they are Tawainese. I offered that we could sing that song again at the Investigator's baptism and she said she'd love that.
Another guy came up and said, "WOW! That was amazing. You should try out for American Idol!"
A missionary told me, "Man. I am still just blown out of the water from that song!"
And then another missionary told me, "Sister Andelin- honestly, I didn't think you could sing before. But that was amazing."
I'm not trying to boast or glory in myself, like Ammon says in the scriptures, but I am just so grateful that God helped me through this experience. I know that He helped amplify my talents last night.
One of the elders got a recording of it...I'll try and get a hold of that sometime and send it to ya!
Oh and on another awesome note, Elizabeth is getting baptized on the 19th!!! I am so excited for her!! She is amazing. She bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting yesterday on her love of the BoM. She said it was delicious to her and she loved it! (Afterwards she came up to me and said-- Sorry I stole your term.) (I say the scriptures are delicious all the time)
Ok. I'm running out of time.
The gospel is real and true and I love it!!
Love,
Sister Andelin
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