RECIBID AL REY

I have several students who are LDS. Three of them have been talking about their choir rehearsals for several months. They sang in the Tabernacle last Saturday night (their Friday night performance was canceled because of Elder Wirthlin's funeral). Last night, they sang at the Ogden Tabernacle. Mike and Kathie Linsley (missionaries to a Spanish Branch in Ogden) got us tickets and went with us. What an experience! The program was scheduled to begin at 7 PM and finally started at 7:20, confirming the Linsley's tales of the habitual tardiness of the Latinos. Once the concert began, however, it was well worth the wait!

The Latinos are totally into their music! Many of the numbers were done with guitars, drum, maracas and a small harp. In one number, the director turned around and asked the audience to clap. Everyone joined in, enthusiastically! Later, in the song, some of the people had stopped clapping. The director noticed, turned around and got them going again! One of my favorite parts was Las posadas - it's a little "parade" wherein Joseph and Mary journeyed into Bethlehem (starting at the back of the tabernacle) and made their way to the stage - getting turned away by several "innkeepers" along the way. Young children took those parts, and they had beautiful, clear voices!

A lot of the music was unfamiliar - but very beautiful! We loved hearing the Spanish version of Mary's Lullaby, Still, Still, Still and Oh Come All Ye Faithful. By the time we had heard 3 choruses of that last song, we could sing along during the 4th verse with the rest of the audience. We totally enjoyed the experience!