Collegiate Trip

This post is really late, but I still feel I need to express my gratitude for what I got to experience when the collegiate choir got to tour the Midwest over this past break.
Here are a few numbers: Over the course of three weeks we got to tour in 9 states, perform in 35 performances, and we performed for a total of 5,600 people (roughly).
The experience was amazing. I haven't been on a mission and probably will not until my husband and I are older, so this was an opportunity I took seriously. Besides, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When will I ever get to tour around on a bus with a group full of wonderful singers and perform for public audiences and also do firesides? Not very likely.
Sadly, a lot of our trip consisted of driving. If you have never been to the Midwest, I need to inform you it is very flat, boring, and there are long stretches between the towns. We just had to be in so many places in such a short period of time! Luckily, we did get to do some recreational activities at rest stops (throw a frisbee, stretch, skip around) and some fun things along the way. We got to stop at Mount Rushmore and look around for a while, as well as explore a children's museum (I am of the opinion that they are great for kid's hands on experience). We also saw Lake Superior briefly and stopped at Wall Drug. (For those of you who don't know, it was an old station where people could stop for free ice water and service. Now they still give you free ice water but there is a restaurant and an abundance of shops. You would think you were in a mini shopping center! There are also some fun activities. The whole place is like an amusement park, just without the rides.)
The rest of the time we were singing! We went to high schools and colleges to do exchanges. This was especially fun because we could see what other schools were doing. We got to expand our horizons and take note of what pieces we liked, what techniques we liked, etc. At one university they had us dance to our music to internalize the rhythms and beats. The idea was to get our whole bodies involved in our singing. It was very interesting.
We also held concerts and firesides. In my opinion, these were the the best moments ever! Our concerts and our firesides were dedicated to the sharing of the gospel. We really, genuinely wanted the people to hear our message. I remember being so exhausted from the days events, that I had to muster up a lot of energy to get through the concert. Yet somehow I found strength. These experiences were tiny, little miracles. We had so many opportunities fall right into our laps. After concerts we practically rushed the audiences. We wanted to talk with them and share our testimonies! We wanted them to know that we really were out there for them. All semester long we had been planning this for THEM! So they could feel that much closer to the truth. Statistically speaking, it takes a non-member several times to hear about the church before they will actually stop and listen to what it is all about. I just was excited that maybe we were just one of those numbers. We were bringing people that much closer to hearing about the gospel before they would consider what it was about it nothing else! That got me giddy.
In fact, after our trip we received numerous e-mails from faithful members of the church who told us how inspired our message was and for provided missionary opportunities. One man said he has discussed the gospel with one of his friends, but didn't have the right occasion to ask her to take the missionary discussions. She agreed to come with him to the concert, and then they had a great discussion afterwards. She now will be getting baptized soon. Even if we just touched this one woman, our efforts were worth it. But she was not the only person touched. E-mail keep coming--weeks later--to tell us how our message touched them. Wow! I am so humbled to have been part of this experience--especially because it was the faithful member's faith that helped this be possible the most.
In one town, a woman was given an assignment by her ward to promote our concert. She said she advertized for weeks before we came and asked the members to spread the word to their friends and neighbors. She prayed and fasted for us. She truly exercised her faith. She wanted this experience to be a positive one that could touch the members as well as the community. Her prayers were answered. That day we were all tired (as usual) and arrived for the concert and an exchange with that university. Quite frankly, it was a dead venue. The sound did not project as well as a concert hall would have and the lights were blinding. We were a little frustrated during the sound check because we didn't sound as good as we normally did. But then we gave our concert. The audience was enraptured. They laughed at our jokes and they were silent for our tender moments. They were on their feet a couple of times throughout the whole performance and when we got to greet them, there was no end to their thanksgiving. It was VERY humbling. We sang that night better than we ever did at any other venue. Our show wasn't even as refined as it was by the end of the tour, but it left the greatest impression. I know it was due to the faith of that woman and other like her that wrought those miracles.
It just goes to show that by small and simple things great things are brought to pass (Alma 37:6). We are never alone.