Ward Choir

Today we sang in the ward choir for Stake Conference. We've been attending practices for weeks, but I think Ben's email below best summarizes how we really felt about the situation. Let's just put it this way: if the ward choir director wasn't such a nice person, we wouldn't have done it. Especially since it wasn't until the second practice that I found out what p and f in the music mean-- thanks to the soprano prodigy sitting next to me. I just hope we get an Olympic size pool in our mansion in heaven for this one.


Dear East Elder's quorum,

I have a true confession to make to all of you: I can't sing. I can't read the music, I can't hit the notes and I'm virtually tone-deaf. I can think of a gazillion different things I would rather do than sing in an organized situation. I avoided choir in my younger days simply because I don't have an affinity toward public humiliation; I am not an advocate of torture.

That said, I have some fairly alarming news for you: I have been singing in the ward choir in preparation for Stake Conference on Sunday. Now, this is not my first choice of ways to spend my time in life, in truth, it falls near the bottom of my list of things that I might perhaps want to accomplish later in life, say, when I turn 97. However, much to the chagrin of those musical marvels in our ward, I am singing in the choir.

I know some of you reading this email participated in choir in high school. Maybe you even dabbled in choir in college. To you, I raise my glass of pink lemonade. Well done. There may be others of you who know you can sing and don't like to make others look bad; don't worry, most of us who can't sing already do that for ourselves. And there may be others like me who can't carry a tune in a bucket, and, indeed, our singing may cause listeners to necessitate a bucket in which to unceremoniously deposit their lunch. That's beside the point. What I'm trying to say is this: the ward choir needs male voices for Sunday-- mostly to cover up the damage I am inadvertently causing within their ranks.

In a last ditch effort I'm writing to extend a most cordial invitation to the elders of the east quorum. On Sunday at 8:45 in the Smith Field House, the ward choir is practicing for the last time before stake conference. The music is inspiring, and, if you have an ounce of musical inclination, very simple. Even if you haven't attended any of the previous practices, you are a welcome addition. I don't know where you fall in the categories of singers, but the choir could definitely use your voice. I invite you to come.

Best,

Ben Petersen
(the secretary)