When I was 11 years old I sang in a Primary chorus for "primary conference" in the tabernacle it was fun.
As a youth I would travel with my father to conference. It was fun to travel the 60 miles to the north and feel the spirit of conference. At that time, each door had a line. I would stand in the line for the door that went upstairs on the northwest. One time we brought one of my classmates at school with me. On that occasion we got to sit in the two rows behind the choir on the northwest side. As I remember it was April of 1972.
He looked at me at the conclusion of the session and said, "I'm not going to pass up this opportunity.. Follow me!" As the benediction authority said, "Amen", he jumped up and headed straight down the stairs right to the spot where the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve walked out of the Tabernacle. Joseph Fielding Smith was the prophet at the time and we shook his hand, we shook the hand of Harold B. Lee, N. Eldon Tanner, Mark E. Peterson, LeGrand Richards, Marion G. Romney, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, Richard L. Evans and others. As we stood there shaking their hands one of the security men came behind us to escort us out. (With a stern voice and incredulity he asked, "How did you get up here?") One of the brethren said to him, "Leave them be." What a great experience for a couple of young men. I don't think they ever let members sit behind the choir after that.
In May of 1996 on my eldest's son's 8th birthday, I was priviledged to baptize him in the Tabernacle baptistry. What a spiritual experience.
I have attend many conference sessions in the tabernacle over the years. Each one was special.
Ah what great memories.
-- Edited by Mahonri at 22:31, 2007-03-31
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no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
I attended an organ concert there once. Most memorable was the Toccata and Fugue in D minor with changing colored lights on the wall and ceiling behind the choir area.
Second memory was my brother's baptism in the baptistry 8-9 years ago. I sang for the program, so now I can always tell people that I once sang a solo at a program in the Tabernacle.
Having not grown up in anywhere within 1000 miles of the location, I have nothing but "neutral" memories of the building. I have been to it probably three or four times in my life, so I have no tie to it other than it was where General Conference was held up until several years ago.
The church building that all of my youth and the majority of spiritual instruction occured in prior to leaving for BYU after high school doesn't even belong to the Church anymore. The Church sold our old stake center, a unique building, to the hospital next door while I was on my mission. That was hard for a while for me and my wife, as that was where we had attended church for most of our childhood and youth, where we both were baptised, and many fond memories attached. But, folks got over it in time.
I've learned that the only place that really has the right to hold a sentimental / spiritual value in the larger scheme of things are the temples. Of course, maybe for those of you out west, maybe something like the Tabernacle too... but, that may kind of end up looking like gloating for being part of the ever increasing minority of Church membership who have been priviledged to go to BYU.
It is the spiritual experience and drawing close to the Lord that is important, and not necessarily the physical building. So, I guess try to not mix the two up too much.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
I've not spent a lot of time in Utah, but my favourite memory of the Tabernacle is that of, together with a seminary teacher, taking a bus load of seminary students from Payson, UT to a Saturday Morning Conference session in the Tabernacle, and their getting to see President McKay up close as he left.
errr... female GA? General Authorities are those Priesthood holders that make up the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, Presiding Bishopric, and the Quorums of The Seventy. The leaders of the various auxilliary organizations are referred to as General Officers, unless I'm mistaken. Just a point of formal protocol.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
Cocobeem wrote: Each friggin' one of you know what I meant.
Aaaaar! Me virgin ears! The pain... the pain! Aaaaaar! {wonderin' if the womens get's a talk about that includes directly speaking out about use of crude language in the General Women's broadcast like the mens do in General Priesthood meeting... }
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
Yes, we did. Must be some mean women out there. And they always seem to hook the nicer guys. And the meaner guys seem to end up with the nicer girls. Interesting...
I say the meanies should stay with their own kind from now on.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
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