Iowa, giving service, General store & antiques

Monday June 22, 2009
This day we could be bused to several places, we chose a science center (ended up being more for kids) and watched an Imax theater movie about the Grand Canyon.The red faces in pictures are Carl and Lonnie playing around.

When we came outside the building a choir member was very nervous she had been waiting for the bus for 45 mins to be picked up as she had a tv interview to do back at the Hotel.She called and called for a pick up, finally one came. while waiting she told me that earlier at the Hotel the Holy ghost had prompted her not to go. She thought it out and thought oh there was plenty of time to get back as buses were to come every 30 mins to rotate us. Well it didn't. I guess that's a lesson for all of us, follow our promptings? As far as I know she made the interview a little late.

There was a bus going to a Historic Junction with 3 blocks of shops. Lunch was at this General Store, yummy food and decor to our liking. The blocks of shops were just okay...it made me really realize that hey if a shop is going to make it in this new economy they are going to have to decide if they are IN or OUT!
It wouldn't suprise me to see all but a few gone in a year.

One antique shop quietly tucked around the corner was my favorite, I could have bought the whole shop and brought it back to you, reasonably priced neat antiques. I kept loading up the counter, husband would pay and I would load it back up! Here in another shop is a PINK SLIP I really wanted to bring home to some of you whom would adore it...it was priced to high for resale though, don't you love it?

It was 110 degrees with the humidity and of course my husband received his new middle name here: its Carl Horton instead of Carl Henry because he has always been the kind that when you are suppose to do something or watch something or wait for something HE IS THERE WAITING AND PROTECTING, me.............I am sidetracked by shopping etc. Well, he insisted we wait for the bus OUTSIDE as he was sure it was going to be ON TIME. I said I am shopping until it comes, it wont leave us. Well, he sweated for over 1 hour waiting OUTSIDE while I was in buildings. So this was the only time in two weeks we did not totally get along which is quite a long time for us!

Choir had to practice at 2:30, we just had to show up for buffet at 5:00 refreshed and ready to go for the evening. A good many are starting to get a cough and some are not able to even perform for the concert. We were so worried for them and for us, as no one wants to get sick on a neat trip like this.

Members of the choir can sing for 20 years. They must retire at age 60. They go through rigourous auditions. I heard one man say he had tried out 4 times. It is said that when its "your time in life" to be in the choir or symphony then you will get in. They audition every two years, no exceptions. Some have waited until empty nest years families are raised and another said her little girl was 3 when she joined and now is 18 and her family adjusted their life around it beautfully.

One sweet woman cried to me at the last show of how thankful she was to have come on this tour with her husband who sings and how much greater appreciation she has for him and the choir and the good that they do and the all that is given. She now will say "honey what can I do to help you". My own opinion is that when its possible for a spouse to go on these trips that they should, it is not anything that can be described to the fullest of what it is and afterall, what a priviledge to be a part of this group. There are quite a few couples who are married to each other...so that's unique too.

Some would say to us in a teasing way...you chose to come on vacation WITH US? Like are you nuts! We said we are realizing we bought a once in a lifetime experience. One co-worker asked my husband how much it cost...he said priceless. I agree.

One thing you may not realize is that because this choir is so professional they are not allowed to take their eyes off the conductor while performing, the lights are bright & hot, the audience is dark and they have a hard time seeing what the audience is doing or even have a hard time hearing applause or viewing the standing ovations. That was really suprising to us. They cannot touch their face, drink water,cough,use a hankie,or sit down during performance.

If I were to suggest one thing, because of this, they do not see the tears of emotions, the stories of how they have touched someones lives, or hear the miles someone traveled to see them, if you meet a member be sure to express your experience with them, that is their reward. Many times we would have to tell them after the performance of all the neat things we had seen and heard. There were times I would say "oh the men crying out numbered the women tonight!" We were their eyes and ears of the audiences they performed to. You could also write to the tabernacle choir office and even single out certain performers that you love, I know they would be SO TICKLED to hear just anything from an apppreciative reciever of their talent.

Had I realized I could have gone to the care center with some of the choir members I would have jumped at the chance that morning. You can see the pictures of how sweet it was and then I hear they sang my very favorite "no man is an island" and to think that the music went to them!

A large crowd showed up this evening in the Wells Fargo building close by, we were in Iowa. But not for long...