Howdy! I hope everything is going well. I hope Virginia is not too crazy. I never know, cause I don't watch TV or anything. How are the rehearsals for the musical going? I saw a high school in Troutdale was doing "Sound of Music." It brought back good memories.
When I was doing some exploring on www.mormon.org, I found video profiles of some church members. These videos explain their lives, their faith, and things about them that reflect how "normal" they are. I really enjoyed Alex Boye's and Brandon Summer's videos. If you haven't seen them I recommend watching them.
If you don't know Alex Boye, he is one of the few African American singers in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He is an amazing singer. He has his own albums, published through Deseret Book, and his record deal is with Shadow Mountain Records. His music is great. Anyway, he has a great video about how music has shaped his life. At first he sang and performed for himself, but later on in life, when he became Mormon, he wanted to sing and perform for other reasons. He says, "Music can heal the soul." I totally agree with that. I know that music can express emotions that can make a person's life different, even better. In his video, Alex Boye shares that there was a man who was about to commit suicide, but the man listened to one of Alex Boye's recordings and he refrained from committing suicide. Music can be a powerful tool in testifying to our hearts and minds that there is a God who really cares. People might not always make that connection, but it's true. Music can calm people and can make them feel good. There is something spiritual about music.
Brandon Flowers' video is another great profile. He is the lead singer of the band called "The Killers," and he is a Mormon. He said that his music doesn't have to be about money, sex and everything bad. It can be different. It can be good. In the rock pop industry, he shares that it is really weird to be married, especially at a younger age...like late 20's, but he is married and he manages his career with his family. In terms of what he values most, he says his family has surpassed his music. He says that as he has grown up, he has been more cautious about lyrics. He wants to be a positive influence in people lives. He has grown up in the church and he is thankful for his parents and the church instilling good values in him.
These videos are comforting to me because the more I think about what I want to do in my life, the more I think that it has something to do with music. I don't know what yet. I'm not saying I'll be focused on the extremes of getting rich and famous or becoming a music teacher, but I know that music will be a part of my life somehow. I'm grateful that I know that I can have a life centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ and have music in my life. They don't oppose each other. In fact, music can help to bring others closer to Christ.
Even though I am on my mission, music can still be a big part of my life. Each day Elder Rowley and I start our companionship study with a hymn. Music invites the right spirit to our study sessions. I wrote the family a letter, which I sent just yesterday, talking about my first real Sunday in Troutdale. It was awesome, but what I liked the most was that Elder Rowley and I sang "Be Still, My Soul" for the musical number during sacrament meeting. It was a great experience.
Being on a mission makes me realize the blessings God has given to me while growing up. I'm so grateful for my family. I'm grateful for the resources that we have had so that we could live comfortably. Even in times when we haven't had all the money we wanted, we have been supported by friends, family, and from the church. I'm grateful for all the blessings I have had in my life. I'm grateful that I could spend a lot of my life involved in music. I love music. But most importantly, I'm grateful for God's plan that he has for me. This is something that is even bigger than music. This is an eternal plan that he has for me and for everyone. If we follow His commandments we can have joy forever!
I love you all and I pray for you every day!
Love,
Elder Trevor. A. Morgan
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