How Singing in the Multicultural Choir Brought Me Peace After the Prophet’s Passing
In the days after President Nelson’s passing, the hymns we sang became a source of strength and comfort.
I didn’t expect a simple choir audition to turn into one of the most meaningful spiritual experiences of my life. But when the Church announced that it was forming a multicultural choir for the October general conference, I decided to try out. To my surprise, I got in!
There were over 300 of us in the choir, representing countries and cultures from all over the world. I had the privilege of representing my family’s Mexican heritage.
Singing alongside people from so many different backgrounds was so special. Some particularly tender moments came during rehearsals, when one of our choir directors had us warm up our voices using lyrics from the Christian song “God Will Work It Out.”
Each time we sang the words of the song, a joyful peace washed over me. Sometimes I’d shed happy tears because I could feel the Spirit so strongly. Singing those lyrics strengthened my testimony that, no matter what, God really will work everything out in His perfect timing.
An Inspired Rehearsal
On September 27, during our final rehearsal, our directors felt impressed to have us sing “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” in our native languages. As voices in Spanish, Tongan, Tagalog, Korean, Portuguese, and more filled the air, the Spirit was undeniably strong. We felt so much love for our prophet.
The next morning, my husband and I woke up to the heartbreaking news that President Russell M. Nelson had passed away.
We sat quietly, processing the loss. This was the prophet who had guided us through our high school and college years, our missions, and our early married life. He’d led us with steadiness through the pandemic, political upheaval, and so much more.
The week of general conference, I felt numb, grieving President Nelson and the troubles in the world. But the Lord, in His perfect awareness, had already prepared something that would bring me comfort:
Singing in the multicultural choir during the Saturday evening session of general conference.
Tender Mercies in a Time of Grief
The hymns we sang together in that session held personal meaning for me.
The first hymn I ever learned in Primary was “How Firm a Foundation.” I also remembered an experience during stake conference as a child, when the congregation sang this hymn together and my younger siblings and I—just little kids—sang along. My dad later told us how proud he felt seeing his children sing the words of a hymn we had memorized.
“Jesus Is the Way” was originally the Tongan hymn “Folofola Mai ‘a Sīsū.” When I was at university in Hawaii, I often heard this beautiful hymn sung in Tongan. So singing it during conference felt like a connection to that amazing chapter of my life.
Our grand finale of the session, “Oh, How Great is Our Joy,” is a Spanish hymn known as “Placentero nos es trabajar.” I served my mission in Mexico, and this hymn was a favorite of missionary and church meetings. Singing it during conference brought back sweet memories of the people I came to love in southern Mexico.
Being part of this choir brought healing and comfort I didn’t know I would need. The Lord knew my heart and prepared a way for me to feel His love before I even asked for it (see Matthew 6:8).
As I sang, I realized I was feeling the power of many moments of Christlike discipleship throughout my life. It reminded me that every step I’ve taken to follow Jesus Christ matters. And now, I feel ready to begin a new chapter with that hope and enthusiasm President Nelson always exemplified.
He Never Forgets Us
For some of us, change can be hard, but this is the Lord’s Church. Even as we receive a new President of the Church, our Savior continues to be at the head of His Church. His work continues. And His love never wavers.
I’ll always be grateful for President Nelson and the way he helped shape my faith during pivotal years of my life. His teachings and example brought me closer to the Savior, and his passing marks the end of a sacred chapter for many of us. But just as Heavenly Father prepared my heart throughout this choir experience, He is preparing all of us for what lies ahead. As President Nelson shared, “The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.”
Our new prophet will lead us with the same divine guidance, and this chapter will be filled with just as much inspiration and love. We are all one people, striving to follow Jesus Christ. And He is not finished working miracles in our lives.
Just like the song reminded me in rehearsals, God will work it out. In fact, I believe He already is.