Gladys

  So last night was amazing! I got to spend it with the Empress of Soul that's right friends Gladys Knight came to town for a night of song and testimony. It was beautiful. The music was soul moving and her boldness in sharing the gospel was inspiring. For me the thing that was the greatest was how it was nothing like anything I'd experienced before. The chapel was rockin as the choir swayed and hearing some of our traditional hymns put to a gospel beat was really touching to me.
   My favorite part of all was watching how what was going on affected so many people in so many different ways. A few had there hands in the air, some let out an occasional mm..hmm.. or amen, some couldn't help but move with the music. And then of course there were all the white folks who sat there quietly reverently enjoying the show with moments of discomfort from her boldness in sharing the gospel and abililty to just say whatever she felt.
   As my day has gone on today I can't stop thinking about some of the things she shared as she bore her testimony. She said she knew she was a member of the true church and that everyone there last night who wasn't a member needed to try it out. At the same time she said that in the church we have so much to learn from different cultures and their ways of worshiping  I couldn't agree more. As I read in 1 Nephi 4 today the praiseful language of Nephi by far mirrored the words and ways of a culture I took part in last night over that of my own.
    I hope to have learned from the people I was surrounded by in fearlessly praising the Lord and being more open to learn from all people who desire in their own way to praise, glorify, worship and above all follow the example of Jesus Christ.