When I attended Ward Choir while growing up, I remember thinking how easy it was. I was pretty good at sight reading music, and we would just go over our parts over and over. I got it. Singing was easy.
And then I got into choirs in High School. All of a sudden, we were adding nuanced dynamics and shaping phrases. My mind was blown! This was so much more exciting, and took a lot more practice and focus.
And then I got into the Women’s Chorus at BYU. Suddenly, we were focusing on where the sound was resonating in your mouth when you sing, different styles of vibrato and tone, and tuning notes that didn’t sound that “off” to me.
If you had taken me to a BYU Choir concert when I was 12 years old, I would have said that the choirs sounded amazing because they were all singing the right notes.
If you had taken me to a BYU Choir concert when I was 17 years old, I would have told you how amazing their dynamics, phrasing, and breaths were.
We only notice what we know to notice.
I like to think of some of the most Christlike people that I have known in my life.
When I was 12 years old, I would have told you they were Christlike because they were reading their scriptures and going to church.
When I was 17 years old, I would have told you they were Christlike because they were also kind and loving. They liked to serve other people.
And now, at 28, I notice that they also regularly attend the temple. They volunteer to serve beyond what would be expected. They invite the spirit into their lives. They act on promptings regularly, without analyzing their way out of it.
I only notice what I know to notice.
This makes me think of the Savior. We study his life and learn of him through the scriptures, church, Conference talks, spiritual promptings.
But we only learn what we are ready to learn.
What a perfectly individualized spiritual education plan.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
