35. Sing a solo

Completed: April 8, 2010
Unlike all of my other goals, this one actually went as I imagined. Although, it was much less planned out than I expected. I thought I would have weeks and weeks of practicing and rehearsing to get the song perfected. My accompanist would put time aside to practice with me before the big performance. But instead, my young women's leader messaged me a few weeks prior and asked me to sing at the Relief Society dinner the day after I got home from my week long trip to Utah with my dad... With my list in mind, I agreed. She asked me to sing the song Be Strong. 


I love this song. We sang it as a group at youth conference one year and I've loved it ever since. It also helped that one of my friends sang the song too, that ended up in the video in the link posted above. The talented Miss Noelle, now attending BYU. I almost exploded into tears when I watched the video for the first time and saw her in it. 

I was obviously very excited to sing this song, a song that I love, to people I love, about a gospel I love! Perfect. I went to Utah with my dad for the week, and didn't practice the song once. I got home, and probably sang the song at every possible moment. I did not want to have my voice fail me in front of all of these women in my ward. 


I got to the dinner and suddenly felt extremely nervous. My palms were sweaty, my heart was racing and whenever I stood up too quickly, I felt really dizzy. I hadn't practiced the song yet with the accompanist, but luckily she pulled me aside for a few minutes and we got to run through it once. I was still nervous. Before I knew it, it was time.

It wasn't even on a stage, it was a podium. I had the sheet music and words sitting in front of me. I sang the song and it went really well, until I thought of how much this song means to me... And I started crying. Needless to say, my singing was not as good as I had intended. But I managed to pull myself together in 5 seconds, and finish the song. I felt extremely embarrassed by the fact that I couldn't sing a 3 minute song without crying and that I had pretty much 100% messed up my solo. But the next week at church, I got a note from the Relief Society Presidency.

I felt so much better about my performance after reading this card. I really feel like this was one of my smoother tasks, even though I pulled a "Bee" and cried... Sigh, I am such a daddy's girl.