2nd Sunday

I don't remember if I mentioned it, but last week Elizabeth mentioned that she wanted to go up front and talk like the other people did.  It came as no surprise that as she watched the other kids go up in fast and testimony meeting that she wanted to go.  Andrew and I battled over who would take her up and I lost.  I didn't want to feed her with words about a testimony that she wouldn't have as a 4 year old attending our church for only the 2nd week, but I was going to help her say some other nice things.  She stood up there and looked back at the pianist and the chorister expectantly.  I tried to help her say a few things mostly that her name was Elizabeth and that she loved Jesus and her Dad.  Nothing. A few giggles from the ward members, she is cute, I was a new mom... She wouldn't say any of it.  She wasn't shying away, she just didn't want to say those words..  I pulled the mic up and they lifted the pulpit, expecting her to be done.  I mentioned that the week before she had wanted to come up and as long as nobody spoiled it, we might have a speaker lined up for a long time.  I gestured to the pianist saying I think she wanted to sing a song with her look.  The jumped up and said she would be happy to play for her.  I asked Elizabeth if she wanted to sing I am a Child of God and she said yes and went and excitedly got the pianist to play and tried to get the chorister as well, but he didn't hear her.  She said that she wanted me to sing as well and I said "what did I get myself into", the congregation laughed.  The pulpit dropped again and she pulled the mic back down.

Elizabeth sang the first two measures on her own and I whispered the rest of the words to her.  She sang the whole first verse without pausing, just listening for my prompting.  The pianist did a great job and pacing it with her.

I was a little flustered and unfortunately didn't end it as well as I could have and just said something like we were happy to have her.

The rest of the meeting or rather meetings seemed to have been set by the song.  I was too distracted and Andrew apparently bright red to notice that everyone in the ward was crying, touched by her sweet little song.  The testimonies that followed referenced her little song regularly.  People thanked her after and she seemed oblivious ha ha.  The lesson in Relief Society was about the Spirit the music brings.  As they asked for people to share experiences, there was a moment where they all agreed they had witnessed it today.  I felt the impact of her song as the sisters shared their thoughts and how there wasn't a dry eye around.  The pianist said "try playing the piano at the same time".