Christmas, for my wife and me, is a time of competing priorities. There is so much to do. However, we try to keep focused on the Savior and what His life means to us in our time. One thing that has helped with that focus has been the annual Messiah Concerts here in Tooele Valley. We’ve attended several since it has also been a tradition to attend in other cities where we have lived before moving home to Utah 18 years ago.
This year’s concert was particularly poignant for me as I thought about all the practices that the performers attended and all the arrangements made by the leaders of the Tooele Regional Chorus and Orchestra. Several friends are in that group and thanks especially to Betta Nash and Pamela Dale. It is a busy time for them as well. Many, many sacrifices were made for the audience’s enjoyment. I also greatly appreciate the sponsorship of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How appropriate. People of all different faiths came together in love for the Lord and each other.
This year, I didn’t worry about the complexity of the performance. I just sat back in my seat and reveled in the beauty of these two hours, the quality of the voices and instruments, and the long history of this inspired composition. Isaiah’s elegant words filled my spirit with hope and gratitude for a baby born so long ago in Bethlehem. To me, it is a miracle that the Messiah has been performed so many times, and in our valley this year, so very well. It takes a lot of “heart” to pull this off and I could easily see and feel that “heart.”
Corey W. Grua
Grantsville