Farewell Provo Tabernacle

Yesterday afternoon I was amazed to hear the awful news that the Provo Tabernacle had caught on fire over the night. I quickly looked it up on the news and couldn't believe my eyes. From what I have read they believe that it will be a complete loss. I hope they rebuild it though. It might not be the same as having the one's the pioneers built, but it would be a travesty to have something else there (especially if it is NuSkin's expansion). I was surprised how sad I was over this building burning. Here are a few of the experiences that I've had in the Tabernacle over the years.

I spent two and a half years in the BYU 1st Stake and we often had our stake conference meetings at the Tabernacle. That's about five stake conferences with both a Saturday night and Sunday meeting. I also remember one particular meeting--it was a stake music fireside we put on. One of my life goal's was to direct a large choir in a hall like this with a big organ. Well, our ward had already supplied a musical number that evening, an octet singing Have I Done Any Good? I talked to the stake president and offered to have our ward choir sing Guide Us, O Thou, Great Jehovah arranged by Mack Wilberg, a song we sang in church earlier that day. We were a little low on numbers since it was impromptu, but it was an amazing experience to conduct a choir in there with that great organ.

As a side note, that same evening I was asked to give the closing prayer. Right as I got up to the pulpit to say the prayer the organ started playing behind me (it's behind and above, so I couldn't see it). I jumped in surprise and many people in the congregation were laughing or smirking. I quietly sat back down in a chair behind the pulpit to sing the song with the congregation (so still in plain view of everyone). I had looked at the program and there was no song listed, but I guess they had announced it at some point. People still remember this for some reason. Nathan brought it up yesterday when I was talking to him about the Tabernacle without me reminding him.

Many of the BYU Combined Choir concerts took place in the Provo Tabernacle. For this picture we were in the actual choir seats, but Concert Choir and the Singers usually sat here with Men's Chorus on the north balcony side and Women's Chorus on the south. It was always a great experience to sing there.

 

Lastly, Christina and I took a lot of our engagement pictures at the Tabernacle. We chose it because, for one, it's a really cool looking building, but also because the memories I already had there. Provo has lost one tremendous landmark.