I can still hear President Packer's voice in my head. It makes me pretty nostalgic, actually.

When I first became addicted to binging conference talks, I was serving in the office during my mission. I can still see myself in the office Elder's apartment in down town Antofagasta, Chile, taking my little tape player with me as I got ready for the day, relaxed on P-day, and any other time I could sneak in some listening.

I don't remember how I got my hands on them, but I had a couple conferences worth of cassette tapes, plus the Truman Madsen Joseph Smith tapes that I darn near wore out.

I listened over and over, and I can still remember, nearly word for word, part of President Packer's talk when he quoted 2 Nephi 32. Nephi was talking about how the people didn't realize how great a gift they had in the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

His voice keeps coming back to me... "And they knew it not. Imagine that, they knew it not."

Over the years when I've needed a little correcting here and there, the Spirit often sends those words to my mind, in Pres. Packer's gravely voice.

It's usually a kind of, "Hey, Pew, straighten up! You don't realize how good you have it!" And then Pres. Packer's voice blares on the surroundsound of my subconcious.

Not too long ago, I was having one of those S.N.O.B.-ish moments I mentioned yesterday (here's a link in case you missed it), and I got a well deserved SMACK from the Spirit once again.

This time, Pres. Packer, Nephi, and the Spirit ganged up on me to help me see how I was being as blind as the people who... "knew it not."

I'd been taking for granted what an opportunity I had to do more good in the small sphere of influence I had (until COVID) in my ward as the organist.

Together with the music leader, we have this incredible chance to open the heavens a bit each Sunday.

To give our ward a chance to have one of those "having our hearts knit as one" moments that actually can happen when people sing together.

Not only do their hearts begin beating collectively in time together (as proven by many a reputable medical study of choirs), but as an aligning of purpose and mission and desire and yearning and praising as we simeltaneously raise our voices in unison.

It was like a blaze of vision. I could see what an opportunity it was and how much I had been taking it for granted.

It certainly helped me think more seriously about my organ playing... which is just shy of mediocre and often quite dismal compared to my "real organist" friends.

But I can do better, prepare better, and go into each Sunday doing all I can to allow the heavens their chance to open as we sing.

And that's the real reason behind the upcoming "Conducting the Hymns with Dr. Pew" virtual workshop.

To work together to be better prepared for those really great moments. To correct my, and perhaps "our" general flaw of... "And they knew it not. Imagine that, they knew it not."

If you'd like to join me for this workshop, please click below and get your name on the waiting list.

https://douglaspew.ck.page/6c95a4c00d

In the meantime, as we go into the weekend, I bet we can go into this Sunday prepared to have a special singing moment with our families as we continue having Church from home.

I know I'm going to "do a little better," as Pres. Hinckley would say.

Have a good one!

Doug