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04/09/25 Temple organist




St. George Temple


The organ is in the left front of the chapel



Church organ
The temple organ looks like this, only all white

Excerp from: 
8/21/95 Our ward here seems fickle.  Not really dedicated. Relief Society usually only has 10-15 sisters.  I was called to be RS pianist in December 94 and have really loved my calling.  It has made me practice and get better and not be afraid.  I have really enjoyed not having a big audience and being about to say, oh well, just a few people heard me screw up!  I hope I continue to practice and play in our next ward.  I never played for people before this and it was a real growing experience for me.  Someday I want to be good enough to play in front of sacrament meeting and not mess up!  I would love to be the temple organist and get to just practice in the peaceful chapel for an hour or two once or twice a week. It is so peaceful there.

      Three decades later, an unexpected path has led to a cherished blessing: this evening, I was set apart as a temple organist and ordinance worker! Durina a visit with my friend Sheron Stevens, just weeks before her passing from cancer, her sister-in-law, Celinda Stevens, surprisingly declared, "I call you to be a temple worker." Despite the geographical difference in our temple districts and the unexpectedness of her words, her prompting felt significant, especially given my long-held desire to be a temple organist.

The Lord's hand was evident in the following weeks. The Sunday after Celinda's prompting, I was called as a ward organist. Then, a few weeks later, my inquiry about serving at the St. George Temple resulted in a swift interview, referral, and subsequent setting apart as an organist.

While I'll begin as a substitute due to current openings, the experience of seeing the chapel's breathtaking all-white organ, guided by Toni Caplin (wife of Temple Presidency member Steven Caplin), was wonderful. I also learned  we are only permitted to play specific hymns in  the temple - although you can play the traditional arrangement or a modified arrangement.

With hourly shifts available from early morning to evening, I've offered my availability and eagerly await my place on the substitute list, hopeful for a permanent assignment.

The setting-apart blessing from President Caplin affirmed my calling as an organist and ordinance worker for the St. George Utah Temple, promising blessings of health, safety, protection, and temple blessings for myself and my family through this service. I am thrilled for this new chapter and the opportunity to refine my musical gifts, anticipating its positive impact on my ward service.

President Caplin's counsel resonated deeply: the role of a temple organist is often the culmination of years of dedicated practice. This truth struck me as I reflected on my own journey, beginning in childhood. It's a humbling realization that a lifetime of effort has prepared me for this sacred opportunity.




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