Across a crowded room....

I have just returned to my hotel after a dinner hosted by Familysearch for the Official Rootstech Bloggers, Media and Sponsors. I couldn't believe that this little Australian granny was in such exalted company.


I was seated with Amy Coffin, Paul Nauta and Don Anderson from Familysearch  and  Allison Dolan from Family Tree Magazine and before dinner caught up with a number of people from the genealogy world. I even spotted a a few other foreigners at the dinner including Scotsman Chris Van Der Kuyl, Brightsolid CEO,  Elaine Collins FindmyPast Business development directorof FindMyPast from England and Canadian Blogger, Lynn Palermo. It seems as though I have travelled the furthest as Sydney is 12,897.74 km from Salt Lake City while London is only 7845,48 km


As I was conversing with Paul Nauta I heard a distinctive laugh, it was my mate from Rootstech 2011, Shipley Munson, VP of Marketing for FamilySearch. Shipley was the subject of a blog post I wrote after Rootstech last year, Tenor Number 13. If you read that post you will find out about one of Shipley's other activities.

Thanks to the svelte and chivalrous Thomas MacEntee who saw that bloggers  Nancy Shively, Lynn Palermo and I got safely back to our hotels.

Tenor Number 13

During a conversation at a Rootstech dinner at The Roof Restaurant I mentioned to someone that I had heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on a visit to Salt Lake City many years ago. I was immediately introduced to Shipley Munson who is Tenor Number 13 in the choir.

Geniaus and Shipley Munson

On meeting Shipley I behaved like a young teenage rock music fan. I was entranced as he related a few anecdotes about life in the choir and told me of the program for Sunday 13th February, the day prior to Valentine's Day. I indicated that I would be along to see the group on Sunday morning. I was impressed by Shipley's enthusiasm for his voluntary work in the choir. As the Global Marketing Director for the LDS Church's Family History Department I imagine that Shipley is a fairly busy man.

I arrived at the Tabernacle in Temple Square this morning in plenty of time for the weekly broadacst of Music and the Spoken Word and took my place in the gallery. The rehearsal prior to the broadcast was in full swing so I got a taste of the music I would hear. Right on time at 9:30 am the broadcast began. I enjoyed the first two items, Exsultata Jusit and Pilgrim Song. The third Londonderry Air (or Danny Boy) played on the organ touched me as I have Irish ancestry and, co-incidentally, found a new branch of one of my Irish Families in the Family History Library at the Rootstech Night at the Library celebration.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square

I am fortunate that my husband consented to my spending a significant amount of money to attend the Rootstech Conference so I could follow a dream. "True and lasting Love" was the theme for the morning's message by Lloyd D Newell. After Lloyd gave his talk tears started rolling down my cheeks as I thought of my husband who can be described by these words in Lloyd's talk "I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've lived a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with my whole heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough." On  the eve of Valentine's Day I thank him for demonstrating True and Lasting Love by giving me the opportunity to visit Salt Lake City.

The song that followed the message "Love is a song" didn't help me regain my composure. The final piece for the morning  "Ode to Joy from Symphony no.9 by Beethoven was a fitting finale to an inspirational event. Knowing Tenor Number 13, being able to watch him sing in the choir and having been infected by his enthusiasm added to my enjoyment of the morning. Fittingly Shipley and his mates were given a standing ovation.

Outside the Tabernacle this morning