Easter in the Prisons

I have written before about the choir I direct, the Tender Mercies Choir, which was started by the extraordinary Jenny McKinney, who asked me to take over when she moved out of state. Until this year, we have had one purpose: To sing at four of our local prisons during their LDS church services at Christmastime. Oh, what an inexplicably beautiful experience this is!

This year, we were invited back for Easter. Yay! Now we have two purposes! Well, really just one purpose divided into two holidays. :) We were so excited to be invited back! And today, I spent my whole day at the prisons. We sing at four prisons: one women's prison, one men's minimum security prison, and two men's medium security prisons (I think). It's an all day event, and I might say that as much time as is spent singing is spent walking and driving from prison to prison. It's an exhausting day, every time. It's a memorable day, every time. It's an uplifting and inspiring and Spirit-filled day, every time. Today it was a day that made all the frustrations of this season's preparations 100% worthwhile. I had thought about cancelling more than once, but I was encouraged to push through by my co-director, and I'm so glad, so glad, we didn't give up.

I can't really explain the magic that happens in the prisons when we go to sing. I went with the choir twice before I was the director, and it's magic as a choir member, too, but even more so as the director. I think it's less to do with being the director and more to do with my heart being more open. But as I sit in my choir chair and look out onto the congregations, and see the faces of people whose worth remains unaltered by their choices, I feel God's love for them. It's difficult to explain because it hasn't ever happened to me in any other situation. But, when I'm sitting there, and I'm overcome with love, I know it's from God. And I know He's showing me, for some reason, that He loves them so much.

It's the most amazing thing!

By feeling the Father's love for them, I am reminded of His equal love for me, and I am also able to bring messages of His love to His children- because I literally feel a portion of it. I hope this doesn't sound outlandish or arrogant. It's so hard to explain because it's so unusual, at least for me.

As we sing, many of the offenders' faces grow wet. Shamelessly, they weep, being touched by the message and by the music. Sometimes, in our practices, we weep, too. Music is so powerful! God's love is so powerful!

I think my favorite part this time was when we asked the congregations to join us in singing Christ the Lord is Risen Today. They sing with gusto, my friends! Some of our wards could take note! And there was something about prisoner and freewoman joining together and singing about Jesus's glorious victory over death and hell that thrilled me.

Are we not all the same? Are we not all travelers, hoping to reach a similar destination of peace and hope? Are not all lost? Are we not all prisoners in some respect? Do we not all, each, have access to the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ? Can we not all be perfected in Him? Are we not each a child of a most merciful and ever loving Heavenly Father, Who is eager to extend grace? Romans 8:38-39: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Oh, how He loves us! Oh, how He loves you, how He loves me.

I thank my God for this enormous blessing of an opportunity. How it humbles me. I can't wait for Christmas!