Book of Mormon Mondays - Giving God Credit

Yesterday was the choir's Christmas program.  And from where I was sitting, it was a smashing success.  There were a few rough spots, but knowing how little practice time we had and how rough we sounded before, we did pretty darn good.  Their singing was amazing!

And even I played decently.  I think I hit all my chords right (which is good because I really had to pound on those and if I was off, then boy, would I be off!) and the parts that I muffed I think I disguised well.  Derek was my knight in shining armor!  I couldn't have done it without him turning my pages, and he turned them all on time!  Perfect!

But the real credit goes to God.  I worked hard practicing.  I met a couple extra times with our director and also with the flutist who would also be accompanying the choir.  And every time I played the music I made mistakes.  Big ones.  And they were different each time.  It wasn't like I could practice them enough and work through the mistakes.  There was no way to prepare for it.

So I prayed... hard, and had faith that I and the choir would have some major help. 

And after it was all over, I felt a little like Ammon in Alma 26.  He is talking to his brothers, rejoicing for their success in the conversion of the Lamanites.  He says...

9 For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they would also have been strangers to God.

His brother Aaron immediately comes back, chastising him for pride and boasting.  And Ammon responds with this...

11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

To me he's saying that even though it was him (or them) that did it, of course it wasn't all him.  Nothing is possible without God.

I felt the way Ammon did.  I knew I had practiced the songs over and over, and I knew I had put a lot of work into it.   I was proud of my performance, but I knew I couldn't take all the credit for it.  My Heavenly Father helped.  I could feel it as I was playing, and so I really couldn't deny or even ignore it.  So when people complimented me on how well I did, I tried to give Him proper credit.

PS:  Thanks friends for all your support!!