Indeed it has, including mine! However, the journey to our progression (both for the musical and spiritually) was not easy. The youth practiced very hard nearly every Saturday morning for a few months. In that period we had breaks to accommodate the festive seasons and had to work around temple trips. Not having full attendance at practice sessions made progress difficult.

There were mornings when it was just hard for some to get up for practice. Coming in late slowed down progress as we had to be re-taught. Some had school duties to fulfill causing them to not just to miss practices but to even drop out of the musical. But all the youth were blessed in the end either from the motivation to put up great shows or from watching the show and having their hearts open to feel the Spirit and the loving message of enduring to the end. Whether or not one participated in the musical, there was something for each youth of Zion in the Singapore stake to take home.

However, performing aside, I think the greatest thing that came out of the musical was getting to hear the testimonies of our fellow youth. On Saturday after the 4 o’clock show, we had a special testimony meeting.
I had originally planned not to perform on Saturday because I had a babysitting appointment. I had felt that my role as a choir member was so small that it would not matter, plus I was not feeling anything from or for the musical. But Sister Connie Woo called me up on and asked me to do the review of the musical for the Local News Insert.

I explained about my commitment and feelings plus I had so much studying and work to get done during the weekend. She encouraged me to perform so I called off my appointment. I did this so that I might be able to do a more heartfelt write-up and not something superficial.
Saturday came and we had our afternoon show and our testimony meeting. Up till then I still could not feel anything and felt I had wasted my time and the 50 dollars I could have earned babysitting. Not even Sister Card’s special story of Zion and rainbows the previous night had touched my heart.

But when my brothers and sisters bore their testimonies, I knew that this was what I was really here for - to know that I was not alone in this fight against the adversary and adversity. It was so powerful to hear of the successful struggles against both. During the testimonies, the meaning of the musical’s songs came to me too.

It truly was an inspired event. In that meeting I could feel the spirit of Zion. In each testimony, it felt like we wanted to lift each other up to higher ground, to fight together, cheering each other on to live the gospel with a “fearless heart” and to do “whatever it takes”, and that even in our ‘darkest’ hour, when we doubt and push His help away, His love for us is always there and still as perfect as ever.
It was this musical that brought us altogether. Though some did not feel the Spirit as much in the practices or in the first few shows, some others did and testified of it. For all of us, to hear of our fellow youth’s great faith and brave fight to keep our faith was what was needed. It was only possible to hear this because of the musical.

That testimony meeting made all the difference on how I viewed the musical. I can honestly say that it was the best 50 dollars I “lost” and I would not trade anything for that meeting and for the wonderfully inspiring musical that brought all our spirits together.

After our last show, everyone was hugging each other - there was such an inexplicable feeling of love going around. We were like one special body of youth experiencing something very real, something called ‘Zion’. At one part of our “celebration” we all huddled in a huge circle singing songs from the musical while Sister Card stood in the centre and looked at each of us beamingly. We knew she was proud of us and that she loved us.

Sister Card, thank you for organizing this event. Lives did change because of this musical. We’ll never forget you and your special story and we love you too :)