October 15, 2006 – The Singapore Stake youth gathered together for their monthly Stake mutual activity, held as a fireside for the month of October. One of the invited speakers was Sister Raelene Card, Musical Director for the upcoming Youth musical the Stake is planning on putting up in early January next year. Sister Card opened her talk by bearing her testimony of how this entire musical got started- how she was praying and asking the Lord why He had chosen to move them to Singapore, on an entirely different side of the globe and at such short notice. At about the same time period on this side of the globe, Sister Connie Woo, former Young Women’s President, was on her knees asking the Lord how best the Youth of the Singapore Stake can be strengthened and can share their gospel to others. After directing the Joseph Smith Bicentennial celebration in Singapore, Sister Card was approached by Sister Woo to direct this musical for the youth.

The spirit was strong at the fireside as Sister Card shared her experience of finding an appropriate musical for the Singapore Stake youth. Having a whole variety of resources at hand, Sister Card was confident that obtaining a script would be a breeze. However she explained to the youth that she was discouraged as she felt the initial ideas were not appropriate for our stake. The miracle came when she found an older CD belonging to her daughter, and played the first song from that CD. Immediately the entire opening sequence came to her mind and she knew that she had found what the Stake needed.

The youth listened avidly as Sister Card shared the lyrics of the opening sequence, and then described how every youth in the Stake would be involved. Lead actors and actresses! Dancers! Choir members! Backstage crew, hair and makeup, set design, publicity- there are a myriad of ways in which every youth in this Stake can and should be involved. After the fireside, the youth signed up for the various roles they were interested in participating in. They were all tremendously excited and looking forward to the opportunity of performing for the Stake.

The musical will be a wonderful opportunity for the youth to strengthen their testimonies and their bonds with one another. If they participate willingly and wholeheartedly, the Leaders know that the youth will be able to gain increased faith in the gospel and in the youth programs of the Church. We hope that the youth will be willing to participate in this excellent missionary opportunity to strengthen others as well as themselves.

The pictures are from the auditions for lead roles in the Stake Musical. The main cast has been consolidated as Kelson Nef, Kandace Lim, John and Michelle Lee, and Evelyn Lim. The complete cast consists of the entire Singapore Stake youth group. Pictures were taken by Germaine Yee and Connie Woo.