This morning
I woke up at 2:00 AM this morning. I lay in bed for 30 minutes or so until my spirit and body finally couldn't stand it anymore and I slipped out of bed quietly, got dressed and tiptoed down the stairs into my little studio. I am in a little bit of a panic that I never expected. For those of you who are LDS and have seen our show, you know that my testimony of Jesus and the church I love, The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints, is the most important thing that I possess. The ways that my heart and soul have been enlightened in the past five years as my dearest friends and I have toured the earth playing and testifying has forever changed me. I have seen the power of people coming to see their religion in a new way, to experience the stories and the feelings they know so well in a way that turns the tender earth of their fertile hearts. I can't explain this. I can’t even begin to explain this. I just know that I have seen it and experienced it. I have heard Matt Lopez sing HE WALKED A MILE IN MY SHOES a thousand times and I have cried a million tears. I have looked to my right and seen Dan Truman play FAREWELL NAUVOO as an audience of thousands vividly crosses the frozen Mississippi with the early Saints. I have heard Tim sing GOD IS GOOD as the Spirit fills my bosom with gratitude for my many blessings. I have been edified by Ron Saltmarsh’s string arrangements to SLEEP as Mindy Gledhill or Katherine Nelson have let us hear the very last, precious breath of life escape the lips of brave souls. I have swelled with joy as children sweetly sang SOMEWHERE THERE’S A MOUNTAIN. I have looked to my left and seen Brad Hull faithfully testifying each song with his tender harmonies, as if he were making an offering, at literally EVERY SHOW we have ever done. I have looked to my right and left and seen some of my favorite people on earth play boxes and symbols, pianos and violins, guitars and banjos, as if they were playing to kings and presidents night after night. I have felt the power of their music. I have felt the power of the message. I am forever changed for the better. I am terrified as I write this. Terrified that the new show will not be what the others have been. I feel more confident in the subject matter than in anything I have ever known. Yet I am panicked because I am afraid that I will not be able to touch the hearts of you who have seen our shows before. I am humbled by my inabilities, by my imperfections, which are many. I want nothing more than for people to love this show. My desire has me humbled to dust on this floor. I need your prayers. The Nashville Tribute Band needs your prayers. Forgive me laying out my tender feelings to you but I feel like I need to. I need strength. I know the rest of the band would welcome it. Opposition is all around us. It always seems to be when we work on these projects. It’s what reminds me daily that what do means something. So I don’t curse the opposition. I have come to appreciate it. We all have it. You, me…all of us. May God grant us all the fortitude to face it and triumph through each wave through Christ who strengthens us! I see your faces now…the many who have sang along at the shows and shared your beautiful stories of your wonderful lives after the shows. I smile as I think of every precious moment! I love you all. I talk to each member of NTB often and we talk of you all so often. Matt Lopez just said to me on the phone the other day, “I can’t wait to get out on the road with NTB again… I need it.” Matt, YES! Me too! We will be rolling out on this tour in March, and as humbled, scared and inadequate as I feel now, know that we are coming regardless, to do our thing and I pray with all the energy that I possess that God will prepare your hearts, and ours, to have our eyes opened to the rich blessings of our culture as we honor and pay tribute to our soldiers on the front lines of bringing souls unto Christ in THE WORK: A NASHVILLE TRIBUTE TO THE MISSIONARIES. Have a great Monday! With love, Jason
-- Jason Deere - Post From My iPhone
-- Jason Deere - Post From My iPhone
posted by Jason Deere at
1:57 AM
5 Comments:
Last year when you all came to Clarksville, TN, a good friend who had been inactive for a number of years sat beside me on the front row. Her heart was touched just as mine always is. She put aside her excuses and came back to activity. Now she faces a very serious cancer and she is not afraid. She knows who she is and said that if this is the end, it will be all right.
Never underestimate the power of what you and the rest of the band do. Hearts open to you, to the music, and to the Spirit.
I sit at work with my headphones on and NTB playing over and over and I remember and feel the Spirit touch my heart the same as it did in Clarksville, in Nauvoo, in Sydney, in Idaho and so on. Sleep was playing and I was thinking of how cold it was one November when we were in Winter Quarters. How did any of those Saints ever survive? Tears pouring down my cheeks, I was thinking God was with them, that's how.
The Lord will be with you all as you continue to testify with your music. The new show will be AWESOME! and we can't wait till we know those songs by heart as well.
I'm so impressed with how much all of the NTB members put their heart and soul and make an utterly complete effort with the music and performances! Please know that the Swann Family will be praying for you....It's the very least we can do considering how much you have done and continue to do for us!!!!
I appreciate your heartfelt desire to touch the hearts of the audience. You and the band are always prepared as both musicians and missionaires of God. It is very apparent that not only is the music written through the spirit, but preformed through the spirit.
I will pray for you and the band, but even more so I will pray for the audience to accept the truth and spirit of what you present.
I am excited to see you again in St. George. My family loved helping with the concert in Idaho Falls and are eagerly waiting for the new show. You guys are awesome! What a difference you have made in my life. I marvel that people with your talents are so willing to share your message with so many. All of you are an example to me.
See you as we enjoy the show from the second row. We have 1st row tickets for Due West. Can hardly wait!!!
My husband and I looooove your show that you alwayd do at Tuacahn in St. George, we made it out last year and absolutely loved it. I surprised my husband with the tickets, and didn't tell him who we were seeing. He was excited thinking it was Offspring, or perhaps George Jonees (his favorite haha) but I can tell you, he was even more excited when he found out it was for the Nashville Tribute Band! To this day it has been our favorite concert yet =) My husband and I are both in college at Utah Valley University, and unfortunately our spring break is the week before you are doing your March 26th show in St. George, we are so sad! It's such a great venue, and you all are so amazing. We live in Salt Lake County, and bounce back and forth between here and Orem county, so we hope you will have a show out here closer to us! We have a brother in South Africa on a mission and are ready for some music on missionaries! Thanks for all of your hard work and talent, we love you guys! Good luck with your new tour and we hope to see you soon =) Emily & Blake Wilde
The show up in Northern Utah was simply amazing. I can't thank NTB and Due West enough. I am about a month away from turning in my papers to head out there and serve the Lord. All of your testimonies have strengthened me considerably and have helped me realize that each one of us are never alone. Once again, I thank you for the work you are doing and the spirit you are sharing. You are contributing so much to this great work that will only help it continue to move forward as has been prophesized. Keep touching lives, and I pray that the Lord considers to bless and speak through you.
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