5/22/2011 - Provo Utah Married Student 22nd Ward

We arrived during the sacrament.

Hymn:

#148 - Sabbath Day | Suggested: 80-92 | Actual: 68

5/15/2011 - Provo Utah Married Student 22nd Ward

Our old organist has moved out of the ward and the tempos have improved:

Hymns:

#94 - Come, Ye Thankful People | Suggested: 96-108 | Actual: 89

#193 - I Stand All Amazed | Suggested: 66-84 | Actual: 70

#247 - We Love Thy House, O God | Suggested: 72-88 | Actual: 80

#219 - Because I Have Been Given Much | Suggested: 48-58 | Actual: 48

The opening hymn was a bit low, but other than that they were all within the acceptable range.

5/8/2011 - Provo Utah Married Student 22nd Ward

When they changed all the BYU student wards, they renamed our home ward from the BYU 141st ward to the Provo Utah Married Student 22nd Ward. We got to the ward a bit late today, so we only have one hymn to report:

#2 - The Spirit of God | Suggested: 96-112 | Actual: 78

It took seven minutes to get through the four verses.

5/1/2011 - Midland 2nd Ward

Today we attended the Midland 2nd Ward in Midland, Michigan.

Hymns:

#193 - I Stand All Amazed | Suggested: 66-84 | Actual: 65

#97 - Lead, Kindly Light | Suggested: 54-72 | Actual: 64

Pretty good tempos for the two songs we sang. We got there a little late and missed the opening hymn. One neat thing that I saw here that I have not seen in any of the other wards I have visited:

That's right - a space-age sacrament tray. Once you take the water, you put the empty cup in one of the four cylindrical tubes. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

4/24/2011 - BYU 141st Ward

We showed up a little late today, just missing the sacrament, so I only have one hymn to report.

#198 - That Easter Morn | Suggested: 92-108 | Actual: 75

The ward choir sang two other songs that I didn't measure the tempo of because, contrary to LDS Church recommendations, they were not hymns as written in the hymnbook. Now a few alternate arrangements are certainly allowed, but "Choirs should use the hymnbook as their basic resource, selecting from the entire book" and our choir does not do that (Hymns page 381).

4/17/2011 - BYU 141st Ward

Today we experienced the longest sacrament meeting ever. The closing speaker (a visiting high councilor) spoke for 10 minutes past the time the meeting (not his talk) was supposed to end. The extremely long meeting was only compounded by super slow hymns and an organist who played two verses of the closing song when the chorister told us to sing only one.

Hymns:

#182 - We'll Sing All Hail to Jesus' Name | Suggested: 76-88 | Actual: 58

#35 - For the Strength of the Hills | Suggested: 88-104 | Actual: 75

#62 - All Creatures of Our God and King | Suggested: 66-76 | Actual: 47

4/10/2011 - BYU 141st Ward

Today we were back in the BYU 141st ward where the music is always dreadfully slow. Each song today was like a funeral march.

Hymns:

#113 - Our Savior's Love | Suggested: 84-96 | Actual: 59
#188 - Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done | Suggested: 80-96 | Actual: 58
#143 - Let the Holy Spirit Guide | Suggested: 60-80 | Actual: 50
#103 - Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer | Suggested: 66-76 | Actual: 52

Thoughts:

It doesn't matter what the tempo should be, it's always between 50 and 60 BPM in the BYU 141st ward.