Celebrating 7 Sweet Sopranos!

Today is a very special and significant day brought to you by the number 7! Mormon Soprano is celebrating 7 Blog Years! That’s 7 years as an honorary member of the Mormon Bloggernacle and seven years as part of the global “blog-isphere”. 🙂

SEVEN SWEET SOPRANOS!

Seven years ago I was just minding my own business sleeping when I had a crazy dream that would end up setting my blog in motion. I know it sounds cliche, but that’s what really happened. I had a dream. And, it was a weird dream. Everything was swirling colors, shapes and sounds all jumbled together. I actually couldn’t tell you anything specific about the dream – then or now – except for the voice. There was a resonant male voice speaking (picture James Earl Jones), and he was talking to me about “blogging”. This mystery man was telling me that I should “create a blog” and the last thing the voice said was“if you build it, they will come.”

So completely “corny”  (pun intended)! I’m pretty sure I woke up laughing.

I lay there in bed trying to talk myself out of my warm covers. Mr. Mo was already wide awake (of course!) standing at the bathroom mirror cautiously shaving. A conversation ensued that went something like this;

Me: “Hey, honey?”

Mr: “Yep”

Me: “What’s blogging all about?”

Mr: “You know, it’s those public journals on the internet”

Me: “Oh, yeah. Well, I just had this strange dream about a blog. A voice was saying I should “build a blog”. It totally made me laugh!”

Mr: “You should!”

Me: “I should what … laugh?”

Mr: “Very funny. You should build a blog. You love to write! It would be great. I’d read it.”

Me: “Huh. That’s what the other guy said, too.”

~~~~

So, that was pretty much how it went down.

I had absolutely no idea how to “build a blog”. To be honest, I didn’t really know what a blog was all about, so I started reading some. I was amazed how many different kind of people and subjects were being “blogged” about. This was a whole new world for me… and, it was also quite exciting!

I began using a popular free blog-building site. I spent hours on the project, probably much longer than normal because I had to teach myself every step of the way. About 14 days in, just when I was getting to “launch” my little blog baby, it crashed and flatlined.

True story.

I was frantic! Despite all of my efforts combined with a [nonplussed] customer support person, I couldn’t get it back.

Two weeks of intense, excruciating work on my beautiful new creation …. and then gone. All gone! *moan*

You would think at that point I’d just say “ok, here’s my sign”, I’m not supposed to blog. I’m done. END OF STORY.

I tried to quit. Really, I did, but it only lasted a day. I just couldn’t shake it off. The longer I had worked on “my blog project” the more I felt like this was somehow really important. It was all supposed to happen for a reason, even if I didn’t know what the reason was. One thing I had noticed very early was that there were very few Mormon bloggers. The Latter-day Saint voice was in scarce supply out in the “blue nowhere”. At that time, I been serving as a Young Women’s leader (teaching girls age 12-18 at my church) for the past 5 years. A line from the theme we stood and recited each week resounded in my mind over and over,

“We will stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) – from the Young Womanhood Theme

In All Places.

I remember thinking “One of those places is the World Wide Web.” And, what more important place could there be to “stand as a witness of God” then where so many people are starting to connect and spend their time?

So, I began again. This time (thankfully), I’d discovered Wordpress. I never looked back.

I’m not going to go into detail about all of the opposition I faced “birthing” this blog, the trouble I experienced “keeping it alive”, and the challenge of “raising” it for the past seven years.

Let’s just say my 7 year adventure has been filled with great opposition, trouble and challenges. An epic and often emotional journey. Also, one of the most wonderful, educational, faith-promoting, enriching and soul-stretching experiences of my life. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Just a few weeks after I launched my blog, at a critical moment, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a groundbreaking commencement speech at BYU Hawaii. He spoke about the importance of raising our voices and adding our “witness” to the world using “new media”. He specifically encouraged blogging! His message and timing was a miracle for me! This was the confirmation that I needed to not give up. I was on the right path.

The “reason” for this blog hasn’t been revealed yet. But as time goes by, there’s been some great opportunities for me to “stand as a witness”, be a “Mormon voice” (there’s a LOT more now!), and make some amazing connections with people I never would have known. The mission for my blog is simple; to “make a joyful noise” and offer something positive. I’d like to add some light and goodness to the internet, because heaven knows there’s already plenty of dark and nasty!

So, whether you are visiting for the first time, or you have become one of my “best friends I’ve never met”, I appreciate and am so thankful for you! Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for reading. My grandma June always said “everything happens for a reason”. I don’t know what reason has brought you here, but your visit was prophesied seven years ago by a voice in the night.

Pretty cool, huh?  – MoSop

***EXTRA, EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!***

**IN CELEBRATION OF MY BLOGIVERSARY, I’M HOSTING MY FIRST EVER GIVE-AWAY! TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR ALL THE DETAILS AND GET READY TO ENTER TO WIN A MOST EXCELLENT, FAB-A-LICIOUS PRIZE!!**