Description
He Followed The Sound
William Minshall Evans was born in Wales, the 4th of 6 children. He grew up a devout Christian and came of age in Liverpool, England. Being a full-blooded Welshman, William was a gifted musician—a very talented singer. Every Sunday he and his older brother David would be in their place in the Church choir and “if not singing in their own church could be found at other churches in that vicinity.” The two boys founded their own singing group and “were in great demand.”
One sabbath day, when William was only sixteen, he was on his way to Church passing along the streets of Liverpool when he heard the sound of beautiful singing. “It was a sweet, clear, voice and a new and beautiful song which thrilled his whole being.”
He followed the sound which led him through an alley, up a flight of rickety stairs, and into a room in which some Latter-day Saint missionaries were holding a meeting. Entering the room, William stood and listened to the man singing and was so “thrilled with the beauty of the song and the voice of the singer, that he remained to hear the sermon and was immediately converted to the truthfulness of the Gospel.”
When he finally got home, his older Brother David scolded him sternly for not showing up in the choir, to which William replied, “I have been where you should have been and I will not be satisfied until you all hear the wonderful truths I have heard this morning.”
William and David continued to learn the truths of the Gospel. Both were baptized November 28, 1841, and in time, more members of the family joined the Church.
William was faithful to the Lord and his faith the rest of his days. In time he married and brought his family to the Rocky Mountains and settled in Nephi, Utah. He became a member of the first musical band in Utah, sang at the cornerstone ceremony of the Salt Lake Temple, and at Brigham Young’s call organized the first choir in Nephi, Utah, which he conducted for the next 23 years.
It is said:
He was always thinking of some plan in which the choir would bring pleasure and good cheer to the people in those perilous times, never missing Christmas caroling…. Their work merited the praise of Brigham Young which was abundantly given and highly valued by father and members of the choir. At one of his visits to Nephi, President Young said, the Nephi choir was second to none in Utah, except the famous Tabernacle choir.
After a life of faithful music and service, William Minshall Evans passed away there in Nephi, Utah. His presence still felt to this day.
There is great power in the song of the faithful—and speaking of that—who was that elder singing that beautiful song that caught the attention of the talented William and led him to a life of faith and good works—John Taylor, the third president of the Church.
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJ9-DD4
