"Our prophet has some words for you, and these are the words: `Be true, be true."

This will be the musical admonition of 358 Primary children to millions of people viewing or listening to the Saturday afternoon session of general conference. It will be a simple but fitting preamble to the inspired messages delivered by prophets and apostles.The words are taken from the song "Stand for the Right" (Children's Songbook, p. 159), part of a medley to be sung by the choir.

Traditionally, each conference includes the participation of one or more special choirs, usually formed expressly to sing at the conference. This time, the honor went to Primary children in six stakes at the southern end of Salt Lake County. They are the Sandy Utah Crescent North, Crescent South, Crescent Park and Hidden Valley stakes and the Draper Utah and Draper Utah Eastridge stakes.

Kay Asay, who has 25 years experience teaching music to school children, was given the task of coaxing excellence from a body of willing but largely untrained youngsters between ages 10 and 12.

"I wanted them to have a concept of sound, of how to produce it," said Sister Asay of the Alpine 1st Ward, Alpine Utah North Stake. "It involves proper breathing and so forth. It's no easy task. It's an ongoing task."

Sound is not the only concern for a choir, particularly on an occasion like this, where potentially millions of people will be seeing the group live or on a video screen.

"I've taught them two postures: a singing posture and a television posture," she explained. "When they're not singing, they may sit back in their chairs, but they still have to be alert. That's been a challenge."

Sister Asay wants the children to be enthused and has used a number of devices involving facial expressions and smiles during the seven rehearsals to engender and evoke excitement and animation.

"They've done a very fine job," she said, "and we've had excellent parental support."

Such support is a necessary ingredient to help the children meet the rather stringent requirements for participation: 100 percent attendance at rehearsals, ability to focus at length on the task before them, a pleasant singing voice and a good attitude.

"I've wanted them to get a feeling for each piece, to really feel the Spirit," she said. If they do feel it, it will come out in their performance, and the congregation will feel it also, she added.

Thus, she carefully selected the music, choosing songs she felt would touch the children "and in turn would prepare the congregation for the conference," she said.

In that light, the opening song in the medley, "To Think about Jesus," (CSB, p. 71) expresses the thought that "it shouldn't be hard to sit very still And think about Jesus, his cross on the hill, And all that he suffered and did for me; It shouldn't be hard to sit quietly."

Two songs in the medley, "I Thank Thee, Dear Father" (CSB, p. 7) and "For Thy Bounteous Blessings" (CSB, p. 21) are about gratitude. "Children are especially good at that," Sister Asay noted.

Two of the pieces are written in a minor key, Sister Asay pointed out, saying she wanted the music to reflect solemnity as well as joy. "Life is like that."

A later selection, "I Saw a Mighty Angel Fly," (Hymns No. 19) has been arranged by Michael Carson, at Sister Asay's suggestion, to modulate to a higher key, thus showcasing the children's high voices.