ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Southern Utah Heritage Choir, a community choir composed of mostly members of the Church from the St. George, Utah, area, returned Sept. 23 from a historic musical tour of Armenia where they were received with open arms, gracious smiles and the traditional Armenian "breaking of bread," and where they delivered $1.2 million worth of goods.

The 11-day tour came as the result of a comment made by Nara Sarkissian, who was among the first converts of the Church in Armenia since the fall of communism. Now living in Provo, Utah, Sister Sarkissian spoke in a fireside in St. George where she related the events of her conversion and recounted the troubled history of Armenia and how 1.5 million people were exterminated in 1915, and where an earthquake in 1988 killed thousands of people and left 500,000 homeless.

"She remarked how her people in Armenia would love to hear and feel what she experienced that evening in music," said Floyd Rigby, Heritage Choir music director.

The prospects of performing in Armenia continued to develop until a formal invitation was extended by the Armenia Minister of Culture for the choir to sing during the Independence Day celebration in September 1999.

As travel arrangements were being made for the 228-voice choir, the largest known group of Americans to visit the country, a member of the choir, Tauna Buckway, was considering the desperate circumstances of the Armenian people. She wondered if there might be more the choir could do than merely tour and perform.

"Their needs are many," she said to Brother Rigby. "They have never recovered from the earthquake and they have little in the way of educational and medical supplies."

She was soon asked to organize the Armenian Humanitarian Aid Committee. After determining the immediate needs of the people, the committee made arrangements to disperse the goods under the direction of the Church Humanitarian Aid and the Huntsman Center in Armenia, the latter of which was established by Jon M. Huntsman, a Church member and industrialist.

Donations from the community came quickly. Churches, schools, hospitals and hundreds of residents from across Utah and Nevada became involved. Original goals to gather 100 quilts were exceeded by nearly 1,000. Within two weeks, a small warehouse that had been donated to store goods became inadequate, requiring that material be moved to a larger, 38,000-square-foot facility.

American administrators for the Armenia Relief Fund were amazed at the effort and soon agreed to ship all donations. By June 8th, the last container of goods left the loading docks.

By Sept. 13th, with rehearsals complete, the choir began its 36-hour journey, traveling over Canada, Greenland and into Moscow. Once in Armenia, their comfortable accommodations belied the impoverished circumstances of the people. True to Armenian custom, said Brother Rigby, guests were offered the country's finest.

"The Armenian Hotel had running water 24 hours a day, while the rest of the nation had water for two hours. Beautiful tables of food, complete with breads, drinks and fresh fruit, were served every meal, while the nation wrestled for food on a very limited income," he said.

News of the choir and its donation received national media coverage. Many were aware of the choir from America. Villagers and city dwellers greeted the choir's six buses with waves and smiles as they traveled through the various cities.

In Yerevan, under the snowy slopes of Mount Ararat, the choir visited historical sites that predated the birth of Christ. There they observed the striking beauty of the children and the noticeably quiet and pleasant nature of the people who "remained remarkably happy, positive and resilient," despite the wars, disasters and former governmental rule.

At Tsitsernakaberd, the choir walked together to place a large floral wreath at the national memorial for the millions of victims who lost their lives in the 1915 genocide. The occasion was solemn. While standing in silence, the choir began to sing, first a spiritual anthem, then a song of benediction.

"Tears coursed down the cheeks of Armenians who listened — moved that a people from so far away could feel their sorrow," said Brother Rigby.

During the course of their stay, the choir visited numerous historical sites, including Khor Virap, near the Turkish border, where Gregor the Illuminator was held captive for more than 13 years in a dungeon. "His release prompted the beginnings of Christianity in Armenia in A.D. 301," said Brother Rigby.

They went to Gumri, the epicenter of the 1988 earthquake. "Prominent leaders of the community welcomed the choir by waiting at the city entrance where they, dressed in full traditional costumes, presented bread and salt," Brother Rigby said. Choir members noted that the devastation of the earthquake was still prevalent in the city.

"Anyone can overcome the loss of a home and will eventually rebuild," said one civic leader addressing the choir, "but you are helping us rebuild our hearts." Here the choir presented its first concert to a packed community center.

One of the choir's most memorable visits included the tour to Garni, site of an ancient pagan temple perched on a picturesque rocky hillside. "As the buses pulled into the small town," said Brother Rigby, "the people flooded into the streets and began to gather at the ancient temple that dates to 1600 B.C. As the choir departed, tears were shed, small gifts exchanged, warm hugs were given."

Choir members later visited a small orphanage near Lake Sevan, where more than 100 children, ages 4 through teenage years, live and work. "They were clean and bright," said Brother Rigby. "They were seemingly happy and well nourished. Their building had no heat, the kitchen was antiquated and their classrooms small."

As choir members presented quilts, dolls, treats and teaching aids, the children were "spellbound, and sang and danced and looked in wonder at their little treasures — hardly believing they were theirs to keep," said Brother Rigby.

During the choir's culminating performance in Armenia, in the historic Khachaturian Opera House, a man stepped on stage to deliver a note requesting the singing of the choir's national anthem. The choir obliged, and then sang the Armenian national anthem in the language of the people.

After singing four encores to the packed house, the choir sang its traditional parting song, "Go Now in Peace," and then mingled with the audience where they embraced and shared their tearful sentiments of mutual admiration.

"I never dreamed I would welcome 200 Americans, and say goodbye to 200 friends," said one of the guides.