I Want Jesus To Walk With Me

Last weekend I had the privilege of attending an amazing concert put on by the Ensign Symphony and Chorus, with special guest Alex Boye. What a wonderful evening! I have know about Alex Boye' for a while now, since he started singing as a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (of which he just recently retired from) and also recorded "Peponi" ("Paradise") with one of my favorite groups The Piano Guys. When I found out he would be coming to Seattle I knew that I had to make it to that concert!

Alex Boye' performing with The Piano Guys

Alex's story is an amazing one in itself. He told the audience a little about his history. Of Nigerian decent, he had a difficult childhood growing up in a rough neighborhood in London. Abandoned at age eleven, he lived homeless on the streets of London until he was placed in a number of foster homes. At the age of 16 while working at McDonald's he became acquainted with a pair of missionaries. He began taking the missionary discussions and was eventually baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a two-year mission for the Church in Bristol, England. As he prepared to return home, his mission president mentioned that he hoped that Alex would pursue a career in music, as it was an integral part of who he was.

When Alex returned home from his mission he was signed with a recording agency to be part of a boy band, and began touring around Europe. He said that although he gained a lot of experience with this venture, performing with big name acts like George Michael, he felt like he was surrounded by a lot of negative things which were not bringing him closer to God. He said that he didn't think that this was what his mission president had had in mind during his counsel to him. Alex eventually left the band, an act which required a lot of sacrifice on his part, as attorneys were brought in by his record label for breaking his contract. They stripped him of everything he had: apartment, car, savings. Eventually, without a penny to his name, he made his way to the United States where he settled in Salt Lake City, unsure of what to do next with his life.

It was while he was in Salt Lake that he started performing as a special guest for different groups, and eventually was invited to perform with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, first as a guest performer, and finally as a member of the choir.

Alex told a very touching story about the song that means the most to him. He was asked to sing "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" with the choir, and to add his African flair to the song. The song was such a success that he was asked to travel to Africa for a music video shoot. He was excited to go. He and the film crew traveled to Ghana, without having any preconceived ideas of where they should do the shoot. They left it up to chance and the Spirit to help direct where to go.

Alex was drawn to a beautiful old building nestled in the rocks on the coast of Ghana and asked about doing the shoot there. He was told that they would probably be denied. Even Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama himself had had a difficult time cutting through all the red tape necessary to secure filming on the location at previous times. The location was a building of great historical significance, being the largest holding place on the coast for slaves which were taken to America and England. The prisoners were held captive there, crammed by the thousands into holding cells which were meant to contain hundreds. The conditions were unimaginable. Starving and disease-ridden, they were held for up to six months before they were loaded onto boats and sent throughout the world.

Alex knew that this was the place which they were meant to film the video. It took a lot of work to get permission, but with what he felt like was some divine intervention, it was made possible.

As the film crew climbed down into the depths of the prison, it was evident that they were walking on holy ground. Alex said that as he looked up through the tunnels he could see the sky, and the place from where the slaves' captors worshipped.

An intense feeling overwhelmed Alex as he stood there in the bowels of the prison, but it wasn't one of despair or anguish like you might expect. It was an immense feeling of God's love. He bore a strong testimony of how much he could feel God's love for each of His children, and the power of the Atonement, which gives us the peace and comfort we need through our trials, no matter how big or small they may be. The Spirit was very strong in the auditorium as Alex bore his testimony. I was deeply touched by his spirit and the message which he shared. He then performed the song which meant so much to him.

I felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to feel of this great man's spirit in person. The example which he is to the world is a testimony to me of how God brings miracles through the meek. Alex had a difficult start in life. Many could have said that he would amount to nothing. But through his continued perseverance and unquenchable faith in God, he was able to rise above the darkness and enter the light of Christ, allowing us a glimpse of that brilliant light through him.