Sister Glenda's concert attracts people from across Utah
OREM — In 2002 Sister Glenda Valesca’s life took an unexpected turn, when she performed at the World Youth Day in Toronto. Although she had been singing since 1998, after Toronto she was asked to perform all over the world. A member of the Chilean Consecrate of the Sisters of the Consolation and psychologist originally from Chile, Sr. Glenda has recorded nearly a dozen albums.
She presented some of those songs on June 16 in the Judge Memorial Catholic High School auditorium, which welcomed almost 1,000 people from all over the Diocese of Salt Lake City.
As a missionary she has used music as a tool to evangelize and communicate, but “it’s also a great way to heal,” she said. “I never studied music, this was like a joke from God. ‘Sr. Glenda as a music recording artist’ – never in my life had I thought about that. I don’t know when this will end, but as far as it’s going and serving our Church and helps people to have an encounter of God, I welcome it,” Sr. Glenda said. “It [the music] allows you to reach so many people all at the same time with a message that strikes your heart and your mind.”
She has given concerts in Europe, the United States and Latin America, but even with thousands of followers, she sees her mission as not to sell albums but for her music to transform lives.
“We are in an era of great communications but we are alone,” she said. “Our children are all the time on their phones at their tables but alone. … Men are made to live in communion” and music has marvelous power to connect people with God, she said. “In a place that is Mormon I would love it if people, after the concert, will have nostalgia for their Church, for their spiritual roots. … I would love it if in their hearts the love for their roots, for their countries, for God, for their base, for their religion grows and they pass it to their new generations,” Sr. Glenda said.
The concert was organized by parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
“This is a unique experience … for all of our parishioners to have come up with this idea,” said Rosa Ortiz, one of the parishioners. “It was a truly blessing and a gift. It is a privilege that our Lord has heard our prayers and now Sr. Glenda is here.”
“She is a person who is full of blessings. … When we hear her testimony there are going to be lots of conversions,” Rosario Fajardo said.
One of the concert’s objectives was to reach out the young people.
“Our young people need encouragement,” said Santana Villanueva, a parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “This is one step to reach out to them.”
“The young people are the hope of the world,” added Jose Luis Gomez, a diocesan seminarian. “When we have hope, we have life as a parish. They have done a great effort to make this happen. … With their unity we want to evangelize, we want to be united.”
People traveled for hours to attend the concert. One of them was Sonia Beltran, who drove from Saint George to see and hear Sr. Glenda’s music.
“I have heard Sr. Glenda before. I have several of her CDs. … I decided to come to the concert because I identify a lot with one of her songs,” Beltran said.
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