May 17th, 2025, 6pm MDT
Ljubljana, Slovenia – After hearing missionaries from the Adriatic North Mission sing during the Central European ministry last year, President Kamille N. Johnson, general president of the Relief Society, said, “Music is your superpower.”
The power was on display in May when missionaries from Serbia, Slovenian and Croatia performed for Irish singer Alex Sharp and community members of the Celtic Group, the world-renowned all-female Irish music group.
Three performances were held in Belgrade, Serbia on May 9th. May 10th in Ljubljana, Slovenia. May 11th in Zagreb, Croatia.
Sharp grew up in an Irish town. She and her family were only members of the Church of Jesus Christ for Latter-day Saints.
“We were kind of an extraordinary, so it was a bit difficult. But we were a small group of Irish church members, and we were strong,” she told a television reporter in Slovenia.
Before becoming a professional singer, Sharpe, who performed in RootStech and many other church works alongside the orchestras of Tabernacle Choir and Temple Square, was a travel agency. After many of her clients visited countries like Serbia and Croatia, she said, “They didn’t want to go anywhere else, so they piqued my curiosity and wanted to visit one day.”
That day was when President Brian Cordoray, a mission leader in the northern Adriatic Sea, and his sister Angie Cordoray invited her to perform with the missionaries.
“I jumped at the opportunity,” Sharp said.
To her disappointment, Sharp’s vocal chords became inflamed when they arrived in Croatia, leading her to think she didn’t feel enough of the performance. President Coderay sent out an urgent message to all missionaries, saying, “Please call on us to act now. Stop what you are doing and unite with us in prayer.”
On the busy transfer day, the missionaries stopped and prayed for Sharp to recover as they entered and left five countries of the mission: Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. The next day she began to rebound.
“I’ve never hadn’t many people praying for me,” Sharp said.
Elder Kinlin Haglund, a Connecticut missionary serving in Croatia, accompanied Sharp on the piano and sang with her in the choir.
“Working with Alex was a fun experience and it was very fulfilling to see it come together,” Haglund said. “We were blessed with miracles, but the biggest miracle was a quick recovery from Alex’s illness.”
Vanda Pojae, a church friend who attended the performance, said Sharp and the missionaries had a special glow about them. Participants felt that Sharp had an angelic voice and presence, and when she began singing, they were drawn to her message and voice.
“It felt fascinating and fairy tale,” said Dragan Shimenov, a member of Slovenia’s Ljubljana branch.
Sharp said she hopes her music will provide listeners with a break from the challenges of life.
“It’s always my goal to guide listeners on a journey with me. I don’t like them feeling like I’m singing to them,” she said. “I try to make them feel that their performance is a shared experience and we all share and connect the stories of our lives, UPS, down, what makes us laugh and cry – the stories of our lives.”
Sister Millie Afsworth, a missionary in South Jordan, Utah, worked in Belgrade, Serbia, accompanied Sharp on the violin and sang in the choir. She said missionary work in this unique way is the highlight of her mission.
“Alex Sharp is a beautiful person, both inside and outside, and a beautiful singer,” Answorth said. “The light she shared with our mission has sparked excitement in our nation, sparking testimony and helping us bring those who exist to Christ.”
Sharp told a Slovenian reporter that he believes music will prepare someone else’s soul to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“It’s my personal belief that music exists before we come to Earth,” she said. “We believe that our minds remember that, and we believe that humans respond very deeply and very strongly to music. I also think that helping us to express ourselves is the gift we have given.”
Watch Sharpe’s Rootstech 2023 music video “Faith of Our Fathers” online.
– Sister Laurie Snow Turner is a senior missionary and assistant director of communications at the Adriatic North Mission.
