“A song is a wonderful kind of thing, so lift up your voice and sing. Just start a glad song, let it float, let it ring, just lift up your voice and sing. We shall make music to brighten the day, music will help us to lighten the way. Lift up your voice, lift up your voice, lift up your voice and sing.” (a Primary song from my youth)
I was asked to talk about how hymns have lifted and inspired me in my life.
I have always loved the music of the church. I remember as a little girl, listening to prelude music in Sunday School, and singing Primary songs like, I Wonder When He Comes Again, I Often Go Walking, and Teach Me to Walk in the Light. These and other songs of my childhood taught me principles of the gospel through lyrics and melody. These are messages that I still hold dear today. These songs always bring the Holy Spirit near, and help me feel the love of my Father in Heaven.
Some specific hymns have brought a spiritual witness to my soul at times of my life, in such a powerful way as to never be forgotten.
The first, and probably most memorable experience I had with a hymn, was on my mission. I was in the MTC. While there, I had frequent opportunities to meet with other missionaries for instruction and inspiration. At one such meeting, the closing hymn happened to be, Come Unto Jesus. I was not too familiar with this song at the time. I was noticing that the lyrics had a missionary message, which I had not noticed before. The spirit was very strong in the room. When we got to verse 3 we sang these words: “Oh, know you not that angels are near you?” At that moment, the Holy Ghost bore witness to my heart that angels were there. I knew that angels were all around us in that room. I knew that the angels were watching over us, and I felt that they would go with us as we left that place to serve the Lord. There were times while I was out on my mission, when I was aware of the presence of angels. Though I did not see them, I could feel myself under their watchful care. It was especially noticeable when I had a need to be out later than usual, or while walking on a street that was very worldly. I could, at such times, sense a protective insolative bubble around me, or the presence of a tall protector, unseen, but felt, walking beside me. Because of the witness of the spirit while singing, I knew that angels were near me on my mission.
Another memorable experience I had with a hymn also happened at the MTC. While at the MTC, we were privileged on several occasions to meet in a large congregation that included all of the missionaries who were then at the MTC as we met in evening devotionals. Often general authorities would come to speak to us. I will never forget the experience of singing Ye Elders of Israel at such a meeting. When we sang the chorus, “Oh Babylon, Oh Babylon, we bid thee farewell, We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.” The sound of that triumphant anthem seemed to reach to the heavens, and my heart rejoiced to be part of such a moment.
When I got to Japan, I found that I missed having an English version of the hymn book, so I asked my mother to send me one. She sent me a small leather bound hymnal, and I studied it like scripture. I was especially moved by the lyrics to Hymn 97 at that time. “Lead, Kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom; Lead thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene—one step enough for me.” This song expressed the feelings of my heart at that time. It helped me learn to walk by faith.
After my mission, I got married and started my family. After I had been married for a few years, it became apparent that my husband had some emotional health issues. For a long time, we did not understand what these issues were, and it was a very difficult time for my marriage and for our family. Some years later I came to understand that my husband suffers from bi-polar disorder. This disorder has impacted our lives repeatedly over the years. It sometimes made it difficult for Kirby to maintain his career path, and this caused additional emotional and financial stresses on him and our family. When the war started in Iraq, Kirby was called up with the Utah National Guard, to serve overseas. We were living in Las Vegas at the time. Our seven children were still fairly young, and I was teaching school to help out with the finances. Some days were really difficult. I would find myself going to the piano to play hymns during these times. “Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace, When other sources cease to make me whole, When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?”
A decade has passed since those difficult years, and through the workings Christ’s loving atonement in my life, much has changed. In April of 2013 I was listening to general conference, when I heard the tabernacle choir sing the hymn, “Come, Come, Ye Saints.” It was such a beautiful rendering of that amazing song, and at the end, as they sang “All is well, all is well” three times in succession, the spirit spoke peace to my soul, testifying to me that despite all the worries and cares of this life, God’s plan will triumph. I was assured--"All is well, All is well."
I have always loved the music of the church. I remember as a little girl, listening to prelude music in Sunday School, and singing Primary songs like, I Wonder When He Comes Again, I Often Go Walking, and Teach Me to Walk in the Light. These and other songs of my childhood taught me principles of the gospel through lyrics and melody. These are messages that I still hold dear today. These songs always bring the Holy Spirit near, and help me feel the love of my Father in Heaven.
Some specific hymns have brought a spiritual witness to my soul at times of my life, in such a powerful way as to never be forgotten.
The first, and probably most memorable experience I had with a hymn, was on my mission. I was in the MTC. While there, I had frequent opportunities to meet with other missionaries for instruction and inspiration. At one such meeting, the closing hymn happened to be, Come Unto Jesus. I was not too familiar with this song at the time. I was noticing that the lyrics had a missionary message, which I had not noticed before. The spirit was very strong in the room. When we got to verse 3 we sang these words: “Oh, know you not that angels are near you?” At that moment, the Holy Ghost bore witness to my heart that angels were there. I knew that angels were all around us in that room. I knew that the angels were watching over us, and I felt that they would go with us as we left that place to serve the Lord. There were times while I was out on my mission, when I was aware of the presence of angels. Though I did not see them, I could feel myself under their watchful care. It was especially noticeable when I had a need to be out later than usual, or while walking on a street that was very worldly. I could, at such times, sense a protective insolative bubble around me, or the presence of a tall protector, unseen, but felt, walking beside me. Because of the witness of the spirit while singing, I knew that angels were near me on my mission.
Another memorable experience I had with a hymn also happened at the MTC. While at the MTC, we were privileged on several occasions to meet in a large congregation that included all of the missionaries who were then at the MTC as we met in evening devotionals. Often general authorities would come to speak to us. I will never forget the experience of singing Ye Elders of Israel at such a meeting. When we sang the chorus, “Oh Babylon, Oh Babylon, we bid thee farewell, We’re going to the mountains of Ephraim to dwell.” The sound of that triumphant anthem seemed to reach to the heavens, and my heart rejoiced to be part of such a moment.
When I got to Japan, I found that I missed having an English version of the hymn book, so I asked my mother to send me one. She sent me a small leather bound hymnal, and I studied it like scripture. I was especially moved by the lyrics to Hymn 97 at that time. “Lead, Kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom; Lead thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene—one step enough for me.” This song expressed the feelings of my heart at that time. It helped me learn to walk by faith.
After my mission, I got married and started my family. After I had been married for a few years, it became apparent that my husband had some emotional health issues. For a long time, we did not understand what these issues were, and it was a very difficult time for my marriage and for our family. Some years later I came to understand that my husband suffers from bi-polar disorder. This disorder has impacted our lives repeatedly over the years. It sometimes made it difficult for Kirby to maintain his career path, and this caused additional emotional and financial stresses on him and our family. When the war started in Iraq, Kirby was called up with the Utah National Guard, to serve overseas. We were living in Las Vegas at the time. Our seven children were still fairly young, and I was teaching school to help out with the finances. Some days were really difficult. I would find myself going to the piano to play hymns during these times. “Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace, When other sources cease to make me whole, When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?”
A decade has passed since those difficult years, and through the workings Christ’s loving atonement in my life, much has changed. In April of 2013 I was listening to general conference, when I heard the tabernacle choir sing the hymn, “Come, Come, Ye Saints.” It was such a beautiful rendering of that amazing song, and at the end, as they sang “All is well, all is well” three times in succession, the spirit spoke peace to my soul, testifying to me that despite all the worries and cares of this life, God’s plan will triumph. I was assured--"All is well, All is well."
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