Every night our family does what we call "Scripture, Song, and Prayer", but not in that order. We each have a night that we get to choose a "Primary Song" and then we say family prayer together and then the family member whose night it is gets to pick a scripture that we have memorized or we are working on memorizing to recite together. This has become a nightly family tradition. Over the past few years we have been doing it we have learned, or sung some of our children's favorite primary songs or hymns. Now, it hasn't always been love and harmony. There have been some nights when a child or two were fighting with each other and they would refuse to sing. So, the penalty that the kids came up with was the offender had to sing a solo. That usually made that child's mood change...from angry to calm. Not necessarily all cheery, but markedly better. Music has a profound effect on people. It has the power to calm the soul or to rile the spirit. Throughout the years there have been a couple of primary songs that are my favorites. Here are the words to them:
"My life is a gift, my life has a plan. My life has a purpose, in heaven it began.
My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth,
and seek for God's light to direct me from birth.
I will follow God's plan for me holding fast to His word and His love.
I will work, and I will pray; I will always walk in His way.
Then I will be happy on earth, and in my home above."
(I Will Follow God's Plan #144)
I want to be kind to every one, for that is right, you see.
So I say to myself, "Remember this: Kindness begins with me."
(Kindness Begins With Me #145b)
I share this with you because music has the power to influence our lives in a very powerful way. It can bring peace to our souls and minds. In the scriptures we are taught: "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads" (D&C 25:12.) When you are in need of help, want peace, or need answers as a parent or as a child, but perhaps don't know exactly what to ask for or even how to pray about it, sing a hymn or a primary song. Sing from you heart and soul because you are praying to God, our Father in Heaven who loves you and desires to help you.
Before Christ went out to with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, or the mount of Olives, "they had sung an hymn" (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26.) The Savior of the world was united in singing with His disciples before the greatest event that would ever take place, unbeknownst to His disciples at that time. I wonder if they sang for strength for Christ or if Christ sang for strength for them?
I did a scripture search for "sing" and there are 196 results. We are to "Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises" (Psalms 47:6.) So the next time you are in church and you hold back because you are afraid someone will hear you actually sing, sing louder. Sing to God, sing those praises! You need those prayers answered! And the Lord wants to hear from you. Where else can you be loud and wonderful and, by golly, who cares if your voice cracks? I know that the Lord sure doesn't. He LOVES it when we sing hymns. In our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we get to sing often. Think about what a blessing that is to be able to audibly "pray" in that way to our Father in Heaven, "united in mighty prayer" (3 Nephi 27:1.)
Music can be powerful and is a gift from God. It can be a beautiful way of worshiping Him who is "mighty to save" (Alma 34:18.) The Lord says: "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (D&C 88:63.) We can draw nearer to Him as we sing praises to Him during our church services as well as in our minds and in our hearts. Have our minds filled with Hymns, words of praise and worship. This I testify will bring greater peace and joy in your life.
