"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea; the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads" D&C 25:11

I love hearing my children and my husband sing, especially Hymns and Primary Songs. We sing a Primary song or a Hymn together every night. I love the feeling it brings into our home and the love it creates. Doing this has created good memories, laughter, love, and joy. Music, in its proper form, is a powerful instrument. "Hymns can lift our spirits, give us courage, and move us to righteous action. They can fill our souls with heavenly thoughts and bring us a spirit of peace" (The First Presidency).

I love music and I know that God loves it as well. One of the first things the Lord commanded to be done when The Church of Jesus Christ was restored (learn more about the restoration here) on the earth was for Emma Smith, "...to make a selection of sacred hymns,...to be had in [His] church. [The Savior said], For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea; the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads" (D&C 25:11-12).

Music was used to mark the beginning and end of the Savior's life. In the New Testament, angels sing praises to God at His birth (see Luke 2:13-14) and then again at the Last Supper, the Savior sings a hymn with His disciples (see Matthew 26:30).

There is power in singing that helps teach us gospel principles. Paul said, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16). I remember many primary songs that we sing, even now, with our children that teach gospel principles, such as I am a Child of God (#2), The Lord Gave Me a Temple (# 153), Baptism (# 100), I Will Follow God's Plan (# 164), Families Can be Together Forever (# 188) to name a few. These primary songs teach doctrine that strengthen and lift us. They help us remember truth and can be a source of strength anytime, anywhere. What an incredible blessing to have these instant messages from God to fill our minds and hearts with comfort and strength when we need His help, guidance, or to cheer us in our time of need.

Memorizing Hymns and Primary Songs help us "...crowd out the evil with the good. ...Let us use [them] to invite the Spirit of the Lord into our congregations, our homes, and our personal lives. Let us memorize and ponder them, recite and sing them, and partake of their spiritual nourishment" (The First Presidency). When  we make good choices we feel like singing and feel happy. The Lord himself said, "...Whoso cometh in at the gate and climbeth up by me shall never fall; wherefore, blessed are they of whom I have spoken, for they shall come forth with songs of everlasting joy" (Moses 7:53).

Let us fill our hearts and minds with good music~ the Hymns (found here) and Children's Primary Songs (found here) are a great place to start because they testify of Jesus Christ, His life, and His Gospel. Music is a language everyone understands and the Spirit can communicate to everyone through it. This I testify.