Music

A few years ago while serving a full-time Mission in North Carolina, I received a phone call. We were having a mission conference in a week. Elder Hilbig a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy was coming with his wife to speak to us. The phone call was from another sister missionary serving on the other side of our mission.

We had never served together, though we had been in the same zone before. I was shocked when she told me why she was calling. Our mission President's wife requested this other sister and me to give a musical number in the upcoming conference.

I had heard this sister sing before, so I knew our voices would harmonize. However, since we were serving so far apart, we were told that we would have to practice on our own, and then make sure to arrive at the mission conference early and run through it once or twice together before we started.

When I was told what hymn we were to sing (requested by my Mission President's wife) I didn't recognize the name. So after finishing the call I went in search of my personal hymn book. I was hoping that once I saw it that I would remember how it went, for I knew most of the hymns. When I found the hymn mentioned, I had to accept the fact that I had never heard it before.

Even worse, I had no access to a piano to learn the hymn which I was to sing before my entire mission in a week's time. I started panicking, not knowing what to do, when my companion suggested I pray. As I poured my heart out to the Lord, I received my answer.

Over the next week I learned the hymn note by note. I did this by looking at the given note in the hymn and finding another hymn I knew by heart that had that corresponding note. It was a painstaking process that took up every spare moment of my time. I worked on it and prayed morning to night, as I went about my regular mission work. During that time I came to love that hymn; for as I leaned it note by note, I came to know it word by word. Together the words and music touched my soul, as the spirit testified that the message was true.

In the end I did learn the hymn. I was able to arrive at the church early enough to run through the duet twice, before the meeting began, with my fellow missionary. When the time finally came, and we began to sing, I was aware of how our voices perfectly harmonized. At the same time I was caught up in feeling the spirit carry and confirm the message we sang to the hearts of all who were in attendance.

Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire Hymn # 145
"Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast..."

Text: James Montgomery, 1771–1854
Music: George Careless, 1839–1932

Years ago I experienced a Sacrament meeting that I will never forget. After partaking of the sacrament, my Bishop arose and addressed us. He had us all open our Hymn books to the First Presidency preface to the hymns, where he read,

"Inspirational music is an essential part of our church meetings. The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord.

Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end.

We hope to see an increase of hymn singing in our congregations. We encourage all members, whether musically inclined or not, to join with us in singing the hymns. We hope leaders, teachers, and members who are called on to speak will turn often to the hymn book to find sermons presented powerfully and beautifully in verse." First Presidency Preface to Hymns

My Bishop testified that he knew that this was true. He testified of the power of the hymns and their importance. He then shared his concern for us as a ward. He said that he had noticed that during the hymns many of us were not singing. We were not even paying attention to the hymns. Because of this, the spirit was not as strong in our meetings as it could and should be.

He continued by saying that this concerned him greatly. So much so that he had been praying to know what he could do, to change this. He realized that some did not sing because they didn't have good singing voices. To this he responded that he didn't have one either, but that didn't matter. For the Lord had said that the song of a heart is a prayer unto him. (D&C 25:12) The Lord never said it had to be a song of the throat.

However, my Bishop said that he knew that this wasn't why most of us weren't singing. He said that the cause of many not joining in singing was because we didn't have a real testimony of the hymns yet.

He said that after much prayer he was inspired to hold a musical testimony meeting. He told us that for the rest of our sacrament block, he would open the floor for any of us to come forth and share a hymn (and a specific verse), testify why that hymn had great meaning to us, and then the congregation (and he meant all of us) would sing that verse.

As we did so, the spirit of the Lord came so powerfully into the chapel where we sang that no one left unaffected. There were tears in many a person's eyes as hearts were touched, minds were taught, and spirits were edified.

Though I had always enjoyed the hymns before, I grew to love them that day. Now whenever I have to opportunity to sing the hymns I pay close attention to the words as well as the music. As I do so, I feel the spirit rush over me confirming the truthfulness of the message that hymn bears. I am humbled, and softened, and find that I am then ready to receive.