Keep the Commandments

Hello! Keep the Commandments is one of the suggested songs to go along with the Come Follow Me  Book of Mormon lesson this week. This is a short and simple piano solo arrangement. The hymn version of this song only has one verse which is what I used in this video. I didn’t even notice that the Children’s Songbook version had a 2nd verse until after I finished the video! ha ha. If I ever repeat this one for a future week, I could include the second verse.

This lesson studies Mosiah chapters 11-17. In this section, King Noah rules in wickedness, Abinadi prophesies that the people will be taken into bondage & King Noah will die because of their wickedness. Abinadi is imprisoned. He speaks to the false priests and King Noah, teaching them the Ten Commandments and that Salvation does not come through the law of Moses alone, but through Jesus Christ. Alma, one of the wicked priests, believes his words. Abinadi suffers death by fire and Alma writes his words, separating himself from King Noah and the priests.

Mosiah 11-17

• 11: 1 And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father. 2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and ^aconcubines. And he did ^bcause his people to commit sin, and do that which was ^cabominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit ^dwhoredoms and ^eall manner of wickedness.

• 11: 20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was ^aAbinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will ^bvisit them in mine anger.
• 12: 17 And it came to pass that king Noah caused that Abinadi should be cast into prison; and he commanded that the ^apriests should gather themselves together that he might hold a council with them what he should do with him. 18 And it came to pass that they said unto the king: Bring him hither that we may question him; and the king commanded that he should be brought before them.
• 13: 11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the ^acommandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught ^biniquity the most part of your lives.
• 15: 1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should understand that ^aGod himself shall ^bcome down among the children of men, and shall ^credeem his people. 7 Yea, even so he shall be led, ^acrucified, and slain, the ^bflesh becoming subject even unto death, the ^cwill of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. 8 And thus God breaketh the ^abands of death, having gained the ^bvictory over death; giving the Son power to make ^cintercession for the children of men

• 17:1 And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the ^apriests should take him and cause that he should be put to ^bdeath.  2.But there was one among them whose name was ^aAlma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he ^bbelieved the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them; therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace. 3 But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him. 4 But he fled from before them and ^ahid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days did ^bwrite all the words which Abinadi had spoken.

A little about the background of the song:

In July 1972, Harold B. Lee became the eleventh president of the Church. One hour after the announcement was made he met with newspaper and television reporters for a press conference. More than fifty reporters were there to ask President Lee questions; one of them asked if he had a message for Church members. President Lee responded by saying, “Keep the commandments of God. Therein will be the salvation of individuals and nations during these troublesome times. . . . The safety of the Church lies in the members keeping the commandments. There is nothing more important that I could say. As they keep the commandments, blessings will come.”

Barbara A. McConochie was so touched by President Lee’s council she was inspired to write the Primary song, “Keep the Commandments.” The words of the song are based on Harold B. Lee’s response during the press conference. Sister McConochie has said of her song, “Keeping the commandments is the anchor for our safety amidst the storm. True peace will come to each individual, family, and nation only as we learn obedience to the laws of our Heavenly Father.” (source)

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Media sources: ChurchofJesusChrist.org (“Abinadi Testifies of Jesus Christ”)

*Please let me know if you would like the sheet music done for any of the arrangements I don’t have sheet music for yet and I am happy to do them! You can find the songs I already have sheet music for here: http://marileekaymusic.com/sheet-music/

Composers: Text and music: Barbara A. McConochie , b. 1940 © 1975 IRI

This video is published on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarileeKayMusic/ and short reels of the video are posted throughout the week on Instagram @MarileeKayMusic