Songwriting is the act of baring one's soul to another in the form of words and music.
This lesson studies Mosiah chapters 7-10. This hymn goes well with the text of this lesson. In this section, the people were in bondage and seeking deliverance. They came to a determination that God would deliver them and he does….
I was immediately drawn to ‘Testimony.’ The words ‘I know my Father lives’ came to my mind, and the music came almost simultaneously. The remainder of the piece came very quickly, but I thought it was too simple, so I began working on it. It became more and more complicated and less and less spontaneous. After two weeks of struggling with it, I began to erase all the excess notes, and soon it emerged in its original form.
This arrangement is a vocal solo of verses 1, 5, 6 and 7. I didn’t want the song to be too long, so I tried to include the final verses that are essential for the storyline, but are often not sung in Church because of how long the song is. This hymn has beautiful descriptive language that draws you in. A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief was a favorite hymn of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The apostle John Taylor first learned the hymn while on his mission to England. On the afternoon that Joseph and Hyrum were killed by a mob in prison in Carthage, the Smiths requested Taylor sing this hymn twice. How touching and special this hymn is.
Hello! “Israel, Israel, God Is Calling” is one of the suggested hymns this week to go along with the Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson. This arrangement is a modern, dynamic and unique version of the song and the sheet music for it can be found on my website: http://marileekaymusic.com/sheet-music/ It’s a fun one to sing and play!
“I wrote the poem [originally titled ‘The Shared Loaf’] after a long and serious illness. I was convalescing (Convalescence is the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness or injury), and in a sudden, glad up-rush of gratitude for my release from pain, recalling the many mercies and blessings that had been mine those long hard days, and through all my past life, remembering the love that had been around and about me ever, I wrote the words of this hymn. Surely I have been given much; surely love has been showered upon me. God grant I may never forget to ‘divide my gifts with every brother that I see who has the need of help from me,’ and I trust I shall not hoard the love that has been so abundantly showered upon me.”
Gardner explained that the idea for the words came to him during a 1984 session of stake conference after a speaker quoted 2 Nephi 31:20. “I instantly recognized it as one of my favorite scriptures from my teenage years as a seminary student and also as a missionary. Something just kind of went through my mind like, ‘Wow, that’s the Book of Mormon verse that you’ve been looking for.'”
Hello! “I Believe in Christ” is a suggested hymn to go along with the Book of Mormon lesson “We Rejoice in Christ” studying 2 Nephi 20–25. This is a vocal solo arrangement of an amazing LDS hymn written by Bruce R. McConkie. I love the personal and strong testimony of Jesus Christ that this song conveys. The free sheet music for this arrangement can be found here: http://marileekaymusic.com/sheet-music/
Hello! “High on the Mountain Top” is a suggested hymn to go along with the Book of Mormon lesson “His Name Shall Be Called … The Prince of Peace” studying 2 Nephi 11–19. This is a piano solo arrangement of an upbeat hymn centered around the blessings of the covenants God makes with his children through modern day temples. The song conveys the idea that God invites all to come unto him and receive the promises of old, today, in our day.
Hello! “How Great Thou Art” is the suggested hymn for the Book of Mormon lesson “O How Great the Plan of Our God” studying 2 Nephi 6–10. This is one of the most well-loved and popular hymns among the Christian world. It is based on an original Swedish poem titled “O Store Gud” written in 1885 by Carl Boberg. The English version of the hymn is a loose translation by the English missionary Stuart K. Hine.
Hello! Praise to the Man is a suggested hymn for the Book of Mormon lesson “We Lived after the Manner of Happiness” studying 2 Nephi 3–5. This section includes a prophecy about the Prophet Joseph Smith which is pretty astounding!