Songwriting is the act of baring one's soul to another in the form of words and music.
The suggested song this week is “When Faith Endures” which can be found in the the LDS Hymn Book. This song has only one verse, so it one of the shortest hymns in the hymn book. One of the scripture references at the bottom of this hymn is the following: 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
This week’s suggested song is “Master, the Tempest Is Raging” which can be found in the the LDS Hymn Book. This song is depicts in musical form the story found in Matthew and Mark 7 when Jesus Christ calms the stormy seas while out with his disciples. What I found striking about this hymn, was it’s use of metaphor to expand the meaning of that story to what we may face in our daily lives. This music video includes LDS bible film depictions of three miracles performed by Jesus Christ, which are just some of what is related in this section of scripture.
I picked “Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise” from the LDS Hymnal, for our song this week. I think it goes well with the scripture passages and is a beautiful hymn. It was really fun arranging a Viola part to go along with it. I had never done that before! I got my good friend Janei Evans, to play it and she did such an amazing job!
“God Loved Us, So He Sent His Son” is a song from the LDS Hymnal and is one of the hymns that is usually sung right before the administration of the sacrament to prepare hearts and minds for that sacred ordinance. This hymn bases it’s text on one of the scriptures from our lesson, John 3:16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
This week’s Come Follow Me lesson is studying Matthew chapter 4, and Luke 4-5 and is titled ““The Spirit of the Lord Is upon Me”.” In this video – I included depictions from three different stories found within these chapters – Jesus inviting his disciples to follow him, Jesus healing a possessed man and Jesus declaring he is the Messiah.
“The Lord Is My Light” is a very hopeful, joyful and fearless song which I could definitely feel as I began to arrange it. So I decided it would be fun to do this one as another piano solo. To be played “Resolutely” as it suggests at the top of the hymn, (which can be found in the LDS Hymnbook).
This week, for the first time, I’ve done an instrumental collaboration with a friend of mine, Paige Vogt, who is a beautiful violinist. I am excited to share this with you! I had a lot of fun with this project. We adapted this piece from a two-part voice, violin and piano arrangement of the same song by Nik Day, Josh Rich, and Leandra Gibson. Also, for the first time in this series, I am posting a song that is not the “suggested song” for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson. Paige and I had been working on this project already for another event and I decided that I couldn’t pass up the chance to record it with her. Regardless, I feel that the lyrics of this hymn fit very well with these passages of scripture found in Malachi…
Here is a vocal arrangement of “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Jonah & Micah. The story of Jonah is one where he at first doesn’t want to “go where you want me to go” and flees the call of God to preach to Nineveh. Upon his calamities and repentance he listens again to the Lord’s command and preaches to the people of Nineveh. Jonah has to repent multiple times for not hearkening and not understanding God’s love for his people of all nations, (….and don’t we all need to do the same thing!)
Here is a piano arrangement of “We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Amos & Obadiah. One verse that stands out to me as going well with this hymn is: Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”. I love the idea that God has always and will continue to speak to prophets to warn and preach to his children, to act as a “watchman on the tower”, and to give guidance for their specific struggles in the period in which they live.
Here is a piano arrangement of “Come unto Jesus” as found in the LDS Hymnbook; which is the suggested song for this week’s Come Follow Me lesson on Hosea and Joel. One of the beautiful scriptures from this section that goes well with this hymn is Joel 2:13; “Turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.”