Songwriting is the act of baring one's soul to another in the form of words and music.
Hello! This week, I created a piano arrangement of the upbeat hymn, Called to Serve, which is one of the suggested songs for this week’s Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson. I had a blast putting it together. This lesson studies Alma 17-22 and is called “I Will Make an Instrument of Thee”. It is an astounding and exciting section of scripture!
Hello! Come Unto Jesus is one of the suggested songs for this week’s Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson studying Alma 13-16. This lesson is called “Enter into the Rest of the Lord” which phrase can be found in Alma chapter 13:
Hello! This week, for our Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson, I chose to select The Lord is My Shepherd. This is an arrangement I did for a men’s musical number we needed at our recent church conference for the adults in our area. I had adapted it from a previous piano solo to suit this Men’s trio. RD Parsons, Kevin Forbush and Josh Pack are on vocals and did such a wonderful job recording and interpreting this beautiful hymn. I am grateful to them for allowing me to record and film them for this setting!
Hello! Love One Another is one of the suggested songs to go along with the Come Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson this week. Love One Another is a popular LDS hymn with a beautiful melody and just one single verse. This arrangement is a vocal solo with an instrumental piano part and reprise of the second half of the verse at the end. The sheet music for this arrangement is available for free here.
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. 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.
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! “Risen” is the song I chose to do this week to go along with the Come Follow Me Easter lesson. This song was written by Shawna Edwards in 2019. Here is what she said about the song: “Every good thing we have is because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. “Risen” is the result of my special feelings for Jesus and the joy I feel, knowing that He lives!” Melinda Spence is on vocals with me along with Emily Clark on the Violin. Melinda is the one who suggested this song to me as one we could sing in sacrament meeting at Church around Easter time. We decided to record and film it as well. I’m grateful for everything those two added to this arrangement. They did such a beautiful job.
Hello! “I’ll Walk with You” is a suggested song to go along with the Book of Mormon lesson “A Marvelous Work and a Wonder” studying 2 Nephi 26–30. This is a vocal solo arrangement of a sweet song from the LDS Children’s Songbook.
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! “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” is a suggested hymn for the Book of Mormon lesson “I Will Prepare the Way before You” studying 1 Nephi 16–22. As I was arranging this hymn, the lyrics truly touched me and brought tears to my eyes. I had never thought before about how personal and heart wrenching these lyrics really are. I am glad the Come Follow Me lesson offers this as a hymn to go with this lesson. There are so many ups and downs that happen for Lehi’s family during these sections. They all have to endure much, and as they do, (some enduring better than others) they are able to accomplish their journey with the Lord leading them, helping them and comforting them all along the way.