Have you ever taken the time to read the beautiful words of our hymns? These words can give us comfort, hope, and motivation just when we need them most. When music is added to them, it can almost wash all our anxieties away.
“Where, when my aching grows, Where when I languish, Where, in my need to know, Where can I run? Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish? Who, who can understand? He, only One.” These words, by Emma Lou Thayne (#129), keep us hopeful.
“I will not doubt, I will not fear; God’s love and strength are always near. His promised gift helps me to find an inner strength and peace of mind.” From Naomi W. Randall, author of I Am a Child of God (# 128).
“The streamlet, flow’r, and sod bespeak the works of God; And all combine, and all combine, with most transporting grace, his handiwork to trace, thru nature’s smiling face, in art divine.” Such poetic words from Emmeline B. Wells (#33).
I wonder how often we sing the wide variety of hymns in our hymnbooks. There is so much comfort within its pages. Such as these words by Ellis Reynolds Shipp, one of the first doctors in our valley: “Father, cheer our souls tonight; Lift our burdens, make them light. Let thine all-pervading love shine upon us from above. Bless our loved ones far away; Grant them health and peace, we pray. In their hearts let holy light beam to guide their steps aright.” (# 231)
We know well the “Relief Society” song—Sisters in Zion. But there is another hymn that deserves to be just as important to us: “A key was turned in latter days, A blessing to restore—A gift of charity and peace—To earth forevermore. Our Father, we would turn our hearts to those who seek thy face, give hope and comfort to the poor in mem’ry of thy grace.” (#310) This is a recent hymn, written by Jan Underwood Pinborough, about the key that Joseph turned to the Relief Society that extends our knowledge and responsibility as a sisterhood.
And finally…Eliza R. Snow. What a great poetess she was; a woman who truly understood the gospel and knew how to express the beauty of it. “How great the wisdom and the love that filled the courts on high and sent the Savior from above to suffer, bleed, and die! His precious blood he freely spilt; His life he freely gave, A sinless sacrifice for guilt, A dying world to save. How great, how glorious, how complete Redemption’s grand design, where justice, love, and mercy meet in harmony divine! ” (#195)
I hope Relief Societies from all over the world can find a way to sing and enjoy all of our beautiful hymns. Use your practice time wisely. Get together during the week and enjoy a “sing-in”. Prepare musical numbers for Sacrament Meeting, Relief Society, or a Fireside. Stretch your sisters and teach the seldom sung hymns that are in our hymnbook…All language hymnbooks.
I too love the words of the hymns. Their words are weaved into my very testimony. In fact I have often felt that I could read or sing those words and that would express perfectly the strong witness I have on many subjects of the gospel.
I got to sing in my Stake Choir for Stake Conference today. We, of course, sang many beautiful hymns. Our last song was “I Believe in Christ”, in honor of the Spanish Branch that we have in our Stake, we sang the first and last verses in Spanish. I was struck with a strong spirit as I sang these beautiful, testifying words in two languages–so much so that I could no longer sing!, but instead enjoy the sweet spirit these words brought, testifying to me that they are true. “I Believe in Christ, he is God’s Son” “I Believe in Christ, He is my King!”, “I Believe in Christ, so come what may, With Him, I’ll stand in that great day”.