Light Inspiration and Gratitude

 

I didn’t know what inspirational story to share on facebook – though I thought it should be personal.  I had considered the last day my mom was in the hospital and how all four of her children were there trying to plan her funeral and asking her questions that related.  She was between worlds and so when she gave us answers we weren’t always certain which side she was talking to.  For example Corey had asked about what hymns she would want to be sung.  I knew she likes “I Am a Child of God” and would like it sung at her funeral. When Corey asked “What hymns do you like?” she smiled and said, “That’s a secret.”

I don’t remember all of our conversation.  I know it was a good conversation and all four of her children laughed together.  It felt like an inspirational mood.  I had also considered a time when we had gone to see my great grandma at the nursing home.  Mom had gone diligently every week and grandma, for the most part, hadn’t seemed too with it or able to communicate. 

It was in December – I think just before or maybe on Christmas day – my dad was with us and we sang some Christmas carols and Grandma sang with us.  That was really touching to have her join us and feel like angels were present.  It was later in the evening when I wrote the following:

 

“I did not get dressed today. I wasn't going anywhere and thought my pajamas felt comfortable. As I was thinking about an inspirational story that I could post, I thought about Shauna Hamp who would always get dressed no matter what ailed her because "only sick people stay in their pajamas".

“Shauna was a HUGE inspiration to everyone who knew her. She laughed and smiled and always focused on the good and service of others. I did not know her before she was diagnosed with Scleroderma - a disease that seemingly suffocates the skin and tissues within. When her crippling disease became to painful for her to work in her profession of physical therapy, she went back to school to get her license to become an RN. Shauna outlived her disease by 17 years due to her healthy attitude. She truly was an inspiration. I have good memories of many people in that ward who endured and have taught me a lot.”

         

From that same ward I had interaction with two members who had overcome agoraphobia.  Sharon had shared her story with a small group.  I would have never thought that had ever been a problem.  It seems like this pandemic would have been the perfect place for them at one time.  

There are countless things that I am grateful for. The “light” I shared today was this post:

I have been grateful for the "Come Follow Me" program since its introduction. I am grateful for those who have taken it upon themselves to share their insight. I love watching Don't Miss This with Emily Freeman and David Butler. I also learn a lot from Teach With Power presented by Brad Wilcox. It is especially wonderful to have these tools during the pandemic.––

It Was a Pride Thing

 I would like to be more humble as I have always had a problem with pride. Whenever I think that I have overcome so much of my pride – wham!   I find myself fighting all over again.  And here are just two examples:

 

1)   When I was in the young women’s presidency the YW president had asked me to write a skit for camp – which I did but it took some time to incorporate my ideas.  When I tried to present my idea the YW pres. said it was no longer needed.  The girls had decided that they wanted to do something else – which really didn’t even relate to the topic.  At least at the time I didn’t think it did.  I felt a bit put out that I had worked on this skit and they didn’t even want to listen to my ideas.  And I knew it was wrong to feel resentment.  After all it is the girls who should be involved and they were.  I should have expressed praise or some kind of encouragement.  I tried to shrug it off especially since I didn’t want pride to win – and yet I think I let it win.

 We were making flags for camp that year and had an activity for each girl and leader making squares that would be added to the flag.  I did not even need to think about what I would do for my square.  It just came to me.  I based the theme on a Beetle Bailey comic strip (more detail here) and cut out the shape of a head and neck  to glue onto a red background (as it was the YW value color of individual worth – our selected value) and attached a large mustache and two little eyes.  I gave him hands.  In one he held the YW torch marked with Hymn #114 which is More Holiness Give Me (which was the hymn number for the red and blue hymnbooks.  In the green hymnbooks the hymn number is 131 and may be changed again when/if the new hymnbooks should ever come out)

 Though at the time I didn't see their skit being related to the theme I have since learned they did have good ideas and as a whole was better for all than mine would have been.

2)   Yesterday I watched a tiktok that someone had posted about gratitude to the Mormon “angels” with the destruction of Hurricane Laura.  Feeling the horrors of the fires, evacuations and the outpouring of volunteers I thought it a fitting video to share with a church group that I started.  I had missed the part where Tara Parks (original tiktok poster) said “ . . . garan . . damn . . . tee you . . .” which to some people made the video offensive and it was removed from the page because of “inappropriate language” okay . . . I guess there are a few sisters on the page that might find that offensive but I also know that others might smile at her choice of words.  I did. 

    I had missed the word that created negotiation on censorship in “Gone With the Wind” (see here) Seriously. I had missed it. I had to rewatch it.  The second time it made me laugh.  I know it would make other sisters laugh as well – but not all.  So did those who decided to have it removed even watch the entire thing?  It was funny and it had a good message.

It’s through pride that I felt offended although I had initially questioned as to whether to even posted it or not.  I didn’t (still don’t) want to be upset about it.  I understood the censorship and the concern. Thus far I haven't had to "approve" others' postings but I know the ward page changed for approval because of some "not so uplifting" content.  I found the tiktok video to be very uplifting.   

A few hours after church had ended I had reached out to at least one person who watched the video (I have no idea how many views it had before it was taken down) when I received an unexpected phone call from someone who had been added to the page.  When she called to ask about the video I felt God’s tender mercy.  Perhaps that was the initial plan. I still have a ways to go with this pride thing.  I hope these examples will help me stay where He wants me to.

Ringing Out Wild Bells – Can We Sing MOURN?

“Ring Out Wild Bells” (found here) has got one of the most mournful tunes I have ever heard in my life.  If it isn’t the most mournful tune in the hymnbook, I would guess it’s at least in the top three. To top its already mournful tune, it is being played on the organ – which in my opinion is one of the most mournful musical instruments and so the two put together sounds like a procession to a dark funeral.

The chorister was not impressed with the lack of volume from the congregation and suggested we try again.  The brother behind me uttered, “Well then pick a different song”

Needless to say, I was in full agreement.  It wouldn’t bother me at all to have that hymn completely thrown out of the hymnbook.  But then again, I have only heard it just once a year.  For me, personally, once a decade would be plenty.

I visualized a setting as one would find in a Charles Dickens story.  It’s rainy and cold and everybody is dressed in black.  No one is smiling.  It’s the end of the world for each of them and there is no longer anything worth living for.  At least that is what I see.

The last two verses without the music don’t seem quite as mournful as the first. 

           “Ring Happy Bells Across the Snow”  Oh, yes.  Let’s do that.  Let us be happy.  There is absolutely no joy in that tune.  There are no happy bells.  There is only death – and not a pleasant one.  No pep.  No believing that the New Year will bring new hope.  It’s over.  Life is over.  That is my personal opinion of it anyway. 

Funny thing is by the time the song is over, and I am reminiscing about the mournful tune, I somehow end up turning it into “Portobello Road” (written by Richard and Robert Sherman) from Bedknobs and Broomsticks.  But even at the slowest tempos and gloomiest notes, it still has more upbeat than “Ring Out Wild Bells” will ever have.   In case you haven’t guessed it, I just really don’t care for that song.

Name That Tune

Our theme for this month is on the plan of salvation.  I had wanted to get the class members’ input if there was a certain topic each would like to focus on.  Subject suggestions were on faith, agency and music to name a few.  I absolutely LOVE music and the concept behind the hymns and how to use the hymn book and so forth.  But as the month started, I just didn’t feel inspired to do the lesson on music.  I actually had one beam at the subject of music.

 

That was the same week of ward conference.  The musical number was beautiful – a medley of “Come Follow Me” and “Lord, I would Follow Thee” Very uplifting.  Scott got up after the musical and made comment that he hates going after the musical number.  I can’t say as I blame him.  The Spirit is often felt quite strongly through music.  When I returned home from the meeting I felt impressed to create a “Name That  Tune Hymn ”  10 to be played and guessed and 10 more with clues.  

 

When I was growing up, it seemed that our ward congregation would sing the same 40 – 60 songs over and over again and so the tunes more familiar and could easily be guessed.   But as I mentioned in this post, our ward choirister has taken us through pretty much the entire hymn book and so I don’t know who in my class is familiar with any hymns (I guess I’ll find out on Sunday)

Every once in a while the scheduled speaker for a given sacrament meeting would be unable to attend (for whatever reason) and sometimes congregation members were called on the spot. But I recall one year (when I was no longer a youth but had a calling in which I worked with the youth) I remember the bishop announcing that the assigned speakers did not show and rather than call members from the congregation and put them on the spot for testimony or to give a talk with only that two minute notice, he would try something different.  

He had made arrangements with the chorister and hoped to get participation from those in the congregation and said he would like those who felt impressed to come to the stand with their hymnbooks and share the title of our favorite hymn and why the hymn had meaning for us and then the chorister would play the hymn while the congregation sang.  These meetings were well liked by many – the youth in particular.

 

As I was preparing for my lesson, by reading through talks and blogs,  I was reminded that hymns chosen need to be approved by the bishop and I thought that perhaps my idea should be approved as well.  I sent my list of songs and included the ten clues and wondered what suggestions or changes he might add – if indeed I’d be allowed to follow through on my idea.

I just  finished reading his email.  he not only loves the idea but has encouraged me to incorporate this into my lesson every month?  Holy cow.  Now I’ll have to follow through for at least this week.  Gosh, what did I just get myself into?  Hope the youth may love it as much as my bishop seems to.

There Are More Than 40 Hymns

        

         I can’t say for certain, but I think it’s highly probable that there are several wards (or congregations) that tend to sing the same 40 – 80 hymnals with each meeting.  That doesn’t even cover 50% of what we’ve been given.  And there are some choristers who have tried to introduce new hymns – which may have been enforced in recent years.  If I was called as chorister, I’m afraid our hymns would be the same familiar ones that we have sung at least 20 times during any given year.  I don’t think I have to be concerned about being called to chorister position.  I enjoy listening to music – and I will even lead – but not with expertise I’m afraid. 

         My brother, Corey, has often made the complaint that with over 300 hymns (and those are just the ones currently published in today’s hymn book – there’s got to be even more that we don’t have access to each week) – why is it that someone feels the need to sing the same hymns over and over again? 

         I’ve been in a few wards in which the chorister has introduced the hymn and we’ve actually had a “practice” but I don’t remember any of those becoming part of the curriculum for future meetings.  I think we have the opportunity to sing it one time and depending on how badly our voices butcher that hymn depends on whether we will ever sing it again or not (apparently our voices haven’t worked together well enough to pursue keeping it on our agenda.  That’s also a guess on my part.  I really don’t know.)

         Corey would LOVE the ward I am at now just for the opportunity of singing new hymn each week – even ones that the congregation obviously does not know.  I believed our chorister had given us every hymnal to sing three times over, until today when we were introduced to hymn #13 which only a few of members from the High Priest group were familiar with.  They sounded awesome.  I don’t know why this ward doesn’t have a choir.  Thus far it is the only ward I’ve attended that doesn’t have one.

         There are some hymns I obviously enjoy more than others.  Many people (who are familiar with it) like the hymn 284 – and I notice that all of those who admit to liking the song are very gifted with voices and knowledge of music.  I personally find it haunting and draggy.  I like the hymns to be uplifting and move.  There are some that drag on like you’re walking in a death march or something.  I don’t mean that disrespectfully.  It’s not even the words, but the tunes themselves.  Maybe sometimes it’s the words.  Perhaps it is just from my own lack of understanding.

     I do enjoy reading what is printed in the back pages of the hymnal – how to lead, finding hymns with scripture reference, and being able to sing the words of one hymn to another.  Take  “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” for instance.   I remember Corey singing that and changing to the tune of “I know My Redeemer Lives” and it was beautiful.  Corey and Joh can sing a cappella.  I can listen to them without a piano accompaniment.  They are that gifted.

         Between Relief Society and Sacrament meeting there are usually at least two hymns that I am not familiar with.  Sometimes there are only two that I am familiar with.  And our chorister should be praised for her persistence.  I think she’s too stubborn to give us familiar. I suppose that’s a good thing.

         How awesome it is that we all given talents that we might share and learn from one another.  How great it is that there are those who take initiative to go beyond the familiar.