I Will Sing With the Spirit

Amy's post got me thinking about the song "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." Everytime I get an opportunity to sing all seven verses of that song, I just cry my eyes out. It's always verse six that does me in:

My friendship's utmost zeal to try, he asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak, my blood ran chill, but my free spirit cried I will!"

I always hope that I can be that strong, determined, faithful and humble someday.

I love my moments that I have with songs that have to do with the gospel. I don't only mean hymns, either. There have been many an EFY song that has brought me to my knees in tears. I would like to share some of those moments with you and I hope that as you visit this blog during the week, you will share your hymnal moments of bliss.

When I was in the MTC, we had an amazing speaker who talked about the lineage of Joseph Smith and his amazing family. At the end of the fireside, we all stood up and sang "Praise to the Man." There has never been a more powerful testimony of the prophet that to see so many missionaries, with tears in their eyes and hope in their hearts, sing their testimonies of the great man who brought them the gospel that they had left their homes and their lives to go and share with the world.

On my mission, my trainer really loved the song, "A Little More Like Thee" by Mindy Gledhill. The chorus says:

"Have I blown all my chances to be less like the captive and more like the free?

More like the innocent child in me? Or maybe just a little more like thee?"

After I came home from my mission, I pondered these questions often. Did I take full advantage? How can I remain free from the captivity of the world? It always seems like a daunting task to become like the Savior, the perfect, loving, self-sacrificing, Son of God. But every time I become someone that resembles him just a little more, I know that I'm at least on the right track.

And finally, there is a CD that is called a Nashville Tribute to Joseph Smith, which I am sure you have all heard. The songs were inspired and made me ponder many things: the struggle of Emma Smith as she cared for others and lost her family, the loyalty of Hyrum Smith and the strength he must have been to his brother, and finally the simple beauty and the singular miraculousness of the First Vision.

Music can be a great amplifier for the Spirit. It can also be used to drown it out. When I was on a mission and I didn't have headphones in my ears all the time, I often wondered how the Spirit was able to get my attention at all with all the noise I had going on in my head. I've seen people get addicted to music, using it as a way to constantly control their mood or as an escape from problems that needed to be addressed.

My personal goal this week is to listen to more uplifting music. Life is crazy busy and I miss the quiet contemplative times with my MoTab CDs and Piano music. If your life is stressful, too, I invite you to do the same. Oh, and make sure you sing along.