Hymnal Treasures

[Tough Grits]

I am not musical. I am not a singer. I am, however, a reader. I have found that reading the hymns like testimonies or poems has allowed me to find a deeper, lasting understanding or appreciation of the truths contained therein.

Please feel free to share your testimony, feelings, or thoughts on any hymn that has touched you or inspired you.

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I think this is one of the most sincere, heartfelt testimonies of Christ in our hymnal.

Hymn #134, I Believe in Christ

Text: Bruce R. McConkie

Music: John Longhurst

[annewandering]

I cannot sing but I like to sing from the hymn book. Singing often feels more like a prayer to communicate with God. Anyway it almost always makes me feel better.

[Maureen]

At my FIL's funeral we sang God Be with You Till We Meet Again. I just really like that hymn.

M.

[pam]

At my FIL's funeral we sang God Be with You Till We Meet Again. I just really like that hymn.

M.

I love that song too because I love the alto part. :)

[Wingnut]

This is a great book: Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages (rev. ed): Karen Lynn Davidson: 9781606410684: Amazon.com: Books

[Anddenex]

I Stand all Amazed

One of my favorite hymns.

[Palerider]

I am not musical. I am not a singer. I am, however, a reader. I have found that reading the hymns like testimonies or poems has allowed me to find a deeper, lasting understanding or appreciation of the truths contained therein.

Please feel free to share your testimony, feelings, or thoughts on any hymn that has touched you or inspired you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

I think this is one of the most sincere, heartfelt testimonies of Christ in our hymnal.

Hymn #134, I Believe in Christ

Text: Bruce R. McConkie

Music: John Longhurst

I agree with you....and like you I too cannot carry a note or sing....funny thing I can direct music...LOL!!!.....I don't do that very often.

I like to read the words of the hymns in my talks, it always adds a nice touch. I am sure just like others here, I like to sing them to myself thru the day and listen to the Choir. I have too many favorite hymns to list here.

[MrShorty]

One that we sang for Easter last year as a choir was "How Great the Wisdom and the Love." In particular, we chose to include the 6th verse in lieu of some of the other verses, which really stood out to me:

How great, how glorious, how complete

Redemption's grand design,

Where justice, love, and mercy meet

In harmony divine!

[EarlJibbs]

I love the fact that there are a lot of hymns that weren't written by LDS and were from so long ago. It reminds me that God influences all. Inspiration can be found anywhere.

[Vort]

I think this is one of the most sincere, heartfelt testimonies of Christ in our hymnal.

Hymn #134, I Believe in Christ

Text: Bruce R. McConkie

Music: John Longhurst

He read that poem in General Conference in 1972. I doubt many at the time paid much attention to it beyond, "Oh, Elder McConkie read a poem he wrote himself. Not bad, I guess. At least it rhymes." It now stands as a hymn almost universally beloved by the Latter-day Saints. ("Almost" because there are certain stick-in-the-mud members like myself that just aren't that captivated by the poem. But I love McConkie, and given the number of poems I have published, I'm not much into offering literary critiques of apostles of Jesus Christ.)

Here are a few I find notable:

• For myself, I don't think we have a hymn more beautiful than the Primary song My Heavenly Father Loves Me.
• My favorite hymnbook hymn is In Humility, Our Savior, standing all alone like the gorgeous girl in the plain dress and long, straight hair at the dance, who despite her modest appearance just cannot help being more beautiful than anyone else.
• A close second would probably be the now-seldom-sung hymn Love at Home. Why is this sung so infrequently at Church any more? When I was a child, it was sung quite commonly at Church, and we sang it all the time for family home evening (which we called "family night").
• I find no more powerful a hymn than The Spirit of God.
• Can't forget the hymns that cannot be sung all the way through because of the lump they bring to the throat, such as Lead, Kindly Light and How Great Thou Art.
• A personal favorite for beauty of both lyric and tune is The Wintry Day, Descending to Its Close (
  ). I was in my 30s before I remember ever hearing it.

My mother, a multigenerational Mormon born in SLC, has a pronounced taste for non-LDS hymns such as I Come to the Garden Alone. For myself, I find strength and beauty in traditional LDS hymns that I do not normally find outside our musical tradition, though obviously with many exceptions (such as How Great Thou Art, mentioned above).

[Wingnut]

("Almost" because there are certain stick-in-the-mud members like myself that just aren't that captivated by the poem.

Lol. Same here. I enjoy it, but after awhile it -- honestly -- seems to drag on. My favorite verse is the fourth, but it just feels like it takes so long to get there.

But I love McConkie, and given the number of poems I have published, I'm not much into offering literary critiques of apostles of Jesus Christ.)

Lol.

Can't forget the hymns that cannot be sung all the way through because of the lump they bring to the throat, such as Lead, Kindly Light and How Great Thou Art.

Lead, Kindly Light is a favorite of mine.

[Tough Grits]

I like to read the words of the hymns in my talks, it always adds a nice touch.

Yes! I have done the same. In fact, I used the song linked in my OP in a talk once. It ended up being a very powerful message for me as I read it aloud...hopefully it was just as powerful for those listening!

[Tough Grits]

I love the fact that there are a lot of hymns that weren't written by LDS and were from so long ago. It reminds me that God influences all. Inspiration can be found anywhere.

Did you notice that there is a hymn by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (#214) and one by Martin Luther (#68)? How cool.

[Tough Grits]

I love Hymn #29, A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief. Well, I love reading it.

It should never be sung without singing all the verses, for it is only at the end, that the song (or words if you are reading) takes a dramatic and wondrous turn.

The associated scriptures should also be read:

Matthew 25:31-40

Mosiah 2:17

[applepansy]

I love to look up the scriptures references with each song. Using they hymnal as a study tool has opened my mind in surprising ways.

[KevlarH]

Like you, I also have no musical talents. I coudn't carry a tune in a bucket. LOL! So, I read along while listening to others sing it, ( I sing along in my head) and try to ponder the words. My favorite hymns for this is Oh My Father, Oh How Lovely Was The Morning, Master, The Tempest is Raging, and the Christmas hymn I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day.

By the way. Grits should not be tough. They should be smooth like cream of wheat. Yes, I'm from the South. LOL!

Edited February 27, 2013 by ldrkholt

[Tough Grits]

By the way. Grits should not be tough. They should be smooth like cream of wheat. Yes, I'm from the South. LOL!

You are right, grits should be smooth. I like mine with sour cream over two sunny side up eggs, with toast and bacon on the side.

But my Tough GRITS stands for: Tough Girl Raised In The South. ~TG

[dahlia]

A strange thing - the other Saturday I had a song in my head that wouldn't go away. I knew it was a hymn, but I'm still not familiar with all of the hymns and couldn't recall the title or enough words to look it up. When I got to church the next day, the organist was playing that same hymn! Too freaky.

It turns out, the hymn was 'How Gentle God's commands.' It was probably a sign, but I don't know of what...yet.

[pam]

At one of my jobs which is owned by a strong Christian family, they have piped in music. So many times it is music that I recognize as a hymn we also use. Interesting to be working and hear a hymn coming over the speaker.

[KevlarH]

You are right, grits should be smooth. I like mine with sour cream over two sunny side up eggs, with toast and bacon on the side.

But my Tough GRITS stands for: Tough Girl Raised In The South. ~TG

Ah! I see. Well, I'm a guy raised in the south.

[Tough Grits]

I am so studious (for lack of a better word) that I even highlight hymns. One of the first hymns that I ever highlighted was:

Truth Reflects upon Our Senses, Hymn 273

The scriptures associated with this hymn are:

Matthew 7:1-5

Alma 41:14-15

I love this hymn, because the message of minding our own beam rather than our brother's mote, is delivered in such a sweet, sincere manner. One of my all-time favorites!! ~TG