Hymns of the Saturday Morning Session

 (black text is the original talk; all yellow highlights are things I am commenting on;All blue text are my thoughts and are my opinions only and do not represent the official position of the speaker or the church.)

In an earlier post I studied the Prelude, Opening Hymn and Musical Number right after Pres. Monson's Opening Remarks. They were:

How Wondrous and Great
Now Let Us Rejoice  Israel, Israel, God Is Calling
Following Pres. Monson, the following three hymns were sung.

Followed: "Do We Know What We Have" and preceded "Look Ahead, and Believe"

CONGREGATIONAL HYMN This hymn was chosen to be sung together by all the saints in all the world. We unitedly expressed the happiness that comes from accepting and following the teachings of Jesus Christ; the joy of discipleship.  Expressing such happiness benefits us all as we lift our spirits and encourage one another's good works. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" (Proverbs 17:22)

There is Sunshine in my soul today

There is sunshine in my soul today, right now, you can have it
More glorious and bright we live in a historically glorious time
Than glows in any earthly sky,  He outshines the sun
For Jesus is my light. We look to Him and not the world or the philosophies of men. His light never dims; it is unchanged by circumstance; it can be in your soul even on the darkest, stormiest day

(Chorus) 

Oh, there's sunshine, blessed sunshine 
When the peaceful happy moments roll. the sunshine that comes to us during peaceful happy moments that seem to string together is truly "blessed" sunshine
When Jesus shows his smiling face, 
There is sunshine in the soul. what things make the Savior smile? When he shows his smiling face, you "see" it in your soul. When you stray from the path of discipleship, you leave Him and can no longer see his smiling face.

There is music in my soul today, 
A carol to my King, if we truly remember him always, then we can always feel gratitude; the kind that makes you feel like bursting out in song
And Jesus listening can hear 
The songs I cannot sing. This could have different meanings for different people or different times in your life. Sometimes you can't sing in public, but you carry a song in your heart. Jesus listens. Sometimes you are too sad, tired, hurt, angry to sing. And even if you did...the song would not be pretty. Jesus listens. Sometimes you can't find the words to express what you are feeling. Jesus listens. Sometimes you can't share what you know/feel in your soul because others might reject you or mock you or dismiss you. Jesus listens.

There is springtime in my soul today, Again, a couple meanings possible. When you are feeling happy, grateful, inspired, then your soul feels like it is budding with the new growth that spring brings
For when the Lord is near, When you are keeping your covenants you will feel the Lord near
The dove of peace sings in my heart the Holy Ghost, is teaching you
The flow'rs of grace appear.and the enabling power of grace moves you along your path of discipleship. 

The other meaning has to do with time frames. This verse says that in the springtime, the Lord is near. How do we know? The flowers of grace appear.What do we know about Springtime and flowers in relation to the Second Coming?
JS Matt: 1:38 Now learn a parable of the ^afig tree—When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand;

 39 So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors;

The Bible dictionary teaches about Fig Trees:

The tree is one of the earliest to show its fruitbuds, which appear before the leaves; thus a fig tree with leaves would be expected to also have fruit. ..The time when the leaves appear indicates that summer is “nigh at hand” 

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught:

"Meanwhile, perhaps “summer is nigh” (Matt. 24:32; D&C 35:16; D&C 45:37). We are here in mortality, and the only way to go is through; there isn’t any around! Yet our Deliverer assures us: “be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (D&C 78:18)."
We are in the Spingtime of history. The Lord is near. The Holy Ghost is testifying to hearts everywhere to "come to Him". The flowers of grace are budding within millions whose hearts are softening in preparation to receive the message that all the missionaries and members are sharing.
 
There is gladness in my soul today Feel glad, today. Be a happy person
And hope and praise and love, Never lose hope. Be grateful always. Love unconditionally
For blessings which he gives me now when you keep the commandments he "doth immediately bless you"
 For joys "laid up" above.  we can gain an assurance of eternal life while still in mortality. Share the joy.

Isaiah 60:19, Psalm 16:9, 11
 

CHOIR NUMBER This children's hymn was followed by (Bednar) "The Windows of Heaven", preceded by (Uchtdorf) "Come, Join With Us" It's sung very simply, as if to a child. We sometimes forget that God is our Father and we are His children. Do you not think that He would speak simply and gently to our tender, young souls? He invites, He entices, He calls patiently. Notice at the beginning of the second verse, when they sing "we are His children" they sing unaccompanied. To me, this represents the idea that we left Him to come to this earth, to be tested, "to show Him we would still be true". The organ comes back in to support the choir as they sing "hold to His promises". We are not left alone as we strive to keep the commandments. The Spirit is ever available to strengthen us. The whole song is about "peace". It is sung with the same spirit as "Master, the Tempest Is Raging".....as if to say, "I know the world is in chaos, spiraling ever downward...but you don't have to fear that. He is here. You are his child. Hold to His promises through the tests. He will send blessings as you keep the commandments and heed the words of the prophets." Some great things were just taught and promised before this song and will follow it as well. He keeps His promises...the greatest of which will be safety and peace. Just remember, it's His kind of safety and peace.

Keep the commandments
  
Keep the commandments; keep the commandments! The first phrase is counsel; repetition is how we learn
In this there is safety; in this there is peace. This phrase is the promise: Safety and peace. Two things that the world will not know outside the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He will send blessings; He will send blessings. More blessings Keep your covenants. He will send blessings. Have faith
Words of a prophet:  The counsel is repeated with the additional information of where to here the commandments of the Lord taught. Listen to the words of conference. The words are the same as if from the Lord.
Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace. Three witnesses. So simple a child understands it. Only three questions here: Do you know what the commandments are? Are you capable of keeping them? Do you want to?  Yes. Yes. Yes.
We are His children; we are His children The most fundamental truth of all. Embrace this and the world changes.
and we must be tested to show we are true. The oldest question of all...why must we suffer. Answer: To see if we will choose Him; trust Him and stay faithful no matter what.
Hold to His promises; hold to His promises How do we do this when it gets so hard? Hold to your covenants; hold to the promises shared in this conference; hold on..."it's the storm, not you, that's bound to go away". (please take 3 min. and listen to the Tabernacle Choir sing this...one of my favorite songs.)
Heeding the prophets; keep the commandments same thing
in this there is safety and peace this is your "why"
in this there is safety and peace there is no. other. way.
(organ: keep the commandments; keep the commandments)
There is peace. He is the prince of peace; "not as the world giveth"


Mosiah 2:22, This scriptures states all God requires is that we keep his commandments and he will prosper us. It's the simplest formula for success ever. I would love to hear a politician get up and say this is our answer to all our problems. No need for big government. "Teach correct principles and they will govern themselves" (J. Smith)
 
Doctrine and Covenants 59:2  Peace is the reward for righteouness

CLOSING HYMN  This hymn followed (Uchtdorf)  "Come, Join With Us". It begins with the unison call of the Sisters. The ones who usually take care of the fruit after the harvest has been brought in. The men sing in unison next about the gathering of fruit in all the world and of personal righteousness. Then the last two verses are not in our hymnbook. One must listen to the words and ask why they were chosen to be included at this time. Powerful message!

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

(women, unison) In the temporal sense, we stereotypically think of women when it comes to putting up the store of the harvest. When the harvest is bountiful, we do this more successfully when we work together in a coordinated, united effort.
Come, ye thankful people, come; the call is to the "thankful" to gather and give thanks for their "harvest"
Raise the song of harvest home. Do you have a "harvest home"?
All is safely gathered in Ere the winter storms begin. The Church's pamphlet for storing food is titled "All Is Safely Gathered In"...why? I think it is to prepare us against want when the winter storms begin...

God, our Maker, doth provide For our wants to be supplied. We must always confess our dependence on God, even as we strive to become self-reliant and live providently.
Come to God's own temple, come; Not all our wants are temporal. We all need to build a reservoir of spiritual strength and power. That is what God's own temple promises.
Raise the song of harvest home.  Why do we feel to celebrate?

"Anyone who has ever lived in a farming community knows the urgency associated with the harvest.  The fruit of a whole year's work hang on the harvest, which cannot be accomplished until the crop is ready and which must be accomplished quickly then lest it be spoiled by pests or weather.  During the busy harvest season, farmers literally work day and night to get the job done.  Only after the harvest is there time to relax and celebrate." (ref)

(organ echos: Come) To me, the organ always represents the presences of the Spirit. It has a voice, but we hear the words in our mind

(men, harmony) Since the sisters brought up the temple, the men will now continue to take the message of this hymn from the temporal to the spiritual. They celebrate their priesthood partnership with God.
 
All the world is God's own field, This is God's earth and His fruit to gather. The priesthood have a duty to preach the gospel in all the world.
Fruit unto his praise to yield, All success is His
Wheat and tares together sown, The wheat grows side by side with the tares
Unto joy or sorrow grown. It is your choice; joy or sorrow
First the blade, and then the ear, Then the full corn shall appear.
"We reap and sow but it is God who gives the growth."(ref)Lord of harvest, grant that we Wholesome grain and pure may be. "When thou are converted, strengthen thy brethren"...we must seek to be wholesome grain and pure first. Then we accept the call to harvest the wheat from God's own field.



(full organ: Come) There voice of the spirit confirms our prayer

(All voices, unison) As the urgency of the harvest comes, more laborers are needed in the vineyard.
For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home; Our attention now turns to the spiritual harvest of the last days before the Second Coming. We are in this day.
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away, There will be much sorrow and suffering and hurt to pass through. We must hold on to the promises of healing that the Savior gives when He will personally rule and reign on the earth.
Give His angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast; In a speech in 1967 Pres. Joseph Fielding Smith said the angels have been sent forth to commence this work.
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore. We know the garner is the Temple. Elder Bednar said,  "Today temples dot the earth as sacred places of ordinances and covenants, of edification, and of refuge from the storm. The Lord declared, “I must gather together my people, … that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory” (D&C 101:65)."
(full organ: Come) The voice of the Spirit again confirms.

(Key change; descant) A key change in most music adds intensity and increases our attention and emotion.
Even so, Lord, quickly come, It's okay to pray for this...I am!
bring Thy final harvest home. We are in the final harvest
Gather Thou Thy people in, Into the temple; we've all been asked to help
free from sorrow, free from sin, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the truths restored to man, we can all be free from the sorrow that comes from sin.
 
There, forever purified, in Thy presence to abide; we are purified through making and keeping covenants until we given permission to enter His presence.
Come, with all Thine angels come, Second Coming of the Lord
raise the glorious harvest home. All who will "come" will be raised up with Christ to the glorious eternal home in heaven.
(organ: Come) The Spirit confirms
Raise the glorious harvest home. The choir repeats
(organ: Come)  The Spirit confirms. Three witnesses. Truth established.

Doctrine and Covenants 86:1-7, we are in verse 7 of this parable
Mark 4:26-28