Lord, Make Me an Instrument

This song epitomizes the definition of faith.  Faith isn't just believing, it is acting upon our beliefs.  This song is the prayer of St Francis of Assissi and it shows his desire to be and instrument of action in God's hands to actually make a difference in the world.  This is my prayer this Sabbath day for this coming week. 

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me bring love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Lord make me an instrument of Thy peace

Gethsemane

I had to pick this version because of the Portuguese subtitles :)

Jesus Christ is more than a mere idea.  He really is our brother-- my brother-- and each of us can have a personal relationship with Him.  This song presents that idea so perfectly.  I really know that He understands me in each of my personal trials.  He knows the temptations that I pass through every day, and He knows about my struggles and pains.  He knows how completely imperfect I am, and yet He still reaches out to me in love and kindness.  How wonderful it is to know that I am not alone.

Kenneth Cope - Gethsemane - Legendas em Português

From The Heart Choir- I Need Thee Lord

This summer I participated in a choir called From The Heart.  It is comprised mostly of students from BYU-Idaho but is not affiliated with the school.  We put on firesides for local wards and sang songs that testified of Jesus Christ.  Entering rehearsal for the first time was like a dream.  Every member brings the Spirit of Christ to each rehearsal and fireside, and there is not one speck of personal agenda or ego.  I enjoyed stepping out of the world and into Zion each time we got together, and so I am really excited that next semester, I will get to be the director of From The Heart.  I get to give back to the great organization that has given such precious spiritual experiences to me.
"I Need Thee Lord" is a special song because it was written for From The Heart by some previous members of the choir.  It has a special meaning because it is not only talking about Jesus healing a blind man, but it personally stands for the healing power of Christ's atonement.  I am not blind, but I also need Christ to give me sight-- spiritual sight-- so that I can repent and become like Him.

I Need Thee Lord

Gratitude

If I could embody my patriotic sentiments into one word, it would be "gratitude."  Some people wallow in modern politics and they worry about health care, the economy, presidential elections, etc.  I proudly participate in the political workings of our country, and I concern myself with its future.  However, I just said that the embodiment of my feelings about my country is gratitude.  If I were truly grateful for the liberties that I possess and the great abundance that I enjoy day by day, then instead of complaining and fretting about political leaders, I would probably wake up each morning, say a prayer of thanks, and then I would go work as hard as I could to actually live the American dream.  I would participate in elections, I would write letters to congress, and I would do everything I could to carry a patriotic sentiment to other people around me.  However, I would not say hateful things (whether public or private) about our leaders based on differing political views or political parties, I wouldn't worry myself too much about negative media coverage, and instead of yelling and whining so much, I would try and listen to other people and try to learn from their life experiences.  I am not a shining example of this image that I have painted, and so I have a lot of work to do, but in this humble state, I would like to share one other thing that a true patriot should do.  Besides demonstrating gratitude for our country, a true patriot would practice a bit of faith . . . some faith in God.  Because if this really is "one nation, under God," then why wouldn't He help us to succeed?

Battle Hymn of the Republic - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Sissel - Pie Jesu

Bring Him Home

My favorite musical, based on my favorite book, and sung by my favorite tenor . . . what more can you ask for???  This song really is the prayer of a righteous man, and I just love it.

George Dyer -Bring Him Home

Rachmaninov - Fabio Luisi - Piano Concerto No.2 Mvt.1

This Is The Christ

This morning I woke up and listened to a bunch of Easter music in preparation for Sacrament meeting . . . until I looked at the clock and realized that I was almost late!  I was supposed to play the piano at our meeting so I needed to be early to play the prelude, and Hanna and I were doing a musical number as well which we needed to practice.
We did end up running in with a couple minutes to play prelude, and I tried to feel the spirit of this special Easter season.  The meeting was incredible and the speakers inspired.  I sang, "Jesus Lives" by Tammy Simmister Robins.  The Spirit was powerful and it lifted my voice in a magnificent way.  However, I felt truly comforted when another man stood up to sing "This Is The Christ."  He was a brain tumor survivor who had lost most of the movement in the right half of his body.  Even the corner of his mouth drooped a bit, but his physical limitations could inhibit neither his voice nor his spirit.  It was a powerful meeting, and I would just like to share a portion of that feeling that filled me.  I know that Christ suffered for our sins and pains in Gethsemane and then died on the cross.  I know that He lived again when he was raised on the third day. I also know that He loves all of the people in all parts of the world, and so He went to visit them, just like He did for the Nephites in ancient America.  I know that He still lives today and that He loves us.  May we ever rely on His atoning sacrifice for strength in all areas of our lives, and have faith that we too will live again.  

♬♪ This Is the Christ - Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra ♫♭

Dear To The Heart of the Shepherd

I might be on a MoTab kick, because general conference was so inspiring for me.  I looked up this recording because I remember when they sang it during my mission.  At the time, I was working as a full time shepherd, so I suppose that was one of the reasons why this song stood out to me (unfortunately for most of my life I had ignored it).  However, the real reason why it has become a favorite hymn of mine, is because I have experienced times where I feel that I am the lost sheep and I require assistance to deliver me from the cold, weary wilderness in which I so often find myself.  This past week was one of those hard times for me.  I felt overwhelmed, and then we sang this hymn in one of my classes; I felt the comfort of the Lord, and I knew that He would come to rescue me.  In gratitude, I post this song, hoping to inspire someone to go out as a shepherd and save a friend in need.

Dear to the Heart ot the Sheperd

Oh Ye People of Israel

How Oft Will I Gather You

This is a video I made for a project in my Old Testament class.  It is special to me because of the powerful message it presents.  Heavenly Father has always gathered His beloved children, since the days of Adam and Eve, until now.  No matter what the children of Israel did, or the Nephites, or the pioneers, He always reached out in love and took care of them.  This video is a representation of the span of the earth, and God's infinite love.

4 O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.

5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

 6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

                                                                                                            (3 Nephi 10: 4-6)

How oft has my Heavenly Father gathered me as I've struggled against His will?  How Oft He gathers me, even when I don't listen?  And how oft will He gather me?  I know, that just as He gathers me in my life now, and as He has always gathered me in the past,  He will always gather me as long as I come unto Him with a pure heart and repent of my sins.  He will do this for you too. 

Peace Like A River

As most of you know, serving an LDS mission, is not a piece of cake.  I recall the first couple of months in Mozambique and the challenges that I faced.  I felt like I was drowning and couldn't stay afloat.  This was particularly discouraging for me because I felt that I, as a missionary, should be on top of the world and not have to struggle emotionally.  I started listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's CD, Peace Like A River  as I studied my scriptures in the morning, and I found another "piece of peace" that helped me to overcome some hard times.  That song inspired me, and I really love this version by Ronald Staheli because it tells his own story of the pain that he felt at the death of his son, but then the peace that still flowed into his heart.

I testify that Christ's atonement is real, and that it is the true source of peace that we all yearn for.  I know that He died and suffered for us.  This often times helps to alleviate our pains because it is comforting to know that someone has already suffered everything that we have felt.  And yet, we still go through trials and tribulations, not out of punishment, but because Heavenly Father wants us to be able to go through even a tiny portion of what Christ went through as He suffered on the cross.
"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:17).
In this way, when we are crucified with Him (Romans 6:6), we are able to relate to Him and become more like Him.  I pray that despite our pains, we will be able to find pieces of peace to comfort us.

BYU Singers - Peace Like a River

The King Of Love My Shepherd Is

I haven't written in a while . . . school started again!  But I am working on a couple of pieces that I will be posting soon.  So I thought this song would be enjoyable until I could get my songs posted.
BYU choir is one of the best choirs in the world (in my opinion) and this a is a great song with a baritone solo by Shane Warby.  How often I have been gathered in His wings as He has tried to shepherd me into His fold.  I am grateful for a Heavenly Father that loves me, even when I am so hard to love.

BYU Singers - The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Wilberg)