I sang with this choir for two years. Being in the choir taught me not just how to sing, but how music itself can teach and heal. I find I cannot be sad when I sing words about beautiful summer days. I cannot be angry when I sing notes with peace riding on their melody. I cannot help but feel the love and very truth of God when I praise him with the most exquisite ideas expressed in song.
One particular song that I cherish from my Children's Choir years is "Jesu, Delightful to the Mind." Of course, the complete beauty of the piece is impossible to convey without the music, but I love the words. Here are a few verses:
Jesu, Jesu delightful to the mind,
True joy whom we were meant to find:
O what delight when he is there!
...How lovely searching for you seems,
But you surpass our wildest dreams!
The ecstasy is too intense
for any words or utterance:
The only valid evidence
Is that unique experience.
How lovely! Jesu, delight.
Oh Jesu, be our pleasure here,
Our treasure in the world to come,
When we are summoned to appear
Transfigured like the only Son. Amen.
You cannot help but feel closer to Christ when you sing words like these, learn them by heart, and practice them every day. It is through music like this that the Holy Ghost can testify strongly of Heavenly Father's love.
On the reverse side, it is easy to see how music that is not exactly "uplifting" has a great negative effect on us. If singing about beautiful things opens our hearts to receive testimony and joy from God, it is easy to see that singing about ugly things blocks the light that might have come upon us.
Many experiences throughout my childhood taught me of the importance of good music, and of participation in it, whether our talents are strong or faint. Many thanks to my parents, grandparents, and teachers who instilled this in me. It is a source of great comfort and joy.
Well, enough of this philosophizing. There are dishes to be done! Cheers!
~Sarah
p.s. If you'd like to know more about the Salt Lake Children's Choir, visit childrensing.com. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how amazing they sound!
One particular song that I cherish from my Children's Choir years is "Jesu, Delightful to the Mind." Of course, the complete beauty of the piece is impossible to convey without the music, but I love the words. Here are a few verses:
Jesu, Jesu delightful to the mind,
True joy whom we were meant to find:
O what delight when he is there!
...How lovely searching for you seems,
But you surpass our wildest dreams!
The ecstasy is too intense
for any words or utterance:
The only valid evidence
Is that unique experience.
How lovely! Jesu, delight.
Oh Jesu, be our pleasure here,
Our treasure in the world to come,
When we are summoned to appear
Transfigured like the only Son. Amen.
You cannot help but feel closer to Christ when you sing words like these, learn them by heart, and practice them every day. It is through music like this that the Holy Ghost can testify strongly of Heavenly Father's love.
On the reverse side, it is easy to see how music that is not exactly "uplifting" has a great negative effect on us. If singing about beautiful things opens our hearts to receive testimony and joy from God, it is easy to see that singing about ugly things blocks the light that might have come upon us.
Many experiences throughout my childhood taught me of the importance of good music, and of participation in it, whether our talents are strong or faint. Many thanks to my parents, grandparents, and teachers who instilled this in me. It is a source of great comfort and joy.
Well, enough of this philosophizing. There are dishes to be done! Cheers!
~Sarah
p.s. If you'd like to know more about the Salt Lake Children's Choir, visit childrensing.com. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how amazing they sound!
I too am grateful to have been taught the value of good music, and to appreciate its many genres. I wonder how many times I have heard "Jesu, Delightful to the Mind" and didn't realize the beauty of the words!
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