Mary Did You Know

My missionary son just melts my heart.  Since the first time I heard him sing this song, it has become one of my very favorites.  He sings it with feeling and love for the Savior.  You can feel it.

 

This last weekend, he was part of the Palm Desert Stake Christmas Program that was performed on Saturday and Sunday.  You can read his letter HERE telling about the experience.

 

I hope you all enjoy this wonderful taste of Christmas that had this Mama in tears. =)  Soon I’ll have the professional copy, but this was all I needed to have my heart full!  (The lady apologized for her niece that wanted to hold her phone.)

Ye Heavy Laden

I received another video today from a sweet gal who recorded my son practicing to sing at her mother and brother’s baptism on Saturday.  She started recording and then it shut off. She got it back on, but didn’t get the whole song– but most of it.  Still……to see my son’s face and hear him singing….I don’t know, just brings a tear to my eye.  How I love my missionary sons!  One of the great rewards of motherhood.

The words to this song are beautiful.  I have never heard this song, so I’m trying to find the words to it to post.

I hope you enjoy this little snipet!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKGyQwgK5Ac&feature=g-upl[/youtube]

9/5/12

In my son’s letter home today, he said that a lady from San Diego wrote this song.  That’s why I couldn’t find it anywhere. ;o)

Here are the words.  They are beautiful.  I’ll have to find out her name so I can give her credit here!

Ye Heavy Laden

 

When shadows fall and darkness deepens
When faith is small and all seems lost
When the light in your eyes grows dim
And you can’t find a moments peace within.
In your despair longing for answers
Wearied and worn, forlorn in your grief
When relief from your suffering seems denied
And you can’t quell your questioning why
Will these sorrows never cease?
These burdens never ease?
Oh, hear the words of Christ
He lives to calm our cries:
Come unto me all ye that labor
Ye heavy laden and I will give you rest
Take my yoke upon you learn of me
For I am lowly of heart and meek
Come unto me all ye that labor
Ye heavy laden and I will you rest
Take my yoke find rest unto your souls
Ye heavy laden, come unto me.
In Christ’s despair facing Gethsemane
Wearied and worn, forlorn in His grief
Though relief from His pain was in His hands
He plead our cause unto God, a lowly lamb:
“Must their sorrows never cease?
Their burdens never ease?
Then let sins price be placed on me
That their souls might be free.”
Come unto me all ye that labor
Ye heavy laden and I will give you rest
Take my yoke upon you learn of me
For I am lowly of heart and meek
Come unto me all ye that labor
My yoke is easy and my burden is light
Take my yoke, find rest unto your soul.
Ye heavy laden, come unto me.

Come Thou Fount

My son sang “Come Thou Fount” in church the other day.  He was nice enough to grab a recording of his practice.  I LOVE this song and am grateful to the pianist and cellist.  They make this song so beautiful!

And a big shout out to Mark Mabry whose photography collection of Christ is one of my favorites.  I love the spirit and feeling in these photos and am grateful for his gift and talent.  I also am appreciative that he has given me permission to use his photos on my blog. =)

Here is what my son wrote to me in his letter that accompanied the recording of this song:

Singing in sacrament meeting yesterday was one of them. Honestly, I feel silly talking about myself and my performances, but I do it because I know Mom, and Grandmas, appreciate the stories and successes of their little ones. I was writing in my journal the other night about how much I love performing; and not for the usual reasons. I would be lying if I said I didn’t like the attention I get from singing, because I do, but not nearly as much as what I get to experience while I sing. Looking out into a crowd of people with tear-filled eyes and broken hearts, then watching the Spirit of music, and the Spirit itself, mend and heal those people who are attentive and receptive, is an experience I live for. I pity the people who miss out on such beautiful moments. 

Also, I feel like my singing makes up for my many imperfections. One of the greatest things we can do in this life is serve those around us, and that is was I try to do. Mostly it’s out of genuine love, but this is the selfish part in me. I also sing to heal myself, and vindicate my wrong-doings. Maybe that’s wrong in itself, but it mends my own heart when I help someone else. I don’t think I could ever do enough for people, which is why I sometimes go through great extremes just to serve someone. I think faith, prayer, laughter and music are the greatest healer’s of all time; to be an instrument (sometimes literally) in the hand of Heavenly Father is a miracle.  I hope we will each live in a way to bless, and not break, those around us.– Elder Jadon Webster

Come Thou Fount

Savior, Redeemer of My Soul

There’s  a little story behind this song.  When I was at my book retreat with Leslie Householder and Nancy Genys, Leslie would play this song that we just loved.  It was so peaceful and brought such a powerful sweet spirit.  It was interesting because the singer sounded so much like my son.  I wanted him to sing it.  So when I came home, I searched and searched for the sheet music, but could not find it.  Every so often, the thought would pop into my mind that I needed to find it, but I haven’t had time to go to the music stores and look.  I had only been able to check online.

So today when I got my son’s weekly letter, there was this other email he sent that said this, “Here is my song from Mike’s baptism, May 26, 2012. One is the rehearsal and the other is the actual performance. Yes, I was sick, believe it, or not. Jeane H. on the piano with Jen C on the violin. Absolutely beautiful together!!”

In my mind I’m thinking he must be singing “Come Thou Fount” because that is the song he always sings with cello.  Imagine my surprise when I open the file and hear the music start!!  I am STUNNED!  This was IT!!  This was the song I had been searching for!!  I could not believe it!  I’ve played it over and over.

So I called Sis. Hench (one of the senior missionaries in his area) to tell her about how I had been searching for the music.  Then she says, “well do you know the rest of the story?”  Of course, I hadn’t because this was all my son wrote.  So she proceeds to tell me that the day before the baptism he woke up sick.  He couldn’t hardly even talk.  She said he took every essential oil, over-the-counter medication, and home remedy he could think of.  He couldn’t even practice.    The next morning he woke up still sick.  He could barely talk and was miserable.  He was discouraged and his companion asked him what he was going to do.  He went into his bedroom alone and knelt down and said a prayer.  He told Heavenly Father that this was a beautiful piece of music and that the others had worked hard to prepare it and he wanted to be able to sing it for Mike.  Then he added, “Thy will be done.”  (In his words: “I just prayed that it would go well and that I would be able to sing. I knew I would be able to do it. Faith is a principle of power for sure.”) He had no idea what would happen, but when he showed up and sang, you would never have known.  He said he felt the spirit so strongly and felt he had sung better than he ever had.  He even felt a little better after the song was over.

That story just touched my heart because of the simple, humble faith of a missionary trying to bring the spirit to others.  The Lord truly blessed him.

I hope you enjoy this song of his.  You will never believe that he is/was sick and barely able to talk.

Savior Redeemer of My Soul