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.