Gospel Message Day 46

In the Little Things, Part 4

You know I love music. Right? I mean, I would think that is one of the very first things any one learns about me is that I cannot live without music. And if you've only met me through this blog, then I would think it is even more obvious here! Well, today, music is what wants to be written of.

As a freshman at Brigham Young University, I tried to fill my studies with music however possible. I began with a music minor, but soon dropped it because I didn't have time for it plus my major and the two other minors I was looking into. It would be two years before I made it into an audition choir, but until then I joined University Chorale. I also took Music Appreciation. One of our assignments that semester was to watch the filmed concert A Thanksgiving of American Folk Hymns. I know I loved it, and was so excited to hear these amazing choirs--and to see my then choir director singing among them! But my most lasting impression was when I heard and saw this performance:

 This was the first time I had ever heard this song. There are so many things to love about Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, at least for me.
*the tune
*the arrangement, as only Brother Wilberg can do
*the message
*the emotion that inevitably comes

Those alone are enough to make me get a little teary-eyed almost every time I hear or sing this song (especially this arrangement). But if you don't get misty from those, how do your eyes stay dry when you see that girl crying as she sings. I believe the tears were freely flowing as my little Freshman self watched that song.

I formed an immediate connection and bond with that song that has lasted all these years.

I have sung a few arrangements of this song in various groups. I get to sing Wilberg's arrangement with my choir, the Sterling Singers. It is a great joy to be able to sing this beautiful piece with such an amazing group of people.

But today, I got to sing a very simple duet of it. With my sister. Music has played a very crucial part of our lives together, our first public duet being when I was ~7 years old. We live apart from each other, but it has become "tradition" that we try to sing together whenever we are able to be together. This was probably the simplest arrangement of a song that we've ever sung, but it was perfect. And that I got to sing Come Thou Fount with her made it even more so.

I do not think it an exaggeration to say that I cannot live without music. How dreary and dull life would be without it! I think I'd start to cry within a couple of days. And then I probably wouldn't stop crying because I wouldn't have music to help me through such a difficult trial! I recently blogged about music because of one of the MSA conference sessions I attended. And I have blogged many times before.

We use music to praise our Heavenly Father, to put ourselves in mind of our Savior, to teach our children Gospel principles. I love that music and the Gospel--two of the most important blessings in my life--are inseparably connected.