#31 "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"

This classic hymn was included in the first LDS hymnbook in 1835. I like the message and the simple tune.

#30 "Come, Come, Ye Saints"

What's not to love about this hymn?! I've loved this hymn since I was a child. I especially like the story of how William Clayton wrote the words. My best memories are of singing this song with an arrangement by Fredrick Davis, director of the Southern California Mormon Choir. When I sang with the choir from 1975-1977, he was the director, and we sang his arrangement at many concerts. I love this hymn!

#29 "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief"

I've always loved this hymn ever since I heard the story of John Taylor singing it just before the martyrdom of Joseph Smith at Carthage Jail. Brother Taylor sang all seven verses and then the Prophet asked him to sing it again, which he did. Shortly after, the mob attacked and killed the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum Smith.
I have a couple of memories of this song. Once, when I was the music director of the Baldy Mesa Branch (1986-1989) one of the young Aaronic priesthood boys had forgotten to bring the bread for the sacrament. The branch president turned to me right before sacrament meeting was to begin and said, "We need to change the opening hymn to #29, 'A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief', and I need you to have the congregation sing all seven verses." So, we did--in order that someone could find someone to borrow some bread from in the other ward that met in the Hesperia Building with us. It's not often that all seven verses are sung with the congregation, even though it tells a full story when they are.
A second memory of singing this song is when we sang it with the Hesperia Stake Choir, and the director had us sing the tune of "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" with the words to #136 "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". It was very effective because you focus on the message of the hymn more when the tune is different. I really enjoyed how the text and tune went together that time.

#28 "Saints, Behold How Great Jehovah"

This is a new hymn to the 1985 hymnbook, and it doesn't seem to be sung much. I like it, however!

#27 "Praise to the Man"

This is yet another one of my favorite hymns. This past year (2011) the Primary Children used this hymn in the annual "Children's Sacrament Meeting Presentation" and it was a big hit with them as well. I like that when there is time to choose favorite songs during the Primary singing time, children will choose this hymn.

#26 "Joseph Smith's First Prayer"

I have always liked this hymn, but I grew to love it when I sang with the Southern California Mormon Choir from 1975-77 under the direction of Frederick Davis. He had arranged this hymn for the choir and was a favorite of mine. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

#25 "Now We'll Sing with One Accord"

This hymn was included in the first hymnbook, but it doesn't seem to be sung very much. I like the accidentals that give the tune its unique character.

#24 "God Bless Our Prophet Dear"

I really like the tune to this "new" hymn. The alto is fun to sing!

#23 "We Ever Pray for Thee"

I remember scheduling the music for sacrament meeting back in the Baldy Mesa Branch and choosing the women's arrangement of this hymn as the special musical number. I sang the alto line in the trio. For some reason I felt the need to sing this hymn on a particular Sunday. As it happened, the prophet passed away just a couple of days after we sang. Having the words of the hymn in my mind during that week was a comfort to me. This hymn will always have a special place in my heart because of that experience.

#22 "We Listen to a Prophet's Voice"

This hymn was new to me. I like its message--it makes me think of General Conference.

#21 "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice"

I've always liked this hymn. When the new hymnbook came out in 1985, someone pointed out to me that the "prophet" hymns on pages 19, 21, 23, and 24 were all in the key of D major. Shortly after that, I directed our ward choir in a "medley of prophet hymns" where we sang the first verse of each of these hymns--without having to modulate the key! I felt it was an effective hymn presentation.

#20 "God of Power, God of Right"

This hymn was unfamiliar to me. I liked the message of the hymn--the words "God of power, God of right" and "God of wisdom, God of truth", and "God of mercy, God of love".

#19 "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet"

A classic that I never get tired of playing or singing! In fact, if there is ever a time in sacrament meeting that a special musical number (soloist, choir, or whatever) doesn't work out, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" is my "go to" back-up song!

#18 "The Voice of God Again Is Heard"

This was included in the "choir" section of the old 1948 hymnal. I am familiar with the tune, but it isn't sung much now.

#17 "Awake, Ye Saints of God, Awake!"

I remember singing this from the old 1948 hymnbook. It was listed in the "choir" section and we sang it in the old Monterey Park Ward. I enjoyed singing it. I noticed that the 1985 hymnbook leaves out verses 2, 4, and 6. I read that this is because they are not relevant today. We are no longer persecuted as the early saints were, so the 1985 hymnbook committee omitted them.

#16 "What Glorious Scenes Mine Eyes Behold"

This is another "unknown" hymn. It's been around since at least the 1948 hymnbook, but it is not very familiar to me. I played it today and the tune seemed vaguely familiar.

#15 "I Saw a Mighty Angel Fly"

This hymn was new to the 1985 hymnal and I haven't had much opportunity to sing or play it. I do remember someone telling me that when they were on their mission to England, they heard this tune used for the words of "O Little Town of Bethlehem". I really like the change of tune because it places more emphasis on the text and meaning of the words.

#14 "Sweet Is the Peace the Gospel Brings"

This relatively unknown hymn has a lot of meaning to me. In September of 1975, I auditioned for the "Southern California Mormon Choir" and this was the song that the director, Frederick Davis, asked me to sight-read. I must have done fine because I was accepted as a member of the choir at age 17. I sang with the choir until June 1977, when I went off to BYU.

I next re-auditioned for the choir with the director, Frank Turner, in March 2007, and was accepted as a member. I have many wonderful memories of singing with the choir. Gary and I especially enjoyed our tour to Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Germany, and Austria in July 2007. I took a "leave of absence" from the choir in June of 2010, but haven't returned yet.

#13 "An Angel from on High"

I've always liked this song. One thing that appeals to me is the change of the time signature and tempo in the middle. A fun one to sing!

#12 "'Twas Witnessed in the Morning Sky"

This hymn is new to the 1985 hymnbook and was the author's answer to Hymn #11 "What Was Witnessed in the Heavens?" which he didn't care for. I actually like Hymn #11 better!

#11 "What was Witnessed in the Heavens?"

I remember singing this as a youth in the Monterey Park Ward Choir. This hymn was in the "Choir" section of the 1948 hymnal. I liked how the men began with a question and the sopranos and altos answered. It was a fun song to sing.

#10 "Come, Sing to the Lord"

This was a new hymn to me, although it was in the previous hymnal (1948). It was easy to play! I noticed that the text and music were by Gerrit de Jong, Jr. There was a "de Jong Concert Hall" at BYU as part of the Music Department. I wonder if that is who it is named for.

#9 "Come, Rejoice"

"Shout hosanna to his name; One and all his might proclaim."
This hymn has a fun memory for me. In the summer and fall of 1977, I was attending BYU in Provo, Utah. I was called as the music director of the "BYU 71st Branch". Our stake music director held a workshop/inservice training one Sunday evening and she showed a training film (in black and white on a movie projector!) of the "BYU Singers" performing this hymn. The director of the group asked the choir to sing the song very solemnly--like a funeral dirge. They did. It was good; but, then, he asked them to sing the song again, but this time he asked them to sing "joyfully" and with a big smile. They did--and what a difference! Even though the song was sung at the same tempo each time, when the choir members smiled and looked enthusiastic the hymn sounded so much better! I learned a lesson that day--that singing with "spirit" makes a difference in how the audience/congregation perceives the hymn and its message.

The next week in our Sunday School Hymn Practice, I told my "BYU 71st Branch" about my experience and then had them sing it both ways. Again, the sound was so much better when the singers smiled and enjoyed the hymn. I will always remember the lesson that the BYU Stake Music Director taught during her inservice that day.

#8 "Awake and Arise"

This hymn is new to the 1985 edition of the hymnbook. I remember being the music director in the Baldy Mesa Branch, and at that time the First Presidency encouraged wards and branches to teach the new hymns to their congregations. I taught this hymn to our branch. I enjoyed learning all the new hymns in the 1985 edition of the hymnbook.

#7 "Israel, Israel, God Is Calling"

This hymn always makes me think of the words to what most other Christian denominations sing with this tune: "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". I like that the message is now "Come to Zion, come to Zion."

#6 "Redeemer of Israel"

This is another one of my favorite hymns to sing. My favorite memory is singing this anthem with the "Southern California Mormon Choir". It is typically our opening number. We sing the version by Mack Wilberg, director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The Southern California Mormon Choir doesn't have an orchestra to accompany us, but our two organists play a 4-hand arrangement that is pretty awesome!

#5 "High on the Mountain Top"

This has always been one of my favorite hymns to sing. I really like the alto line--especially when we sing two beats behind the melody line on "In Deseret's sweet, peaceful land...".

#4 "Truth Eternal"

This short hymn speaks of the eternal nature of truth. Truth will liberate, enlighten, and save us. Verse three begins: "Truth shall triumph as the light/Chases far the misty night." This hymn was fairly new to me. I don't recall any special memories associated with it.

#3 "Now Let Us Rejoice"

My favorite memory of singing this song was when I was the Hesperia Stake Choir Director and it was going to be my last time conducting the stake choir because I had been released from that calling. I used the version of this hymn from "The Choirbook" that includes a soprano descant for the third verse. I recorded it and was amazed how wonderful it sounded. In fact, several congregation members came up to me after the conference and told me they "heard angels singing" on the last verse.

#2 "The Spirit of God"

"We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven, Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!"
As a child, I always enjoyed singing this phrase with lots of energy. I remember singing this is the 1972 "Los Angeles Regional Music Festival" when I was in high school. I also remember this being my favorite song to choose to sing for early-morning seminary. As an adult, attending the "Redlands Temple" Dedication (at the Hesperia Stake Center, via satellite) and singing this is part of the service. This hymn will always be one of my favorites.

#1 "The Morning Breaks"

Today is the first day of my "2012 Hymn Challenge" where I have made a goal to play and sing a new hymn each day. The first song in the hymn book is "The Morning Breaks". I remember growing up in the Monterey Park Ward (East Los Angeles Stake) and back then, this hymn was listed in the "Choir" section. I sang with our ward's choir as a teenager and I loved the part where the men sing "The dawning of a brighter day" in their rich bass and tenor voices, and then the sopranos and altos echo that line in their range. What a perfect hymn to begin this new year!