#134 "I Believe in Christ"

I love this hymn!  When the 1985 hymnbook came out, it was mentioned that this hymn came from a text by Bruce R. McConkie, who died in April 1985, I believe.  He spoke at April conference and he bore a strong testimony about knowing that in the coming days he would see the Savior.  I took a recording of his final testimony and played his actual words with this hymn being played in the background.  "I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world.  He is our Lord, our God, and our King.  This I know of myself independent of any other person.  I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.  But I shall not know any better then than I know now that his is God's Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."  This was in the old Baldy Mesa Branch choir.  It was very emotional to hear his testimony combined with this hymn.
When I was the stake music director for the Hesperia Stake, I used an arrangement of "I Believe in Christ" which was written by Frank Turner, the director of the Southern California Mormon Choir, for our stake conference.  The visiting authority complimented me and the choir on our singing.  He asked about the arrangement we used, and I told him where I got it.  Later, when I joined the choir in 2007, I was able to sing Brother Turner's arrangement under his direction.  This hymn will always have a special place in my heart.