#128 "When Faith Endures"

I am really glad that this hymn was included in the 1985 edition of the LDS Hymnbook.  The message is perfect and the tune goes so well with it!  This is one we sing in both choir and in sacrament meeting with the congregation.  I have a note in my personal hymnal to sing verse one of hymn #130 ("Be Thou Humble"), then sing #128 , and lastly, back to hymn #130 for the second verse.  This would be good to do in a choir.  I haven't done it yet, but it is something that I would try.

#127 "Does the Journey Seem Long?"

This hymn was new to me, although I remember seeing it as I flipped through the hymnal over the years.  When I tried to play it today, the timing threw me off.  I'm not sure if I even played it correctly.  The words were written by Joseph Fielding Smith back in the 1920's.  This hymn was in the 1927 edition of the hymnbook.  I'm not sure I understand the message and since the tune was unfamiliar to me, this is a hymn that I would probably never choose to sing in a sacrament meeting.

#126 "How Long, O Lord Most Holy and True"

Although this hymn was in the old 1927 hymnal, I don't remember singing it before.  This song is in the Key of E minor, and that makes the tune have a haunting quality about it that helps to reinforce the message of being released from spirit prison.  I wonder if other congregations throughout the church even sing this because I've never been in a sacrament meeting where it was sung--at least I don't recall hearing it.

#125 "How Gentle God's Commands"

I love the simplicity of this hymn.  The text and music go so well together.  I do have a note in my personal hymnbook to use the tune of hymn #218, "We Give Thee But Thine Own", with the words of "How Gentle God's Commands".  I'm not sure it is as effective as the original tune.  I also like the women's arrangement of this hymn.  It can be found as Hymn #314.

#124 "Be Still, My Soul"

This song was added to the 1985 edition of the LDS Hymnal.  I love this hymn!  The text and tune go so well together.  The first time I heard it, the timing was a little tricky for me, but now I have no problem singing or playing it.  Well, sometimes I have trouble reaching the bass notes with my left hand, so I have to play the tenor notes with my right hand.  We've used this hymn as a congregational hymn and a choir number.  I also use it as a prelude.

#123 "Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee"

I like this hymn.  It is a new addition to the 1985 Hymnal.  We've used it as a choir number several times and as a congregational hymn many times.  It is one that I will continue to use. 

#122 "Though Deepening Trials"

 1972 Los Angeles Music Festival

I really like this song--the message and the tune.  I have a happy memory of singing this hymn at the 1972 Los Angeles Music Festival put on by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was a freshman at the time and several stakes in the Los Angeles region joined together at the Los Angeles Sports Arena for a combined music festival.  Brother Beckstead, an accomplished musician and instructor at California State University, Los Angeles, had written a special medley of three hymns for the festival:  "Though Deepening Trials", "As the Dew From Heaven Distilling", and "The Spirit of God".  We sang just verse two of "Though Deepening Trials", so I often forget that there is another verse before it!  I use this hymn as a prelude at funerals and as a prelude in sacrament meeting.  This hymn has seven verses, but we usually just sing the first four for church meetings.  There is a choir arrangement by Larry Lyon in the church-published "Choirbook".