Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Choirs

I recently read Woody's account of participating in the Choir at the dedication of the Newport Beach California Temple this past weekend. It sounds like it was a marvelous experience. Some of the most spiritual experiences I have had in my life, were when I have participated in choirs, on sacred occasions.

My first experience with choirs came in high school. My friends persuaded me to join the Jr. Class choir. My previous musical experience had been 5 years of accordion lessons (ages 7-12) and 3 years of piano lessons after that. (I also had the calling of priesthood meeting accompanist from ages 14-17 -- which would serve me well later on my mission.) Up until then, I hadn't done much singing. I joined the choir, and really enjoyed it. Later I would sing in the Sr. Class choir as well.

Now this was back in the days when you could actually sing religious music in the public schools. We sang great classical sacred music: Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Palestrina, and Faure. Much of this music was in Latin. We also sang religious music of more modern composers such as Natalie Sleeth and Randall Thompson. Singing the sacred music, was almost like having a second seminary class each day. It brought the Spirit of the Lord into our hearts. It was very uplifting.

It's too bad that today, even non-denominational Christian and classical music is under fire in the public schools. Christmas music that actually speaks of Christ is all but gone in the putlic schools. (See my post from last year's elementary school Christmas Program. )

Later I sang in a couple of different Choirs at BYU (University Chorale, and Male Chorus). After my mission, in the early 80's, I had the privilege of singing with the Mormon Youth Chorus. Perhaps my most memorable experience with Mormon Youth was when we got to sing in the April 1980 general conference in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. It was the sesquecentennial (150th) anniversary of the organization of the church. President Spencer W. Kimball spoke, via satellite from the Peter Whitmer cabin, in Fayette, New York.

I had the opportunity to sing in several sessions of General Conference as a member of the Mormon Youth Chorus. Priesthood Sessions were especially fun, because they would invite the men's section of the Tabernacle Choir, and of the Mormon Youth Chorus to join together. It was fun (and even awe inspiring) to rub shoulders with the Tabernacle Choir members, and to be directed by Jerrold Ottley.

Since my Mormon Youth days, I have sung in various ward and stake choirs. Occasionally I will sing in a quartet or other small group for a musical number in Sacrament meeting (usually at Christmas time.) Nowadays, my church calling includes responsibility to oversee the music programs in the wards and in the Stake. Which introduces my latest experience with church choirs.

A little over a year ago (July 1, 2004) I was called in by the Stake President. He informed me of a new assignment that our stake had been given. It was to organize and oversee a choir of 360 primary children (11-year-olds) to sing in the upcoming General Conference to be held on October 2, 2004. I was to be called as the "Choir Manager". As choir manager, I was to coordinate and organize this choir from among 7 different stakes. I was to organize rehearsals, transportation, security arrangements, and establish the ground rules of the choir. I would work directly with coordinators from the General Church Music committee. I had no idea how much background and organizing work went into putting something together on this scale was.

This turned out to be a massive undertaking. A year ago today, we were halfway through the 8 rehearsals. I was working through issues with the choir director, and with the various stake leaders. E-mail turned out to be a real blessing, as it afforded me a way to communicate with a lot of people very quickly.

The Primary Choir turned out to be a most memorable experience. At the conclusion of our experience, I wrote a big thank you note to all of the ward and stake primary leaders who had been so crucial in making it all work out. In the end, the choir sang well. We received a lot of nice compliments. And we were able to feel like it had been a job well done. You can read the thank-you letter which also contains my thoughts and impressions of the overall Primary Choir experience here.

Music has always been a large part of my worship experience. It is one of the things that helps me to get in tune with the Spirit of the Lord faster than most anything else. Even to this day, if I have had a particularly trying day I will come home and play on the piano, or quietly sing some of the hymns. Sacred music can be a balm to the battered soul. I know it has been for mine.

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Prayer

My assignment here today is to speak on the topic of prayer. Prayer is our personal connection to God, Our Heavenly Father, and to His Son, Jesus Christ. The right to approach our heavenly father in prayer, is something that no one can take away from us. President James E Faust said it this way:
No earthly authority can separate us from direct access to our Creator. There can never be a mechanical or electronic failure when we pray. There is no limit on the number of times or how long we can pray each day. There is no quota of how many needs we wish to pray for in each prayer. We do not need to go through secretaries or make an appointment to reach the throne of grace. He is reachable at any time and any place. (James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2002, 59)
Implications of Prayer(1)

When we pray, we are acknowledging certain things before the God:

1. Acknowledgement. When we pray, it is an acknowledgement that we believe in, or that we want to believe in, the existence of God. When we pray to God, in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, we also acknowledge him as our Savior and Redeemer – our Mediator or intercessor with the Father. When we pray, it also is an expression of our faith in God as well.

2. Confession. When we pray, our prayers can be a confession of our sins and transgressions before the Lord, and our request for his forgiveness. We know that we, as mortals are not perfect. We often make mistakes. Our confession of our sins and weaknesses to the Lord is one of the first steps toward overcoming those weaknesses, with the Lord’s help.

3. Humility. When we pray, we humble ourselves before God, and recognize that our need for help beyond our own ability. None of us has the power to save ourselves. We must rely on the merits of our Savior, Jesus Christ for that. As we approach the Lord in prayer, and confess our sins, we can express our desire to be better, and to do better in our lives. We can call upon the powers of heaven to help us overcome the sins that so easily beset us. The Lord gives us weaknesses, that we may be humble. But through His help, he has provided a way in which those weaknesses can be made into strengths.

4. Thanksgiving. Prayer gives us an opportunity to give our sincere thanks and appreciation to our Creator. It is important that we frequently say: “We thank Thee … , “ “We acknowledge before Thee … ,” “We are grateful unto Thee …” In the D&C 59:21, the Lord Said:

21 And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.

Giving thanks is not just good manners, it is a commandment! Having gratitude, and acknowledging that gratitude to the Lord not only will spare us from having the wrath of God kindled toward us, but it will help us to be more humble, and to have a greater sense of well-being as well. When we approach our lives, and our circumstances with a sense of gratitude, we focus our attentions less on what we don’t have. Instead of wishing for or demanding more that what we have, we can find true joy in the blessings that we do have.

If we continually acknowledge the blessings that the Lord has given us, we will not forget the Love that he has for us. Our lives will be that much more pleasant and uplifting with grateful hearts.

Those who are ungrateful, almost always are more focused upon themselves, rather than others. This self-absorption leads to selfishness, and may cause us to feel that we have been cheated somehow, and are not getting our fair share. Ingratitude can cause a dark cloud of suspicion and resentment to come upon us, which can harden our hearts, and drive a wedge between us and the Lord.

5. Asking for Blessings. As we pray, we have the opportunity to ask for specific blessings. These may be blessings we may need in our own lives, or blessings on behalf of others. The Lord already knows what blessings we stand in need of. However, he wants us to come unto to him, in humility, and ask for those things which are needed in our lives, and in the lives of others as we become aware of their needs. In all cases, when we are asking for specific blessings, we need follow the example of the Savior, when after expressing his desires and wishes, he said: “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”

We need to acknowledge that the wisdom and understanding of God is far greater than our own. We may not always get what we ask for. We may not get it when we want it. We may not get it in the way we might have envisioned. However, we know that the Lord does hear and answer prayers. We need to trust in him, that he will bless us with the righteous desires of our hearts, according to our needs, and in accordance with his divine will. We need to trust that that those things which are His will, will be the best for us in the long run. And the day will come, whether in this life, or the next, when the wisdom of his ways will be revealed to us, and we will know that we have been dealt with in a just and loving manner.

When Should We Pray

In effect, we should always be praying in one way or another. We have been commanded to pray morning, noon, and night. In public and in secret. Alone, and with our families and our spouse. And when we are not formally praying, we should have a prayer in our hearts continually.

In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin Said:
13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart? (Mosiah 5:13)

If we have a prayer in our hearts, we will not be far from our Lord. The thoughts and intents of our hearts will be near to him.

Continually having a prayer in our hearts doesn’t necessarily mean continuously offering a formal prayer. The Hymn, “Prayer is the Soul’s sincere desire sheds some light on other ways in which we communicate with the Lord, and thus are a form of prayer as well:

Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye,
When none but God is near.

Oh, thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray.
(LDS Hymns, no. 145.)

Music itself can be a form of a prayer. Speaking to Emma Smith, the Lord Said: “My soul delighteth in the song of the heart, yea the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.” (D&C 25.12)

Singing or humming a hymn, is a way to maintain a prayer in our heart. Sometimes after a tough day, I like to sit down to the piano, and play some of the hymns, even though I am not necessarily singing the words, the music itself can be inspirational, and to me, is a form of prayer as well.

Memorizing scriptures, or the words to a hymn also can be a form of a prayer. When we memorize a scripture, the words of the Lord will flow more readily into our hearts and mind. When we do this, we are treasuring up the words of eternal life. The Lord will in turn bless us with greater insights and understanding as a result. This too, is a form of prayer as well.

When done properly, all three members of the Godhead should be involved in our prayers. First we are praying to God the Father. We pray in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. If we are in tune, the Holy Ghost will prompt us with those things for which we should pray. When we listen to the voice of the spirit, the Lord does, indeed, teach us how to pray. When we pray, according to the promptings of the spirit, our prayers become more than just one-way pleadings with the Lord, they become real two-way communication.

In D&C 88:63 the Lord Said: “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you;”

As we draw out our souls in prayer to the Lord, he will reach out to us. Prayer is like the key that unlocks the to the door to let Christ into our lives. The Savior said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20) He will draw near to us, and fill our hearts with his love, and mercy and kindness. He can heal our hearts, and make us whole.

What Happens if We Don’t Pray

Failure to pray, effectively places a wall between us and the Lord, of our own making. He is still there to hear and answer our prayers, but how can he answer a prayer that is not offered?

President Heber J Grant gave this counsel:
“The minute a man stops supplicating God for his spirit and direction, just so soon he starts out to become a stranger to him and his works. When men stop praying for God’s spirit, they place confidence in their own unaided reason, and they gradually lose the spirit of God, just the same as near and dear friends, by never writing to or visiting with each other, will become strangers.” (Improvement Era, Aug. 1944, p. 481.)

Failure to pray is an act of pride. It in essence tells the Lord that we don’t need him, that we can get along just fine on our own. When we don’t pray, we are saying that we know better than the Lord, and that our wisdom is sufficient. When we fail to pray, we are well on the path to become the kind of person that is described in the Hymn, I stand all amazed:

“ . . .a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify. . .“
(LDS Hymns, No. 193)


If we are not praying as we should, the Spirit of the Lord will eventually withdraw from us, and we will be left on our own, and in great danger of losing our way. The Brother of Jared learned this lesion the hard way:

(Ether 2: 14-15)
14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.

15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.


Here the Lord tells us directly that not praying will eventually result in a Loss of the Spirit of the Lord. Eventually that loss of the spirit can result in us being cut off from the presence of the Lord!

How does that happen? It happens because we start trusting in our own strength and wisdom, instead of relying upon the Lord to show us the way. As the Spirit of the Lord withdraws from us, we become more vulnerable to the temptations of the devil, and to the philosophies of men. What once may have stood out as black and white, can become shades of grey. The light that we once enjoyed, is darkened and taken away from us. What once may have been a strong testimony, can diminish, and be lost. The light that we have with in us, and the testimonies that give us strength, need the constant nourishment of the Spirit of the Lord. Without that Spirit, they will eventually wither away.

Who is it that wants is not to pray? Satan knows how important prayer is, and he doesn’t like it one bit!
“. . .For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.” (2 Nephi 32:8)
What if we just don’t feel like praying? If we find ourselves in that situation – the first thing to remember is just WHO it is that wants you to feel this way. We may have many feelings or emotions that cause us to not want to pray – and none of them are good.

We might feel unworthy. But if that is the case, only by appealing to the Lord in prayer, and asking that the atoning sacrifice of the Lord may be applied on our behalf will lead to our forgiveness.

We might feel angry at the Lord. We might have such thoughts as: “Why did this happen to me!” Through prayer, we can learn from the wisdom of the Lord, and increase in our own wisdom to understand his ways. Being angry and shaking our fist at the Lord in defiance will never lead to an increase of your own wisdom and understanding. The healing balm of the Lord is waiting for you. But you must first humble yourself, and ask for his love to fill your heart, and then you will find peace.

We might just be plain too lazy to pray. Of these, the prophet Nephi warned:
And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. (2 Nephi 28:21)
Regardless of the reason that we may not feel like praying, we should always know that it is Satan’s desire that we not approach the Lord in prayer.

Remember the commandment of the Savior to the Nephites:
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. (3 Nephi 18:18)

If ever we don’t feel like praying, the that should be a clue to us to drop to our knees as soon as possible, and pray until we do feel like praying. By praying, and trying to root the evil spirit out of our hearts, we demonstrate that we trust in the Lord, more than we trust in the evil whisperings of the devil.


Prayer and The Sacrament

Prayer, regular, sincere, and humble prayer, is one of the keys to obtaining the Spirit of God in our lives, and to keep that Spirit with us.

There are other prayers that can bring the presence of the Holy Ghost into our lives as well. The two sacrament prayers were offered just a few minutes ago, in which we all took part as we said: “Amen:, each ended with the phrase: “that they may always have His Spirit to be with them”.

As we worthily partake of the sacrament, and renew our covenants, with repentant hearts, we have the promise of the Lord that we will have his Spirit to be with us. As we combine this with our regular, daily prayers, we can have the blessings of the Spirit of the Lord to be with us, as a constant companion. That is why regular church attendance is so important, so we can have the blessing of the sacrament to invite the Holy Ghost I into our hearts and minds.

This then is our protection from being deceived. Right and wrong will be more easily discernable. We will receive direction on those areas of our lives we need to improve upon. We will no longer wander and stumble in paths of darkness and sin. The course of the straight and narrow path be comes lighted before us, and we will see the way that we must go to return to our Father in Heaven.