With the news of president Monson passing last night, I decided to study this hymn today, in honor to him. This hymn reflects what he did everyday of his life: good! He left a perfect example of Christlike service.
Lyrics
1- "Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?"
Spanish, Himnos 141:
¿En el mundo acaso he hecho hoy a alguno favor o bien?
¿Le he hecho sentir que es bueno vivir?¿He dado a él sostén?
¿He hecho ligera la carga de él porque un alivio le di?
¿O acaso al pobre logré ayudar? ¿Mis bienes con él compartí?
Someone, anyone, the sad, the sick, the weary, someone needing comfort, someone needing to know the is good to be alive, someone bearing a burden, someone in need. There are so many people in all kind of situations who need our help - Are we helping them, every single day?
2- There are chances for work all around just now, opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying "Sometime I'll try", but go and do something today.
'Tis noble of man to work and to give; love's labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live.
To God each good work will be known.
Spanish
Por doquier se nos da oportunidad de servir y amor brindar.
No la dejes pasar; ya debes actuar. Haz algo sin demorar.
Es noble y grande a otros servir; hay mérito en trabajr.
Solo el que trabaja se siente feliz, y Dios le recompensará.
Portuguese
Muita coisa no mundo há que fazer, muita coisa que melhorar!
Abre teu coraçao e dedica atençao aquele que precisar!...
Italian
Se âpri gli ôcchi ci son possibilita dappertutto di far de ben,
non lasciarle sfuggir, non pensar. "Si vedrà",
già oggi qualcosa puoi far.
È nobile l'unomo che sa âiutra e merito egli ne âvrà.
Solo chi sa amare può glo âltri salvar ed il Suo premio no perderà.
There is something noble to do good, to serve, to give. We shall receive the merit and blessings of God for our labor. God know every single good thing that we do... and that we do not. Do we want his blessings? It is only a we work in the service of God with love that we can experience true happiness and that we can be ensure that we will receive a reward.
"Then wake up and do something more than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love."
Spanish
¡Alerta! Y haz algo más que soñar de celeste mansión.
Por el bien que hacemos paz siempre tendremos, y gozo y gran bendición.
Portuguese
Desperta e faz algo mais, nao queiras somente sonhar.
Pelo bem que fazemos a paz ganharemos no céu que será nosso lar
Wake up, be alert, do more than just dreaming. Yes, it might be fun to dream of that day that we may enter in the presence of God... but if we only dream of that day without acting and doing good around us, well we might lose that reward. Going good will bring us peace, joy beyond measure, blessings of duty and love, pleasure, and we shall know that there will be room for us in heaven, we shall inherit of the kingdom of God.Is what president Monson did all his life, and I am certain that he passed away with joy and peace, knowing that he has fought the good fight and that was now ready to enter in the joy of his Lord.
May I do the same this year and all my life. May I recommit and this time with more determination to never delay a prompting of the Spirit, that I may be ready to serve him whenever he needs me, that instead of answering "sometime I'll try" I may answer "I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, [me, myself] will run that errand for Him."
Update: After President Monson's funeral, I really wanted to add these words his daughter, Ann M. Dibbs, said about her father:
"Through this devoted service, he had learned that joy comes from loving the Lord and serving your neighbor. This joy is available to all of us. There is no better way to honor my father, the prophet, and our Savior Jesus Christ, than to live every day so that at its close we can truly say, 'I feel I've done some good today.'"
May we honor our loved prophet Thomas S. Monson and our Savior Jesus Christ by doing some good every day.
Scriptures
James 1:22, 27
But ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves... Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Mettez en pratique la parole, et ne vous bornez pas à l'écouter, en vous trompant vous-mêmes par de faux raisonnements... La religion pure et sans tâche, devant Dieu notre Père, consiste à visiter les orphelins et les veuves dans leurs afflictions, et à se préserver des souillures du monde.
Sed hacedores de la palabra, y no tan solamente oidores, engañandoos a vosotros mismos.... La religion pura y sin mácula delante de Dios el Padre es esta: Visitar a los huérfanos y a las viudas en sus tribulaciones, y guardarse sin mancha del mundo.
Alma 9:28
Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according to that which they have been / if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil.
C'est pourquoi, préparez le chemin du Seigneur, car le temps est proche où tous les hommes récoleteront la récompense de leurs oeuvres, selon ce qu'elles ont été:`si ells ont été justes, ils récolteront le salut de leur âme, selon le pouvoir et la déclivrance de Jésus-Christ; et si elles ont été mauvaises, ils récolteront la damnation de leur âme, selon le pouvoir du diable et la captivité imposée par lui.
Por tanto, preparad la vía del Señor, porque está cerca la hora en que todos los hombres recibirán el pago de sus obras, de acuerdo con lo que hayan sido; si han sido justas, segarán la salvación de sus almas, según el poder y liberación de Jesucristo; y si han sido malas, segarán la condenación de sus almas, según el poder y cautividad del diablo.
These scriptures reflect with exactitude President Monson's life. Is exactly what he did during his life and ministry. He lived a PURE religion. He prepared the way of the Lord. He reaped salvation of his soul and he touched many other souls with his service. He was always on the Lord's errand. And I am sure he is already back to work up there, serving with his predecessors, with his wife, and with all the widows and families he helped. Work in peace, dear president Monson!
Author:
William Lamartine Thompson (November 7, 1847 – September 20, 1909) was a noted American composer. He founded the W. L. Thompson Music Company and tried his hand with some success at secular compositions before finding his forte in hymns and gospel songs.
Both a lyricist and composer, Thompson ensured he would always remember words or melodies that came to him at odd times. He said, "No matter where I am, at home or hotel, at the store or traveling, if an idea or theme comes to me that I deem worthy of a song, I jot it down in verse. In this way I never lose it."
Rebuffed in an early attempt to sell his songs to a commercial publisher, Thompson eventually opened the W. L. Thompson Music Company in East Liverpool. By the 1880s, it was one of the most prominent and successful such businesses in the United States. Thousands of music teachers and musicians ordered sheet music, instruments, and other supplies from Thompson's store. Thompson later founded a music and publishing company in Chicago.
An interesting fact:
For the 1985 hymnal, the committee altered a line of lyrics in President Hunter's favorite hymn: the line which now reads "Only he who does something helps others to live. / To God, each good work will be known" originally read, "Only he who does something is worthy to live, / The world has no use for a drone."
The problematic lyrics were changed in order to reflect that life is sacred and needs no justification, but that able-bodied people shouldn't be idle. (source: Our Latter-day hymns: the Stories and the Messages)
Update: More facts about this hymn here.
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