January 8th, 2018
Lyrics
1. Improve the shining moments;
Don’t let them pass you by.
Work while the sun is radiant;
Work, for the night draws nigh.
We cannot bid the sunbeams
To lengthen out their stay,
Nor can we ask the shadow
To ever stay away.
French
Mettons à profit le temps
Pendant le jour qui luit
Et employons chaque instant
A l’œuvre avant la nuit!
Portuguese
Prolongue os bons momentos
Time flies! Specially good times, those shining moment, good moments. They can come so quickly and if we don't enjoy them, they might be gone before we can even notice them. We must take those times to improve them, to get the most from it, to make them last.
Because time flies, there is work to do. As Joseph in Egypt with the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, this is the time to work befor the night comes. Now is the time to work. All our efforts to gain some time won't work, because time will be gone, and if we haven't work, we will suffer the consequences from it.
2. Time flies on wings of lightning;
We cannot call it back.
It comes, then passes forward
Along its onward track.
And if we are not mindful,
The chance will fade away,
For life is quick in passing.
’Tis as a single day.
French
...D’un pas égal emportant
Nos projets d’avenir.
Have you seen the lightning? I quickly comes and goes. I've tried to get shots of lightning and if I am not paying attention, I miss them. That's how fast times flies, and it won't come back just because we want to get a good shot of them. That's why we must be mindful, we must take that time and our opportunities to work, to improve, to do something good, to enjoy life, before all of our projects and plans for the future remain as simple dreams because the time is gone and we never worked to accomplish them.
3. As wintertime doth follow
The pleasant summer days,
So may our joys all vanish
And pass far from our gaze.
Then should we not endeavor
Each day some point to gain,
That we may here be useful
And ev’ry wrong disdain?
French
Ainsi, parfois, nous voyons
Venir l’adversité.
Efforçons-nous de faire
Chaque jour un progrès.
A secourir nos frères
Montrons-nous toujours prêts.
Portuguese
É, pois, medida sábia
Boas obras praticar,
Lutar a boa luta
E o prêmio conquistar!
Good and abundant times can quickly be gone as summer days. Wintertime always come. What will we do, complain about it? Why not endeavor each day to prepare? Adversity will come, so we must be wise and progress everyday, that we may be ready to perform good works and help others in times of trouble. As we prepare, we shall be ready to fight with success and to receive our reward.
4. Improve each shining moment.
In this you are secure,
For promptness bringeth safety
And blessings rich and pure.
Let prudence guide your actions;
Be honest in your heart;
And God will love and bless you
And help to you impart.
French
Mettons à profit le temps!
C’est notre activité
Qui, si nous l’employons bien,
Nous fera prospérer.
Aux faux désirs, préférons
Droiture et sainteté.
La voix de Dieu écoutons,
Il saura nous aider!
Portuguese
Prolongue os bons momentos,
Prolongue os bons momentos,
Pratique a boa ação,
Retenha a alegria,
Que é o sol do coração!
Humilde em sua prece,
Prudente ao decidir
Terá as muitas graças
Que o céu faz efluir.
So we must improve each of those times of goodness, times of blessings, times of plenty. As we do it, we will be secured, we shall prosper, we shall find joy, we shall find safety, and keep that joy and peace in us for the troubled times to come. Let's act with prudence, being honest, being wise, discerning our worldly desires from righteousness and holiness, taking decisions with the guidance of God. If we listen God's voice and we prepare for troubled times, improving each shining moment of our lives, we shall see His blessings coming upon us, we shall see His helping hand, and we shall have our hearts full of gratitude for his tender mercies upon us. All, because we improve our shining moments.
Scriptures
Alma 34:32-33
For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
This hymn is not only about our moments here on earth. What I understand after reading this scriptures is that this hymn can be applied to our afterlife. Our time on earth will come to an end - Would we be ready to meet our creator? Perhaps many of us won't, because we haven't prepared enough, because we have followed the "eat, drink and be merry" philosophy, and we have not do enough good to be prepare to be with the Lord after this life. So today is the time to prepare. We can't wait until we're old, we're sick, we're on our last minutes on earth, to start improving our lives - we must do it now, and enjoy every single moment of our lives as if it was the last. I agree with the YOLO thing... we only live once... that why we must make the best of it... and the best doesn't mean what people who embrace the YOLO ideology think it means, bu it actually means to work in the kingdom of God, to serve others, to repent each day and to try every single day to be more like our Savior and to help others to feel his love. So YOLO for Christ! ;)
Psalm 119:60
For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
This hymn is not only about our moments here on earth. What I understand after reading this scriptures is that this hymn can be applied to our afterlife. Our time on earth will come to an end - Would we be ready to meet our creator? Perhaps many of us won't, because we haven't prepared enough, because we have followed the "eat, drink and be merry" philosophy, and we have not do enough good to be prepare to be with the Lord after this life. So today is the time to prepare. We can't wait until we're old, we're sick, we're on our last minutes on earth, to start improving our lives - we must do it now, and enjoy every single moment of our lives as if it was the last. I agree with the YOLO thing... we only live once... that why we must make the best of it... and the best doesn't mean what people who embrace the YOLO ideology think it means, bu it actually means to work in the kingdom of God, to serve others, to repent each day and to try every single day to be more like our Savior and to help others to feel his love. So YOLO for Christ! ;)
Psalm 119:60
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.
O, may we all have that attitude, to obey and keep the commandments without delay. This is actually what president Monson did, never delaying a prompting from the Spirit. He is a perfect example of improving the shining moments, he certainly didn't had to fear of not being ready to meet the Lord :)
O, may we all have that attitude, to obey and keep the commandments without delay. This is actually what president Monson did, never delaying a prompting from the Spirit. He is a perfect example of improving the shining moments, he certainly didn't had to fear of not being ready to meet the Lord :)
About the author
Robert B. Baird (1855-1916)
He was an LDS hymnwritter. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and was one of 13 children. He, along with some of his siblings, immigrated to the United States in 1863 and settled in Willard, Utah. He apparently was not baptized until 1876. The same year he married Anne Gwenthlyn Davis. Baird recieved his musical education from Evan Stephens, who spent much of his youth in Willard. In 1884 he was made the director of the Willard Ward Choir. He would later work as a public school teacher and for the Oregon Shortline Railroad. He also served for a time as a member of the city council of Willard.
Robert B. Baird (1855-1916)
He was an LDS hymnwritter. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and was one of 13 children. He, along with some of his siblings, immigrated to the United States in 1863 and settled in Willard, Utah. He apparently was not baptized until 1876. The same year he married Anne Gwenthlyn Davis. Baird recieved his musical education from Evan Stephens, who spent much of his youth in Willard. In 1884 he was made the director of the Willard Ward Choir. He would later work as a public school teacher and for the Oregon Shortline Railroad. He also served for a time as a member of the city council of Willard.
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