My reflections of my daily study of LDS hymns. I have a topic for each month, and read, study, ponder, the lyrics of the hymn, as well as the scriptures linked to it, and a little about the author or the context of the hymn. I sing hymns in French, Spanish, Portugues, Italian and Tongan, so I might share some times my thoughts of hymns written only in those languages, or I might compare the lyrics in different languages, when I feel it can add an interesting meaning to the song.
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee."
I must trust him, let him work (through me) to solve my problems. He won't let me along but will sustain me. Him more than anyone else want me to success, specially when is about some of his children's destiny.
"He never will suffer the righteous to fall."
He won't let me fall, nor fail. He can make this work!
"He is at thy right hand."
He can guide my hand. He is there to guide me.
"Thy mercy, Lord, is great and far above the heav’ns."
Through his merci he will give me success because he is great, he is powerful, he has all wisdom.
"Let none be made ashamed that wait upon thee."
If I wait upon him (not only waiting, but serving him as well), he won't made me ashamed. He will do all he can to help me succeed.
Scriptures: Psalm 55:22
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved"
I must trust him. He won't let me fail.
Psalms 25:3 (4-5)
"Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."
In order to wait righteously upon him I must avoid to transgression that I can deserve his blessings.
I need him to show me the right path, his trutch, and how to achieve success and ultimately reach salvation for me and for others.
About the author
No information about the author of the lyrics, but this is an adaptation of the Psalm 55. Composer of the music: Feliz Mendelssohn, from the Oratorio Elijah.
A grandson of the philosopherMoses Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn was born into a prominentJewishfamily. He was brought up without religion until the age of seven, when he was baptised as aReformedChristian. Felix was recognised early as amusical prodigy, but his parents were cautious and did not seek to capitalise on his talent.
Mendelssohn enjoyed early success in Germany, where he also revived interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, notably with his performance of the St Matthew Passion in 1829. He was also well received in his travels throughout Europe as a composer, conductor and soloist; his ten visits to Britain – during which many of his major works were premiered – form an important part of his adult career. His essentially conservative musical tastes set him apart from many of his more adventurous musical contemporaries such as Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, Charles-Valentin Alkan and Hector Berlioz. The Leipzig Conservatoire, which he founded, became a bastion of this anti-radical outlook.
We can't deny this truth, we all know it, we see each right in front of us each day: in our world, people are sad, lonely, suffering. But it is amazing that WE have the power to comfort those pains, to bring joy to the sad, if our heart is light, in peace, constantly, and if we scatter joy with other anywhere we go.
2- Slightest actions often meet the sorest needs,
for the world wants daily little kindly deeds.
Oh, what care and sorrow you may help remove,
with your songs and courage, sympathy and love.
We must not understimate our small deeds, those little things we are able to do to show kindness and love, those small sincere actions we can do to comfort others, those little "oh, it was nothings" to light a burden. We have inside us the power to comfort, calm, help, give joy, respond to others needs. Our courage, our songs, our sympathy, our love, all this can help others in need to see the hand of God in their lives. And WE can do that!
3- When the days are gloomy, sing some happy song;
meet the world's repining with a courage strong.
Go with faith undaunted thru the ills of life;
Scatter smiles and sunshine o'er its toil and strife.
French
Dans les heures sombres chantez de tout coeur
pour chasser les ombres et sortir vainqueurs.
Traversez l'épreuve en gardant la foi.
Une force neuve vous habitera.
Spanish
En los días tristes canta con amor;
We ourselves also experience days of pain, sadness, darkness. How can we fight those day and impede them to take away our joy?
SINGING A HAPPY SONG, with all our heart, our love. Music has such a great impact in our humor. Not only music with good rythm, which unfortunately might have some words describing feelings of frustration, anger, vengeance, but uplifting music, inspired music, music that let us feel love and joy, that helps us to get some courage.
And courage is another way. We must not give up our courage, we must keep going forward.
Para nosotros mismos, habrán días de dolor, de tristeza, de oscuridad. ¿Comó vencerlos y no dejar que afecten nuestro gozo?
And of course, also with FAITH. If we go forward with faith during our trials, not doubting, we can find a new strength within us, we can feel a touch of joy and power in us that we can then share with others, scattering sunshine.
Scatter sunshine all along your way.
Cheer and bless and brighten eve're passing day.
French:
Répands le soleil tout au long de ta route
illumine chaque jour d'un rayon divin, d'un rayon d'amour.
Spanish:
Siembra gozo siempre al andar
paz y gran consuelo da a todo ser.
At every moment on our path of life, we must scatter sunshine, even during challenges. We can cheer up others, bless them, light their day with a divine gleam, a gleam of love, of that love divine, if we scatter sunshine, joy. Isn't it an grandiose blessings to have that ability within us, to help others feel the love of God? As we do this, we can bring peace and great comfort to many souls, including ours, because we can feel the peace that the Prince of Peace brings to our lives.
Scriptures Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. James 1:27 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.
To purely live our religion and be clean unto God, we must live with joy and scatter joy. This can help us be unspotted from the world. We must have a happy desire to serve him, always with joy and gladness, singing his redeeming love, because we know that when we serve other, we are only in His service.
The author Lanta Wilson Smith was born July 19, 1856 at Castine, Maine, and died October 19, 1939 at Taunton, Massachussets. She was the daughter of a Methodist minister, William J. Wilson, and his wife Sedelia Follet. Her father belonged to the Maine, and later the East Maine Conferences from 1846 until 1866, when he with his family traveled in a covered wagon to the west, where he served as minister in Nebraska and Dakota. Later he returned to New England and founded out his sixty-four years in the ministry at an appointment in Hingham, Massachusetts. From her early childhood Lanta sang and played the organ in church and Sunday school wherever her father was located. When seventeen she atended Bucksport Seminary, Maine, where she received some instruction in music, and where she began to write stories for the church papers. When David C. Cook introduced music and hymns into his publications, Lanta began to write hymns, some of which were used by him. She received assistance from such prominent composers as T. Martin Towne and E. O. Excell. "Scatter Sunshine" was perhaps her most popular hymn. It was set to music by Mr. Excell and became such a favorite that he wrote her, "My, my, how I wish you would write another hymn like that. It has proved such a success that I believe I will send you a draft for another equally as good." Mrs. T. M. Towne attended the Christian Endeavor Convention in Washington in 1896, and after her return she wrote Mrs. Smith: It's wonderful how the great chorus sang your hymn "Scatter sunshine". A missionary in Japan asked, "May I not have, in your handwriting and over your signature, your beautiful hymn "Scatter Sunshine"? The possession and care of such a kindly souvenir of yourself will often cause me to remember you with gratitude and bring to kindly remembrance the brightness your message has brought to many a life." This request was complied with. The hymn has been adopted as the official hymn of the National Sunshine Society. Shrotly after the convention just referred to Mr. Towne sent her a subject - heaven - and insisted that the last line of the chorus should be "Is Jesus high over them all? She writes, - "To build up a verse to match a last line beginning with "Is" was something new, and he wanted it in a hurry." When he wrote back he said " Hurrah, I knew you could do it." Asa Hull was another voluminous composer for whom she wrote hymns.
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.
We are been giving opportunities to serve every day. Opportunities to serve, to give love, to make the world better, to do good... Those opportunities are there in our way, right in front of us, but we must open our eyes to see them and our heart to act. We might thing "I'll do it later", but as our beloved president Monson taught, we must never delay a prompting of the Spirit. People around us need us and if we let the opportunities to do good pass by, we might be missing out on great blessings and impeding people to feel the love of God that day.
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)
1. "Come, let us anew our journey pursue, roll round with the year, and never stand still till the Master appear"
The new year is a time to anew our commitment to follow the Lord and live his commandment, a commitment to keep working on the errand of the Lord preparing for his Second Coming. It is a commitment to keep going forward.
"His adorable will let us gladly fulfill, and our talents improve by the patience of hope and the labor of love".
His will is adorable, is great, is what we must look forward to fulfill, and each year we can renew that desire of being sensitive to the Holy Ghost to know how to accomplish the Lord's will and not our mere desires.
It is also a time to improve our talents, to recognize those gifts he gave us and to commit to improve them.
How to fulfill his will and improve our talents?
By patience of hope and labor of love, according to this hymn.
We might not know exactly why the will of God is what it is. We must fulfill it with faith, not knowing how or why, but having that hope, patiently hoping that things will work out because we are doing it in the Lord's way. Because we love God, we will put that love for him into work, laboring with our all to fulfill his will. Loving God and trusting him with hope, patiently, is essential to give us a better vision and desire to fulfill his will.
And improving our talents, who haven't try it. Learning a new instrument, a new language, a new skill... doesn't it take a lot of time to learn, practice and develop the talent? It would be really hard to improve our talents if we do not have patience of hope, if we are so desperate to get it that we end up giving up because we're not as perfect as we wish to be. We must hope to improve those talents with patience, knowing that it is little by little that we will be able to accomplish it. And love... have you ever try to accomplish something just to show others how good you are at versus accomplish something because you love someone and want to give your best to bless that person? I've tried both, and love makes all the difference. When we want to improve our talents in order to bless others, because we love them, whether someone close to us or people that we love because they're our brothers and sisters even if we don't know them personnaly, the results are much better. It is easier for me to improve a talent because I want to bless someone else than to get it only for myself. It is not fun to cook if we are the only ones to eat. It is not fun to play the piano if we are the only ones to listen. It is not fun to learn a new language if it's to speak only with our reflection on a mirro. When see people satisfied with the food we share with them, when we are able to play the piano in a meeting or activity and that people feel that warm joy that beautiful music brings, or when we are able to show our interest to someone from another culture because we know their language, the joy of being able to use our talents is more satisfactory. As an example, I am learning Tongan because I fell in love with the Tongan culture and I would love to visit that island and to get to know the people there. That love motivates me to learn the language more than if it was only to know more language without even using them. It gives me purpose, so it helps me improve my talents.
So if you're trying to find ways to commit to fulfill God's will and to improve our talents, you now were to begin... ;)
2- "Our life is a dream, our time as a stream glide swifly away, and the fugitive moment refuses to stay; for the arrow is flown and the moments are gone. The millenial year presses on to our view, and eternity's here."
Basically this means that our time is short! Time flies and we're be standing before God... So we must use our time meaningfully that we may not regret all the time gone.
3- "Oh, that each in the day of His coming may say,
"I have fought my way thru; I have finished the work thou didst give me to do."
Oh that each from his Lord may receive the glad word:
"Well and faithfully done;
Enter into my joy and sit down on my throne."
When all that time is gone, which side will we be? Would we respond with gladness, confidence and joy, knowing that we have done what we have to do and that we are ready to receive our reward, or will we want to hide under the rocks so that we may not face God and respond of all the time of our lives that we have waste.
Will we receive those words from the Lord "Well and faithfully done"? It is how we use our time and talents now that will determine where we will be. Where do we want to be? It is our time to take that decision, as says 2 Nephi 2:27, to choose captivity and death or liberty and eternal life. It's up to us.
Scriptures: 2 Timothy 4:7-8
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
God will reward all those who love him and who fight his fight. Are we fighting for him?
Matthew 25:21
"His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."
If we are fiathful, we will be able to rest with our Lord for ever. Is this what we are working for?
This hymn is all about learning to use our time well and to work for the Lord, that we may receive his blessings at the end. We must choose to serve him well if we want to be with him.
Author
Charles Wesley
Words were written by Charles Wesley. It was first published in the penny tract Hymns for New Years Day, 1750
Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of theMethodistmovement, most widely known for writing more than 6,000hymns.
Wesley was educated at Oxford where his brothers had also studied, and he formed the "Holy Club" among his fellow students in 1729. John Wesley later joined this group, as did George Whitefield. Charles followed his father and brother into the church in 1735, and he travelled with John to Georgia in America, returning a year later. In 1749, he married Sarah Gwynne, daughter of a Welsh gentleman who had been converted to Methodism by Howell Harris. She accompanied the brothers on their evangelisticjourneys throughout Britain until Charles ceased to travel in 1765.
Despite their closeness, Charles and John did not always agree on questions relating to their beliefs. In particular, Charles was strongly opposed to the idea of a breach with the Church of England into which they had been ordained.[1]
1- "Otro año más queda ya atrás; evaluemos lo que pasó.
¿Puedo mejorar, puedo progresar este año que ya comenzó?"
Este himno nos invita a tomar el tiempo de evaluar lo que ha pasado en el año que ha pasado. El nuevo año es una buena oportunidad para evaluar nuestra vidas, nuestro progreso. No solo es un tiempo para festejar, comer y bailar, pero es una ocasión que tenemos de meditar en lo que hemos estado haciendo y como podemós mejorar. A la pregunta: ¿puedo mejorar, puedo progresar? la respuesta es siempre ¡SÍ! ¿Comó? El como es lo que podemos llegar a saber al evaluar lo nuestro progreso y fijarnos metas.
2 - "Con amor venid; al Señor servid en Escuela Dominical.
Es allí que Dios oye nuetra voz, y nos da Su gracias celestial."
Esto es interesante. ¿Habían pensado ya en ir a la Escuela Dominical con amor? Debo confesarles que yo no. No iba con odio tampoco, pero creo que sería muy interesante llegar a la Escuela Dominical y a nuetras reuniones los domingos con el deseo de amar a los demás, tanto a los maestros como a los demás alumnos. ¿Se imaginan el ambiente en esas clases si todos llegaramos con amor a nuestras clases? Todos esos comentarios que ofenden, intencionalmente o no, y todas las personas que se dejan ofender, no existirián. Serían reuniones llenas del Espíritu donde todos aprenden con la intención de bendecir a los demás. ¿Que tiene que ver eso con el año nuevo? Tal vez nos da una guía sobre que evaluar en nuestras vidas, pensar en el estado en que asistimos y participamos en nuestras reuniones y en fijarnos metas para que en el nuevo año nuestras experiencias en la escuela dominical sean más significativas y edificantes.
3 - "Con valor seguid, por la senda id, que nos llevará al Señor."
Con valor seguid yendo en la senda que nos lleva al Señor. Al empezar el año se supone que, como miembros de la iglesia, estamos sobre esa senda, estrecha y angosta, pero estamos sobre ella. Cada año trae con si nuevos desafíos, pero debemos guardar valor para seguir adelante en esa senda, en ese camino, viviendo la doctrina de Cristo.
"Venos, Dios, aquí, guíanos a Tí; haznos conocer Tu gran amor."
Esta la veo como una súplica de que Dios nos vea ahí, deseosos de permanecer en la senda a pesar de las dificultades. Este año para mí fue desafiante y no pude lograr mucho de lo que me había propuesto, aunque si hice mucho que no había esperado hacer. A pesas de todos los obstaculos presentes durante el año, algo que nunca pude dejar fue mi deseo de permanecer en esa senda - mis oraciones no fueron tan significativas como hubiera querido, mi estudio no fue todos los días tan profundo y algunos días simplemente fue leer unos versículos. Mi asistencia al templo no fue tan constante, pero igual fuí cuando pude a pesar que a veces se me complicaba. A pesar de todas esas dificultades, pude ver la entrañables misericordias del Señor constantemente en mi vida. El conocer ese gran amor de Dios diariamente me ayudo a permanecer en esa senda. Y es la súplica que debemos hacer a Dios al comenzar el nuevo año: que nos permita conocer, ver, estar receptivos, a su gran amor, a sus entrañables misericordias, a sus muchas bendiciones que debemos contar, para que de ese modo podamos ver mejor su mano y ser mejor guiados a Él.
4- "Padre Celestial, líbranos del mal; danos Tu sostén y solaz, y felicidad, gracia y bondad mientras pase otro año más."
Esto nos dá una guía de cosas que podemos pedir a Dios para seguir siendo librados del mal: sostén, solaz, felicidad, gracia, bondad. Dios siempre nos dará su sostén y solaz. El puede llenar nuestra vida de felicidad si lo seguimos. Su gracia siempre es suficiente para salvarnos y librarnos. Su bondad se derrarmá constantemente sobre nosotros. Debemos ser receptivos todos los dones que el Señor nos dá para librarnos, a pesar de las dificultades, del mal que nos rodea.
Coro: ""Empuñemos ya nuestra bandera" es el lema que nos guiará. Nuestro lema al empezar un nuevo año debe ser el de empuñar la bandera, el de estar listos y prestos a luchar para defender y vivir el bien siempre. Esa debe ser nuestra guía. "¡Adelante! Canta ya los niños. Como siempre, Dios nos cuidará."
Ese lema, el de seguir adelante, el de luchar por el bien, no es solo un lema para nosotros los adultos: debe serlo para nuestros niños también. Es nuestro deber de enseñarles desque pequeños a que sigan adelante, a que cada año ellos tambien evalúen su progreso y sepan que pueden seguir mejorando. No debemos temer, ya que Dios los cuida siempre, si nosotros hacemos nuestra parte para enseñarles a vivir el Evangelio. Esta frase es muy significativa para mí este año en particularmente porque es muy probable que mis sobrinos se vayan a un centro de readaptación en Febrero/Marzo. Quisiera poder tenerlos en casa y poder seguir criandolos en el evangelio, pero realmente es dificil por sus comportamientos. Sin embargo, esta frase me da fortaleza porque se que pase lo que pase, si nos esforzamos por dar lo mejor a mis sobrinos en las próximas semanas ellos podrán sentir el cuidado de Dios donde quiera que estén. D&C 88:123-125 "See that you love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impar one to another as the gospel requires. Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault on e with another; cease to sleep longer than in needful; retire to thy bed early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace."
This teaches exactly what the hymn invites us to do. To improve ourselves by letting aside those unrighteous habits, and to learn to love and do good to others. D&C 43:8 "And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given." D&C 88:78 "Teach ye diligenly and my grace shall atten you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand".
Well, these verses also teaches us of what they hymn told us to do: to attend our church meetings with love for those we are meeting with, in order to strengthen and edify each other. Perhaps our progression would not be the same if we didn't had our congregations to meet, with people who we might find difficult to love but from which we can learn and grow. Perhaps our year can be better if we put all these people with whom we meet as part of our progression, and we open our hearts to learn from them. The author: Mary B. C. Slade Mary Bridges Canedy Slade was the wife of a clergyman of Fall River, Mass. She was born in 1826 and died in 1882. She was a teacher, and at one time assistant editor of the "New England Journal of Education," which position she resigned to stard "Wide Awake", a well-known publication, which she continued until her death. She was a warm hearted Christian woman. Most was a warm-hearted Christian woman. Most of her hymns were written for Prof. R.M. McIntosh.
A grandson of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, Felix Mendelssohn was born into a prominent Jewish family. He was brought up without religion until the age of seven, when he was baptised as a Reformed Christian. Felix was recognised early as a musical prodigy, but his parents were cautious and did not seek to capitalise on his talent.
