Teaching with Music

Dear Family,

 

I am mindful of you always, but especially at this time.  Me and a few elders have been putting together a missionary music devotional.  I have been arranging a few pieces, one of which is a combination of I am a Child of God and Families can be Together Forever.  I had the opportunity to work on that song this weekend with them.  Music always seems to pull me to higher heights and uplifting thoughts.  Many times the answers to my prayers come through music.  These words seemed especially significant to me as I played.  "I always want to be with my own family" and "I am a child of God".  I love each of you very much.  In church yesterday, Sister Robison stood and bore testimony that we are children of God.  I'm convinced that the words sent to her were inspired by God and were in part for me.  She said that some trials are not necessarily for our strengthening or testing but for us to remember who we are.  Heavenly Father wants us to square our shoulders and know that we are His children.  That is our nature-and inherent in that nature is our ability to endure in a brilliant way.  I felt in my heart that this is true.

 

We had a special experience this week. One of the recent converts in our ward had a stroke this past week. Sister Martell and I went with another lady in the ward named Sister Jensen to visit her in the hospital. While there, I felt that we should sing to her. We sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". A sweet spirit filled the room. Afterward, Sister Jensen told us that she was teaching a lesson in Relief Society on sunday about the temple. She was touched by the hymn we sang earlier and asked if we would sing a song about the temple in her lesson. We began to think about what we could sing. All we could think of was "I Love to See the Temple". While we love that song, it didn't feel like the right one. As we were getting ready for church yesterday morning, Sister Martell had her music playing. We heard a song about the temple that I had never heard before. The words were perfect! They really painted the picture of the feelings and blessings found in the temple. We both felt prompted to sing it for Relief Society. I am happy that Heavenly Father sent us that song right when we needed it. It reminded me of the importance of ordinances and covenants. Those things will truly be our anchor in times of trial. Because Heavenly Father has promised us everything that we really need in this life! If we keep our covenants, we will be blessed and strengthened to do whatever He asks us to do. Perhaps the greatest thing we can learn through our trials is understanding. We will have eyes to see that our hardships help us realize our need for divine help. Our circumstances are the means by which we can feel the love of God. Christ can have a fulness of joy because he understands what it took to get there. We are here so that we might learn to do the same. Men are that they might have joy.

 

Sister Martell and I have seemed to study the exact same things this week without knowing what the other one was studying.  We have truly had revelatory experiences.  I know that as we consistently pray and read the scriptures personally and as a family (or companionship) that the spirit of the Lord will come into our lives in a gradual way.  This spirit will change our lives if we will allow it to.

 

There's more I'd love to say, but for now I would hope that each of you know my love for you.  I honestly wouldn't be here if I didn't love you and love the Lord enough to realize the importance of representing Him. 

 

love sister wilde