MORMON SOPRANO

This has been a hard week, with a lot of tragedy in the news. I don’t know about you, but my soul has felt pretty battered. Perhaps that’s what made hearing a beautiful hymn played by a gifted artist on a magical flute all the more sweeter today. My soul was touched. My hope was renewed. And, my faith and confidence in the world was restored. (more…)

Mr. MoSop and I recently signed up for a brutal [ 'intense'] 6-week fitness Boot Camp! We are on Day 4, so currently are limping around as our muscles whine and protest. This is proving to be a really huge challenge, and also a blessing. (more…)

What do you get when you cross Bluegrass, Southern Gospel, and A’Cappella harmony with a handful of talented Mormon musicians living in Utah?  The answer is Mountain Blue, a powerful vocal group with a unique sound, contagious melodies, and wide audience appeal! (more…)

BYU Broadcasting Corporation will premire a long-anticipated documentary on Sunday April 4th at 12:00 PM MDT [between sessions of the LDS General Conference ] entitled:

“ONE VOICE: ON THE ROAD WITH THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR“

A ”behind-the-scenes” film crew joined with over 600 people as part of (more…)

Each year the Young Men and Young Women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (ages 12-18) receive a scriptural theme which will be a focal point for lessons, activities, youth camps, and firesides. The Theme for 2010 is

“Be Strong and of A Good Courage“

(more…)

Each year the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in conjunction with Brigham Young University, offers a week-long summer program for teens ages 14-18 called “Especially For Youth” (“EFY” for short). The first EFY program was held in 1976 in Provo, Utah. (more…)

While driving to work, I had a favorite CD playing in my car – a collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber songs. I was preoccupied with the traffic, so the music mainly provided a soothing background. At one point, the lyrics of a particular song caught my attention.  I felt moved by the sentiment of the words:

Love,
Love Changes Everything:
Hands and Faces,
Earth and Sky.
Love,
Love changes everything:
How you live and
How you die…

…Love will never let you be the same

- Lyrics by Don Black & Charles Hart

I realize that these lyrics were meant to refer to romantic love, but I couldn’t help reflect that in relation to the gift of charity, love really does change everything! When we are possessed with pure Christlike love, the way we feel about ourselves, the way we feel about others, and even the way we experience reality is never the same. Christlike love is not the giddy wave of affection we often associate with romantic love. It is something much more subtle, something deeper. It is a love that does not alter with our moods or with external circumstances.

If we continue earnestly, with faith and hope in Christ to seek the gift of charity, it will be granted to us. We can become filled with a love of God and of all people. The apostle Paul gave a beautiful promise:

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

- Ephesians 3:17-19

Video: “Love Changes Everything” performed by Michael Ball

Today we share a timely Mormon Messages musical video about love. The song entitled ”Love One Another” is a favorite Latter-day Saint Hymn written in 1961 by Luacine Clark Fox [1914-2002]. It is performed here by Debra Fotheringham and Russ Dixon [lead singer of the band "Colors"]. 

Happy Valentines Day!

On January 22, 2010 The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued an official statement on Haiti, urging its members to Help. This video features the text of that statement, combined with images from Haiti, and set to the LDS Hymn

 ”Have I Done Any Good?”

DO GOOD! – DONATE at give.lds.org/emergencyresponse

~~~~~

Video courtesy HaveYouDoneAnyGood Channel

David Foster

When Grammy-award winning songwriter and producer David Foster collaborated with Grammy-award winner Carole Bayer Sager to write ”The Prayer“, it was a match made in heaven. Their song debuted in the 1998 animated film Quest for Camelot, and went on to win a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Written with lyrics in both English and Italian, ”The Prayer” was first recorded as a duet between Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli. In 2008 it was recorded by Dion & Josh Groban, and in 2009 Groban and Bocelli gave a memorable performance at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Over the years this song has been translated into many languages, and recorded by multiple artists. It also likely ranks as a “top hit” to be belted out in the privacy of showers and automobiles everywhere.

As our hearts are aching for the people of Haiti, and so many other sorrows throughout the world both public and private, I cannot think of a better time to offer up this musical prayer for peace, love, safety and comfort.

For Info on this recording click here / Video courtesy MoTabChoir01 

“The Prayer” Lyrics

I pray you’ll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don’t know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your Grace
To a place where we’ll be safe

La luce che tu dai
I pray we’ll find your light
Nel cuore restera
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night
L’eterna stella sei

Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c’e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe.

Sogniamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita

La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E’il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe

E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera