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When you hear the first few bars of a favorite song, how can you keep from singing? In the year 2000, the much-loved ballad “Somewhere over the Rainbow” was named the greatest song of the century past. Its beginning, however, was not so celebrated. The directors tried to drop the song from the film The […]
Everything seems better in the morning. Dark though the night may be, deep though the shadows fall, there’s always light at the break of day. In the morning, we tend to think more clearly and act with more purpose. Henry David Thoreau believed that “The morning, the most memorable season of the day, is the […]
Memorials and monuments have been erected in remembrance of great people since the beginning of time. Statues, walls, and obelisks are put in place to memorialize those who paid the ultimate price in defending their country, who lifted the downtrodden, who brought the light of peace, and who rescued others in political or spiritual bondage. […]
The classic story The Velveteen Rabbit was read to many of us when we were young. Now we read those pages to our children and grandchildren. The timeless tale reflects on the love between a little boy and his stuffed toy. As the story progresses we read: “The little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, […]
We live in a world of home improvements. Television shows, magazines, and superstores are devoted to making our homes more livable. The possibilities are endless. But what of the home building that happens in our hearts? A wise religious leader taught: “There is no home without love. You may have a palace and yet not […]
A day to honor mothers is well-deserved and important. Unfortunately, some women have mixed feelings about all the attention. They’re not used to spending much time thinking about themselves. Some mothers feel discouraged when they hear praise poured out about idealized motherhood. But, who doesn’t fall short of the ideal? Others are working to repair […]
Nearly a century ago, the brave Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen set off for the North Pole after many years of study and preparation. His plans were shattered, however, when news came that Robert Peary had reached the North Pole first. Instead of wasting time in pity or anger, Amundsen simply continued preparations and changed his […]
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer Thought it scarcely worth his while To waste much time on the old violin, But held it up with a smile: “What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried, “Who’ll start the bidding for me?” “A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two? Two dollars, and who’ll […]
Have you ever wondered what makes people happy? A noted psychologist made it his life’s work to find out. Over a period of 25 years, Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from the University of Chicago studied the lives of athletes, artists, and assembly-line workers. Through exhaustive research, interviews, and surveys, he sought to discover what it is […]
After being freed from bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. They finally found refuge across the River Jordan in a promised land. It was centuries later, that songs would be sung to encourage others who also longed for deliverance. This unique expression of music, known as the […]
“Earth has no sorrow that heav’n cannot heal.”[i] This promise brings comfort and hope in times of distress. Life, with all its joy, also brings pain and anguish. When our hearts ache, we search for help and comfort. The great 19th-century Danish artist Carl Bloch captured such a moment in his beautiful narrative painting Christ […]
The promise of new life, even everlasting life, is everywhere at springtime. A once-bare tree dons a new coat of pink blossoms. A red-breasted robin searches the dry grass for just the right twig for her nest. A baby lamb makes a test run of his little legs. A mother holds her baby for the […]
For 24 years, Henry Francis Lyte dedicated his life to serving his congregation of humble English fishermen in the coastal village of Brixham. He lived with his wife and two children in the rectory overlooking the tumultuous but life-giving sea. Devoted to his hearty parishioners, Lyte was known to climb a high lookout to warn […]
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand’ring far alone Of shadows on the stars On this shining night.1 In the still of night we stand in awe of the cosmos. No matter where we live, we see a canopy of stars—most likely, the same stars seen when we were born, when […]
We’ve all seen people who appear to be ignoring a conversation until a word comes up that catches their attention. And we all know children who seem to have “selective listening” when reminded about their chores. Many of us hear only what we want to hear. Sheep know the voice of their shepherd and will […]
Richard L. Evans was the writer and announcer of the spoken word for 41 years. Today’s message was given by him on April 23, 1967. These lines from Longfellow suggest some self-searching: For Time will teach thee soon the truth, There are no birds in last year’s nest! 1 Often we regret and brood […]
To learn in love and safety is the right of every person. Occasionally, the burdens of life crowd out this important opportunity, but with some effort, our hearts and minds can be enlivened by knowledge and blessed with learning. The story is told of a woman who lost interest in life. She felt oppressed by […]
Ever ask a married couple, how they keep love alive in their marriage? Well, they’ll probably tell you that the honeymoon always ends. Daily life together, with its stresses and problems, tends to crowd out the bloom of romance in even the best of relationships. But we all know that love, real love, never dies. […]
A young man walked cheerfully from the hospital room of his ill mother, his hopes higher and his step lighter than when he had come. He marveled that , despite her illness, his mother retained the ability to lift the spirits of others. Even in her troubled condition, this good woman was able to maintain […]
A song is an expression of the soul. Notice how children spontaneously erupt into song. Their underdeveloped language and motor skills cannot keep them from singing. They simply have to express themselves, and oftentimes they depend upon melodies, drums, or music makers to do so. Perched on a rock in the picturesque landscape of a […]
As sure as morning breaks and nightfall comes, lullabies are for children. And each of us was once a child. But who enjoys the lullaby more: the babe in arms or the loving adult who sings it? Around the world, probably since the beginning of time, lullabies have been passed from one generation to the […]
“Sing praise to him, . . . the fount of love”1 for blessings large and small. Love pours down from heaven in the beauties around us. It is the salve that ancients called “the balm of Gilead.” But what of the love we express in our own lives? A couple walking hand in hand speaks […]
Life is lived one step at a time. If we’re patient, we can learn a lot from taking one step of faith—and then another and another. In 1833 John Henry Newman was traveling from Europe back to his home in England. He was already ill and homesick when he was seized by an attack of […]
The first broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word was on a hot summer afternoon in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, July 15, 1929. The announcer climbed a ladder to speak into the one and only microphone, suspended from the ceiling. He stayed perched on the ladder throughout the half-hour program. An audio engineer was […]
So many family traditions are wrapped up in Christmas: green and shimmering trees; homes decked with twinkling lights, tinsel, and holly; stockings hung in hopes of St. Nick; eager little hands helping frost cookies in the kitchen; plates of turkey and trimmings; and candles beckoning welcome to all. These are the glitter and glow of […]
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of […]
Few sounds gladden the heart like church bells ringing. In days gone by, villages full of people gathered to the sound of bells. On Christmas Day, church bells rang far and wide resonating with hope and goodwill. The story is told of a village where the church bells stopped ringing for many years. No one […]
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King!”1 Those words resound in the hearts of all who seek real peace, abiding love, and true joy. In a quiet village in the meridian of time, lowly animals welcomed the King of Kings to an obscure cave-stable. Joy came to the world […]
The Tabernacle on Temple Square has been the beloved home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 137 years. Millions have entered within these walls since it was completed in 1867, and millions more will return when it reopens following an 18-month renovation. Beginning next week, the Choir will broadcast its weekly program across the street […]
So often we fail to be grateful for the present moments of life. We consume the joys of the here and now with a longing for something else. When we’re on vacation, we may think of pressures mounting at home; and when we’re at home, we long to be away on vacation. Or, when the […]