Reason #26 - Importance of Music

Music has been important to the LDS faith since it's beginnings As I sing songs such as "Come, come ye Saints", or "A poor wayfaring man of grief" I often think of those early Saints and what they went through. I think of the power that must have come through those words as they wrote about their hardships. "A poor wayfaring man of grief" was the last hymn that Joseph heard before his martyrdom in 1844. It was one of his favorite hymns. I also love the message of this song which also reminds me of a scripture "For if ye have done it to the least of these...ye have done it unto me." Emma Smith was asked to get together a collection of hymns and many of the early Saints wrote the lyrics or/and the music to many of them. At the same time, many of the older hymns were also included as favorites such as "I need thee every hour", or "Rock of Ages". Come, come ye Saints was written along the long trail to Salt Lake and speaks of sadness, yet great hope dispite all of their trials but they knew that in the end that when their journey was through it would be a happy day. Hymns bring the Spirit of the Lord into a meeting whether it be "Welcome, welcome Sabboth morning" or "I know that my Redeemer lives". I remember one of my first meetings hearing the Saints sing a particular song as it was almost as it were angels singing with them. It was such a robust, heartfelt, faith-filled sound that I thought my heart would burst. I am convinced, based on this experience, that this song was sung with great faith by these people. It is the only way it could have had such power as if from Heaven.