Just a Music Leader?
By
Sherri Timmons
“The music leader praised and
encouraged me. She convinced me I was a good singer, and I believed her—even
when my mother quit going to church. My brother and I were eventually baptized.
We later joined a choral group and toured with it. I went on a mission and
returned with honor. I am now married in the temple and have several children
born in the covenant. All of this is due in large part to one music leader in
the Primary and the love and encouragement she showed me.”
Tears filled my eyes as I thanked
him for sharing his story. After that, whenever anyone asked me what I did in
the Church, I said with confidence that I was the Primary music leader in my
branch. Each Sunday, I had the opportunity to influence children by teaching
them to love music, the Lord, and themselves. I began to observe the children
more closely and wonder which were being influenced by my actions. I told them
I loved them. I had a chance to show them how music can invite the Spirit of
the Lord into our Primary meetings and into our homes.
I will always be grateful that I
learned I was much more than “just” a Primary music leader.
Praying and Singing to
Heavenly Father
Michael
John U. Teh
When I was young, I loved Primary
songs. I loved to sing them, even though I didn’t always understand all the
words. As I grew older, I remembered the songs, and they helped me do the right
things. I still love to sing the songs. I remember “Our Primary colors are one,
two, three—red, yellow, and blue. Each one has a message for you and me. Each
is a symbol true!” I also remember “If you chance to meet a frown,
do not let it stay. Quickly turn it upside down and smile that frown away.”
The song about the wise man and the foolish man is another one of my
favorites.
I know Primary songs have been a
source of strength for me. Now it makes me happy to see children learning
Primary songs. I know the songs will help you the way they helped me.
Praying and singing Primary songs
when I was a little boy helped me to get to know Heavenly Father. I know I’m a
child of God. I’ve always known it. Even when I make mistakes, He is loving and
generous to me. I have learned that when you do even one simple, small right
thing, He pours out blessings upon you. There’s no doubt about it. He knows me.
He loves me. I am His son.
Primary Songs Blessed
Me
By
Jennifer A. Lynn
When I began serving as a Primary
music leader, I did not think the calling would benefit me. Yet it plainly has!
The Primary songs have blessed me with a better understanding of gospel
principles, a strengthened testimony, the ability to communicate with my
family, and the strength to persevere. The words and melody of Primary songs
may be simple, but the message and the power of each one are clear.
We may not always understand why
the Lord has given us a particular assignment. Even so, we must trust the Lord
and put our faith in Him and His promptings. I am so grateful I was a Primary
music leader before my stroke! The songs I can no longer sing can still
communicate my feelings of the gospel to others. Every time I hear my children
sing Primary songs, I know that their testimonies are being strengthened and
that they share my love for the Lord and His gospel.
Primary
Songs Blessed Me
By
Jennifer A. Lynn
When I began serving as a Primary music leader, I did not
think the calling would benefit me. Yet it plainly has! The Primary songs have
blessed me with a better understanding of gospel principles, a strengthened
testimony, the ability to communicate with my family, and the strength to
persevere. The words and melody of Primary songs may be simple, but the message
and the power of each one are clear.
We may not always understand why the Lord has given us a
particular assignment. Even so, we must trust the Lord and put our faith in Him
and His promptings. I am so grateful I was a Primary music leader before my
stroke! The songs I can no longer sing can still communicate my feelings of the
gospel to others. Every time I hear my children sing Primary songs, I know that
their testimonies are being strengthened and that they share my love for the
Lord and His gospel.
Random
Sampler
Sing
a Song of Discipline
Margery
A. Small, Brigham City, Utah
The next time the children started quarreling, I fought back
an urge to get angry and started singing, “Jesus said love everyone; treat them
kindly, too. When your heart is filled with love, others will love you.” Both
children stopped quarreling and looked up in happy surprise. Mother was
singing!
From then on it seemed that minor disputes could be handled
with songs. “Kindness Begins with Me,” “Be Happy, Sings the Little Bird,”
“Beautiful Words of Love,” and many other songs found their way into our lives.
When neighbor children would begin a quarrel, I could hear our three-year-old
start to sing, “I Want to Be Kind to Everyone,” and I knew that a positive
attitude was forming in our home. And besides that, the children knew more Primary
songs than ever before!
Singing
and Cleaning Friends by Mail
Joseph S.,
age 5, Utah, with help from his mom I was given the chore of cleaning up our large play room by myself. I looked at the mess all over the floor and
felt sad because I knew I would be cleaning for a long time. My mom teaches me
to pray when I feel sad, so I knelt down and asked Heavenly Father to help me
clean the playroom and not feel sad. I stood up and had the idea of singing
Primary songs as I cleaned. As I sang, I felt much better and was able to clean
the whole playroom very quickly. I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers
sometimes by giving us ideas in our minds.
Singing
in Silence
By Charles E. Davis
…..Then I knew why Sister Forester and Heavenly Father had
asked me to do this. It was to teach me that songs about the Savior come from
the heart, not the lips or the hands. Now I know that He hears the songs of all
the silent children in the world. He always has. He always will.
•
Find a way to help parents know what songs
their children are learning.
Can
you help us discover which songs our children are learning in Primary so we can
use these songs in family home evening?
Ruth
Gardner,
Chairman
of the music committee of the Primary General Board.
I’m glad you’ve discovered that the best songs to sing as a
family are those the children enjoy singing. I recently received a letter from
a father who commented that his young children most enjoyed singing the songs
they had been practicing in Primary. Even the older children would join in on
some of the songs.
To find out which songs your children are currently learning
or have learned in Primary, ask them to choose some to sing during family home
evening. Or have one of the older children of Primary age teach the song to the
entire family. In addition to helping the family learn the song, this will
spark greater interest in your child as he or she learns other songs in Primary
with the desire to share them with the rest of the family. You might find it
enjoyable to spend time during several home evenings learning the simple beat
patterns so that every family member will be able to conduct the songs you
sing. These patterns with simple chants like “down-over-over-up” for 4/4 time
can provide an opportunity for adults and children to work together in a fun,
memorable way.
Another way to discover songs your children will enjoy is to
check new manuals for songs taught in Primary classes and to ask your ward
Primary music personnel what Primary songs are being taught in your ward.
Request their help in recommending songs for you to use at family home evening.
Excellent sources for a home library include Sing with Me, More Songs for
Children, Activity Songs and Verses, and the cassette tape “Accompaniments for
Songs Selected from Sing with Me.”
Singing Hymns With New
Power
Ensign
article
called, "Singing Hymns With New Power". (I don't remember the date,
it was around 1975 or '76) Becky Woolf, Globe Arizona
When adults and children apply the following principles, it
brings a beautiful spirit into singing time!
- Level One: Sing the words and music correctly.
- Level Two: Think about the meaning of the words. It's surprising how often we sing familiar songs rather mindlessly, just thinking about the words changes everything!
- Level Three: Bear your testimony as you sing. Put your whole heart into it! The Lord delights in the "song of the heart".
- Level Four: If our hearts are right, the Holy Ghost will testify that what we are singing about is true.
Random
Sampler
Teaching
Primary Songs
Delores
DeVictoria
•
Leading music in Primary may appear simple, but
it can actually be a very complex task. By learning a few basic teaching
techniques, music leaders can be more effective in teaching children the
Primary songs.
•
The first step in teaching children new songs is
to review any new words and have the children practice pronouncing them. If
children understand what they are singing about, they will not only better
remember the words but they will also better comprehend the meaning of the
song.
•
To begin teaching the song, the music leader can
break up the song into short phrases—maybe six to seven words at a time—that
are more easily remembered. Sing each phrase several times, and direct the
children’s listening as they practice. For example, if you are teaching the
song “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, p. 107), you can say to the
children, “As I sing this song, listen carefully to hear what you should do
when you have to make a choice.” Directing their listening will help children
to understand and remember the gospel principle being taught through music.
•
Help the children learn the rhythm of any
unusual timing in the melody by quietly clapping as they sing or by listening
as the pianist plays that part several times.
•
Another idea is to link phrases. Sing each
phrase only with the preceding phrase instead of starting the song over each
time a new phrase is added. When all the phrases of the song have been
practiced and linked together, sing the entire song.
•
Additional helps for music leaders can be found
in the Children’s Songbook, p. 300, and in the video How to Teach a Song to
Children (item no. 53005).
•
Pictures often help the children remember each
song phrase. Caution should be exercised when using rebus-style pictures
because they can be confusing, especially to younger children. For example,
don’t use an eye to represent “I” or a Halloween-style ghost for the Holy
Ghost. Pictures should accurately represent the words they are portraying,
reinforce gospel principles, and reflect the spirit of the song.
•
Another helpful technique is to involve children
physically while learning a song. Encourage movement by teaching songs with the
suggested actions or have the children help improvise actions. Clapping or
using rhythm instruments to keep time can also help children learn. Another
idea is to sometimes find someone to teach the words to the song using American
Sign Language.
•
Besides teaching children new songs, music
leaders can add interest to singing time through a variety of activities. One
leader held up a cardboard bee when the children were to hum the melody. When
the bee disappeared, they were to sing the words again. Letting children select
songs from a hat or bouquet of flowers or other visual aid adds interest. Using
a “barometer” that measures how well children are singing can serve as an
incentive to sing better. Playing only a part of a melody and letting children
guess what song it is helps them recognize and remember songs. And dressing up
in simple costumes adds fun.
•
As music leaders, we can help children find joy
in singing. With help from the Spirit, we can testify of gospel principles as
we teach children to praise the Lord in song.—
Not from
our Church Magazine but a great article
Teaching Children to
Sing Reverently
Many children, when told to sing loudly, interpret that to mean they should scream. Singing loudly, but beautifully, is confusing to them. For a child, noise isn’t about reverence, it’s about letting out excess energy.
As leaders, we can teach the children that Primary songs, with the exception of the “wiggle” songs, are sacred hymns, no less sacred than the hymns we sing in Sacrament Meeting. With this in mind, we can then teach them to sing reverently. I like to tell children that hymns go straight up to Heaven and we would never yell at Heavenly Father. Would we use silly voices or make-believe words? No. How would we sing to Him? We’d sing in our most beautiful voices. We want Him to hear us, but we want him to hear us singing beautifully. Those of you who know music can then go on to teach children how to sing loudly without shouting. The rest of us will just do the best we can.
Knowing that Primary songs are sacred hymns means that we need to use appropriate teaching methods. Children are less likely to sing reverently if they are in the midst of a silly or over stimulating activity. Our teaching methods must match the spiritual power of the song. The more spiritual the song, the more reverently we sing it and the more spiritual our methods must be. So, Book of Mormon Stories can be taught in a more fun way than can I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus. However, no chosen method should drive the spirit from the room or cause the children to forget that it’s the Sabbath all day, even in Primary.
Let children practice singing loudly and softly without ever losing the beauty in the music. Be sure to praise them when their voices are worthy of heaven. Praising them for beautiful voices is more effective than praising them for singing loudly, since it helps them learn respectful spiritual behavior.
One way to help children sing reverently is to be certain they understand what the songs mean. Most Primary songs are testimonies put to music. Showing children how the song is a testimony will help them understand how to sing respectfully. Talk about what message the song presents and share your own testimony of the message. Ask the children to imagine they are singing this song as a testimony of their faith.
When children are singing songs they truly understand, and are singing with their beautiful God-given voices, you’ll be amazed at the powerful spirit that enters into your Primary and stays the rest of the day.
Primary Songs Blessed
Me
By
Jennifer A. Lynn
Sept.
2008
We
sing about the pioneers,
Popcorn
popping, falling snow,
Autumn
days, and happy feet,
Heads
and shoulders, knees and toes,
Stories
in the Book of Mormon,
Grandmas,
grandpas, family trees,
Temples,
tithing, chapel doors,
Faith,
and friends, and family.
We
sing about the Savior
And
His mission here on earth—
The
songs help me remember Him
At
home and school and church.
I
know that I’m a child of God
And
think He must be pleased
When
I try with all my heart
To
sing in Primary!
Everything I Need to
Know…
I
Am a Child of God
I
Lived in Heaven,
I Know My Father Lives,
I Know My Father Lives,
I
Need My Heavenly Father,
Reverence is Love,
Reverence is Love,
He
Sent His Son,
Jesus Once Was A Little Child,
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam,
Jesus Once Was A Little Child,
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam,
Jesus
Has Risen,
I Feel My Savior’s Love,
I Feel My Savior’s Love,
I’m
Trying to be Like Jesus,
An Angel Came to Joseph Smith,
An Angel Came to Joseph Smith,
I’ll
Follow Him in Faith,
The Priesthood is Restored,
The Priesthood is Restored,
Seek
the Lord Early,
Follow the Prophet,
Follow the Prophet,
Love
One Another,
Kindness Begins With Me,
Kindness Begins With Me,
Keep
the Commandments,
I Want to Live the Gospel,
I Want to Live the Gospel,
I
Believe in Being Honest,
I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth,
Choose the Right Way,
I Want to Give the Lord My Tenth,
Choose the Right Way,
I
Will Follow God’s Plan,
I Hope They Call Me on a Mission,
We’ll Bring the World His Truth,
Families Can Be Together Forever,
I Love to See the Temple,
I Hope They Call Me on a Mission,
We’ll Bring the World His Truth,
Families Can Be Together Forever,
I Love to See the Temple,
Love
is Spoken Here,
When We’re Helping We’re Happy,
We Are Different,
When We’re Helping We’re Happy,
We Are Different,
I
Have Two Little Hands,
Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked,
My Heavenly Father Loves Me
Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked,
My Heavenly Father Loves Me
…I Learned From Primary Music
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