Music

Like a mighty river overflowing its banks after a storm, the huge influx of new and younger missionaries has filled the Missionary Training Center to overflowing! On June 13, the front page of Provo’s Daily Herald showed a picture of the missionaries, who no longer fit in their MTC auditorium, spilling out of the MTC and walking five or six abreast down the hill to BYU’s Marriott Center for their weekly devotional. The article said:

It’s not every day that the residents of Provo can see 3,000 missionaries converging on the Marriott Center, but through August every Tuesday around 6 p.m. be prepared for the army of young men and women moving en masse to their weekly devotional.
They will also be joined by their fellow missionaries of nearly 200 coming from the west MTC area at the Wyview/Raintree location. (Daily Herald, June 13, 2013, p. 1)

Missionaries who were interviewed as they walked, said they felt they were part of something historic and unusual in the church and they were excited to be part of it. Some said there is renewed energy at the MTC and they love the feeling.

A Unique Opportunity

Imagine our joy when my husband and I were invited to speak to all the missionaries at their Marriott Center devotional on June 25. As the missionaries filed in, the excitement and energy were palpable. As we sang upbeat prelude hymns with them it felt like our hearts were beating with missionary fervor! It was such a beautiful sight to see so many worthy youth gathered there with one heart and mind. Our son, John, who accompanied us, said it was probably the largest gathering of young people in the world where no one was tweeting or texting.

My husband, Doug, spoke to them about how missions differ-some will baptize many, some will baptize few, some none, but all are helping to cover the earth, planting seeds, and becoming sanctified by their service. I spoke to them about our senior mission to Chile and how we used music to quickly bring the spirit into the homes we visited. We also spoke of the sweet rewards of our mission and how thankful we were to have a measured time to serve the Lord full time with no distractions-to wake up every morning asking ourselves, “Who can we serve or help or teach today?” It truly is a sanctifying process.

With MTC President Lon Nally’s permission, we provided some lighter moments during the firesides and enjoyed the very enthusiastic responses of the missionaries. But our favorite part was hearing the missionaries sing with us! First we sang an orchestrated medley of six of my Primary songs-I dare say I will never hear that medley sung any better! Then we told them they would be the first group ever to sing the new missionary medley, “The Sisters of Zion” (new missionary words for the women) and “The Army of Helaman” As the music started, the missionaries spontaneously arose as my husband led the men, and I led the women in singing the new medley. They sang with great enthusiasm. The lump in my throat prevented me from singing much. Following is the first of three new songs from our album, The Sisters of Zion, that I will introduce in this article.

 [Click here to listen to “The Sisters of Zion / The Army of Helaman”]

The Sisters of Zion/The Army of Helaman (available at www.JaniceKappPerry.com)

Words 2013 / 1983 Janice Kapp Perry

Music 1985 / 1983 Janice Kapp Perry

(Based on an arrangement by Michael R. Hicks)

Vocals: Choir

Women (Part 1)

            The Sisters of Zion are called to God’s labor

            We willingly serve Him with spirit and might

            We go to the nations with truth everlasting

            We teach of the Savior, Our Lord, Jesus Christ

Men

            We have been born as Nephi of old

            To goodly parents who love the Lord

            We have been taught and we understand

            That we must do as the Lord commands

Chorus

            We are as the Army of Helaman

            We have been taught in our youth

            And we are now the Lord’s missionaries

            To bring the world His truth

Women (Part 2) and Men Together

Women (Part 2)

            We go forth enlisted with Helaman’s Army

            In numbers much greater than ever before

            With power and spirit we’ll faithfully witness

            The heavens have spoken and truth is restored

Chorus in Union

Women:     (The sisters of Zion)

All:            (To bring the world His truth)

As I took my usual morning walk around the huge green MTC playing field the morning after the fireside, missionaries stopped me to reminisce about the previous night’s devotional and the power of singing together in such a large group. I could feel their excitement for their missions. Great things are definitely happening across the street at the Missionary Training Center.

Other Interesting Changes

The July 13 Deseret News carried an article titled, “LDS Church tweaks dress, grooming requirements for missionaries”:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recently updated several web pages at lds.org with new photos and instructions for the dress and grooming of its full-time missionaries. . . . vibrant colors for female missionaries are in, as are light- colored suits and khakis for young male missionaries. (p. B3)

Recently returned missionaries in the Deseret News newsroom also pointed out several other changes including “brighter, more vivid colors for sisters; blouses for sisters that are more fun and feminine; more colorful ties along with tie pins and tie bars for elders; and elders being allowed to wear sweaters instead of jackets over their white shirts. Some also noticed the absence of severe parts in the hair styles shown for young men.Another newspaper article mentioned how stores who supply missionary clothing and accessories are scrambling to keep enough inventory on their shelves. Some are even remodeling their stores to create a section for women’s clothing which takes up half of the store! These are exciting times and it’s fun to witness it!

The Process of Sanctification

Elder William R.

Bradford of the Seventy explained in 1981 that the two fold purpose of a mission is: “1) To sanctify the missionary, and 2) To bring others to a knowledge of the restored gospel and baptize.” He further explains,           

Missions are a time of cleansing . . . when the Holy Ghost can seal upon you the knowledge of the great plan for your exaltation. . . . To sanctify yourself, you must serve others. . . . This is a marvelous process of sanctification. When a missionary is placed in an environment of order and discipline where all is done in harmony with the Spirit, he experiences a great transformation. The heavens are opened, powers are showered out, mysteries are revealed, habits are improved, sanctification begins. (Ensign, Oct. 1981, “Sanctification Through Missionary Service.”)

One of the new songs from The Sisters of Zion CD, titled “A Sister’s Prayer,” is an attempt to define the thoughts and prayers that should be in our hearts, and especially the hearts of missionaries who are going through this period of sanctification.

[Click to listen to “A Sister’s Prayer”]

A Sister’s Prayer (available at www.JaniceKappPerry.com)

Words & Music 2013 Janice Kapp Perry

Vocal: Rebecca Lopez

As I ask the Lord for guidance in my daily prayers

He will lead me to the one whose burden I may share

When my heart is tuned to hear the still small voice each day

Heaven then can bless me with the things for which I pray

Bless my eyes to see with understanding

When someone needs help that I can give

Help me, Lord, to feel my soul expanding

To be more like thee each day I live

Bless my heart to act in true compassion

Sharing love that fills another’s need

Help me feel the Spirit’s inspiration

And be more like thee in word and deed

Heav’nly Father loves us all and guides us from above

But we’re the caring hands through which His children feel His love

When I’m feeling weak and pray for strength beyond my own

He will prompt my willing heart, I never walk alone

Bless my hands to reach in consolation

To the one who has a heavy heart

Lord, please hear my humble supplication

Help me learn the gentle healer’s art

Bless my voice in every conversation

Let me speak with peaceful, loving words

Help me serve with quiet consecration

That through me, thine own voice may be heard

That through me, thine own voice may be heard

World-Wide Training Session

Many witnessed by satellite transmission the Plan of Salvation world-wide training session on June 23, held in the Marriott Center on BYU campus. It followed on the heels of the Mission President’s Training Seminar held annually at the MTC and thus eleven of The Twelve were present at the meeting, with Elder Packer’s and President Monson’s messages coming by satellite transmission. It was a marvelous meeting which featured a 2,000 voice “Work of Salvation Choir” made up of missionaries and members from the community which sang two stirring missionary anthems during the program. The choir filled the whole north side of the Marriott Center and was electrifying.

Elder Perry introduced more changes in the way missionaries will do their work in this digital age. They will be eased into using the internet to find and teach investigators. He urged us to be Facebook friends with our local missionaries and really help them in their work. He suggested we go to the site, “Hastening the Work of Salvation” for ideas of how we can help. He also said that our chapels will now be open so interested people may tour them and become familiar with them.

This was a wonderful conference and we were thrilled to be there to experience first-hand the excitement that those in attendance seemed to be feeling over the new thrust in missionary work.

Our own four children served on four different continents (Belgium, Korea, Washington, D.C. and Argentina) and now in just the last few years our grandchildren have served in Brazil, the Philippines, San Diego CA, and Mexico, with more to come. With the lowering of the missionary age, our 18-yr-old grandson has been called to Lyon France.

A Special Feeling for Sisters Missionaries

Through the years I have been aware of so many young women who wanted to serve missions but found it hard to wait to the age of 21. Now with the age being lowered to 19 we have witnessed a mighty wave of sisters wanting to serve immediately. This prompted us to produce a new two-CD set of songs appropriate for sister missionaries.

The final song from the sister missionary collection that I’d like to introduce now is one that was inspired by the new book for women, Daughters in His Kingdom, which was such a beautiful gift to the women of the church a few years ago. I wanted to write music about that book but knew I could only cover a few important points in a song. Then I saw a Church News interview with our General Relief Society President, Sister Julie B. Beck and her counselors in which each one was asked what she thought was most important from the book. From their responses I chose the ideas to feature in my song. The words to this song seem to have a particularly strong application to sister missionaries and thus we included it on our new recording.

[Click here to listen to “We Are Daughters in God’s Kingdom]

We Are Daughters In God’s Kingdom (available at www.JaniceKappPerry.com)

Words & Music 2011 Janice Kapp Perry

Vocal: Tammy Simister Robinson

We are daughters in God’s kingdom

Standing strong in latter days

As we listen to His guidance

We shine forth in righteous ways

Where He leads us we will follow

Paths of virtue we’ll pursue

Those who follow in our footsteps

Will be taught eternal truths

We are daughters in God’s kingdom

With a legacy of light

Cov’nant women who must ever

Keep this heritage alive

Past and present come together

In a harmony of faith

Others forged the sure foundation

That we build upon today

We are daughters in God’s kingdom

Growing stronger in His sight

He will strengthen us in weakness

And we’ll grow in truth and light

Priesthood led, we feel His power

He has loved us from the start

And we daily feel His caring

Tender mercies He imparts

We are daughters in God’s kingdom

Serving others, choosing right

Worldly ways will be forsaken

In the glow of gospel light

Numbered now in many nations

Godly virtues we embrace

We are daughters in His kingdom

Strong in purpose, firm in faith

Janice Kapp Perry: composer, author, lecturer

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