Introduction
I love children’s music! There we find the gospel-simple and direct. The Primary songs teach everything we want our children to know and there is no more appealing way to repeat these truths over and over again than by singing about them. There is a certain magic in music that helps children learn and remember important gospel concepts forever, and they will be able to draw on these memories throughout their lives. If it is in their minds it can come forth later when they need to be strengthened, comforted,directed or inspired. When we combine a simple gospel truth with an appealing melody it is one of the greatest teachers we can have in our homes.
New Music for Children
During the last decade I have been writing new songs for children now and then. Some were assignments from church leaders, some have been published in church magazines, and some have been written in support of Primary programs. Others just seemed to be important subjects for children to learn and sing about. This month we have published and recorded a collection of seventeen new children’s songs that we hope will bring the gospel to life musically for children and their families. It our hope that we can turn off the negative influences of TV and raucous music on the radio and CD’s and gather our children around the piano to sing together.
As a Child of God
The title song of our new album is “As a Child of God.” This song is printed in the Primary sacrament meeting program for 2012 and was learned by the children in January. A simplified version was printed in the Friend and Liahona magazines in January. The song teaches a child his responsibility to strengthen his family by making good choices.
Listen to the song here
“As a Child of God”
(Janice Kapp Perry)
I came to earth with power to choose
Good choices bless me and my family too
As a child of God I receive special light
The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right
I feel so safe and happy because
Such feelings of peace come from family love
As a child of God I receive special light
The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right
In my own home I’ll happily serve
I’ll strengthen my family by my good works
As a child of God I receive special light
The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right
One other song on the new album was written to support the Primary sacrament meeting program for 2012, and is titled “I Will Choose the Right.”
Preface in the Primary Book
In the Preface of our Primary children’s songbook church leaders have written a beautiful explanation of the power of the songs contained therein:
Here is a book of songs especially for you. You can sing them just about
anytime, anywhere. As you sing, you may feel good inside. The Holy Ghost
gives you warm feelings to help you understand that the . . . messages in the
songs are true. . . . You will remember more easily what you have learned
when you sing about it. The melody of a song helps you remember the words
and also brings the feeling of the song to your heart . . . . The good feelings
the songs bring . . . will help you to remember that you are children of God.
I Will Stay on the Path
Our general Primary presidency often speaks in the stakes of the church about the importance of children staying on the path. Beautiful artwork showing a child walking carefully down a safe and sunny path hangs in their office in Salt Lake City, as a reminder of the need to stay on the path.
As we heard them discuss this idea in their office one day I felt that it would be important to write a song on this subject that would help the children understand and remember the concept. I tried to incorporate the Primary leaders’ ideas in this new song:
Listen to the song here
“I Will Stay on the Path”
(Janice Kapp Perry)
I lived with Jesus before my birth
I felt His Spirit, believed in His words
I chose to follow His plan here on earth
I know He loves me, and I’m of great worth
Chorus:
I will stay on the path
He has shown me the way
I believe in His teachings
And want to obey
I will keep His commandments
For I’ve always known
One day I’ll return
To my heavenly home
I’ll honor Jesus by how I live
I’ll love as He loved
And freely forgive
Faith and repentance
Will help me remain
Worthy to live in His presence again
Repeat chorus
Words of a Prophet
President Hinckley has said, “Let there be music in the home . . . and its influence will become increasingly manifest as the years pass.” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 394)
I’m Learning the Ways of Jesus
When my husband and I were serving a mission in Santiago Chile we saw many new members come into the church, and also many less active members return to the church. Some had Primary age children who needed to be taught the basic principles of the gospel. We were assigned to help one such family and decided that the best thing we could do to get these children up to speed in the gospel was to teach them the Primary songs. The children looked forward to our visits and were especially happy to get to the singing portion of the lesson. We bought them the children’s songbook in Spanish and had a wonderful time furthering the gospel learning of this faithful little family. I wrote the words to this next song while in Chile, though I did not set it to music for many years. It was published in the November 2010 Friend magazine.
Listen to the song here
“I’m Learning the Ways of Jesus”
(Janice Kapp Perry)
I’m learning each day to be caring and kind
I think of good deeds in my heart and mind
I try ev’ry day to give love away
I’m learning the ways of Jesus
So if I see someone who’s lost or afraid
I’ll offer to help-that’s a choice I have made
Or if I see someone who just needs a friend
I’ll speak to them kindly and spend time with them
I try ev’ry day to give love away
I’m learning the ways of Jesus
I’m learning each day to be friendly and fair
I try to help others, I willingly share
I try ev’ry day to give love away
I’m learning the ways of Jesus
So if I see someone who can’t walk or run
I’ll think of some ways I can help them have fun
Or if I see someone who can’t see or hear
I’ll tell them that I’ll be their eyes or their ears
I try ev’ry day to give love away
I’m learning the ways of Jesus
Sing to Your Children and Grandchildren
I encourage everyone to sing to your children and grandchildren often.
You needn’t have a beautifully trained voice. Children do not judge the professional quality of a voice, they only feel the sincerity of the singer and the spirit the song conveys. My grandmother, Pearl Harbertson Saunders, used to sing enchanting little folksongs to me and the other grandchildren during my childhood and I felt so happy when she sang. I loved her voice! Decades after she had passed away I came upon a recording of her singing those folk songs and was surprised to realize that her voice was quite ordinary and untrained. I’m so happy she didn’t let that keep her from singing to us.
I Will Say a Prayer
This song is one you can learn to sing with your children! I love double melody songs such as “A Child’s Prayer,” and “Love is Spoken Here” and decided to write a new one for this children’s album. Children have their sad moments and childhood hurts just as we adults do, and my hope is that this song can help them remember that there is always one place where they can turn for comfort and consolation. I had forgotten how hard those double melody songs are to write and I got rather discouraged about finishing it in time for the recording deadline but I did the very thing I wrote about in the song, I said a fervent prayer for help from the Spirit and was able to complete the song in time. It is my personal favorite on the album.
Listen to the song here
“I Will Say a Prayer”
(Janice Kapp Perry)
1.
When I’m sad, or I’m lost
When my heart is broken
When my friends turn away
Or harsh words are spoken
There’s a place I can turn
When I need heaven’s wisdom
I can speak from my heart
And I know He will listen
2.
I will say a prayer and God will hear
He’s always there beside me
He will rescue me, He’ll comfort me
And always gently guide me
Each time I pray, I feel His love
A quiet peace surrounds me
For in my heart I seem to feel
His loving arms around me
Sing parts One and Two together
There’s a place I can turn
When I need heaven’s wisdom
I can speak from my heart
And I know He will listen
Good Music Brings the Spirit
Good music literally invites the Lord’s Spirit to be present and lifts our thoughts to higher things.
There are many negative influences in this world that would draw our children to the darker side of life and we are in a battle for their souls. Music is one of the most effective tools we have for keeping them focused on the beautiful and spiritual things of this life. Here are just a few ways parents can bring peace to their home through worthy music:
1) Play peaceful music to soothe angry or irritated feelings in the home
2) Use music to invite the Spirit before family scripture study
3) Use music in the home to inspire creativity
4) Use music to erase unwanted thoughts from your mind
5) Sing hymns and children’s songs as lullabies at bedtime
These sermons in song will stay with the children much longer than will spoken sermons, perhaps because they won’t even be aware they are sermons! After one of our fireside programs one mother said to me, “Playing or singing Primary songs and other uplifting music when my children go to bed helps them to relax and also plants the words of the songs in their memories. These words can be as a tattoo on their subconscious minds and will be there to strengthen them in the future.” (source unknown)
Song Titles on “As a Child of God”
As a Child of God
I Will Choose the Right
I Will Say a Prayer
I Will Stay on the Path
I Am Building an Eternal Family
I Want to Be a Light
Jesus Made This Beautiful World
I’m Learning the Ways of Jesus
As Children We Sing
My Body is an Earthly Temple
God’s Plan of Happiness (The Family)
The Creation
I Know Jesus Loves Me
I’m So Glad to Have a Body
My Pathway Will Lead to the Temple
When I Read the Book of Mormon
Two Thousand Stripling Warriors
It is my hope that these songs will teach true principles of the gospel in a fun and memorable way and that they will be helpful to someone in a time of trial, decision, or discouragement. But even more than that I pray they will bring joy to the homes of the saints as they sing together in their families. As the apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “. . . be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:18-19)
Janice Kapp Perry: composer, author, lecturer
Click here to order “As a Child of God.” This is a 2-CD set which includes the vocal CD and an instrumental accompaniment CD. Also included is a piano/vocal songbook in pdf format so you can print your own music.
SAVE 15% ON THIS TITLE THROUGH THE END OF APRIL (AND ALSO GET FREE SHIPPING ON YOUR ENTIRE ORDER) WHEN YOU ORDER “AS A CHILD OF GOD.”
