Tag Archive for: familiar melody

Familiar Melody

A few weeks ago, Monic and I enjoyed a wonderful evening of music and dance with BYU Living Legends in Brussels.
Living Legends presents a vibrant spectacle of energy, music, costume, and dance that celebrates the cultural heritage of North and South America and the South Pacific.
As I was listening to the music that evening, there was one song that had a very familiar haunting melody.

The Words…

I listened intently to the peaceful, uplifting music and words…
“Go, my son, go and climb the ladder.
Go, my son, go and earn your feather.
Go, my son, make your people proud of you.
Work, my son, get an education.
Climb, my son. Go and take a lofty view.
From on the ladder of an education,
You can see to help your Indian Nation,
And reach, my son. Lift your people up with you.”
It had a calming, soothing influence on all of us gathered in the auditorium.
The words flowed with a warm feeling and enlightened my mind, as I considered all of our missionary sons and daughters who had gone, climbed and lifted so many others.
Yet, there was more.
From somewhere long ago, I had experienced this feeling of musical joy before.
I recalled the song from a touring BYU group entitled “Ancient America Speaks”.

Back Home…

Now back home, and tidying out my office this week, lo and behold, what did I discover in a box of paperwork, but the original flyer for the production of the show in January 1976!
I recall many members of our local congregation sang in the supporting choir.
A moment of pure serendipity for sure.
Similarly, my experience these last few years has helped me understand that when missionaries teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to someone who is sincere in their desire to learn more about Him, its as if a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 begins to ring in their ears.
These moments of whispered inspiration are as if you are learning familiar things.
I know that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ echoes a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 to all those who will take time to stop and listen.
How does the gospel feel like a 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒅𝒚 for you?