Tag Archive for: harmony

In Harmony

Every Sunday morning, ever since I can remember, I have attended a Sacrament meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Like many other religious denominations, in our communal worship, we sing congregational hymns together.
I have a few favourites that I have grown to love.
The last few years whilst serving in Belgium and the Netherlands, I also learned to sing the hymns in a different language and enjoyed getting my tongue around the more difficult words!

The Results…

In every congregation, there are some who sing very well, some who used to sing quite well, and others who have yet to find their singing voices! πŸ˜‰
Sometimes the result of our communal singing together is pleasing to the ear and on other occasions it can be less so!
All are welcome to join in regardless of their singing ability.
Expressing our individuality is accepted by all.
In our congregational singing, each of us joins our voices and hearts and souls with no regard to elegance, exactness or talent, unitedly strengthening our combined faith in God.
I have many memories of disharmonious moments, including times when I’ve been way off key!
Yet, occasionally, when we make a concerted effort to sing together in real harmony, our joined voices create a sacred atmosphere that helps us all to feel closer to God.
β€œπ‘―π’‚π’“π’Žπ’π’π’šβ€ is the pleasant combination of different notes of music played at the same time.
Over the years, I’ve found that singing hymns together offers an opportunity to strengthen that harmony, both musically and spiritually, aligning our voices and hearts with the purpose of worshiping God and reinforcing gospel principles.
Singing hymns together is a form of participation that transcends our spoken languages, bringing people of different backgrounds and experiences into harmonyβ€”literally and figuratively.

Our Beliefs

As we sing, we are reminded of our shared beliefs and values, united in song from the youngest to the oldest.
The powerful messages of the words also reinforce bonds of friendship and foster a sense of belonging.
This unity creates an environment where we all feel supported and spiritually connected.
Even scripture underscores the importance of singing praises as a form of worship.
For instance, in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12, the Lord declares, β€œFor my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.”
It is a wonderful feeling to be in harmony with others.
What creates harmony for you?

United we stand, divided we fall

β€œπ”π§π’π­πžπ 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐝𝐒𝐯𝐒𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐚π₯π₯”
It is a familiar phrase, used to express unity and collaboration.
Meaning – if we don’t stand together, ultimately, we will not succeed.
It is a phrase that has been used throughout history to inspire and lift couples, groups, teams, political parties, countries and many more.
Biblically, in Matthew 12:25 and also in Luke 11:17, the scriptures convey the common message that a house divided against itself will not stand.
In modern culture, J.K. Rowling uses a variation of the phrase in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Albus Dumbledore says, β€œWe are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”
The Bundle of Sticks
I love the moral of this story.
β€œAN OLD man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a bundle of sticks and said to his eldest son: β€œBreak it.” The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. β€œUntie the bundle,” said the father, β€œand each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: β€œNow, break it,” and each stick was easily broken. β€œYou see my meaning,” said their father.”
π‘Όπ’π’Šπ’•π’†π’… π’˜π’† 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅, π’…π’Šπ’—π’Šπ’…π’†π’… π’˜π’† 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍.
Recently D. Todd Christofferson said regarding unity, that β€œβ€¦we cannot be one unless we all bend our efforts to the common cause.”
The common cause could be in the home, in our marriages, in our missionary companionships, in our workplaces, or in our teams.
He went on to say that β€œβ€¦ unity does not require sameness, but it does require harmony.”
David O. McKay taught β€œUnity, harmony, goodwill are virtues to be fostered and cherished in every home.”
I accept that unity of ideals and purpose is often hard to achieve.
So how do we build that unity, that harmony with one another?
My favourite piece of counsel and direction comes from Gordon B. Hinckley, he said β€œsomehow forgiveness, with love and tolerance, accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way.”
For all of us in life, there comes a time to confront ourselves with ourselves – it is a compulsory part of learning and growing.
A time when each of us may have to concede the error of our ways and pride gives ways to humility.
We move forward by standing together, talking together, listening together, working together, serving together, sharing together and by doing good together.
Amid all the hardships of human life, if we can understand a little more of the principle of unity and establish it in our hearts… then our homes, our marriages, our communities and our workplaces, will be much more harmonious.
If you were to explain unity to someone, what would you say?