2015 Family Songbook
Music has always been a part of our family. My husband, Michael, began to deejay before I met him. My home is often filled with music that gets you moving. We love to dance and have fun together.
My car is a place for classical music. I can rest my mind and let it wander to beautiful places. It is like a vacation for my soul.
Our evening routine also includes music. This year we introduced the Family Songbook. I simply bought 10 plastic folders with brads and printed the songs we would like to learn.
Our younger children wanted to learn the songs for the 2015 Primary Program. They also chose to learn "Follow the Prophet" in french and "The Church of Jesus Christ" in ASL.
Our teens chose to learn "Called to Serve" in both english and french. I added the song "Come Unto Christ" from the 2014 mutual theme and will add the song from the 2015 theme when it is released.
We take turns choosing and conducting a song from the book every night before family prayer. I have already seen more unity and beautiful growth in my family.
My family loves to have fun and they are drawn to anything that makes them feel happy. The come easily when called because music makes them happy.
The little children love to pass out the songbooks. Little Madison collects all ten every night and it is so comical to watch her try to hold them all in her arms with a giant grin on her face. She can do it "all by herself".
Marian, Moroni, and Modestie love to have their turn choosing the song, but I am surprised by how easily they are learning to conduct the music. They have a really good teacher. Marquis is the drum major at school and is more than excited to share his knowledge with the family. Last night he announced that he is going to learn to play all of the songs in our book on the piano, drums, and on the trumpet.
Meric likes the challenge of learning the songs in other languages.
I have seen my oldest children, Melodie and Michael, pull closer to the family because of the few minutes we take each night to sing together before we pray. They love the nostalgia of singing songs from when they were little. I have also seen more peace in my home and in our family relationships as good music invites the Spirit to fill my home and fill our hearts. We are more spiritually prepared to address Heavenly Father in prayer. Our prayers are more sincere and heartfelt than they have been in the past.