Thursday, April 17, 2008

Works for Me Thursday??


Rocks in My Dryer hosts a Works for Me Wednesday blog carnival, where bloggers share an idea that they are using in their lives. Well I can never remember on Wednesday to do one, so just pretend, ok?

After countless conference talks about singing the hymns in our home, and having a testimony myself that if you have hymns and scriptures memorized, the Holy Ghost can use them to prompt you, we have finally come up with a good way to help our children memorize the hymns. We had always tried singing hymns and Primary songs as a family, but it was tedious and time-consuming to teach a new one as often as we wanted them to learn new songs. Nearly a year ago, we started a new tradition in our home--the Hymn of the Week.

Now on either Sunday evening or Monday at Family Home Evening, we choose a hymn for that week. We take time then to repeat it a few times, explaining what the words mean and answering any questions that the kids may have. Then, all week long we sing it before family prayer morning and night. We don't worry about it if the first couple of days Jared & I are the only ones singing. By the end of the week, even the youngest singers know the words. Often, we'll let them perform a little solo at the end of the week to show us what they've learned.

This is especially helpful in sacrament meeting. They get excited when we sing a hymn that we know (and by now, they know around 50, so it happens pretty often.) Even though Kimball is the only one who can read efficiently enough to sing along while reading, the other boys can sing any hymn that we already know. (Ok, truth be told, sometimes they couldn't care less if it's a hymn they know--some days are just like that. But SOMETIMES they choose to sing along when it's one they know!)

I have always loved the hymns. They speak peace to me in troubled times, they teach the principles of the gospel, and they always bring the spirit. Now I feel like we are helping my children have that influence in their lives as well.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love to kneel for famiy prayer on Sunday night and hear the kids sing the "Hymn of the Week." They will always be glad that they learned them. One of these days soon you might start teaching them how to lead a hymn.

Myrna Mom

An Ordinary Mom said...

We just started doing a "Hymn of the Week" a few months ago and it has been a big hit in our house! I don't remember where I got the idea, though.

Happy Singing!

Rebecca Blevins said...

This is such a fantastic idea, Michal! We may have to implement it in our house, especially since I realized that Princess was walking down the hall at church singing "White and Nerdy". (Weird Al.) I only realized it when she sang, "whiter than sour cream".

Sonja said...

This one really hits home. Your children will be SO grateful that you are doing this and you've inspired me!

One that our family has down is: We must all speak kind words to each other....

:)

A mother heart said...

What a fabulous idea! I think I may steal this idea for our kids. I love the hymns and really want my kids to love them as well.

mindyluwho said...

50 hymns...wow! I used to do something like that with my kids, but have slacked off over the last few years. I regret it because the younger ones don't know as many hymns as the older ones did. Thanks for the inspiration!

Christine said...

Very impressive! Nothing works for me I'm afraid.

a10cowwoman said...

great idea!