Words are powerful, and I love to hear true doctrine. But true doctrine accompanied by music sinks even more deeply into my heart than the spoken word alone. The hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped form the core of my testimony.
I didn't learn to play an instrument when I was young, but when my children were little I felt it was important to fill my home with hymns. Church music was my primary motivator for learning both piano and guitar. I love being able to make my own music, and I love being able to express my emotions and love for Jesus Christ through song.
Filling my home with hymns and primary songs has brought me immense joy. It's fulfilling to find (or create) an arrangement of one of my favorite hymns for guitar. But life gets busy, and I don't always take the time to play.
One trick I learned several years ago, and that I share with my guitar students, is to store my guitar on a stand rather than in a case. At one point I found myself playing piano on a regular basis but neglecting my guitar, because playing piano required very little effort whereas playing guitar required first removing it from its case, which hardly seemed worth the effort if I only had a few minutes to spare. There is a psychological concept called "activation energy" that says if you want to accomplish something, make it as easy as possible to start.
When was the last time you played one of your favorite guitar songs? What music speaks to you, and what is it trying to say? How have LDS hymns strengthened your testimony?
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