Author Archives: Joyce Anderson

About Joyce Anderson

Joyce is a mother, wife, sister, school teacher, Bulgarian speaker, conservative, lover of good music, social media junky and a two time culinary arts Grand Champion bread baker. She and the family reside in a remote mountain community where great discoveries have been made. When not changing the world, she enjoys the occasional bowl of chips and salsa. She can be found at: http://pinterest.com/TheAtomicMom

Music Monday: If Ye Love Me Keep My Commandments

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This year’s theme scripture for the Young Men and Women is John 14: 15, “If ye love me keep my commandments.” Last week in our ward’s mutual opening exercises, we all stood and repeated this scripture together. It was very powerful for me sitting on the back row, with my two year old daughter on my lap. I was so glad she was able to hear these young women and men say this short, but powerful declaration. The Spirit was there as these words were said, and these teenagers believed what they were saying. It was powerful.

In this arrangement The Swingles (nee The Swingle Singers), are singing this scripture set to music by the 16th Century composer Thomas Tallis, which has been arranged for double choir by Kevin Fox. The parts loop over and over each other, which creates a beautiful choral round.

The text also continues with verses 16-17. The whole passage reads:

15  If ye love me,keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; 

Music Monday: It Is Well With My Soul

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Welcome to 2019! I enjoyed writing about Christmas music in the month of December. (See all of those posts HERE). It really helped stave off my usual holiday anxiety, and even though we were down with the flu, we had an enjoyable Christmas. I wanted to continue writing about inspiring music this year — although not every day. So, I’m going to try most Mondays to share a song, hymn … something to divert you, and me from the insanity that is our social media world. If you have a favorite song, let me know in the comments and I’ll write about it. Continue reading →

Christmas Music: “And On the Morrow Come I Into the World”

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Merry Christmas from all of us at The Millennial Star. We all wanted to thank you for reading and commenting on our posts all year — we hope you continue to come back.

It’s been so personally enriching to write about music this month. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I loved it so much, I’m going to continue to write about music, literature and other nice things in 2019 — because let’s face it, the news is depressing.

As I was thinking of what I wanted to write about in this last music post, my thoughts were directed to the words of Samuel the Lamanite in the Book of Mormon and his prophesy of the birth of Christ. Helaman 14: 1-8,

1 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.

2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.

3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Continue reading →

Christmas Music: Angel Songs and Coming to Christ

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I decided last Sunday I better get with it and finish up reading the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. Nothing like a project to keep you on your toes during the holidays, when all your toes have been bitten off by Christmas mice. As I’ve been reading in Alma I have been impressed deeply by many things. First, I love Alma this time through more than I have ever in the past. His words are filling me, answering my questions, giving me peace. The constant invitation to come to the Savior is there reminding me that I need to do better at that.

Alma the Younger was a wild child — he says so himself in Alma 38: 7, “But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.” Most of us are probably not going to have an angel visit us and call us to repentance (I think I’ll say “thankfully” right here). We have that invitation in the scriptures and thru the words of the prophets. The Savior always has the invitation extended to “Come Unto Him”. We just have to decide to take that invitation and He will be there to help us. Continue reading →

Christmas Music: Shepherds on the Hills and the Animals in the Stable

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A few years ago, I set out to start a tradition of reading Christmas themed books in the month of December as a family. I wanted to wrap each book up and then have the kids pick a book and we’d read whatever book was under the wrapping paper. As it stands I had only enough juice in me to wrap all of those books once. (Because each kid had to have a book to open each night or there would be no peace on earth or goodwill toward men in our house. 24 books x 3 kids = 72 books YIKES!). So all of our Christmas story books just live, unwrapped in a Rubbermaid bin which gets toted out and set near the Christmas tree in December. The kids can pick and choose books as they want. Mama is much happier that way. This tradition has helped our family discover some very fun and tender Christmas books. One of our favorites is The Animals’ Christmas Eve. This book talks about the animals that were in the stable and witnessed the birth of the Savior. It’s one of my favorite books to read to my kids.

When I think of animals I’m very thankful that we have them. They enrich our lives as pets, they help us work and eat (as in they are beasts of burden on farms, and also raised as food).

It was prophesied by Zechariah in the Old Testament that Christ would come, riding a donkey, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (see Zechariah 9:9).

That prophesy was fulfilled in Mark 7: 1-3, “And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.” Why a donkey though? Christ was the Prince of Peace, the donkey symbolized peace in ancient times, whereas a horse was an animal used in war. It’s very fitting that Mary probably rode a donkey to Bethlehem, and Christ also rode a donkey from Bethlehem into Jerusalem. Continue reading →