PRESENTATION
Music was a large part of the pioneers lives. They sang as the walked, and worked and played. It helped to make them happy and to remember their God. Although our research didn't turn up many trail songs, We thought you might enjoy singing songs dedicated to the pioneers after each short video presentation to get you into the pioneer spirit and to help you feel the love and trust the Lord had in them... and in you.
Rescue Riders Video
Sing: come thou Fount of Every Blessing.
Come Come Ye Saints
History of "Come, Come Ye Saints"
Although it is generally believed that William Clayton wrote "Come, Come, Ye Saints" on the journey between Winter Quarters and Salt Lake City, the hymn was really written, while Brigham Young's Company was traveling from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters.
President Young, feeling great anxiety because there were murmurings in the camp of Israel, called Elder William Clayton aside and said, "Brother Clayton, I want you to write a hymn that the people can sing at their campfires in the evening; something that will give them succor and support, and help them to fight the many troubles and trials of the journey. Elder Clayton withdrew from the camp and in two hours returned with the hymn familiarly known as "Come, Come, Ye Saints." His personal testimony is to the effect that it was written under the favor and inspiration of the Lord."The song, indeed, seems to have been written under the Lord's inspiration, for He has used it often to uplift His Saints.
Oscar Winters, President Heber J. Grant's father-in law, relates the following story:
One night, as we were making camp, we noticed one of our brethren had not arrived and a volunteer party was immediately organized to return and see if anything had happened to him. Just as we were about to start, we saw the missing brother coming in the distance. When he arrived, he said he had been quite sick, - so some of us unyoked his oxen and attended to his part of the camp duties. After supper, he sat down before the campfire on a large rock and sang in a very faint, but plaintive and sweet voice, the hymn "Come, Come, Ye Saints.‖ It was a rule of the camp that whenever anybody started this hymn, all in the camp should join, but for some reason this evening nobody joined him. He sang the hymn alone. When he had finished, I doubt if there was a single dry eye in the camp. The next morning, we noticed that he was not yoking up his cattle. We went to his wagon and found that he had died during the night. We dug a shallow grave and after we had covered the body with the earth, we rolled the large stone to the head of the grave to mark it--the stone on which he had been sitting the night before when he sang, "And should we die before our journeys through--Happy day! All is well ".
Truly, "Come, Come, Ye Saints" is worthy to be placed among the great hymns of Christian literature. With it, Clayton catches the spirit and sentiment of an oppressed people and crystallizes them into simple verse that arouses the interest of the multitude.
Video: Come come Ye Saints
Sing Come Come ye Saints
Next is a song that was written by a member of the church for their stake's 2012 pioneer trek. It is a beautiful reminder of how we carry on the heritage left to us by our pioneer ancestors.
A Heritage of Faith video
Sing "Faith in Every Footstep"
YouTube - Videos from this email