Time Is Short--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

Time Is Short

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Sooner or later, most of us begin to realize that time is short and so we better enjoy life a little more and spend time where it really counts. How often have we heard ambitious, hard-working people say, as they look back on their lives, that if they could do it all over again, they would have spent more time with family, more time building people and relationships, more time relishing the sweet joys that each day offers? David L. Weatherford’s poem “Slow Dance” reminds us to slow down a bit and savor life’s simple moments. Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round, Or listened to rain slapping the ground? Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight, Or gazed at the sun fading into the night? You better slow down, don’t dance so fast, Time is short, the music won’t last. Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask “How are you?” do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, With the next hundred chores running through your head? You better slow down, don’t dance so fast, Time is short, the music won’t last. Ever told your child, we’ll do it tomorrow, And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch, let a friendship die, ’Cause you never had time to call and say hi? You better slow down, don’t dance so fast, Time is short, the music won’t last. When you run so fast to get somewhere, You miss half the fun of getting there. When you worry and hurry through your day, It’s like an unopened gift thrown away. Life isn’t a race, so take it slower, Hear the music before your song is over. Program #4193 Musical Selection: 1. Rejoice, the Lord Is King 2. To Thee,O Lord, Do I Lift Up My Soul 3. How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place 4. Down By the Salley Gardens (Organ solo) 5. Spoken Word 6. I May Never Pass This Way Again 7. Old Time Religion 8. All People that on Earth Do Dwell

Riders on the Earth Together--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

Riders on the Earth Together

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

The turbulent year of 1968 ended on an inspiring note with the spectacular space flight of Apollo 8. It was the first manned mission to orbit the moon, and as the astronauts looked out of their vessel into space, they suddenly caught sight of the earth rising over the moon’s horizon, “a blue and white orb sparkling in the blackness of space, in contrast to the dead lunar surface in the foreground.”1 People at home saw our amazing planet in television images and photographs and marveled at what they saw. The poet Archibald MacLeish was so moved that he wrote in the New York Times, “To see the Earth as it truly is, small and blue and beautiful in that eternal silence where it floats, is to see ourselves as riders on the Earth together, brothers on that bright loveliness in the eternal cold—brothers who know now they are truly brothers.”2 We don’t need to see our spinning planet from afar to remember that we all share this earth as our home. Yes, we live in different communities in different climates; we cherish different cultures and beliefs; we have different expectations. But we are each part of the great human family, and like any family, we’re happiest when we live by certain universal principles—when equality and fairness govern our actions, when charity and compassion motivate our efforts, when goodwill and generosity guide our attitudes. A little more of each of these virtues can make a world of difference. This truth is expressed simply but beautifully in a lyrical paraphrase of John Donne’s memorable meditation: No man is an island; No man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me; Each man’s grief is my own. We need one another, So I will defend Each man as my brother, Each man as my friend3 1. John Noble Wilford, “On Hand for Space History, as Superpowers Spar,” New York Times, July 14, 2009, D1. 2. In New York Times, July 14, 2009, D1. 3. Joan Whitney and Alex Kramer, “No Man Is and Island.” Program #4192 Musical Selections: 1. Down by the Riverside 2. Goin' Home 3. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Organ Solo) 4. Spoken Word 5. No Man is an Island 6. Ev'ry Time I feel the Spirit 7. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

The Thinking Man--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

The Thinking Man

Delivered By: Lloyd D, Newell

There is an old West African tale about a man who, more than anything else, wanted to be rich. He devoted his every thought to that endeavor and became quite successful in his quest to amass a great fortune. Nevertheless, his success came with a heavy price, for when at last he had reached his goal, he discovered that he was utterly alone. His wife and children had left him. The only friends he had were those who kept a greedy eye on his fortune. This terrible realization weighed so heavily upon him that he could not think of anything else. To this day throughout this region of Africa, vendors in the marketplace sell wooden statues that represent the rich man who lost so much. In Ghana they call him the “Thinking Man,” because for the remainder of his days all he did was contemplate the riches he had lost as a result of his greed. Every culture throughout the world has its own, similar stories that caution against the pursuit of wealth at the expense of honor, family, and integrity. Certainly, money is not evil by itself—if used wisely, it can relieve distress, provide hope, bring healing, and offer opportunity and growth. But when we begin to love money so much that the pursuit of it becomes the chief measure of our life, we lose something more precious than anything money can buy. When we are tempted to get caught up in the search for worldly wealth at the expense of those things of lasting importance, perhaps it would be wise to remember the story of the Thinking Man and consider that sometimes the pursuit of more can actually lead to less. Program #4191 Musical Selection: 1. Praise God! 2. Pilgrims' Hymn 3. A Tumpet Minuet (Organ solo) 4. O Thou Kind and Gracious Father 5. Spoken Word 6.Come, Ye Children of the Lord 7. Somewhere Out There 8. Glorius Everlasting

Keep Both Feet in Today--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

Keep Both Feet in Today

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

It has been wisely noted that having one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow is a rather unstable position. The best way to face the future, it seems, is to keep both feet in today. We can’t spend too much time looking back, because too much still lies ahead. And we can’t live only in the future, or we’ll miss out on today’s happiness. We need to live fully in the present and savor every moment, knowing that in the coming years we’ll be longing for the days we have right now. Indeed, the “good ole days” are not in the past; they are right now. Our ancestors each had their hard days and heartache, we have ours, and our descendants will all have theirs. The process of life is to go forward in the present, with the past behind us and the future ahead of us. “We do not know when we will be required to leave this mortal existence,” said Thomas S. Monson. “And so [we] ask, ‘What are we doing with today?’ . . . Have we been guilty of declaring, ‘I’ve been thinking about making some course corrections in my life. I plan to take the first step—tomorrow’? With such thinking, tomorrow is forever. Such tomorrows rarely come unless we do something about them today.”1 With that in mind, now might be a good time to reevaluate our goals and aspirations, rethink our direction and purpose in life, and refocus our efforts and energy on worthwhile endeavors. The present becomes the past in a moment, so before it does, make the most of it. The future, which is really just the unfolding present, is bright for those who take the time, as the proverb counsels, to “ponder the path of [your] feet.”2 1. “May We So Live,” Ensign, Aug. 2008, 7. 2. Proverbs 4:26. Program #4190 Musical Selection: 1. Fanfare for the New Year 2. Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" 3. New Year 4. Carrillon de Westminster (Organ solo) 5. Come, Let Us Anew 6. Spoken Word 7. Ring Out Wild Bells 8. Climb Every Mountain from "The Sound of Music"

With Wondering Awe--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd. D. Newell

With Wondering Awe

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

This is a season of wonder and awe. It’s a time when we remember a wonderful and awe-inspiring story of shepherds, Wise Men, and angels; of a little town named Bethlehem and a magnificent shining star; of a crowded inn and a lowly manger in a stable. Indeed, this is a special time of the year. And, in good measure, what makes it so special is the wonder and awe in our hearts. Awe is profound reverence mingled with respect. Wonder is deep joy mixed with astonishment. “Wondering awe” describes well the feelings we have for Christmas. But wondering awe is not reserved for the Christmas season alone. We can experience wonder and awe regularly as we observe children laugh and play, as we read and ponder the meaning of scripture, as we glory in the beauty and majesty that surrounds us every day. Wonder and awe are found in every season: winter’s snowy blanket, spring’s rejuvenated splendor, summer’s bold energy, and fall’s brisk air and brilliant colors. And it can be found in every season of life: a baby’s birth, a changed heart, a new start, an empty nest. Wherever we live, whatever our age, we can look for wonder and awe. And though the world often seems so large, so cold, so enveloped in conflict and unrest, we can join our voices in the angels’ song, look to the heavenly star, pray for peace, and experience wonder and awe. Well over a hundred years ago, an unknown author wrote of the “wondering awe” shared by the Wise Men and millions of others since: And still is found, the world around, The old and hallowed story, And still is sung in every tongue The angels’ song of glory. . . . The heavenly star its rays afar On every land is throwing, And shall not cease till holy peace In all the earth is growing.1 1 “With Wondering Awe,” Hymns, no. 210. Program #4189 Musical Selection: 1. Gloria in excelsis Deo! 2. In the Bleak Midwinter 3. One December, Bright and Clear 5. Go Tell It on the Mountain (Organ solo) 6. Spoken Word 7. With Wondering Awe 8. Winter Wonderland 9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

The Glorious Bells of Christmas--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

The Glorious Bells of Christmas

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Part of what makes the holiday season so memorable is the way it delights our senses with wonderful sights, sounds, and smells. From twinkling lights to delicate snowflakes, from a cinnamon-scented kitchen to a cozy, crackling fire, every sensation of this time of year seems to set our hearts aglow with goodwill. But perhaps our deepest emotions at Christmastime are inspired by the music of this glorious season. And throughout the world’s repertoire of Christmas music, bells seem to be the supreme symbols of our celebration. They ring throughout the season, like heavenly chimes heralding the happy news that Christmas brings. From the deep gong of a grand bell tower to the jingling of shiny sleigh bells, we thrill to their magical sound. For centuries, bells have been a familiar part of our traditions on every continent and in every culture. They are heard from ships and schools, churches and clock towers. They have rung at many important moments in our lives—wedding bells announce our joyous unions, and funeral bells summon and comfort mourners. Bells have been used to symbolize liberty and to call us to gather, to celebrate, and to worship. Truly, no more fitting symbol could be found for Christmas, for this is a season that brings people together to celebrate and worship. As bells have done throughout history, Christmas bells proclaim liberty and comfort those who mourn. They ring with the peace, joy, and hope that accompanied the holy birth we celebrate. Bells ring throughout the year, but none are as significant as those that ring at Christmastime. All around the world, we rejoice to hear beloved bells ring. As we reflect upon the blessings of this wonderful time of year, let us count among them the great news of the glorious bells of Christmas. Program #4188 Musical Selection: 1. Dance and Sing 2. O Holy Night 3. A Festival of Carols 4. Once in Royal David's City (Organ solo) 5. Spoken Word 6. Ring, Christmas Bells 7. Hallelujah! From Messiah