The Music & the Spoken Word broadcast airs live via TV, radio, and internet stream on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. mountain time. For information on other airtimes, visit “Airing Schedules” at musicandthespokenword.org.

Music

Conductor: Mack Wilberg
Organist: Brian Mathias
Announcer: Lloyd Newell
Featuring Bells at Temple Square, LeAnna Willmore conductor

“Alleluia Fanfare/Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”¹
Music: German hymn tune
Lyrics: Joachim Neander; translation by Catherine Winkworth
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg
With Bells at Temple Square

“Prayer of Thanksgiving”
Music: Edward Kremser (based on a Dutch melody)
Lyrics: Translation by Theodore Baker
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Come, Ye Thankful People Come” (organ solo)
Music: George J Elvey
Arrangement: Brian Mathias

“For the Beauty of the Earth”²
Music: Conrad Kocher
Lyrics: Folliott S. Pierpoint
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Simple Gifts”
Music: Shaker tune
Arrangement: D. Linda McKechnie
Featuring: Bells at Temple Square and Orchestra at Temple Square, with LeAnna Willmore conducting

“Now Thank We All Our God”
Music: Johann Crüger
Lyrics: Martin Rinkhart, translation by Catherine Winkworth
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”^1,3
Music: American folk hymn
Lyrics: Robert Robinson
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg
With Bells at Temple Square 

1. From the album America’s Choir.
2. From the album Love is Spoken Here.
3. From the album Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

The Spoken Word

Our First Noble Deed of the Morning

Even during difficult times, perhaps especially during difficult times, we need the blessing of gratitude. Consider this invitation from President Russell M. Nelson: “Our first noble deed of the morning should be a humble prayer of gratitude.”¹

Can you imagine a day that begins that way? How might we approach a day that we consider a gift from God? After all, this glorious world and everything good in it comes from Him, including our very lives. We can never finish counting our blessings, but we can start, and we can “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God…bestow[s] upon [us].”²

So how can we more fully live in thanksgiving daily?

“I don’t think gratitude means pretending that everything in my life has been easy. Of course, I’ve had my difficult times. But deep in my heart I’ve always tried to thank God for the little blessings that come along. I’ve found that as I look for reasons to be thankful, I always find them.”

“I used to get quite negative and down at times, but when I made the decision to be more grateful, I’ve just felt happier. I notice things like the beautiful world around us, my loving family—all kinds of good things and good people around me. Deciding to be thankful has totally changed my perspective. In fact, I would say it’s changed my life.”

“To me, prayer is the key to gratitude. I pray every morning and express my thanks to God for His many blessings. There’s something about saying it out loud that drives the gratitude deeper into my heart.”

“It’s great to have a day or a season to set aside for thanksgiving. But God’s blessings are always there, so my heart can be full of thanks to God and my loved ones during all seasons, every day.”

It’s easy for our prayers to become a list of requests, like we’re putting in an order at “a cosmic vending machine.”³ What could happen if instead we saw prayer as a chance to express thanks? Of course, the great God of the universe wants to bless us, and He invites us to ask, seek, and knock.⁴  But it’s also true that one of the greatest blessings He offers is the peace and perspective that fill our souls when we live in thanksgiving each day.

1. Russell M. Nelson, “Joy Cometh in the Morning,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 68.
2. Alma 34:38.
3. D. Todd Christofferson, “Our Relationship with God,” Liahona, May 2022, 78.
4. See Matthew 7:7.