Star Spangled Banner

I was moved as we sung the National Anthem together and so many of you had memorized additional verses to the first one.  As I mentioned in class, I would like us to sing all four verses at our dinner at the end of the year so keep working on it.  I found this cool video about the history of the song that I wanted to share:


Also, I found it very helpful to listen to it (over and over) and this video has all four verses sung by a talented veteran:



Here are the lyrics again:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

If you (like me) can't hit those high notes, you can play the parts separately on lds.org (just alto or just tenor, for example) here for practice :-)

Enjoy!

Do Hard Things

Many of you really liked our summer read Do Hard Things.  I have been so impressed with how many of you are working hard at doing well on your inspirements.  I have seen how deep the discussion is when you have taken the time to be prepared.  I have felt the Spirit in the room as you have invited Him with your efforts.  Keep up the great work!

What hard things have you been doing lately?

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