The Suzuki Method of Primary Songs

Eleven years ago, when I was pregnant with Xander, I attended a Stake Conference that changed my life. It was a talk given by the Mission President's wife. She was talking about Family Home Evening with their eight children. She talked about how, since there were so many ages, that she just assumed the younger twin boys, who were just younger than two at the time, weren't really getting anything out of the lessons.

One particular Family Home Evening, they showed a picture of Jesus. The twins were playing on the ground, doing typical almost two year old things. They both stopped and looked at the picture and walked over and pointed and got really excited and said, "Jesus" in their own little way. She emphasized the fact that what we are exposing our children to, they will become familiar with it, they will recognize it and they will know it.

I have never forgotten that talk. For whatever reason, the spirit spoke to my heart about that concept. I think about that talk a lot. I'm sure that Mission President's wife has no idea how she changed my life that day. I already knew the concept, but it was something that I would use throughout my life and the spirit wanted me to remember it!

I have been reminded many times in my life as my children were young about this concept. They are amazing when it comes to spiritual matters. They know and they feel and they recognize.

Interestingly enough, the way my husband teaches violin, through the Suzuki Method, has that same concept. Dr. Sinichi Suzuki taught, that if you immerse a small child in a language, they will learn to speak the language. If you are following the Suzuki Method and listening to the music tapes and practicing and do the repetition, your child will learn the instrument.

Yesterday, we were in the car and I turned on the CD of the Primary songs. Every night when Savannah and Eleanor go to bed, we sing some songs and one of them is the song, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." Savannah had been looking out the window listening to the music and when the song came on, she started "singing" to the music. It was so amazing to listen to her voice rise and fall with the notes, even though she did not utter a word.

She knows the song and she was singing her testimony to me in her little way.

Once again, the words of the talk came back to me. I, of course, started to cry and the spirit spoke to my heart again about the importance of immersing yourself in good things so you will become familiar with them.

I pondered on how I can be a better song leader by immersing the children in things that will help them feel and recognize the spirit. I smiled as I thought about my attempt the day before to help them recognize those feelings. That is what it is all about. Repetition. The Suzuki Method of feeling the spirit!

My job as the song leader is to help them express their testimony through song, to help them feel the spirit as they are singing and know what it is they are feeling. What an awesome responsibility, yet I know I am supposed to have this calling and I will be blessed to accomplish what the Lord needs me to accomplish! That's why I LOVE this calling! It's the BEST!