The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat

President Gordon B. Hinckley Musical tributes to President Gordon B. Hinckley Today, we remember Gordon B. Hinckley, beloved to us as President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who passed away at the age of 97 last Sunday.  Rather than present this in a "show" format, we'd like to simply play two tributes put together by Salt Lake City radio station FM100, as well as a timely new children's song. Most touching to me are the poignant final words, given by President Hinckley himself; "God be with you 'til we meet again." (Feel free to download and share the .pdf sheet music file; a hymn entitled "What is This Thing that Men Call Death," lyrics by President Hinckley.) That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... "God be With You" from Twenty-Five Beloved Hymns of Prayer and Faith" "God be With You" from "America's Choir" Bringing music and interviews to Latter-day Saints and their friends worldwide, The Cricket and Seagull features the unique voices of authors, artists, musicians, scholars, and fellow Saints. Pull up a chair and join us for The Cricket & Seagull Fireside Chat! "Gordon B. Hinckley" from "Latter-day Prophets" You can always find the most recent edition at MeridianMagazine.com/Radio. To get the free subscription URL for your Podcatcher, click the icon: "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" from "Twenty-Five Beloved Hymns of the Restoration" For free "One-click" instant subscription through iTunes, click the icon: CLICK to download "What Is This Thing That Men Call Death," lyrics by Gordon B. Hinckley

2008 Primary Songs Clive Romney's inventive arrangements make his annual release of the new year's Primary Program songs something to look forward to. From a Celtic version of "We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet" to Clive's yearly original contributions, this is a fun CD for children of all ages. That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull... Clive Romney Bringing music and interviews to Latter-day Saints and their friends worldwide, The Cricket and Seagull features the unique voices of authors and artists, singers and songwriters, and fellow Saints. Pull up a chair and join us for The Cricket & Seagull Fireside Chat! To get the free subscription URL for your Podcatcher, click the icon: For free "One-click" instant subscription through iTunes, click the icon:

The fresh young voices are sweet and endearing, the arrangements lively and imaginative, and you won't have to hear more than a stanza or two of the lyrics to know they are trademark Melanie Hoffman. "Stories of Jesus," the newest release from Hoffman House and Shadow Mountain features 15 delightful and touching songs on the life of Christ which show in even a brief listening why Roger and Melanie Hoffman are among the best-known and best-loved writers of music for children. That's this week on the Cricket and Seagull...

It may not look exactly like any neighborhood you know, but "Your LDS Neighborhood" is still going to feel pretty familiar once you arrive and start clicking your way around the block. Gaylen Rust and Lauryn Wingate talk about this new LDS-themed resource for books, movies, outlet malls, music, weddings, missionary stuff and more, plus their monthly giveaways. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Merry Christmas 2007! The story this week isn't breaking news even though it's good news. In fact, old or new don't really apply—it's timeless. I hope you'll have a quiet moment to relax and listen to The Christmas Story read from the New Testament, interwoven with some of my favorite Christmas music. Simple, short, and sweet. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

From their unique vantage point in front-row press seats, Meridian Magazine publisher and editor-in-chief Scot and Maurine Proctor have been close up witnesses to both the man and the mission. "Gordon B. Hinckley - Temple Builder, Up Front and Personal," is a warm and fascinating documentary-style film focused on this remarkable latter-day prophet and his urgent push to bring the temples to the people, no matter where they live. Along with beautiful photography, the Proctors share many personal moments and stories gathered from local Latter-day Saints impacted by the presence of a new temple in their midst in countries around the globe. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Her first CD, "Clay in His Hands," won 4 Pearl Awards and brought her to the attention of LDS listeners everywhere. "Better Than I" continued in the same vein, and now her third release, "Everything Speaks His Name" lets the strength of Jessie Clark Funk's voice sparkle in a wider variety of styles and settings than ever. Still, as you'll hear in this interview, the themes of atonement, grace, and seeing God's hand in the world around us are constants throughout. After all, "Everything Speaks His Name." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Inspirational Country? No, that's not an oxymoron, it's just the genre singer/songwriters Jeff Hinton and Quint Randle use to describe what they do when they write and perform together as the duo Joshua Creek. In their sophomore release, they show that there is much more material to mine where "I Love You Son" and other past favorites came from. From the opening "Sacred Ground" to the bouncy "Honey Do List" (which husbands may or may not want their wives to hear!) the themes of faith and family come through loud and clear in these touching and sometimes humorous musical observations. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

This week: Help us create “Conference Minute? a new radio feature on-air and online. LDS General Conference always dusts things off and leaves us motivated and ready to move ahead in our spiritual journey. Soon after, however, the dust of life can begin to settle and even our best resolves can begin to fade from memory. President Hinckley ended the October 2007 conference with an admonition to study and discuss the talks in our homes and with our families. To help with this, Utah's AM 820, which features LDS music 24/7 both on-air and online, will soon be presenting a "Conference Minute" several times a day, rotating through all of the speakers and presenting minute-long reminders of the wisdom and spirit available in those inspired and inspiring conference addresses. And, of course, we'll have links on the station website showing how listeners can read or hear the entire address from the official Church website. Let’s start with a few examples -- giving first place, of course to our Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley... PRESIDENT HINCKLEY PRESIDENT PACKER JULIE B. BECK ELDER DIETER F. UCHTDORF So, that’s the concept for “Conference Minute? coming soon to a radio near you if you live in Utah’s AM 820 listening area, or to a computer near you if you listen online. Why not share with us your suggestions for more “Conference Minutes??  Which talk, paragraph, or even single sentence from the recent conference affected you, touched your heart, and influenced you the most for good? Email your thoughts to SoftSundaySounds@utaham820.com. We can't wait to hear your comments!

London-born singer Alex Boyé may be the only member of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir to have had a record contract as a performer in a successful pop boy band in Europe, but one thing he shares with his fellow choir members is their passion for praising the Lord in song. With his new solo release, "Spirit," Alex shares both originals and contemporary Christian favorites with a soulful style that shows why he just won Pearl Awards for Best Contemporary Recorded Song ("Build the World") and Performing Artist of the Year from the Faith Centered Music Association. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

After raising a family, writing over 1,000 songs, releasing over 60 albums of original music, serving a full-time proselyting mission in Santiago, Chile, and surviving a debilitating stroke, you might think Janice Kapp Perry would take a vacation. Instead, she and her husband, Doug, are church service missionaries in a Spanish-speaking ward in Provo, UT, and she's just recorded her latest project for children -- "Let's Sing About Latter-day Prophets," which celebrates the Lord's latter-day leaders from Joseph Smith, Jr. to our own Gordon B. Hinckley. Each prophet is honored with a song describing their lives and missions, as well as featuring a full-color montage of each prophet's life by LDS artist and illustrator Robert Barrett. Janice discusses researching and writing the project, her philosophy of writing for children, and more. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

If you'd had nearly 20 different jobs in your life and liked (almost) all of them, you might be an expert --an expert on finding joy in work. Amanda Dickson is best-known as the co-host of Utah's Morning News with Grant and Amanda on KSL radio in Salt Lake City, but she put down the microphone and picked up the pen long enough to share a wealth of information and humor on the work we choose to do at home or in the workplace, attitudes, opportunities (like getting fired), and more. Leave it to someone who starts every morning at 3:00 AM to know how to be excited to get up tomorrow and do it all with joy. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

This week: Part 2 of our series on LDS Travel -- featuring Morris Murdock’s 10-day LDS Church History Tour with Yours Truly and Alan McKay. In February of this year -- 2007 -- I visited with Morris Murdock travel host extraordinaire Alan McKay at a Salt Lake City travel expo about the questions most people have regarding LDS Church History travel;  Why a group tour instead of doing it on your own?  How old do my children need to be to get the most from experience?  How heavily scheduled are the tours, and what can make this trip to sites from Palmyra to Kirtland to Independence to Nauvoo and Winter Quarters, a spiritual journey as well. With temperatures cooling and the leaves changing, Fall is the most beautiful time to tour in the Eastern and Mid-Western US.  We’ll also have information on how you can join Alan McKay and me for a 10-day tour of LDS Church History this Fall. That’s this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT JAMES E. FAUST Today, we remember James E. Faust, member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who passed away at the age of 87 early last Friday morning.  President Faust retired from his law practice when he was called as a General Authority of the Church thirty-five years ago and immediately introduced himself to the membership with his characteristic down-to-earth sense of humor.

 James Faust was born on a farm in Delta, UT, served a mission to Brazil, served in the military, earned a law degree and was elected to the Utah state legislature, but he is best known and best loved for his spirit of service to all, and his powerful witness of the Savior.  We pay tribute to his memory now in his own words, and with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the hymn text he wrote; "This Is the Christ."

 We will miss you, President Faust.

 That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull... This Is the Christ text by James E. Faust, music by Michael F. Moody Copyright © 1996 by the authors, used by permission They heard His voice, a voice so mild; It pierced them through and made their souls to quake; They saw Him come, a man in white, The Savior who had suffered for their sake. They felt the woulds in hands and side, And each could testify; This is the Christ; This is the Christ, the holy Son of God, Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind. This is the Christ, the healer of our souls Who ransomed us with love divine. I read His words, the words He prayed While bearing sorrow in Gethsemane; I feel His love, the price He paid. How many drops of blood were spilled for me? With saints of old in joyful cry I too can testify; This is the Christ; This is the Christ, the holy Son of God, Our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind. This is the Christ, the healer of our souls Who ransomed us with love divine.

I just dropped off my 16-year-old pioneer. Except for the burgundy tennis shoes, he looked like he might have stepped right out of the 19th century (including the haircut). I waved as he shouldered his burlap gunny sack and headed off to meet his "family" for the next three days of pulling a handcart through the Utah Rockies. I wonder what his 4th-great grandparents -- the ones who actually survived crossing half the US on foot -- would think. It's trek season and Latter-day Saint youth around the world are re-enacting the remarkable experiences of the 1856 handcart pioneers. Andrew D. Olsen, author of "The Price We Paid, the Extraordinary Story of the Willie & Martin Handcart Pioneers," shares the stories and people of these best-known handcart companies in the most in-depth and complete retelling of their incredible saga ever published. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...