On Friday, November 11th Kim was able to deliver key boards to these 2 great young women and first cousins (Celine and Giovanna). Ricardo Cardosa (in the photo below) as a teenager in Cape Verde was taught on the keyboard program and is now teaching others. Kim had contacted people in Spain, Germany and the United States before reaching someone with the Harman Music Education Fund. Once she was able to contact the right person the keyboards arrived within a week to Lisbon!
In 1998, Jack and Wauna Harman, a philanthropic couple in the state of Washington, USA, established the Harman Music Education Fund to work in harmony with the Church’s music education programs and resources. Funding is currently available for keyboards, keyboard courses, and conducting courses.
The goal of this program is for students worldwide to learn basic skills well enough to direct hymns and provide keyboard accompaniment in their Church meetings.
Under the direction of local Church leadership, a ward or branch member or senior missionary must coordinate course schedules and storage of course materials. When students complete the keyboarding course and commit to share their new skills in Church meetings, they may apply to receive their own keyboard to keep at home.
SCRIPTURE POWER
Among the 50 questions that Alma asks members of the church in Zarahemla are: “Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.” (Alma 5:28)
To be stripped of pride we must become humble.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “All progress in spiritual things is conditioned upon the prior attainment of humility.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 3, page 321)
Alma (who was himself compelled to be humble) taught the poor Zoramites that even when one is compelled to be humble it is a blessing. “And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved. And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?” (Alma 32:13-14)
"Humility is not a mental groveling about our worthlessness. We are the children of God and the crown of his creations. True humility is a recognition of our actual position in relationship to God. If we truly sensed our total dependence upon God, as [king] Benjamin did, it would profoundly affect our daily living. It is when we forget our position in relationship to God that we begin to trust in our own wisdom, pursue our own course, abuse our rights, and ignore our blessings." – (Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981, p. 155)
Preach My Gospel states: “Humility is willingness to submit to the will of the Lord and to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished. It includes gratitude for His blessings and acknowledgment of your constant need for His divine help. Humility is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of spiritual strength. When you humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, you can have the assurance that His commandments are for your good. You are confident that you can do whatever the Lord requires of you if you rely on Him. You are also willing to trust His chosen servants and follow their counsel. Humility will help you as you strive to be obedient, to work hard, and to serve selflessly.” (“Humility”, Preach My Gospel).
C.S. Lewis said: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” (Mere Christianity)
Elder James E. Talmage said, “Gratitude is twin sister to humility; pride is a foe to both.” (“Sunday Night Talks by Radio,” published by The Deseret News Press, p. 483)
Humble people do not contend with others.
“Only by pride cometh contention:” (Proverbs 13:10)
Solution to avoid contention- “Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among them.” (Mosiah 23:15)
Even when persecuted, and afflicted by the words of others, humble people do not contend. Pride occurs when one contends.
“But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ. Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the word of God, one with another, without money and without price. Now there was a strict law among the people of the church, that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there should be no persecution among themselves. Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists.” (Alma 1: 19-22)
“And now all these things did Alma and his fellow laborers do who were over the church, walking in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God.” (Mosiah 26:38)
When humble people are persecuted they turn to Christ for healing and consolation.
“And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God—And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction. Nevertheless they [the more humble] did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.” (Hel. 3:33-35)
“Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God. And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper,” (Hel. 4:11-13)
“But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions; For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers. And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches. Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.” (3 Ne. 6:10-13) In order to remain humble we need to “receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and..not turn and revile”
“And they did smite upon the people of Jesus; but the people of Jesus did not smite again.” (4 Ne. 1:34)
Peter wrote as follows:
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you. …
“[Have] your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God. …
“For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
“For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
“… because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
“Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. …” (1 Pet. 2:11–12, 15, 20–21, 23.)
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