Did anyone else have a "mission song?" Ours was called "Primavera en las Pampas" to the tune of "Springtime in the Rockies." I can still remember the beginning but not so much the end. "Springtime in the Pampas is the time for me, preaching to the gauchos and baptizing them there..." I think it continued "when the harvest is over, I'll return with a... pure heart (?)." Anyway, a Steve Benson thread reminded me about mission songs.

I am glad that I learned Spanish and survived some unlucky circumstances: bit by a wildcat in the beginning, almost asphyxiated by natural gas about half-way through, and spinal meningitis at the end of my 21 months. Lest I forget, there was the morning we woke up to armed soldiers and cops (?) in our room, asking what we were doing in Argentina.

Anyone else glad to return home alive? I am envious of the rumor that there was a Mar Del Plata "surf club" and of the missionaries who did summer exhibits at the beach. Not so many tantalizing activities in the port section of MDP.

In retrospect, I must say that Argentina is a very beautiful country and I met some really good people there (members and non-members); however, I would have much preferred a one-year study abroad program from a non Mormon University.

TGIF (Thank God I'm free)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2013 09:31PM by tgif.

I was glad to return alive. I was in Taiwan when Jimmy Carter decided to not play with Taiwan. Things got a little tense there for a couple of weeks for us. Then I got amoebic dysentery. Oh, and I almost forgot about getting hit with a motorcycle! LOL-Fun times!

Aquarius123 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was glad to return alive. I was in Taiwan when
> Jimmy Carter decided to not play with Taiwan.
> Things got a little tense there for a couple of
> weeks for us. Then I got amoebic dysentery. Oh,
> and I almost forgot about getting hit with a
> motorcycle! LOL-Fun times!

Glad you survived all of that, Aquarius123.

...I don't know if Uchtdorf went on a mission, but staffers in the COB said he frequently sings this around the office.......



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K08akOt2kuo

Lost message on first attempt, so I'll try again.

A Mother's Songs and Songs from Missions------

My late husband sang a sweet song on his mission years ago in New Zealand. He was assigned to play tennis to spread the Good (not to sure what is good about it) News. This is what he did this whole mission! And,if my recollection is right, he also was allowed to swim on his P-day----pretty rough mission, right?

Two other family members sang different mission songs, one served in Haiti and the other in South Africa, because they had to do their searching for victims the traditional way. As their mother, I sang a wailing song because they were called to countries with very, very dire conditions (filth and poverty, apartheid), but it only fell on deaf ears as they had been brainwashed 100% by the cult. (a word of unsolicited advice---don't EVER let the cult have a chance to do this if you can prevent it)

Happy to report that, after serving their required time, both children came home mostly whole physically, but not happy to report that they were only more deeply entrenched into the cult emotionally. This mom loudly sang an elated song of happiness that they had arrived home mainly in one piece. It was over. But I also cried my wailing song that the cult had won that round.

There is a Rome Mission song.

A CALL TO SERVE
Den norske misjonssangen (The Oslo Norway Mission Song)
midi

1. A living prophet of God has called us to serve
in the land of the midnight sun.
Here the gospel we’ll spread, to searching souls we’ll be lead;
little time, but much work to be done.

Chorus:
Father prepare us, thy spirit let guide us;
help us worthily serve night and day.
That thy sheep may be found and baptisms abound,
and thy work go ever forward in Norway.

2. There are many who wait to enter the gate
that leads to Celestial goals.
Find a family today, to unite in this way;
our purpose here is to save souls.

Chorus


Tekst og melodi: Rodney Foster (ca. 1971)
Opprinnelse (origian)

The story goes Elder Foster arose from a dream, went to a piano and played and wrote down the whole song. Even as a TBM I used to say under my breath ... he should have stayed in bed and followed the mission rules. We sang this at all mission gatherings, somewhat like Das Panzerlied ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CripLDmoSCg

Cudo's to your comment, "you should have stayed in bed," which made me laugh and, most regretably, inspire(?) this little ditty-----

Elder F, what the f***
You should have stayed in bed
Because that f***ing song you wrote
Won't leave my aching head.

I like that a lot! Several parodies were composed with various companions but alas, I have long forgotten all but a line or two.

No mission song in Tokyo North but we were required to sing the company song, every morning, at Matsushita Electric (Panasonic) in Kofu when I went back for work. I still can sing a good part of it, to the delight of many Japanese.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2013 12:50AM by ramonglyde.

Yes, we had one. I never learned it properly because I have always hated "rah-rah" type behavior.

And on the other issue, yes, I'm glad I made it out alive. I served in the mid-80s in the cradle of the drug cartels that are running the show in northern Mexico now.

Tokyo South had one. Was sung at most every conference. Never learned it really well and age has taken what I did know. Remember something about being an ensign to the nation and breaking the bamboo curtain down and teaching the Chinese too.

Rah rah zip zoom bah gooooooo team!

mankosuki Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tokyo South had one. Was sung at most every
> conference. Never learned it really well and age
> has taken what I did know. Remember something
> about being an ensign to the nation and breaking
> the bamboo curtain down and teaching the Chinese
> too.
>
> Rah rah zip zoom bah gooooooo team!


"The Tokyo South Mission is a field that's white today..."

The Tokyo South Mission
Is a field that's white today
The people are prepared to hear
The words we have to say.
By following the counsel
Of a Prophet and a Seer,
Repentance, faith, good works and prayer
Will bring in thousands here.

Onward, follow the Prophet's voice!
Teach and testify each day
Thousands wait to hear his words,
And we must find a way.

There's progress in our mission,
Conversions by the score.
A temple now, a stake or two,
And look, there's something more:
A missionary army,
A prophecy come true
We'll break the bamboo curtain down,
And teach the Chinese, too!

Onward, follow the Prophet's voice!
Teach and testify each day
Thousands wait to hear his words,
And we must find a way.

In Argentina, Cordoba in the early 80s we had "La Cancion De La M.A.C." sung to the tune of Funiculi funicula. The lyrics were rather revolting, even as a TBM. The combination of lyrics and music was comical.

I was transferred to Texas, Houston to finish out and they also had a mission song. I believe this was original music written by a former mishie. I believe it was called the Texas Houston Mission Song. This one was actually pretty cool. Since the mission included missionaries who taught exclusively in English and those who taught exclusively in Spanish, the song was sung in both languages at conferences. I still like to play that one on the piano from time to time.

I remember it well.

Loved Northwest Argentina. Cordoba, Mendoza, Jujuy, Tucuman, Catamarca (not so much. Great place.

I was in Cordoba and Mendoza, but spent most of my time up in Salta. I really liked that city a lot. Made it up to Jujuy once for a zone conference.

Verse 1:
Envoyés deux par deux
Porter le message divin,
Nous irons dans chaque lieu,
Pour enseigner son chemin.
Avec l'esprit d'amour
Et avec toute notre âme,
Nous témoignons chaque jour
La parole qui Le proclame.

Refrain:
Il y a des gens qui nous attendent
Et nous les trouverons,
Par l'obéissance et la diligence
Toujours nous marcherons,
Car nous avons la vision
Des choses que l'on peut faire,
Dans cette nation
Par chaque soeur et frère.

Verse 2:
Avec la confiance
Et la foi dans le Seigneur,
Nous luttons pour l'excellence
Donc nous serons les vainqueurs.
Car nous sommes l'armée
De la mission de Paris,
Et nous verrons le succès,
Car Jesus nous fortifie.

The whole thing is on the Paris mission's website, but that seems to be down.

Tyson

Spain Sevilla had one - I don't remember the name or all of it but the chorus went:

Espana Sevilla es nuestra mision
El campo ya blanco esta

And then something about searching out the humble with faith and bringing them to God. I have it around here somewhere but am disinclined to look for it :)

Singing Called to Serve in the MTC, it felt like we were about to mess hell up. Boo-Yah! in the most Hitler Youth way.

http://youtu.be/Avg8dUHmBlA

Here is a group of Elders, maybe in the MTC, singing the France Paris mission song. The prelude, like the Beatle's "All You Need is Love" starts with a sample from La Marseillaise.

I'm not sure why they rushed through the lyrics. We never sang it like that.