Back in 2009, I was sitting in stake conference listening to our visiting authority, Elder J Roger Fluhman speak. He mentioned how he loved hymn #114, “Come unto Him” and that he was sad that it wasn’t sung much anymore.
I pulled out my hymnbook and openend to #114. Sure enough, it was one that I didn’t recognize in the slightest, so I put the hymnbook away as I mentally assigned that song to the Island of Misfit Hymns.
It was then that I heard Elder Fluhman say, “I was wondering if Sister Melinda Allred would be willing to come up and sing this hymn for us when I’m done speaking.”
The congregation (of over 500 people) audibly gasped.
I felt my face get hot. My heart started racing, and my deodorant stopped working.
Surely he wasn’t serious.
Except he was.
I did the only thing that made sense to me in that moment. I sent a text to three of my friends who were there and asked them if they would be willing to help with the impromptu musical number. They, being the loyal and adventurous friends that they are, agreed.
To be honest, I don’t even remember how it went. I know we did our best under the circumstances, but I’m still not sure if it was our biggest victory or our biggest failure.
Ever since then, I have wanted to reclaim that hymn–take it and arrange it into something beautiful and that I could be proud of.
It only took me 16 years, but I finally got around to doing it.
I kept the original text but replaced the dated tune with a new, original melody. I turned the third verse into a pre-chorus and chorus, and then wrote a new final verse.
Interestingly enough, the more I worked on this arrangement, the more I came to love this hymn. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful.