"VOICES FROM THE DUST"...our 2008 presentation

The talk which is printed here, spoken by President Ezra Taft Benson at General Conference in October 1998, is the talk that had a great influence on my life. He said that he had a vision of artists putting into words, music and pictures the great characters and themes of the Book of Mormon. He didn't know, but I had already begun. Please click to enlarge and read this wonderful talk. It may change your perspective about the Book of Mormon, like it did mine. These pages are from my journal. I included the testimony of Christopher Columbus, also in my writings, to help illustrate my feelings about why I started writing the music.

"Voices from the Dust" was finally written in 2006, and received a special award from the Church. I created this work to emphasize the importance of "the great characters and themes from the Book of Mormon" as defined by the prophet in 1988.

I asked Linda Sisneros, my friend and artist from Syracuse, Utah, to create this picture which shows that music can, indeed, come from the Book of Mormon. I've felt it, I know it, and I've done it.
This cover letter gives the central theme, synopsis and song list of the program, "Voices from the Dust."

The next two pages give the copyrighted song texts of the music.

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THE KAYE STARR SINGERS, program specialists since 2000.
Top row L-R: Mike Burdett, Andria Tupola, Kent Petersen, Chris Castro, Jared Midgley

Middle row: Suzanne Horne, Krista Fisher, Craig Morris, Kathi Nickell, Shauna Morris

1st row: Cindy Bingham, Jason Bingham, Kaye Starr Heninger, Peter Danzig, Venice Williams Here I am. These pictures were artfully donated by Jim Winborg. Thank you, Jim!
Excerpts from my copyrighted script, "Voices from the Dust."

(The pictures used are from a purchased calendar. Please note that the artists are named. Thank you!)

We'd like to tell you about some of the great priciples taught from the Book of Mormon, and introduce you to some of the people that lived and died in that ancient world.

We'll begin with Father Lehi, who was a man of considerable means and great reputation in Jerusalem. While journeying through the Arabian wilderness, the prophet Lehi, a visionary man, had a dream in which he beheld the Tree of Life. He tasted of its sweet, white fruit, and it filled his soul with such exceeeding joy that he wanted his family to taste it as well.

What was that fruit? It was the pure love of Jesus Christ. The impact of that symbolic fruit remains as fresh and delicious for us today as it did to that tiny band of uprooted Israelites.

It is seldom we find a character in the history of the ancient world that was as faithful and righteous as that of Nephi. He delighted in the things of the Lord, but sorrowed in the weakness of his own flesh. He wrote, in beautiful prose, what is now known as "The Psalm of Nephi."

Years later in the Promised Land, the people of Nephi were called to go to the temple to hear the last words from their dying prophet, the great King Benjamin. Within his speech, King Benjamin addressed the cause of families...

Some of the most precious gospel teachings come from Abinadi, a prophet who was condemned to death and burned at the stake. In the face of seething anger and hatred, Abinadi's countenance shone with luster as he spoke to the wicked priests with power and authority from God,...

Alma the Elder, one of King Noah's Priests, repented from his sins and hid in the borders of the wilderness at a place called Mormon where there were thickets of small trees and fountains of pure water. Here in the midst of this verdant valley, and by the side of the inviting streams, Alma proclaimed the principles of everlasting life and baptized everyone that went forth...

Alma the Younger was a wicked and idolatrous man, taking pleasure in evil-doing. He, along with the four sons of the honorable King Mosiah, ridiculed and persecuted the saints and did great damage to the cause of the church. Their fathers prayed with much faith concerning their sons, and in answer to their prayers, an angel suddenly appeared before the young men, causing a terrible earth quake, terrifying the young men as they collapsed to the ground...

Ammon was one of the greatest, most endearing characters of Nephite history. His desire to serve the Lamanite King, Lamoni, led him to join the king's servants in protecting their flocks. When Lamoni heard of his miraculous service, he thought that Ammon must be the "Great Spirit," and believed all his words...
These inspiring stories are beautifully spoken by our artful narrator, Grant Barton, seated here with his wife, Sheri, after our presentation for an Ogden Temple group who celebrated at Maddox's in Brigham City, Utah.

Darin and Joyce Anderson. Joyce is our expert program accompanist, and also one of my talented daughters.
Suzanne Horne and Krista Fisher. Suzanne serves as our Secretary/Treasure and Krista is our Contact/Public Relations Specialist.
Dave Petersen, Dave Burdett, Kim Waite and Kent Petersen, father of Dave, who engineered our sound. Thanks, Dave! We couldn't have done it without you!

Kent sang the words of the great king, father of King Lamoni. Kim sang Queen Lamoni's words.
Chris Castro, soloist for "Cry in Your Wilderness," uses words from Alma 33 & 34. She serves as my Assistant Director and is my "right-hand man" in all that we do.

"BEHOLD THE LAMB"...A Miracle of Love

Song adapted from I Nephi 11:13-21

(Some of the pictures shown below to illustrate this story are used without permission, and I regret that I have since lost the artist's contact information. If you are the artist, please contact me. I am currently looking for an illustrator for this story.)

THE CHRISTMAS TREASURE

A Miracle of Love

by Kaye Starr Heninger

By mid October there was a decided crispiness to the air, and I embarked on one of my walks. While watching the leaves fall from the trees, I wore a headset to hear a recording of The Book of Mormon. Soon, a longing came into my heart to write a new Christmas song, particularly one using Book of Mormon scripture.

Nephi desired to know the things that his father had seen in a dream, and he believed the Lord was able to make them known to him, also. Strangely, Nephi was just a youth at that time. The reality of that fact bore directly into my soul. Nephi saw the heavens open, and an angel came down and stood before him and asked, "Nephi, what did you see?" "A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins," was Nephi's reply to the angel. The angel also taught him that she was 'exceedingly fair and white,' introducing her as the earthly mother of the Son of God. Nephi then beheld that she was 'carried away in the Spirit' for a space of time, and then returned, 'bearing a child in her arms.'
I knew that would make a gorgeous Christmas song. I turned off my headset and listened to the rustle of the leaves as they fell to the ground. The words, 'I beheld the city of Nazareth. And in the city of Nazareth, I beheld a virgin,' were paramount in my mind as I made my way up Fernwood Drive. Amazingly, a tune came floating into my heart that fit those words. I sang it over and over to myself as I turned around and ran back down the hill.
I couldn't get home fast enough. I wanted to write that beautiful melody down before I forgot it. I ran from the piano to the table to write, then play, then write, then play, and created two pages with the following words: 'I beheld the city of Nazareth. And in that city of Nazareth, I beheld a virgin. She was fair, the most beautiful virgin above them all. She was so fair. She was exceedingly fair and white.'
When I had finished that much, I was energized and felt...in a divine way...Mary's beauty and purity.
Images of red roses and the color of all shades of pink to rose-red flooded my mind; it seemed I was experiencing pure love. I proceeded to pen words and music describing Mary's beauty.
A distinct impression told me the song should not be about Mary. Bewildered, I asked out loud, "Why not? I had experienced it; I should write it." Ignoring the prompting, I proceeded to create page three with more musical sounds to describe the Virgin Mary.
It became increasingly difficult; there was no more music. The lilting strains had vanished as quickly as they had come. Where was the beauty I had felt, and why was it so dark in the room?
The highest point of scriptural narrative in the Book of Mormon...the pinnacle of the story...is this proclamation: 'Behold the Lamb, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father!' The song was supposed to be about Him, and not about Mary. Simple as that.
I started over on page three, and the music came easily. Soon after, I awoke in the middle of the night with the urgent desire to finish the piece. It was getting cold, and outside the wind was whipping through the trees. With my quilt wrapped snugly around me, I sat at the piano with my scriptures, pencil and paper, and prayed that I might receive the music I needed to represent the sound of heavenly angels. Then I waited.I prayed and fussed around on the piano for awhile, then grew weary of the late hour and my pathetic attempts. One more time I tried my right hand on the piano and "accidentally" played what I needed. It was perfect, and I quickly incorporated that melodic structure into a Soprano/Alto duet and, after a prayer of thanks, went to bed.
The story does not end there. Seven years later Brent and I went to Nazareth. This town in Israel contains many sites today which remind worshipers of important events in the life of Jesus.
One of these important places is the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Gabriel. It was built in 1781 and stands above a source of the ancient spring which feeds the "Virgin's Fountain." This is the place where many Orthodox Christians believe the Annunciation took place.
When we entered that dark church, the clamor of tourists echoed loudly and irreverently, offending the ears of our quiet little group. We watched as they pushed down the hall toward the northernmost corner of the church. Located there was a gated pipe of water...what was left of a biblical spring. Our guide gathered us away from the noise and taught us about the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary, announcing that she would become the mother of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. He explained that the angel may have instructed Mary at that well, where it was customary for young girls to be found as they fetched water for their families. On a higher order, we appreciated the symbolism of the announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ taking place at a spring, or the "Fountain of Living Waters." We learned that fresh springs, bubbling down the rocky hills in Nazareth, could have been the newsy centers in the small towns of those days. Obviously, the news the Angel Gabriel brought to Mary was the best news of the world.
The noise was deafening, but I closed my eyes. I strained to hear our humble guide describe the setting and repeat the few available scriptures we have on the subject. As I listened, the racket made by the other tourists diminished, and I seemed to travel back in time to Nazareth as described in the Bible, where Mary grew up as a young girl. In my mind's eye, I "saw" the rocky hills and the clear water that bubbled around her feet. Then, for the second time in my life, I felt her beauty.
From that miracle has come a beautiful song, "Behold the Lamb." It gives us an opportunity to sing about the birth of Jesus Christ, and it sounds like love. It is "The Christmas Treasure."

SONG: "WATERS OF MORMON"

The Waters of Mormon is a beautiful place described in the Book of Mormon. I became acquainted with Dr. Joseph Allen, who conducts Book of Mormon tours. In his book, "Sacred Sites," on page 34, you'll see a place he believes is the "Waters of Mormon," Lake Atitlan, located 90 miles west of Guatemala City. Please click on the picture and read more.

"How beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer." (My favorite passage of that scripture.)

The Waters of Mormon could have been at Lake Atitlan.

Alma baptized many people at the waters of Momon, which may have looked like these waters in Guatemala. (This picture came from "Preach My Gospel.")
I began composing this piece in 1988, and soon after started organ and composition lessons from Dr. Rulon Christensen at Weber State College.

Waters of Mormon, original copy, p1

Dr. Christensen told me his favorite part of my song was the second chorus, shown here at bottom after the double bar. This passage is the apex of the piece, and thrills the soul to hear it. It's included on our "Voices from the Dust" program.
The most beautiful place for people is where they are when they learn about the Savior. For me, it is at the piano, my "Waters of Mormon." I have received much divine help while seated on the piano bench, with my scriptures in front of me, and paper and pencil in my hand.

My "Waters of Mormon," about 1993.

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

Items in our promo packet are shown as follows:

Cover letter with invitation to our presentations, includes contact and blog info. Please click to enlarge these pictures so you can read them

The 2008 Kaye Starr Singers Bio

Kaye Starr Heninger 2008 Bio

Voices from the Dust Cover letter.

Promotional DVD: 17 minutes of our program which premiered at the Lion House

My favorite story, "Lit with Fire," which explains why I write this music.