This is an arrangement of Hymn 223 in the LDS Hymnbook. I have arranged this hymn to be in a lower voice range than the original. It is also an easier piano accompaniment for those who need that.
I have created a YouTube video to go along with this arrangement and you can find it here. This could also be used in karaoke style for your primary.
A Few Tips For Teaching
This is an upbeat happy song. The first three phrases are questions. These could be discussed and then brainstorm ideas that the children can or have served others. You could print the questions out on paper and put a blank piece of paper under them, then have a child come and draw a picture of what could be done to answer these questions.
Another fun idea is something I remember my brother learning in Boy Scouts a long time ago. If you have two strong boys stand facing each other, each boy extends one bent arm out front( have them use opposite arms). Their other arm is bent across their body. Then they hook together with their extended arms and form a sort of chair. If they bend down, a smaller child could sit on that “arm” chair and be raised and carried. The smaller child could hook their arms around the strong boy’s neck for balance. Both the boys working together can hold a person for quite a while because neither one is carrying the load alone. This might be fun to do while the children sing the second 1/2 of the first verse. Please stand close by to rescue any mishappenings!
Actions are always helpful. Keeping their arms or feet busy helps cement the words and melody into their minds. Here are a few suggestions.
world: bring arms into a big circle above the head
helped: hold hand vertically over eyes (like you are looking for something)
cheered: both hands touch chin then circle up like a smile
glad: raise a fist in celebration
failed: cross your body with a fist and bent arm (like a shucks sign)
lighter: raise both hands
share: sweep arms out (like giving something away)
sick and weary: put the back of your palm on the forehead (you could change hands with each word)
helped: one hand grabs the other hand and pulls in front of the body
my help: both thumbs point to me
Chorus:
wake: fingers explode outward and circle around
dream: both hands on the side of the face, close eyes
pleasure: circle your horizontal palm outward with a slight bow
measure: hands start together then one hand extends
duty: thumbs up sign
love: fingers and thumb make a heart
Gospel Teaching
Our church is busy doing good. I plan on using the scripture “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).
The children might want to brainstorm some service that THEY can do. Sometimes the children might think they are just too little. Here is a scripture to help explain that THEY can do great things. “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).
Here is a fun video by Boyd K Packer on teamwork and how oxen teams working together can move very heavy loads. When the children work together with family or friends, there can be great things happen.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2013-10-1111-equally-yoked-together?lang=eng
Music Method
This song is written in a 6/8 time signature. When leading, you could beat out a quick 1-2-3-1-2-3 in each measure, or a longer 1-2 for each measure. I tend to lean towards the 2 counts pattern. That is made by making a smile with your hand, nice and slow back and forth.