Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, taught in October 2025 general conference that Primary songs are “sermons for disciples of Jesus Christ, testimonies to the truthfulness of the restored gospel and prayers set to music.”
Primary music leaders teach the gospel of Jesus Christ through music, explains the General Handbook. Singing time on Sundays helps Primary children learn about Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness and feel His love.
Appendix C in the “Come, Follow Me” manual, which is titled “For Primary — Instructions for Singing Time and the Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation,” outlines several ideas for music leaders to use to teach doctrine during singing time, such as:
- Read related scriptures
- Fill in the blank
- Testify
- Stand as a witness
- Use pictures
- Share an object lesson
- Invite sharing of personal experiences
- Ask questions
- Use simple hand actions
While visiting wards, members of the Primary general advisory council have seen how these examples of teaching have been working.
Sister Temutisa M. Maile said the Spirit becomes present when the music leader knows her children and is able to use those ways above to reach them.
“It definitely makes the doctrine alive for the children. You can see children feel it and it is getting into their hearts. It’s beautiful to see and feel it through participation,” she said.
Sister Kathryn W. Godderidge said Primary General President Susan H. Porter has invited the Primary general advisory council to help Primary music leaders consider, “Do the children know and understand what they are singing about?” and “How has what we learned in singing time today helped the children to come closer to the Savior?”
When Sister Godderidge shares these questions with a music leader, she said, they realize the importance of their calling.
“Sometimes it is easy to become more focused on helping the children learn words to a song than on the rich doctrine they are singing,” she said. “Engaging children in learning the doctrine as they sing can help them not only learn the words, but help the gospel sink deep into their hearts for a lifetime.”
Asking questions
Asking children a simple question before or after they sing a song can open their minds to the doctrines being taught.
Questions could be “What can you learn about Jesus Christ as you sing this song?” Or “What does this song teach us about prayer?” Or “How do you feel as you sing that song? Where are those feelings coming from? What do you think Heavenly Father wants you to know?” Sister Godderidge said.
Sister LuAnn Snow said after one Primary’s sacrament meeting presentation, the children were asked, “What was your favorite part of the program?” and “When did you feel the Spirit?”
One girl named Haylie Pugh responded, “While we were singing ‘Building Zion,’ I felt like I could do anything with Jesus.”
Said Sister Snow, “Her pure witness reminds us how deeply children can feel the love and strength of Jesus Christ — and of the sacred role Primary leaders play in helping them recognize how the Spirit testifies of the truths they are learning by asking simple questions.”
Sister Godderidge visited a Primary when they sang the song “The Miracle.” The music leader asked the children to think about the words and about Jesus as they sang.
Nine-year-old boy Zayden Jensen raised his hand and asked, “Can I have Jesus Christ’s power?”
“Because of a Primary song, and the Spirit he felt, this boy was learning about God’s power, how it applied to him, and wanted to learn more,” Sister Godderidge said.
Feeling the Spirit
When visiting another ward’s Primary singing time, Sister Snow spoke to the children about the importance of recognizing the Spirit. She invited them to pay attention to how they felt while they were singing songs about Jesus Christ so they could share what they felt with others.
After Primary was over, a young boy named Gavin Roylance came up to her and said, “I am a witness.” As they talked, he shared with her more about what he was feeling and how he loved Jesus.
“We should never underestimate the powerful witness of the Spirit — not only as we stand as a witness but as we intentionally create experiences that invite children to recognize and express how the Spirit feels to them,” Sister Snow said.
After listening to children sing in another Primary singing time, Sister Snow invited the children to share how they feel the Spirit. One boy told her, “When I feel the Spirit, I feel that my life has purpose.”
Sister Snow said this answer reminded her that helping children learn Primary songs is a sacred opportunity to teach and testify.
“As music leaders create experiences where children can feel the Spirit and recognize how it speaks to them, singing time becomes a place where faith is strengthened and habits of spiritual discernment are formed — blessings that can guide them throughout their life,” she said.
Using variety
Tiffany Bliss, a music leader in the Gregson Ward in the Salt Lake Wilford Stake, finds that variety is a helpful tool for a successful singing time — such as standing, sitting, using arms and legs, singing, listening, asking and answering questions, being playful and being serious.
“Primary children’s bodies may be small, but their spirits and their testimonies are big,” Bliss said. “We cannot underestimate our Primary children and their ability to learn and understand the most important doctrines of the gospel.”
Bliss also talks about what the lyrics mean, sometimes through reading scripture verses that connect to the song lyrics or watching a short, relevant video of the Prophet or another Church leader. She asks the children to share their experiences.
“When I feel the Spirit is palpable in our Primary room, we stop and I ask them to notice how they feel so they can recognize when the Spirit is bearing witness to them. And I always, always bear testimony of the simple truths of which we sing.”
Using the new hymns
With new hymns and songs being released in batches for the new hymnbook, sacred music is currently getting new attention and appreciation, said Sister Kathleen F. Kelly of the Primary general advisory council.
“I feel that one way our Heavenly Father shows His love for us as His children is by giving us sacred music,” Sister Kelly said. “Primary music is full of His love.”
She said she loves that the new sacred hymns that have been written for children are now being enjoyed by everyone in sacrament meeting as part of the new hymnal. Two of her new favorites are “Close as a Quiet Prayer” and “Holy Places.”
“Through music, children can learn gospel principles in such a beautiful way. These principles can bless them daily and strengthen their testimonies throughout their lives,” she said.
AnJanette Broderick, Primary music leader in the West Bountiful 6th Ward, West Bountiful Utah Stake, loves the new music in “Hymns for Home and Church” and tries to incorporate it often.
“I feel like the kids can handle more. I feel like they are coming stronger. They just have bigger questions,” she said.
For example, for Mother’s Day, the Primary children sang the new hymn “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling” in sacrament meeting.
Broderick said when practicing the song with the children, she took time to ask and answer questions.
“I try to sing way more than I talk, but if there’s a tricky word, then we’ll talk about it,” she said. “We broke down what ‘softly and tenderly’ meant. … I try and just break it down and make it so it’s understandable for them.”
At Christmas, the children learned and sang “Little Baby in a Manger” from the new hymnbook. “Holy Places” is another new song she said can teach children about the temple in a doctrinal way.
“If we can teach them, if they can remember holy places — my home can be a holy place, my heart and the temple — it’s so beautiful. That’s what they need. The world has changed, and these kids need something more.”
Songs staying with them
Sister Kelly said gospel truths taught through music stay with children as they grow.
Andrea Parker, a stake Primary president in American Fork, Utah, told Sister Kelly about a returned missionary who had wanted to leave his mission.
“He felt alone and scared,” Parker wrote to Sister Kelly.
The words from “A Child’s Prayer” came into his mind: “Pray, He is there; speak, He is listening. You are His child; His love now surrounds you.”
The missionary knew he needed to pray for an answer, and after prayer he ultimately stayed on his mission and served with all his heart, Parker explained.
“My heart burst with love for his Primary music leaders who taught that song, ‘A Child’s Prayer,’ over and over through this young man’s time in Primary. Those words were there for this missionary when he needed them,” Parker wrote.
Bliss said her prayer is that as the children grow, when they are “sad or confused or scared or unsure,” a Primary song will enter their minds to remind them of what they know and of the testimonies they have built.
Said Broderick: “We have to arm our kids to be strong in the world that they live in, and one of the best ways is through music. They can take that doctrine and those songs with them for the rest of their lives. Arming them with pure doctrine through music will stay with them forever.”
