How do I use Church music to learn about the plan of salvation?

The First Presidency has said:

“Inspirational music is an essential part of our church meetings. The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord. Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns. Hymns move us to repentance and good works, build testimony and faith, comfort the weary, console the mourning, and inspire us to endure to the end” (Hymns, 1985, p. ix).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke eloquently in General Conference, October 1994, regarding the importance of music in our spiritual lives. He made the following points:

• "The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to put ourselves in tune with the Spirit of the Lord." Being in tune with the Holy Ghost is essential to learning about the gospel. The Spirit is the true teacher. To hear his whisperings, we need to be attuned to the divine. Our feelings must be sensitized. Uplifting music can sharpen our feelings and open our hearts to the still small voice.
• "The singing of hymns is one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel." The hymns in the LDS hymnal have been carefully selected by Prophets, Seers and Revelators not only for their melodic qualities, but more specifically for their messages. Every hymn has a specific purpose and message. The composers and authors were inspired by the Holy Ghost to create the hymns. They stand next to the Standard Works as officially sanctioned words of inspiration and revelation.
• "Hymn singing is a glorious way to worship." The word "glorious" means having a striking beauty or splendor that evokes feelings of delighted admiration. When we join our voices together in worship, the effect can be quite delightful. All who sing are united in a common thought. The technical level of musicality may or may not be beautiful, but the uniting of our hearts is splendid indeed. We admire not the music itself but the God who inspired it and who inspires us to sing unto him.
  
  Commenting further on the use of music in our worship services, Elder Oaks said, "Music in our worship services is not for demonstration but for worship. Our sacred music prepares us to be taught the truths of the gospel. Our sacred music is a powerful preparation for prayer and gospel teaching."
  
• "When temptation comes, we can neutralize its effect by humming or repeating the words of a favorite hymn." A similar prescription was given many years ago by Elder Boyd K. Packer. He taught that the mind is like a stage on which only a single act can be performed at a time. When unworthy thoughts attempt to upstage the virtuous play in our mind, we can drive them away by singing or repeating the words of a favorite hymn that we have memorized for just such occasions. The Spirit will not stay in the presence of evil, but evil cannot stay in the presence of virtue.
  
  Elder Oaks added additional counsel on the power of music to help us be in tune with the Spirit: "We need to make more use of our hymns to put us in tune with the Spirit of the Lord, to unify us, and to help us teach and learn our doctrine.  We should use hymns when we need spiritual strength and inspiration."

Finally, Elder Oaks gave us a unique insight into the workings of the highest councils of the Church and how music assists them in their duties and meetings:

"When the Lord’s Apostles meet in modern times, the singing of hymns is still part of their meetings. The weekly meetings of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the Salt Lake Temple always begin with a hymn. Elder Russell M. Nelson plays the organ accompaniment. The First Presidency, who conduct these meetings, rotate the privilege of selecting the opening song. Most of us record the date each hymn is sung. According to my records, the opening song most frequently sung during the decade of my participation has been “I Need Thee Every Hour” (Hymns, 1985, no. 98). Picture the spiritual impact of a handful of the Lord’s servants singing that song before praying for his guidance in fulfilling their mighty responsibilities."

In a similar way in which the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve use sacred music to attune themselves with the Spirit before beginning their business, we perhaps ought to prepare ourselves each day before our daily prayers, before reading the scriptures, and any time before we embark on the Lord's work by singing or reviewing a hymn. How different our prayers might be if we first sang to ourselves a hymn to set the tone for our devotional before the Lord!

I have learned divine truths about the plan of salvation from the hymns of the Church. These include:

• I am a child of God. ("I Am A Child Of God")
• We have a Heavenly Mother who waits for us to return home. ("Oh, My Father")
• Miracles, revelations, and heavenly messengers are just as active in our day as in ancient Israel. ("The Spirit of God")
• Jesus loves me and will help me at any time and forever. ("I Need Thee Every Hour")
• Christ's Second Coming will be in power and glory, which will be truly awe-inspiring to those of us who wait faithfully for him. ("Jesus, Once of Humble Birth")
• Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son in glorious vision to open this last dispensation. ("Joseph Smith's First Prayer")  
• Combined in Jesus is power and love sufficient to save me, and I can feel that power and love whenever I open my heart and ask for it. ("I Feel My Savior's Love")

My favorite hymn is "How Firm A Foundation" (Hymns, 85). It had a profound impact on my life when I was in need of help. I had just returned home from a very challenging and difficult two-year mission in Germany. I was spiritually and emotionally exhausted. I was physically malnourished. I was uncomfortable being back in my home and among people whom I had not seen for two years. I missed the structure and organization of mission life. My first Sunday back in my home ward, I was feeling awkward and overwhelmed with the changes that were crashing down upon me.

I pleaded with the Lord for help and for something to lift my spirit. The opening hymn in sacrament meeting that day was "How Firm A Foundation". I had certainly sung this song many times, but this day the words came to me with great impact.

How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

I was desperately searching for refuge, and I had faith, however bruised it might have felt at the moment. I felt a hope rise in my breast.

In ev'ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

I had been in every condition on my mission (except for the part about abounding in wealth). I could feel the promise of succor from the Savior as my day now demanded. (Incidentally, it was many years later that I learned that "succor" means literally "to run to". The Savior was running to me to lift me up and help me.)

Then came the magnificent third verse:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

As I sang those words with the congregation, the Holy Ghost bore witness to me that God had not abandoned me. I need not fear nor be dismayed. The Lord was there to aid me and strengthen me and cause me to stand. His omnipotent hand was still in my life and would uphold me.

Forty years later I still remember vividly that moment of comfort and assurance that God loved me. Despite all of my weaknesses and mistakes and shortcomings, he had not given up on me. I may not have been a great missionary, but I was still worth something to him. He had more plans ahead for me. The worth of my soul was great in his eyes. On that spring day, amidst a congregation of two hundred blissfully unaware people, a hymn saved a forlorn returned missionary and gave him courage to go on.