When He Comes Again Singing Time Ideas

This information comes from Stories from The Children’s Songbook by Sister Pat Graham (more information on that book HERE).

Words and music: Mitla Greenwood Thayne (1907-1997) LDS

Mirla Mayne was elected to the Writer’s hall of Fame of the League of Utah Writers. She tells children, “Do you know that in your wonder- ful brain is a tiny recorder that records and holds tight to the music you hear? Beautiful music comes from our Heavenly Father and is given to you to inspire you and lead you closer to Him.” When Sister Thayne was preparing a presentation for her Provo ward’s spring conference, she real- ized that she would need short speaking parts for the youngest children. She quickly wrote twelve two-line parts, which became one poem about the Second Coming. She said that later as she sat at her piano, “A tune formed in my mind to be transformed to my fingers.” She found that the words the little children had spoken “were a perfect match” to the tune she was playing.55 The song was printed in The Children’s Friend, and became a favorite all over the world. For many years, her song “When He Comes Again,” was available as an illustrated storybook.
Some copyrights prohibit copying or performing without permission because the song may be a source of income to its author. On this particular song, an agreement was made which now allows it to be copied from the Children’s Songbook. Options were available for authors to either handle requests for use of their songs themselves or have the Church administer royalties and make decisions about requests to publish or record a song. There had not been a copyright office in the Church when the previous songbook was published, so there was extensive research needed to make everything currently “legal.”