The BEST I Will Follow God’s Plan Singing Time Ideas

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

Mabel Gabbott wrote a text with this title in answer to a request for a new song for the Merrie Miss classes in Primary. Her words were given to Vanja (VON-yuh) YorgasonWatkins. While she was working on the project, some additional ideas were given to her, and the text was adjusted and added to. When she spoke to Mabel about the changes, she agreed with the additions but requested that only Vanja’s name appear as author. Sister Watkins said, “With just one name on the song, it appears that I did the whole thing, and I didn’t. Mabel deserves the credit for being the originator of the text and I would like that to be known.”‘ Both of these women have given so freely of their talents and truly are not concerned with who gets the credit.

A visitor in her home once asked Sister Watkins, “Is this the piano where you compose all of your songs?” “Hardly,” she answered. “Ideas come in the car, while walking, even sitting under a tree. I start with the words, which suggest the rhythm and the melody. Then I harmonize it. If it doesn’t flow I may change the melody. It requires re-working and in revising.”

The index of authors and composers shows Vanja to have credit lines for fourteen songs plus the thirteen Articles of Faith, making a total of twenty-seven entries. She said she never anticipated having such a wonderful opportunity to write for the children of the Church and expressed her gratitude for the blessing of serving in this way.

The words originally were “I will” but Correlation suggested “I can” instead, which was how the song was first published. This applied to “I Can Be Valiant” as well. In March of 1986, our committee discussed the possibility of changing the words “I can” to “I will” as requested by the composer. There was concern about the impact on other materials and curriculum. In the 1988 October Conference, President Michaelene (MY-kul-een) Grassli announced the change and discussed the importance of making commitments.

Rebecca Amyot, a young mother in the Rochester Michigan Ward, received comfort through the song when she was having chemotherapy treatments after surgery. Her husband had taken her to the clinic for an IV and to regulate her blood pressure. She was weak and allergic to the anti-nausea drugs and even though she knew she was not going to die, she secretly thought that it wasn’t a bad idea. She wrote, “It was at this point that I thought of the song, ‘I Will Follow God’s Plan For Me.’ The song was like bearing my testimony privately to Heavenly Father that I was thankful for my life and that I trusted him in everything. I sang the song over and over to help me hang on for five more minutes at a time until the hours passed and I was able to go home. I knew the Lord was with me. Even now when I sing the song, I remember that day and feel again my testimony of the Lord’s love for me.”