Michael F. Moody

Michael F. Moody (born 1941) was the Chairman of the General Music Committee of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1977 to 2005. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Biography

Moody was born in Payson, Utah and grew up in Spanish Fork, Utah. As a young man he served as a Mormon missionary in the French East Mission.^[4] Moody's wife, Maria Ann Toronto, is the great-granddaughter of Joseph Toronto.

Moody received a doctorate in church music from the University of Southern California.

Moody was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the General Church Music Committee under coordinator Robert M. Cundick. This was a subdivision of the Church Music Department under O. Leslie Stone. ^[5] Moody became the chair of the General Church Music Committee in 1977.^[6] He served as Chair of the Hymnbook Executive Committee for the Church’s hymnal, Hymns, 1985. At the time of his retirement, the church had hymnbooks of varying sizes published in 98 languages.^[7]

Moody has written the music to a number of songs. A number of his compositions came through a tradition of sending out a Christmas songs in lieu of Christmas cards because he was "a frugal zealot" ^[8] He frequently relied on Mabel Jones Gabbott and Penny Moody Allen for lyrics.^[9] He has songs included in the 1985 LDS Church hymnal and Children's Songbook. His songs have also been published in various outlets and recorded by many artists, including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Church Service

In 1990, Moody was called to serve as president of the Woods Cross Utah East Stake of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City. ^[10] Prior to this, he had been bishop of the Woods Cross 3rd Ward.^[6]

Moody served as president of the Haiti Port-au-Prince Mission of the church from 2000 to 2003.^[11]

He also filled a volunteer service assignment, with his wife, in Jerusalem as organist at the Brigham Young University Center for Near Eastern Studies from 2005-2007.

In 2009 Moody was called to serve as president of the Papeete Tahiti Temple.^[12]

List of Compositions and Arrangements

• A Child’s Prayer Written under the pseudonym John Wyatt
• A Christmas Hymn
• Away in a Manger
• The Babe of Bethlehem
• Easter Day Written under the pseudonym George Finlinson
• Faith
• Gentle Jesus
• Have a Very Happy Birthday
• Have a Very Merry Christmas!
• He Sent His Son
• I Am My Heavenly Father's Child Written under the pseudonym Edward Trimble
• I Heard the Prophet Speak
• Let It Come Quietly
• Lullaby for Jesus
• My Father Taught Me
• Sleep, Little Jesus
• Teacher, Do You Love Me?
• Testimony
• There Was Starlight on the Hillside also published as Christmas Song
• This Is Christmas
• This Is the Christ
• To Bethlehem
• Today I Must Prepare
• We Thank Thee
• When Love Came Down
• Who Is the Child?

References

1. ^ Lubeck, Kathleen. "The New Hymnbook: The Saints are Singing!" in Ensign Sep. 1985
2. ^ Ensign Aug. 1994.
3. ^ Ensign, Sep. 1999.
4. ^ LDS Church News, 2001-01-29, p. z07.
5. ^ "New Department Oversee Church Music Activities", Ensign Feb. 1973, p. 77.
6. ^ ^{a b} Lloyd, R. Scott. "Noteworthy Change on Music Staff", LDS Church News, 2000-07-15.
7. ^ Lloyd, R. Scott. "Hymnal Turns 20", LDS Church News, 2005-09-24.
8. ^ as quoted by Carma Wadley in the Deseret Morning News Dec 3, 2004
9. ^ Carma Wadley in the Deseret Morning News Dec 3, 2004
10. ^ LDS Church News, Dec. 8, 1990
11. ^ La Mission d'Haïti Port-au-Prince: Présidents.
12. ^ LDS Church News May 30, 2009

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Name	Moody, Michael F.
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Date of birth	1941
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