My Covenants

Text and music: Hanna Josephine Saffer; original language: Swedish

As a child growing up in Sweden, Hanna Saffer enjoyed singing and writing songs to perform with her family and friends. While serving a mission in England, she and her companion began a tradition of writing a song for each person they taught who decided to be baptized. They would then perform that song at the baptism.

Later, when she and her husband found out they were expecting their first child, she sat at a piano and let her feelings of love and gratitude flow into music. She named the song “Lilla Barn,” Swedish for “little child.” The tune took shape quickly, but she couldn’t settle on the lyrics, so she set the song aside.

When her young daughter was preparing to be baptized eight years later, Sister Saffer reflected on her missionary tradition of composing baptismal songs. She felt prompted to revisit the melody she had written during her pregnancy. This time, the lyrics came with clarity and purpose. In June 2019, mother and daughter stood together and sang the song as a duet at the baptism, bearing testimony of the power that comes into our lives as we keep our covenants with God.

Find lyrics, sheet music, and recordings for My Covenants

On This Page

Scriptures

Principles

Covenants are sacred promises we make to follow Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ invites us to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost.
When we strive to keep our covenants with God, He sends the Holy Ghost to help us.

Questions to Ponder

What do you need to do in order to make and keep covenants with God?
How do you feel when you think of being baptized and receiving the Holy Ghost?
What are some ways you can keep your covenants and show Heavenly Father that you love Him?

Related Gospel Study Guides

From Topics and Questions, Gospel Library:

Activities for Families

Take a “covenant path” walk. While listening to the song, take a short walk together as a family. Begin walking during the first verse, with one family member taking the lead, and then pause to talk about one commandment that helps us stay on the covenant path. Let family members take turns leading the walk as you continue the rest of the song, pausing to talk about messages from each verse. As the words become familiar, sing along as you walk. Invite your children to share something they can do to stay on the covenant path. Testify that walking the covenant path brings happiness in this life and leads us back to Heavenly Father.
Find the “I will” phrases. Invite your children to listen for how many times they hear the phrase “I will” in the song. Have them listen again to discover the specific actions following “I will.” After everyone shares what they heard, play the song again and invite family members to sing just the “I will” phrases.

Next, listen for what the Lord promises when we keep our covenants. Try singing the whole song together. Consider using simple actions to help your children remember the “I will” phrases. Talk about how covenants are two-way promises between us and Heavenly Father and how keeping His commandments shows our desire to walk His covenant path. Invite each family member to choose one “I will” phrase they want to focus on this week.

Music Helps

This song includes repeated measures and multiple endings. Music between the repeat signs is played and sung twice. The first time through the song, use the measures for the first ending . Repeat as indicated, this time skipping the first ending and using the second ending instead.