"One by One"
Stranded overnight in the Newark Airport on November 15, 2018, the day an unexpected heavy snow storm crippled the state of New Jersey, I was sitting on one of the few chairs next to an old, sweet, tiny woman whose flight back home to India had been cancelled. She reminded me of Mother Theresa. I asked if she would like some food or water, but she shook her head, “No.”
After several minutes of sitting together in silence, she asked me in her broken English if I knew where the bathroom was. I told her I would take her there because it was located down at the end of a very long corridor. As she stood up and tried to walk, she was limping badly and looked like she was in great pain. I asked her if I could get her a wheel chair, but she emphatically said, “No!” She took my big hand into her tiny hand as she continued in in her broken English, “I will walk with you. My knees hurt, and my hips hurt, but I need to walk. You will help me walk.”
And I did.
We became friends that night walking slowly to and from the women’s bathroom. One woman from India. One woman from America.
It’s nice to make friends with good people when you’re stranded overnight in an airport. Suddenly, strangers feel like family.
When my tiny friend from India finally left with her son, she smiled and waved to me repeatedly. I smiled back and continued to wave to her until she was out of sight. The language barrier hadn’t really been a problem that night because we both spoke the language of love.
Mother Theresa: In Her Own Words
The following three quotes emphasize the importance of caring for others “one by one” as Mother Teresa did by following Jesus Christ’s example.
“I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time – just one, one, one. So you begin. I began - I picked up one person. Maybe if I didn't pick up that one person, I wouldn't have picked up forty-two thousand....The same thing goes for you, the same thing in your family, the same thing in your church, your community. Just begin - one, one, one.”
“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”
“If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
“One by One”
A Song about Jesus Ministering to the One
Music by Paul Cardall, Lyrics by David A. Bednar
One of the most beautiful, powerful songs I’ve ever heard is “One by One,” with lyrics written by David A. Bednar and music composed by Paul Cardall. The YouTube video performance of this song, which was first shown in September of 2016, was arranged by Marshall McDonald and features tenor Nathan Pacheco, The American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic Orchestra, The American Heritage Youth Chorus, The Stone Angel Music Chorus, Kayson Brown as the conductor, and Paul Cardall on the piano. It is incredible! I admire the way these gifted musicians all combined their individual talents to create such a masterpiece!
The video of this amazing song fills me with the same “spiritual high” that I get when listening to the Halleluiah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah every Christmas. Yes, these lyrics eloquently testify of the reality of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and how He loves each person “one by one,” which includes both you and me! Please, listen to this amazing song and share it with all your friends.
Verse 1
One by one, one by one.
Jesus, the Father’s Beloved Son—
One by one, one by one—
From the beginning said, “Thy will be done.”
Jesus Christ came to earth to fulfill God’s plan,
For He alone could atone as Savior of man.
The Lord blessed and beckoned them, “Come unto me,”
And willingly sacrificed to set us free.
One by one, one by one.
He suffered for us and victory won.
One by one, one by one.
We marvel at all His love has done,
One by one.
Verse 2
One by one, one by one.
Multitudes gathered and saw Him come.
One by one, one by one.
Each heard a voice declare, “Behold My Son.”
Jesus Christ came and stood in the midst of them.
They fell to the earth in great reverence for Him.
The Lord bid, “Arise, and come forth unto me.”
With hands they did feel and with eyes they did see.
One by one, one by one.
Each knew and bore record, He is our Lord.
One by one, one by one.
They cried “Hosanna” with one accord,
One by one.
Verse 3
One by one, one by one.
Christ looked around Him and saw their tears.
One by one, one by one.
In His compassion, He calmed their fears.
Jesus Christ healed each one brought forth unto Him.
Then He blessed each precious child and prayed for them.
The angels descended from heaven above,
Encircling those little ones; each felt His love.
One by one, one by one.
He intercedes for each daughter and son.
One by one, one by one.
Strength from His grace gives us power to become,
One by one.
The Story Behind The Song
In the following article, the story is told of the simple way the “One by One” song was first initiated. By combining the talents of a humble, non-musical lyricist with a dream and a self-taught (now world-famous) composer and pianist, the dream became a reality.
Elder Bednar Shares His Inspiration for Writing the Song "One by One”
By: Danielle B. Wagner
In 2014, shortly after Paul Cardall performed at the missionary department’s fall social, Elder David A. Bednar pulled the pianist aside, asking if Cardall wanted to join him for a new project.
Cardall shared: “He pulled me aside and mentioned he had a song in him, but he didn't know how to get it out and would I be interested in helping him.”
“He said, ‘You have to understand, I am one of the least musically inclined persons on earth.’ He was very humble and excited about the concept that had been in his heart for some years.”
That night was the genesis of a new song that featured the words written by Elder Bednar.
About this new song and the inspiration behind it, Elder Bednar posted on Facebook:
Much of what we need to know about the character of Christ is embodied in the simple principle of “one by one.” This principle evidenced in the life of the Savior has been a focus of my study for a very long time. I am always touched to consider how much the Savior loves each one of us as individuals. I wrote the lyrics to a song about this principle of “one by one,” which Paul Cardall put to music. It was later beautifully performed by the One Voice Children’s Choir.
As you study the ministry of Jesus Christ and seek for eyes to see and ears to hear, you will find that He ministered to “ones.” He healed the leper, the centurion’s servant, the man with palsy, the woman who touched his garment—plus many more (see Matthew 8 and 9 in the New Testament).
In the New World, He invited the multitude gathered at the temple in the land of Bountiful to come forth one by one and witness for themselves that He had been slain for the sins of the world. The Savior invited the multitude to bring all who were afflicted in any manner, and He healed every one. Then He commanded that their little children be brought unto Him one by one, and He blessed them and prayed for them (see 3 Nephi 11 and 17 in the Book of Mormon).
Remember, the simple truth of “one by one” reveals not everything—but much of what we need to know about the character of the Savior. Similarly, each one of us in our service to others—in our families, among our friends, in our communities, or in our callings in the Church—has the opportunity and responsibility to minister to “ones.”
You can read about Paul Cardall’s fascinating story about overcoming his own personal challenges and persistently developing his musical career by clicking here!
You can also read more from Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by visiting his Facebook page here.
I hope this Christmas season, and throughout this coming year, that we will find one person we can help each day. It might be a family member, it might be a friend, it might be a stranger on the street. We each must find someone in need and do a little something to help.
One, by one, by one.