I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go
270

Text: Mary Brown (1856–1918)
Music: Carrie E. Rounsefell (1861–1930)
Tune name: CONSECRATION

A traditional hymn for Latter- day Saint missionary farewells, this song embodies the faith of a true servant of the Lord— willing to alter plans, give up worldly goods, and travel to the far corners of the earth to do the Lord’s bidding. And if the call should be less dramatic, less visible— not to the mountain or the battle but to a “lowly place”—the sustaining faith is still as great.

“I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” has been a popular Christian gospel song since its publication in 1899. Editor Homer Rodeheaver wrote in the 1920s: “Mrs. Rounsefell is a tiny woman who lives in Boston. She used to do evangelistic work, and accompanied her singing with an old-fashioned zither. One day a friend handed her the words of this hymn and immediately a tune came to her and she struck a chord on her zither and sang the song” (quoted in Phil Kerr, Music in Evangelism [Glendale, Calif.: Gospel Music Publishers, 1939], 142).

In his book That All May Be Edified, Elder Boyd K. Packer made a point that relates closely to the message of this hymn: “The faith of the members of the Church in earlier days was tested many, many times. In a conference report for 1856, we find the following. Heber C. Kimball, a counselor in the First Presidency, is speaking:

“‘I will present to this congregation the names of those whom we have selected to go on missions. Some are appointed to go to Europe, Australia, and the East Indies. And several will be sent to Las Vegas, to the north, and to Fort Supply, to strengthen the settlements there.’

“Such announcements often came as a complete surprise to members of the Church sitting in the audience. Because of their faith, I suppose the only question they had on their minds in response to such a call was ‘When?’ ‘When shall we go?’ I am not so sure but that a similar call made today would call forth the response from many among us, not ‘When?’ but ‘Why?’ ‘Why should I go?’ . . . Never say no to an opportunity to serve in the Church. If you are called to an assignment by one who has authority, there is but one answer” ([Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], 241–43).