'I am a Child of God' Author
Naomi Randall Dies
 

Naomi Randall, longtime leader in the LDS Church's primary organization and author of what is arguably the most beloved LDS hymn, died Thursday, May 17th, 2001 at her daughter's house in La Mesa, California. Sister Randall said that the lyrics for 'I am a Child of God' came to her in answer to prayer about writing a new song for Primary General Conference. The song has since moved beyond the Primary to be used in all LDS services, not just those for children. Sister Randall was 92.
 

Sister Randall received the assignment to write the song in 1957 from Primary President Leonore Parmley as the Primary's General Board prepared for the Primary General Conference that year. Sister Randall went home in contemplation, and retired after praying about it. In the early hours of the night, Sister Randall awoke, and the words of the song came to her mind. She wrote them down, gave a prayer thanking God for them, and went back to sleep. In the morning, she read them to Sister Arta Hale, counselor to Sister Parmley, who approved them, saying, "My goodness girl, they give me goose bumps. Send them off."
 

In the years since 1957, the words remain unchanged, except for a suggestion by then-Apostle, Elder Spencer W. Kimball, who wanted the chorus to read "teach me all that I must do" instead of "teach me all that I must know." Years later, as LDS Church President, Kimball jokingly called 'I am a Child of God,' "the song that Sister Randall and I wrote."

Naomi Ward Randall was born October 5, 1908, the third of six children born to Lorenzo and Mary Barker Ward in rural North Ogden, Utah. She married Earl A. Randall, a prominent businessman in banking and food processing. In the 1940s she was called to serve on the Primary General Board, where she served for 27 years before she was called to serve as second counselor in the Primary Presidency for six years.
 

That service included years of writing articles, poems bible stories and activities for children published in the Church's magazines for children, The Children's Friend, which later became simply "The Friend." Those stories included a series about Barnabee Bumbleberry and his dog, Blinker, which Sister Randall authored over a period of 13 years. Her son-in-law, Thomas Oakes, says that her Primary works fill four large volumes. Sister Randall was also the chair of the Primary committee that invented the CTR ring.
 

Even after she was released from Church service, Sister Randall continued to write new song lyrics and poetry, including a song titled "Return with Honor," which is scheduled to be sung at her funeral. In 1980, she served a mission to the Washington DC Temple.
 

Within the last year, her family has established the website, IAmAChildOfGod.org, which honors Sister Randall and her song. The family asks that personal stories about the influence of the song be sent to them through the address or the form available on the website. A scholarship fund, the Naomi W. Randall Poetic Arts Scholarship Fund, has also been established in her honor.