Skip to main content

October 2022

School of Music Journal

Sharing The Light
Beacons of Light

What a marvelous and exciting time to be alive! We live in a time filled with amazing discoveries, inventions, and scientific and artistic developments! It is abundantly clear that the Lord continues to pour out rich blessings of light and knowledge to all those who earnestly seek Him!

Of course, eternal laws dictate that there must be “opposition in all things." So, along with the continued effusion from God comes the ever-present and mounting attempts to blanket the world with darkness. But we can add to the light. We can, each in our own personal ways, bring more light to the world. Not only can we, but we MUST!

In 2015, President Thomas S. Monson, a prophet and apostle of the Lord, spoke to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to all others who would listen. In his address titled “Be an Example and a Light," he spoke of two passages of scripture that had impressed him in his recent readings.

The first is from the Sermon on the Mount: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) And the second is from the apostle Paul’s Epistle to Timothy: “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)

President Monson counseled that we should seek diligently to always be a light and example in the world to help all God’s children find their way in the darkness and seek Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.

“Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up." (3 Nephi 18:24)

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God…I am the light which shineth in the darkness.” (D&C 6:21)

President Monson shared a poem that accurately depicts how we can share light with others. In doing so, we enable them to share their light with those in their own spheres of influence, perhaps even one day re-sharing light with us in our moment of darkness.

Hidden image

Lamps

By Lon Woodrum

"I met a stranger in the night
Whose lamp had ceased to shine.
I paused and let him light
His lamp from mine.
A tempest sprang up later on
And shook the world about.
And when the wind was gone
My lamp was out!
But back to me the stranger came—
His lamp was glowing fine!
He held the precious flame
And lighted mine!"

President Monson concludes his address with this:

“As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light in the lives of others, whether they be our own family members and friends, our co-workers, mere acquaintances, or total strangers.”

We are here now – here in this marvelous and exciting time – precisely so we can share our light with those struggling to evade the darkness. We can be beacons of light and can help bring them to the True Light!

As you explore this issue of the BYU School of Music Journal, you will see the many ways our students, faculty, alumni and emeritus faculty are beacons of light. We invite you to share your stories and experiences of giving light to others through music. Or perhaps someone in our School of Music family has helped you light your lamp or rekindle your lamp’s flame. Whatever the role – recipient or giver – we look forward to hearing from you.

Together let us Light the World!

Embed Code