The first time Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles saw Mary Gaddie was during a seventh grade assembly.
The girl — who would later become his wife — stood and sang with “a resonating alto voice” a popular song of the day — “On the Sunny Side of the Street.”
“It was many years before I dated her,” Elder Cook recalled, “but I was not surprised when I found that she does live on the sunny side of the street. The music of faith emanates from her heart.”
In speaking to hundreds of Ensign College students, faculty and staff gathered in the Conference Center Theater in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 14, Elder Cook said the essence of his message was an encouragement to, like his wife, have a “heart in tune with the music of faith.”
To begin his remarks, Elder Cook noted that the spiritual conditions necessary to proceed along the covenant path — in receiving saving and exalting ordinances — all relate to the heart.
“The scriptures refer favorably to hearts that are changed, broken, healed, turned and hearts full of love, gratitude, joy and peace. The scriptures refer unfavorably to hearts that are hardened,” he said.
The former chief rabbi of England, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, described those who are not in tune with sacred things as those who are “tone deaf to the music of faith,” Elder Cook shared. Lehi’s prophetic dream of the tree of life (see 1 Nephi 8), however, “starkly describes the challenges to faith that exist in our day and the great divide between those who love, worship, feel accountable to God and have hearts that are tuned to the music of faith.”
In Lehi’s dream, there are those who are proud, vain, foolish and interested in the “wisdom of the world”; there are those who are lost in worldly mists of darkness and sin; and there are those who have experienced the love of God but feel ashamed by mocking voices.
“Finally, there are those who are in tune with the music of faith. You know who you are. You love the Lord and His gospel and continuously try to ‘live on the sunny side of the street’ in accordance with the Savior’s teachings. You are in harmony with the promptings of the Spirit, awakened to the power of God’s word and diligently try to live Christlike lives as His disciples,” Elder Cook said.
He noted that God loves all His children and desires for them to fully awaken to faith. “The Book of Mormon makes it clear that all are invited to partake of the Lord’s goodness, ‘black and white, bond and free, male and female; … all are alike unto God’ (2 Nephi 26:33). … He wants all of them to return to Him. He desires everyone to be in tune with the sacred music of faith. The Savior’s Atonement is a gift for everyone.”
As Lehi partook of the fruit of the tree of life, which is the love of God, he was desirous that his “family should partake of it also” (1 Nephi 8:12).
Said Elder Cook to students, “It is our prayer that you will keep marriage, children and family at the forefront of your personal goals.”
The Book of Mormon starts with “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents” (1 Nephi 1:1). Elder Cook noted, “We recognize that not everyone has goodly parents, but we can each be determined that we personally will be goodly parents.”
For parents, the message, ministry and Atonement of Jesus Christ are essential curriculum. Elder Cook counseled students “to make the Book of Mormon part of your lifelong study. It contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
There will always be those who disparage the validity of the Book of Mormon; however, the best way to gain a testimony of it is to immerse oneself in it, Elder Cook said. “Ultimately Moroni’s counsel to read and ponder and then ask God in all sincerity of heart with real intent to confirm scriptural truths by the witness of the Spirit is the answer” (see Moroni 10:4-5).
A dividing line between those who hear the music of faith and those who are tone deaf is active study of the scriptures.
Elder Cook said that through the years, he has observed some of his childhood friends fall away from activity in the Church not because of transgressions, for the most part, but because they have distanced themselves from the Savior. “Above all else, each of us must realize that when one is tone deaf to the music of faith, he or she is out of tune with the Spirit.”
The Church’s doctrine is clear, Elder Cook continued. “We are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction.”
The Holy Ghost will testify, to every heart, of a loving Father in Heaven whose merciful plan for our redemption will be fulfilled in every aspect because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
“I pray that we will stay in tune to the music of faith,” Elder Cook concluded.
