By Carrie Rowe
The combined choirs of BYU sang a message of service, urging students to increase Christ-like charity during Tuesday''s Devotional in the Marriott Center.
The BYU Singers, Concert Choir, Men''s Chorus and Women''s Chorus performed pieces based on the song 'Have I Done Any Good in the World Today.' Between songs, Bob Nelson, chair of the Theatre and Media Arts Department, read quotes from Mother Teresa, President Howard W. Hunter and other well-known humanitarians.
'The words and the lyrics of the songs quite uniformly focused on the central message of the gospel, which is the way that we treat others,' Nelson said.
The performance included the hymn 'Because I Have Been Given Much,' as well as a Christmas piece, 'If You Could Hear the Angels Sing.'
Britta Peterson, a senior from Minneapolis majoring in biology, performed the piece with the Concert Choir. Peterson said while some felt the song was out of season, she really liked it.
'I think the spirit of the song was fitting for the topic of the Devotional,' Peterson said. 'The Devotional itself was all about service, and all of the songs related to that. It was a beautiful song about serving your fellow men.'
Nelson read President Hunter''s words about Christmastime and told students that service can teach us to remember Christ every day.
'''This Christmas, mend a quarrel,''' Nelson said, quoting President Hunter. '''Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Give a soft answer. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy.'''
Other advice from President Hunter included thinking first of others, welcoming strangers and taking pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Nick Stetich, a senior from Salt Lake City, who performed with the Concert Choir, said 'The Rune of Hospitality' made him especially think of the Savior.
'For me, music and the gospel are pretty closely tied together,' Stetich said.
Stetich said choral music is especially important to him, because he can feel the Spirit through the elements of both the music and the words.
As the choirs performed, the words of each song were projected on the Marriott Center''s Jumbotron. Alisa DeYoung, a sophomore from Ogden, majoring in marriage, family and human development, said she felt reading the words of the music made the Devotional inspiring.
'It helped me to really internalize them and really think of what it was that they were saying,' DeYoung said. 'I thought it was a really neat way to for them to testify of Christ through music.'
Steve Plowman, a junior from Bountiful, performing with the Men''s Chorus, said he feels testifying through music can help people share the gospel.
'I think that there''s just a power in music that brings the Spirit really strongly, and kind of breaks down some barriers for people''s hearts to be softened,' Plowman said.
Justin Morgan, a freshman from Draper, performing with the Men''s Chorus, said he uses music in his life to stay happy.
'Whenever I get angry, I try to sing a song,' Morgan said. 'Whenever you sing a hymn, you really can''t have the spirit of contention with you, because that''s not their purpose -- it''s to bring the Spirit into your life.'