April 2005 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

PHOTOGRAPH BY LYNN HOWLETT
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performed in a regional dance festival in southern
California before an audience of 100,000.
A Tremendous Generation
Now the First Presidency, under the leadership of
President Gordon B. Hinckley, has called for a revival of
these gala celebrations. On February 19, 2004, a letter to
local Church leaders informed them that they and the
members over whom they preside “may . . . be invited to
participate in events held in conjunction with special occasions
such as temple dedications and historical commemorations.”
The letter also encouraged local leaders to hold
stake and multistake events. It noted that these experiences—“music,
dance, drama, speech, sports, [and] visual
arts”—help provide “a sense of unity and opportunities to
develop friendships, especially among the youth.”
Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy, adviser to
the Music and Cultural Arts Division of the Priesthood
Department, reiterates this important aspect of activities:
“President Gordon B. Hinckley has counseled us to make
sure that every member has a friend. Our youth today
have a special need for good friends who are active in the
Church. As youth work and perform with others who share
their values, they realize that they are not alone. They see
the happiness of their peers in living the gospel, and their
own desire and commitment to do the same grows.”
Many Church leaders today remember the effects these
cultural activities had in their own lives. Elder Hammond
recalls: “Although I wasn’t experienced in dancing, I participated
with 3,000 other Church members in expressing my
love for the gospel. I felt part of something much bigger than
myself. That was an important moment in my young life.”
David Warner, director of the Church’s Music and
Cultural Arts Division, observes: “As we hear reports of cultural
arts activities throughout the Church, we note that successful
efforts always strengthen the participants and their
families. For youth, this strengthening comes as they have
fun together, organize their time, develop their talents, and
make sacrifices to serve. What they learn in the process
prepares them for future responsibilities as missionaries,