Thomas S. Monson on being a light to others

President Thomas S. Monson (1927- ) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley until becoming Church president in 2008.

"Our opportunities to shine are limitless. They surround us each day, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves. As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light, as it were, in the lives of those around us—whether they be our own family members, our coworkers, mere acquaintances, or total strangers....

"To all who are here today, I say, 'Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become. Remember who you are.' You are a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. You have come from His presence to live on this earth for a season and to live in such a way that you are an example of the believers and a true light to the world. When that season has ended, you will be able to return to live with Him once again."

- Thomas S. Monson, "Be a Light to the World," BYU Devotional, November 1, 2011
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There's a difference between merely existing, and "shining" as an example to others. President Monson's message is both a promise and a challenge; "As we follow the example of the Savior, ours will be the opportunity to be a light, as it were, in the lives of those around us."

The other phrase from this excerpt that makes me ponder is this: "Look inside yourself, You are more than what you have become. Remember who you are." That's a perspective quite different from the world's view, in which we are exactly what we are able to make of ourselves.