Quentin L. Cook on living in tune with the music of faith

Elder Quentin L. Cook (b. 1940) was called as a Seventy in 1996, then as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2007.

"Please understand that having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping His commandments are and always will be the defining test of mortality. 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. As the prophet Nephi taught, 'Ye have heard his voice...; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words' (1 Nephi 17:45).

"Our doctrine is clear; 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. (See D&C 68:6.) The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts that we have 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....

"Let us, therefore, wherever we are on the path of discipleship in Lehi's vision, resolve to awaken within us and our families a greater desire to claim the Savior's incomprehensible gift of eternal life. I pray that we will stay in tune with the music of faith."

- Quentin L. Cook, "In Tune with the Music of Faith," Ensign, May 2012, pp. 41-44
Click here to read the full talk

This is one of those quotes where I like to second-guess myself. What might I have said is "the defining test of mortality"? Elder Cook suggests his answer is "having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keeping His commandments." That's a wonderful answer! Will we learn to trust God? Will we learn to obey under any circumstances?

But then the caution. Though the gospel and God's plan are presented as the sweet music of eternity, we can become "tone-deaf to the music of faith" (a wonderful phrase he borrows from an English Rabbi) to the point that we fail to hear and feel the power that is offered to us. While those who are "tone-deaf" to music in the traditional sense might not have chosen that malady, and might long to appreciate the beauty music offers, in this symbolic sense, we choose to block out the ability to appreciate the sweet music of the Gospel as we fall short in that defining test of mortality.

The challenge from Elder Cook in this wonderful address is to "awake within us and our families a greater desire to claim the Savior's incomprehensible gift of eternal life."