The BYU-Idaho devotional speaker for Nov. 3 was Randall Kempton, the choral activities director at BYU-Idaho. His devotional address was titled, “Keep Singing!”
He started the devotional by sharing what it has been like as a choral teacher during the pandemic.
“Imagine singing in a choir when your nearest neighbor is three meters away, maybe singing a different part! That may not sound scary to you, but it has not been easy for us. Still, we have kept trying, kept singing,” Kempton said.
He said singing in a group connects us to those around us.
“We need to sing together,” he said. “Shared songs equal shared hearts. They connect us in worship, at family gatherings, even on playgrounds. Group singing helps us feel part of something bigger than ourselves.”
Kempton spoke about how singing relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He called Christ our “Great Conductor,” leading and guiding us through the ups and downs of life.
“Life is messy and hard,” Kempton said. “Even before we’ve mastered the notes on our music stand, it seems, the Lord is giving us another page to stretch us. When life seems really messy, which it often does in this crazy winding up scene we call the Last Days, it can feel hard to trust that the Conductor knows what He’s doing.”
He said as we go through life, it is important to trust in Christ.
“Trust the Lord, trust His process, even when it feels messy. We only see a few notes at a time; As Conductor and Composer, He sees the whole score, the full Plan of Salvation, all of its parts, and how they harmonize in the end. What sounds dissonant today, will resolve tomorrow in beautiful harmonies we couldn’t have anticipated. It will work out, eventually,” Kempton said.
In an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio before the devotional, Kempton shared why he chose his devotional topic.
“When we come to choir, we feel… in a sense, like we are a little piece of Zion. People [are] submitting their personal voice, their personal talent to the choir… and yet at the same time, they have to be individuals,” he said. “They have to sing their voice. They can’t try to imitate their neighbor’s voice. We want the color and personality of their voice. That idea, transferred over to life is that children of God, as members of the kingdom… we don’t have to conform to one cultural idea or personality so that we fit in.”
Kempton said he chose this topic to encourage students and listeners that they can be great members of the Church and not lose their personality. He said that all “voices” are needed, and all are welcome.