Principles and Promises
Talk 2/19/2017
Family
Introduction
My
name is Rachel Cox and we are part of the small group that was recently annexed
into your ward. My husband BJ and I are both from St George. We met at Pine
View High School where we played opposite each other in the HS musical “Carousel”.
We became great friends through the course of the show. He was actually my
first kiss, which was a stage kiss, in rehearsal under the watchful eye of our director.
I
distinctly remember on the closing night of the show after the scene where we
kissed thinking, “I’ll probably never kiss BJ Cox again.” Which, surprisingly,
made me sad. That sadness confused me,
surprised me, and prompted me to ask him to Preference.
During
HS we performed together in musicals and with the HS choirs. After high school
BJ served a mission in Uruguay and I attended DSU and then BYU where I pursued
a bachelors and then master’s in vocal performance. After BJ’s mission we were
married and both studied at BYU and sang and toured together in the BYU Singers
and in the opera program at BYU.
We
then moved to Lexington KY where BJ attended dental school. I directed a
collegiate women’s chorus and taught voice lessons and we began our family. We
have 4 beautiful children, McKay, 8, Benson 6, Lily 4, and Kate, almost 2. They are the joy of our lives and we
absolutely adore each one!
After
dental school we were able to purchase a dental practice here in St George and
were delighted to move home. Since moving back to St George we have had some
fun musical opportunities including helping to found the St George Chamber
Singers and play opposite each other again in Into the Woods.
As
you can see, singing is an important part of our lives. It brings us joy and
feeds our souls. I can honestly say that some of the most powerful spiritual
experiences of my life have occurred while I was singing. It is one of the ways
the holy ghost speaks to me.
I
love to teach voice lessons, and as a voice teacher I want my students to love
singing, but I also want them to learn to sing correctly and healthily. In
order to do so, it is important that they learn correct principles of singing. For
example, one of the most basic principles of healthy singing is breathing
deeply. The sternum must be lifted and diaphragm must lower, allowing for full
expansion of the lungs. This proper inhalation sets up the singer to sing a
phrase correctly and beautifully. Principles of healthy singing such as deep
breathing, proper posture, jaw, tongue and laryngeal position allow a singer to
produce beautiful sounds.
Both
earth and heaven are filled with principles which, if followed, will yield
certain, specific results.
A principle is defined
as a basic truth :a law or fact of nature that explains how something works or
why something happens.
Certain principles
apply universally to all. For example, if you want to improve at something,
whether it’s singing or sports, painting or poetry, you must practice it.
The voice students
who are the most successful are the ones who learn a principle correctly and
apply it to their singing repeatedly. They practice a true principle until it
becomes a part of them. And their singing always improves as a result.
D & C
130 20-21 states,
20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the
foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience
to that law upon which it is predicated.
So here we learn that blessings from God are the result of our “practicing”
or applying a true gospel principle.
The 4th article of faith states that the first
principle of the gospel is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
During October 2016 General Conference Elder Hales taught us, “Our children and grandchildren are our most
important investigators.” So in our home we have been working on the
principle of faith, helping to build faith and resulting testimony in the
hearts of our children. Some children seem to be born with believing hearts and
others seem to have to work to gain faith and a testimony of the gospel. In our
family, we have some of each.
As a family and
as a couple we have been praying for experiences that would build faith. We
have been studying Alma 32 as a family, discussing the principle of faith and
Alma’s invitation to try an experiment on the word of God. As parents, we have
sought opportunities to help build faith in the hearts of our little ones. One
such opportunity came during the Christmas season this year as our family
participated in the “Light the World initiative.
On Christmas Eve
the “Light the World” example was “Jesus cared for his loved ones and so can
you.” Though Christmas Eve was a busy day, I felt that the way we should ‘care
for those we love” was to take the kids
and pay a surprise visit to my grandparents, age 90, who live in town. So, the
kids and I loaded in the car with a few small gifts and off we went to visit
Grandpa and Grandma.
We arrived and
rang the doorbell. When the door opened we sang, “We wish you a Merry Christmas”
and presented our gifts. Grandpa and Grandma, who were in their pajamas eating
a lunch of frozen dinners, sitting next to their small table-top Christmas tree
seemed overjoyed to have some visitors on this Christmas Eve. They welcomed us
warmly, showed the kids their rock and arrowhead collections, books about gem
stones and dream catcher collection, all of which the kids found fascinating.
They sang a Christmas carol with us and through some tears Grandma said, “you
just made our whole Christmas”! It was wonderful and humbling to see what a
difference a few minutes could make.
After the kids
and I loaded back in the car from the back seat McKay said, “Mom, I’m really
glad we visited grandpa and grandma today. That felt SO good!
I felt and
realized this was an opportunity and answer to my prayers to be able to help
McKay realize that he was feeling the Holy Ghost and feeling the Lord’s
approval for his love and service to someone else.
This experience
strengthened the faith and testimonies of each member of our family and
confirmed to me that as we sought for faith and opportunities to build it in
our family, we were given the promised blessing of having the opportunity to
experience and acknowledge the Holy Ghost working in the hearts of our
children, helping to build their faith.
President Monson’s talk to the priesthood brethren in October
2016 is titled, “Principles and Promises”. In it he teaches us that, “Those who are obedient to the Lord’s
commandments and who faithfully observe the Word of Wisdom are promised
particular blessings, among which are good health and added physical stamina.
The Word of
Wisdom is another important gospel principle which, if followed, brings
specific promised blessings.
After completing
my master’s degree at BYU, I pursued post-graduate studies at the AIMS
Institute in Graz, Austria. The AIMS program is an intensive opera program
designed for both education and performance. Singers who attend, train with
professional opera singers and coaches to refine language and performance
skills. Singers also perform throughout Austria in a series of concerts and
productions.
While there I
performed several pieces with a group of 5 other singers. We became friends and
enjoyed rehearsing and performing together. None of the other singers in my
ensemble were LDS. Following performances, it was customary to go to a bar and
get drinks together. After each performance, I would be invited to join the
group at the bar. Each time I declined and headed back to my room alone.
One evening toward the end of our performance
schedule, the group, myself included, had just arrived home from a concert. We were
standing just outside our dorms on a perfect Austrian evening. It was summertime
at dusk, not too hot, not too cold, and the smell of flowers permeated the air.
We had just finished a successful performance. Everyone was feeling great and
having a wonderful time together. My friends were talking about heading to the
pub for drinks and I once again turned to go back to my room. One of the men in
the group said, “Seriously, Rachel, just come with us. It’s no big deal!” And
that comment opened the floodgates for the rest of the group. “Yes, you don’t
even have to get a drink, just come, or just get some wine, that doesn’t even
really count as alcohol.”
After weeks away
from my husband and my home, often feeling lonely and tired of sitting alone in
my dorm, it was SO tempting to go with them. I actually did consider it. “I don’t
HAVE to drink and I certainly wouldn’t” I told myself. Going with my friends
sounded like fun. But there was something inside of me, that still small voice
that sounded an alarm in my head. I knew it wasn’t where I ought to be. So, in
spite of all the persuading, I turned my back and walked away.
I don’t know all
that happened that night and the other post-concert nights at the pub but I did
hear enough by the end of the program to know that things occurred under the
influence of alcohol that were wrong and caused much unneeded pain in the lives
of some of the other singers, whether or not they themselves had been drinking.
I might have been a little lonely those nights, but by following the Word of
Wisdom I was kept physically safe and spiritually clean.
I received
another gift as a result of my obedience to the principles of the word of
wisdom
D & C 89
verses 18 & 19 say,
And all saints who
remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the
commandments, shall receive health in their navel and
marrow to their bones;
19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge,
even hidden treasures;
As a
result of obedience to these principles, I received promised wisdom. Before
attending the AIMS Institute, I had been trying to determine the course of my
life following graduation. The next step after grad school for most singers is
to begin auditioning across the country and pursuing roles in opera houses in
the US and abroad.
I had
always loved to perform and had wondered if that could be the next step for me.
Of course, that path makes family life extremely difficult. But, prior to Austria,
it seemed like an enticing path.
However,
though my musical experiences in Austria were extremely positive, upon
returning home I had a clarity of mind, a realization and a spiritual
confirmation that performance on that level was not the path for me. I truly
believe that it was a direct result of obeying the word of wisdom and listening
to the promptings of the Holy Ghost that allowed me that clarity and peace.
That wisdom given to those who keep the word of wisdom.
It was
less than a year later that McKay our first child was born and I began to
realize the no thrill of performance could begin to match the wonder and joy of
being a mother in Zion. Holding McKay and Benson and Lily and Kate in my arms,
watching them learn and grow, sharing the gospel with them and loving them each
day has been the joy of my life.
I
testify through my own personal experience that I know that when we receive any blessing
from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
As President
Monson taught, when we obey the Lord’s commandments, we are given specific,
promised blessings. My life has been blessed innumerable times as I have tried
to keep the commandments and felt the blessings and tender mercies of the Lord
in my life. I know this is true and bear testimony of it in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.
