by Neisha Sykes of "Hang a ribbon on the moon" / ga11182011

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Neisha writes, "I was excited this fall when I found out what the theme for next year would be:“Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:5).

As I thought about this scripture, I kept coming back to the lights in the temple.  No, not the light of the temple, the actual lights IN the temple:  the gorgeous chandeliers everywhere.  I love them!  The combination of beautiful crystals and pure light radiating from the temple chandeliers permeates the sealing and Celestial rooms in this sacred place.  And, I think that in a way this scripture is beckoning us to be like one of those chandeliers:  shine forth!  Use the light of the Heavenly Father and the example of Jesus Christ to become a stand-out person in the nations of the world.

The chandelier metaphor can go even further in a few ways.  First, each individual crystal is important–a unique vessel for amplifying and brightening a room.  Similarly, each of us is a unique and important part of Heavenly Father’s work here on Earth.  And, although we may feel small and that our part is insignificant, we can still spread the light of Jesus Christ in our own ways.

Second, get a few prisms from a chandelier together and they can dramatically increase the light emitted from a single light bulb.  Add a ten or twenty more for an even greater effect.  The more we work together to amplify our own light, gifts and abilities, the more we as Saints shine for the world."

To read more, please visit Neisha's blog post here.

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