KENSINGTON, Maryland — Christmas lights symbolize the peace and goodwill public servants and faith leaders try to create, a Latter-day Saint apostle told two notable audiences this week.
Hundreds of international diplomats, U.S. government officials and religious leaders gathered Tuesday and Wednesday night at the Church of Jesus Christ’s Washington D.C. Temple to sing Christmas carols with their families, drink hot chocolate and join a ceremony to turn on more than 400,000 Christmas lights.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles told them that in his experience, “A common quality of faith leaders and those in embassies is a desire to be of service and to help others.”
On Tuesday night, Singapore Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri placed the palm of his hand on the big red button that would turn on the Christmas lights. Elder Cook placed his hand on top of the ambassador’s. They pressed down together and red, green, white, purple and blue lights sprung to life.
The temple’s Festival of Lights now will illuminate the sky here through Jan. 2 as a gift to the Washington, D.C., community from the church, said Mauri Earl, the festival’s director.
“I pray that this lighted display will be a reflection of us. May we all become points of light during this special season,” Elder Cook said Wednesday night before he and his wife celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary by turning the lights on again.
He was realistic about the challenges the leaders face. He told the ambassadors their responsibilities reminded him of the shepherds who first received the news of Christ’s birth.
“You, like shepherds, must look to the welfare of your nations, communities and families as you seek to protect them from a multitude of dangers. It is no easy task,” he said.
He encouraged them not “to despair amid the continual doom loop of data that bombards us” but to confront challenges with a confidence “that comes from an understanding of the ‘good tidings’ and ‘great joy’ that the angel brought to ‘all people.’”
On Tuesday night, dozens of ambassadors to the United States attended the lighting ceremony with their families, joined by two Congressmen, Sen. Mitt Romney and Rep. John Curtis of Utah. Among the hundreds of guests on Wednesday night were members of the European Union delegation, El Salvador Ambassador Milena Mayorga and Utah Reps. Chris Stewart and Blake Moore.
The lighting ceremonies helped create and deepen relationships.
“It’s touching for me, and I believe for other members of my faith, to have you come here,” Sen. Romney said. “Some of you have similar faith and believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Others have faiths that are quite different, but to come together and celebrate in the way we have done tonight is a great honor to us and brings a great deal of joy and happiness to me personally.”
Ambassador Frédéric Hegbe of the Republic of Togo said he was raised by a Catholic mother and Protestant father.
“It was a wonderful, inspiring night,” he said. “I’m very attached to Christmas traditions. They are very meaningful to me.”
Hegbe said that amid challenges faced by nations and people around the world, he agreed with Mirpuri, Singapore’s ambassador, that the event and the lights created significant feelings to help bring people together despite different cultures and beliefs.
Mirpuri said Singapore lights its streets to celebrate the many religions and cultures in the country.
“Singapore is a multiracial society which honors and celebrates our diverse population. Multiculturalism and multi-ethnicity are the core foundational tenets of our society,” he said.
Hegbe praised his Mirpuri for Singapore’s religious tolerance.
“If everybody followed what they do in Singapore, we would have peace on earth, what Jesus wished,” Hegbe said.
One example of a deepening relationship was that Elder Cook and Murpuri expressed gratitude that the Church of Jesus Christ has announced it will build its first temple in Singapore.
“We look forward to welcoming the temple as a feature of Singapore’s multiethnic and multireligious landscape,” Mirpuri said.
Elder Cook said that during his ministry, he has watched people in their positions work to create friendships and understanding among all people as diplomats and religious leaders call for assistance and service for those in need, as well as for civility and peaceful solutions.
“For our faith, Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and provided the light and perfect example,” he told them.
“We work to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, welcome the stranger and care for the sick,” he said. “We seek to combat racism and prejudice, protect the natural environment and strengthen the bonds of understanding and fellowship that separate disparate groups.”
Elder Cook emphasized to the political, governmental and religious leaders that the message of Christ’s birth and his teachings were universal in nature.
Latter-day Saints consider him the Savior of the world, Elder Cook added, and “the ultimate symbol and champion of how to vanquish the superficial distinctions that otherwise divide us from our sisters and brothers in the family of man.”
Therefore, he said, “Members of our faith are committed to doing what we can to help better communities and break down barriers that prevent God’s children from sharing in the peace and goodwill that ought to be a common inheritance for all humankind.”
That was apparent Wednesday to Mariana Million, a Costa Rican working in international relations in D.C. She noticed the Christmas trees flanking the brilliantly lit Christus statue in the visitors’ center lobby. The trees’ branches were covered with dolls from countries around the world. In a nearby room, 87 nativity sets were on display from 66 countries.
Million said the evening was “moving.”
“It’s very seldom that we can feel we are part of the celebrating here. To see a doll from our country on one of the trees and a nativity scene from our country makes us feel like we can participate. Featuring so many cultures was very nice.”
Million’s teenage son Sammy enjoyed going to the front of the auditorium Wednesday to sing, with dozens of other children, carols like Rudolf the “Red-nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bells.”
“It was a very nice surprise, and I will try to remember it as long as I can,” the boy said.
The inclusive touches embodied what Singapore Ambassador Mirpuri called the deeply symbolic and spiritual significance of the Festival of Lights.
“In many religious traditions and cultures, light is celebrated as a representation of life and joy, the triumph of good, of hope, of warmth,” he said.
The Festival of Lights on the temple grounds is free to visitors. The festival also includes nightly performances, for which free tickets are required. Tickets are available at dctemple.org.