From Deseret News archives:
Provo Day of Prayer event focuses on love
Leaders of various faiths pray for those in military, leaders
The theme for the night was "From Tolerance to Love," and Chaplain Linda P. Walton of Utah Valley State College, chairperson of the event, said one can tolerate music, some antibiotics, a fair amount of pain and even Brussels sprouts, but that there has to be more than just tolerance.
"We must move from enduring each other to loving each other," Walton said.
Several prayers for members of the military and government leaders were given by leaders of various faiths.
The Utah Valley Handbell Choir chose to play "Song of Triumph."
"The whole idea behind this (event) is coming together," director Karen Eskew-Wyllie said. "We have fourteen different people with different belief systems and values all working together as one to make beautiful music."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke of the crucial need for prayer.
"I can think of almost nothing we need more in this nation than prayer," Holland said. He quoted Mother Teresa, Abraham Lincoln and President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS Church, to emphasize his point.
Holland spoke of President Faust's recent talk during the recent LDS General Conference recounting the shocking circumstance of a milkman who shot 10 Amish girls in a schoolhouse, killing five of them.
"This ... caused anguish ... but no anger; hurt, but no hatred," Holland repeated from Faust's talk. "The Amish collectively reached out to the milkman's family and said 'We forgive you.'"
Two musical numbers were sung by the Provo High School Choir with Cory Mendenhall directing.
Utah County Jail Chaplain Richard Green spoke of inmates' needs for scriptures, especially copies of the New International Version of the Bible, and asked for donations for a new chapel.
"He (God) wrote the manual," Green said, "which I call 'Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth."
Two instances during the evening especially exemplified moving from tolerance to love. Chaplain Walton turned to Rabbi Auriel R. Combs and welcomed the Sabbath, as the sun set outside. And as the Handbell Choir played a postlude, President Holland and several others stopped to listen, showing respect as the music ushered others out.
E-mail: knelson@desnews.com
