Just Keep Playing!

You're probably wondering what in the world a piano has to do with me or missionary work, so here we go.

The piano is one of the hardest instruments to learn, but is one of the most beautiful to listen to. It takes years of practice to be able to play it well, and seldom comes easily to people. For many it is a symbol of frustration and others, a symbol of accomplishment. Most people start playing at a young age, so they can easily learn good playing habits, the positions of all the keys, and how to make simple chords into beautiful songs. So how does this relate to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? President James E. Faust related this story:

This the story of a young piano student. His mother, wishing to encourage him, “bought tickets for a performance of the great Polish pianist, Paderewski. The night of the concert arrived and the mother and son found their seats near the front of the concert hall. While the mother visited with friends, the boy slipped quietly away.

“Suddenly, it was time for the performance to begin and a single spotlight cut through the darkness of the concert hall to illuminate the grand piano on stage. Only then did the audience notice the little boy on the bench, innocently picking out ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’

“His mother gasped, but before she could move, Paderewski appeared on stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And then, leaning over, the master reached down with his left hand and began filling in the bass part. Soon his right arm reached around the other side, encircling the child, to add a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerized.

“In our lives, unpolished though we may be, it is the Master who surrounds us and whispers in our ear, time and time again, ‘Don’t quit. Keep playing.’ And as we do, He augments and supplements until a work of amazing beauty is created. He is right there with all of us, telling us over and over, ‘Keep playing."

God sent His Son to show us the way to return to Him. He is the ultimate Master. When we accept Him into our lives and learn to follow Him, He helps us create something beautiful, the best gift God has to offer. Eternal Life. I am grateful that Jesus Christ is my Master and is teaching me to just Keep Playing.