Gospel Lessons From Marching Band

My daughter participated in her high school’s marching band this year. I, frankly, was glad she bypassed the first couple years she was eligible because it is much more of a commitment than when I was in school. But some of her band friends recruited her, and she was in. 

And it was hard. There were long practice hours, sometimes 20 hours a week during the school year, and 50+ during the summer camps.  They experienced the extremes of summer heat and sub zero temperatures at the end. (Spit valves were freezing shut.) The music was challenging. There was pressure to be better, to play louder, and to be precise with every movement.  There were occasional people problems – the forming and storming that comes with group dynamics before the norming and performing. At times the band director was more drill sergeant than director, and many students perceived that he was long on criticism and short on praise.  But they persisted. 

Competitions began and they did well – some competitions were better than others. With each competition there were small tweaks and more practicing. Make it louder, clearer, more precise! Louder, clearer, more precise!  And there were many more hours of practice. 

The final competition of the year was held in Saint George, Utah. Bands from all the western states were there. The band performed well and they were loud, clear, and precise. We had seen several of the Utah bands many times during the season, and everyone improved. Many of the shows from out of state were quite different. I thought my daughter’s band was probably going to take 3rd.  I hoped they would be happy with their performance regardless of a judges’ subjective score. 

Then the scores were announced. My daughter’s band not only won, but they won by a wider margin than the rest of the season. Parents went onto the field to congratulate their kids. My daughter was the happiest I have ever seen her. Tears of joy flowed freely. She was anxious to see us and to share her happiness with us. It is hard to express that kind of joy with words.

Could my daughter have had the same joy if practice had not been so hard? Does ease ever produce the same joy? I don’t think so. It is the hard things - the long term things that require the most commitment that bring the most joy. Marriage and parenting aren’t always easy – there is always work and problems and refining and moving forward. Yet, these relationships bring profound joy. Church service can be difficult and time consuming. It can be hard to mold my desires and keep the commandments and yield to the enticings of the Spirit. Yet when I do, and persist, I find joy. 

Lehi taught that without passing through misery, we wouldn’t know joy. Eve reflected, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.”  (Moses 5:11)

So life is hard. See it through. Do your best to be clear and more precise. The best things in life are hard. Joy awaits in the long term. 

(My daughter plays trumpet and starts at the front, 5th from the right)