We all have lights within us. Some of our lights are brighter than others, but yet the light is still in us. The light given to us before we came to earth; I believe stays with us as a "secret something", and when missionaries or members talk about the gospel that tiny ember begins to get brighter as the recollections of "our former friends and birth" begin to fill us. This is, to me the sweetest part of a conversion; when the burning ember begins to enlarge within them. They feel something. They start to have a feeling of rememberance.

The brighter lights come after the Spirit testifies to us of understanding, applying, and benefitting from a gospel principle; whether it be tithing, temple attendance, or callings. A magnifying glass can be used to enlarge, so one sees things clearer. So it is with magnifying callings. As we labor in the Lord's vineyard, we get to see and understand how to carry out our callings more clearly. Our mind and heart is open, and light springs forth.

Back in Pennsylvania, I remember the hot summer nights in the country. Looking out over the yard, one saw nothing except darkness. Then, like magic, tiny lights appeared and disappeared. It began with just a few, but as the night wore on, the yard was literally sparkling with these lights of the tiny fireflies. It illustatrates my point that each of us, like the firefly has light within us. And when the light is visible, people stop and take notice.

The light of Christ is within each of us. This light can be likened as a lighthouse beacon, to guide ships safely into the harbor. We can offer our lights as a guide to the safe harbor of the gospel. Sometimes, even with our bright lights, we tend to want to hide the light, "...under a bushel". We may not be willing to let others see our light because it may offend, or we might be in situations that we know we shouldn't be in and don't want to broadcast our lights while in these situations.

Sometimes, the light burns, but our lens is so filthy that little, if any light can be seen. The filth covering our lenses can be anything from pornography, deceit, lying, stealing, morality, and other things which draw us away from the Spirit, which magnifies that light within us. These things, which cover our lenses can be cleansed and scrubbed away. Depending on how long the lenses have been subjected to this worldly filth, depends on the amount of work required to make that lens bright again.

Again, in the Sermon on the Mount, our Savior declared to the multitude:

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

We all, member or not are lights of the world. We all have that burning ember of an eternal Father in Heaven and His plan within each of us. But we, who are members carry the even more important assignment of carrying that light to the tops of the mountains, or simply by living our lives in accordance to the will of our Father in Heaven. People will notice, and will, like the ships in the harbor, draw closer to the light. They may inquire "why we are different"? They may just feel more comfortable around us. This is not the time to back down, or try to hide the light. The Lord has prepared them and we must be ready and willing to share our beliefs. And then, the exquisite joy of watching their little ember increase as they, too will shine before men.