Choosing to Sing

Illustration by Katelyn Budge

I always enjoyed attending church, but there was one thing I never really liked: singing hymns.

No matter how much my parents encouraged me, I just couldn’t get into it. They even signed me up for the stake conference choir, hoping it would help. But I still didn’t sing—I only moved my lips to make it look like I was participating.

Then came a moment that changed everything.

During the April 2025 general conference, President D. Todd Christofferson gave a talk that struck me deeply. He said, “We worship by singing hymns (not just listening to but singing the hymns).”

Those words pierced my heart. I had never thought of singing hymns as an act of worship before. Suddenly, I regretted all those times I had chosen silence over singing. I immediately made a commitment—not just to sing from then on, but to encourage others to sing too, by sharing my experience.

Our bishop had often encouraged us youth to watch general conference talks, saying they would guide us in our daily lives. I didn’t truly understand that until this talk. Now I see how powerful and personal the messages can be.

This experience has strengthened my testimony. I’ve learned that even something as simple as singing a hymn can bring us closer to Heavenly Father.