Parable of the Conductor's Baton

Imagine that you play an instrument in a symphony orchestra and that you are about to play a composer's acknowledged masterwork, led by a wise and powerful conductor.  The music begins and swells as you play your part with the other strong players. Slowly the lights dim on stage as they have done in the hall--and a brilliant spotlight falls on the conductor as he leads the second movement.

Then a tiny,  powerful pin spot focuses on just the baton as it does its work.  The only other illumination comes from the glow of the small lights on the orchestra's music stands as the music climbs to a crescendo and the symphony concludes.

The conductor takes his bows to thunderous applause as the lights come up, turning to you in the orchestra, he honors all of you as he motions to take your bow--and then the conductor acknowledges a well dressed, older man in the front row.

As he stands, a reverent hush comes over the audience and the hall, that has rung all evening with soaring majestic music and a standing ovation. Suddenly it is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.  The reverent silence honors the composer, our Heavenly Father.   His score was planned and written long before the performance.  With his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, on the podium, these two members of the Godhead are mostly invisible to us---but if we cultivate the gift, we can sense the baton--the Holy Ghost, guiding and nudging our lives according to the design of the Father and the direction of the Son.

Source:  President Richard Boyer, Salt Lake Holladay Stake Conference  5/22/2011