Piano key to keynote: Presiding bishop testifies through word and song at Utah YSA conference

Thousands of young single adults at the Utah Area YSA Conference were waiting for a devotional from Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé. Instead, it began like a concert.

As pianist Jon Schmidt and cellist Steven Sharp Nelson of The Piano Guys finished their performance, Schmidt paused, welcomed Bishop Caussé to the stage — and invited him not to a pulpit but to the piano bench.

A trained pianist, Bishop Caussé settled in as his fingers began the familiar opening of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Für Elise.”

As Schmidt sat next to Bishop Caussé and joined on the keys and Nelson layered in the cello, the classical piece transformed into a lively remix. Thousands of young adults clapped and cheered until the final note — when they rose to their feet in what Schmidt called “a jumping ovation.”

It was an introduction unlike any other, but as Bishop Caussé began his message, the atmosphere turned from music hall to sacred gathering. His message urged young adults to see their discipleship as both personal and essential to the Lord’s unfolding work.

‘You are needed, you are wanted’

“As disciples of Jesus Christ, bound to Him by sacred covenants, you and I have been chosen to help in a divine and monumental work,” Bishop Caussé said. “I testify that you are needed. You are wanted. The Lord is counting on you to do remarkable things in His name.”

Drawing on his own journey from a small Latter-day Saint branch in France to serving as the Church’s presiding bishop, he emphasized that the Lord calls individuals not in spite of their differences but because of them.

“Unity does not mean uniformity. You were never meant to fit into someone else’s mold,” he said, adding: “In the Lord’s perfect plan, there is a place only you can fill.”

Learning to trust God’s plan

Bishop Caussé reflected on lessons from his own life, including the sacrifice and growth required in accepting unexpected calls. He recalled worrying about whether he would have to give up his beloved grand piano when first called as a general authority.

“Sometimes the Lord asks us to place even our dearest treasures on the altar,” he said. “But I testify that when we do, He blesses us a hundredfold.”

He encouraged the audience to see discipleship as more than obedience.

“Obedience, while essential, is not the end goal,” he said. “Discipleship requires much more. The Savior is inviting us to come and follow Him.”

Service beyond callings

Bishop Caussé reminded young adults that the most important calling in the Church — one that extends far beyond titles or assignments — is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ

“What ultimately matters in eternity is not whether you serve as a bishop or Primary president or teacher or secretary or even as presiding bishop,” he said. “But how faithful you were in fulfilling your duties and keeping your covenants.”

He extended a challenge to every YSA ward in Utah to establish a JustServe club, extending the reach of the Church’s service initiative and creating opportunities for young adults to serve their communities.

“If you do, I promise that your faith, your Christlike love for others and your energy will work miracles,” he said.

Attendees’ response

For many, the devotional left a lasting impact.

Indyana Smith of Morgan, Utah, said she was struck by Bishop Caussé’s teaching that the Lord will sometimes ask one to sacrifice so that He can give more. “When we do sacrifice those things for Him, He leads us to greater treasures and He gives us more opportunities to share talents.”

Rachel Lattin of Logan, Utah, reflected on the call to action, “We’re called to serve now, in any capacity — and just for myself, looking for God’s guiding hand in my life, where He’s asking me to serve now and fulfilling that to the best of what I can do now.”

Julie Rosengren of Renton, Washington, said the most powerful message was that discipleship requires more than obedience. “If He were standing in front of me right now, He would ask me personally to come follow Him and He would not want me to just follow Him and be obedient but to live as He lives and to serve as He serves.”

A testimony in music

At the close of his message, Bishop Caussé once again turned to music, bearing testimony through a stirring piano rendition of “Come, Come, Ye Saints.”

“We are all pioneers in our own time,” he told the audience, adding: “Jesus is the Christ. He is our Savior. He is our Redeemer.”