As Saturday night’s presentation of “Luz de las Naciones” began, a choir’s words echoed loud across the Conference Center to a near-capacity crowd while it sang “Good Things Grow” from Disney’s 2025 movie “Snow White.”
The words of that song talk about living together, serving together and learning together. These three are all characteristics of family, and family was celebrated throughout the night.
“I cannot help but notice that we are meeting once again as a family — the family of light of the nations,” event host Irene Caso said as she welcomed thousands to the Spanish-language event.
“Luz de las Naciones” translates from Spanish to mean “Light of the Nations” in English. The annual musical celebration has been hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 20 years. And this year’s event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Church in South America.
Attendees — both members of the Church and friends of it — represented many countries and backgrounds and included President Dallin H. Oaks; his wife, Sister Kristen Oaks; and members of their family.
“With gratitude, we celebrate 100 years of miracles, conversion and growth,” Caso said during the event. “And with faith, we look forward to the next 100 years, knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to transform lives in South America and all of the world.”
As Caso described the growth of the Church in South America, an animated map was displayed that illustrated the construction of temples over the past century.
She recalled the prophecy of Elder Melvin J. Ballard that the Church would grow in South America like an oak tree. A marker commemorating Elder Ballard’s prayer offered in 1925 dedicating South America for the preaching of the gospel is located in Tres de Febrero Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
While many of the songs were traditional musical numbers about life in countries like Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Mexico, others taught about gospel principles, with one of the final numbers coming from the new “Hymns — For Home and Church."
Caso also shared the story of Chilean member Ruth Peters Rubio, who served as one of the first full-time sister missionaries when she and Maria Cristina Donoso served in 1959 in the Argentina Mission.
In a prerecorded video, Peters shared how her faith helped her overcome the death of her mother and receive answers to her desperate prayers.
“Could it be true, what these missionaries are saying?” Peters recalled in the video.
She said she knelt in prayer to ask Heavenly Father if what she had learned from the missionaries was true, and she received an answer to that prayer.
“And an answer from Him, one never forgets,” she said.
Caso was joined by singer Alex Melecio on stage to talk about the New Testament telling of the Savior walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee and Peter joining Him on the water in a moment of faith.
Speaking of the moment the apostles realized it was the Savior who neared their boat on the storm-troubled waters, Melecio said: “A clear voice spoke to them and said, ‘Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid’ (Matthew 14:27). It was the voice of the Savior.”
Caso and Melecio told the rest of the story — Peter falling into the water and the Savior rescuing him. Melecio then shared his testimony that Jesus Christ gives peace amid challenges.
“The peace of Jesus Christ doesn’t always calm the storm, but it does calm the heart. And when we feel that we are drowning, when our fear is stronger than our faith, He is always there with His hand extended,” he said. “With words that heal and a peace that is hard to explain, it inundates the soul and whispers to us that tomorrow can be a better day.”
One standout moment from the night of song came as the choir sang “I Want To Have a Million Friends,” which was originally written by Brazil’s Roberto Carlos. As the choir and orchestra performed the song, the Conference Center was lit by thousands of individuals’ flashlights from their mobile phones. The lights swayed with the music, and director Israel González-Nieri invited the crowd to join in singing the chorus.
Toward the end of the event, Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, spoke in a prerecorded message to the audience. Sister Spannaus is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“How I enjoy this feeling of unity and of love in these annual events,” she said.
Sister Spannaus shared the story of the two missionaries who shared the gospel with her family when she was 9 years old. She expressed her gratitude to them and to God for that blessing in her life and said she knows many in the audience have their own similar story of gratitude.
“Every temple is a blessing for the children of God. It is a refuge from the world. It is a place of instruction, revelation and peace,” she said. “One of the names of Christ is Prince of Peace.”
Noting that peace that is created by the world or in the world is not and cannot be the same as the peace that comes from God, she quoted President Dallin H. Oaks from the 2019 First Presidency Christmas Devotional.
“The Savior and His apostles had no program for world peace other than individual righteousness,” President Oaks said.
Sister Spannaus continued by saying that personal peace is the result of personal effort made to keep God’s commandments and to seek Him.
“It is worth the effort,” she said.
“This is a marvelous world. And I am talking about the simple, everyday things — observing nature, a conversation with friends, gathering around the table with our family, laughing together, our pets, music, the colors of a sunset, carrying a child in our arms and so many other things.”
“Christ is the source of salvation. He died for us. He is the source of love. He loves us with a perfect and eternal love. And He is the source of peace.”
The full concert is available on the Church’s Spanish YouTube channel. Some of the 17 individual musical numbers are also available as standalone videos on that same channel.
Event performances
“Yamparáez” (Fuerza Inmortal)
“Tinku”
“Candú”
“Valicha”
“La concheperla”
“La Bamba”
“Jarabe tapatío”
“Guadalajara”
“Somos Luz de las Naciones”
