Wednesday's Story

Mesa Arizona Temple Christmas Lights performance
December 28, 2008

Left to Right: Terri (sister), Me, Kimberly (niece-in-law), Cindy (sister),
Alicia (niece), Jessica (niece), Brianna (niece), Chrissy (sister),
Sharron (sister), Sara (niece at the piano -not pictured)

My sisters and I learned to sing at our Father's knee. Music has always been a huge part of all traditions in the Cooley family. We sing around the piano, we sing while traveling in the car, we sing at church, we sing at home, we sing while playing! We even had a family band at one time.

It is fun to now include a new generation in our group.

One of my earliest memories of my Dad is of him singing our bedtime songs while strumming his guitar. I can still hear it now. He had a "cowboy" sound to his deep voice.

We really enjoy singing as part of the Christmas concert series at the temple. We feel it an extra special privilege to sing at the temple because the Christmas lighting event, titled in 2008 as, "Celebrate the Life of Christ in Lights and Music" was the brainchild of our grandfather, former temple President L. Harold Wright (1980 - 1985).

He saw the project as a "gift to the community," and one that would add a spiritual element to the celebration of Christ's birth.

During the first season the display included 5,000 clear and blue lights, mostly around the visitors center and reflection pool where electrical outlets were available. As a new sprinkler system was installed on the grounds in 1985 they also added much needed electrical outlets so more lights could be added in future years.

And add more lights they did. Now there are hundreds of thousands of lights.

This year, 2009, will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Christmas Lights display.

We are looking forward to performing on Christmas night, December 25, 2009.