November 10, 2025, 9:00 AM MST
As Saturday night’s presentation of “Luz de las Naciones” began, the choir’s words echoed loudly over the near-capacity crowd in the conference center as they sang “Good Things Grow” from the 2025 Disney movie “Snow White.”
The song’s lyrics talk about living together, serving together, and learning together. All three of these were characteristics of the family, and the family was celebrated throughout the night.
“I can’t help but notice that we are meeting again as a family, a family of lights of the nations,” event organizer Irene Caso said as she welcomed thousands to the Spanish-language event.
“Luz de las Naciones” is translated from Spanish and means “light of the nation” in English. The annual music festival 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 South American church.
Those in attendance, both members and friends of the Church, represented many nations and backgrounds, including President Dallin H. Oaks. his wife, Sister Kristen Oakes; and members of their families.
“With gratitude, we celebrate 100 years of miracles, conversions, and growth,” Caso said during the event. “And we look forward to the next 100 years in faith, knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to transform the lives of people in South America and around the world.”
As Caso described the growth of the Church in South America, an animated map showing temple construction over the past century was displayed.
She recalled Elder Melvin J. Ballard’s prophecy that the Church would grow like an oak tree in South America. A marker commemorating Elder Ballard’s prayer during his 1925 evangelization in South America is located in Torres de Febrero Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Many of the songs were traditional musical numbers about life in countries such as Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Mexico, while others taught about gospel principles and one of the final numbers was from the new “Hymns — For the Home and the Church.”
Mr. Caso also shared the story of Ruth Peters Rubio, a Chilean member who served as one of the first full-time sister missionaries when she served in the Argentina Mission in 1959 with Maria Cristina Donoso.
In a pre-recorded video, Peters spoke about how her faith helped her overcome her mother’s death and get answers to her desperate prayers.
“Is it true what the missionaries are saying?” Peters asked in the video.
She said she knelt in prayer to ask Heavenly Father if what she learned from the missionaries was true, and she received an answer to that prayer.
“And God’s answers will never be forgotten,” she said.
Mr. Caso took to the stage with singer Alex Melesio and spoke about the New Testament story of the Savior walking on the waters of Lake Galilea and Peter joining the Savior in a moment of faith.
Melesio described the moment on the stormy sea when the apostles realized it was the Savior approaching their boat, saying, “A clear voice spoke to them and said, ‘Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid’ (Matthew 14:27). It was the voice of the Savior.”
Caso and Melesio told the rest of the story: Peter falling into the water and the Savior saving him. Melesio then shared his testimony that Jesus Christ brings peace in the midst of hardship.
“The peace of Jesus Christ does not necessarily calm the storm, but it calms the heart. And when we are drowning, when our fear is stronger than our faith, Jesus is always there to reach out,” he said. “Healing words and a peace that is hard to explain fill our souls and whisper to us that tomorrow will be a better day.”
The standout moment of the singing night was when the choir sang “I Want a Million Friends,” written by Roberto Carlos of Brazil. As the choir and orchestra performed the song, the conference center was illuminated by the flashlights of thousands of individuals’ cell phones. The lights swayed in time with the music, and director Israel González-Nyeri asked the audience to join in the chorus.
Toward the end of the event, Sister Andrea Muñoz Spanaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, addressed the audience in a prerecorded message. The Spanaus sisters are from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“How much I enjoy the sense of togetherness and love in these annual events,” she said.
Sister Spannaus told the story of two missionaries who brought the gospel to her family when she was nine years old. She thanked them and God for the blessings in her life and said she knew many in the audience had similar stories of gratitude.
“Every temple is a blessing to God’s children. It is a refuge from the world. It is a place of teaching, revelation and peace,” she said. “One of the names of Christ is Prince of Peace.”
Noting that the peace created by and 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 plan for world peace other than personal righteousness,” President Oaks said.
She went on to say that personal peace is the result of a personal effort to keep God’s commandments and seek God.
“It’s worth the effort,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful world, and I’m talking about the simple everyday things: observing nature, talking with friends, sitting around the table with family, laughing together, pets, music, the colors of the sunset, holding a child in your arms, and so much more.”
“Christ is the source of salvation. Christ died for us. Christ is the source of love. Christ loves us with a perfect and everlasting love. And he is the source of peace.”
The entire concert can be viewed on the church’s Spanish YouTube channel. Some of the 17 individual songs are also available as standalone videos on the same channel.
Event appearance
“Yan Palace” (Immortal Fuerza)
“Tink”
“Kandu”
“Varicha”
“La Concheperla”
“La Bamba”
“Harabeta Patio”
“Guadalajara”
“El cuida de las aves”
“Somos Luz de las Naciones”
