BYU-Hawaii men's and women's chorus director Merrilee Webb, shared with the university family the importance of recognizing and understanding the many miracles that occur daily in our lives in a devotional speech on May 29.
"You and I are involved in miracles everyday but the problem is that we are not seeing them," she said.
Webb explained that often, two people who see the exact same event can have completely different experiences depending on that person's perspective in life. It is through that perspective that we either recognize or ignore the impact of the daily miracles we experience in our lives.
"We do not describe the world we see, we see the world we describe," Webb said, quoting the author Joseph Jaworski.
"What is a miracle?" she asked. "What does a miracle look like and do we have to work for miracles or do they just come? How often do we not see what a miracle is?"
She gave the example of a certain man who fell over the side of the cliff and pleaded with God that his life would be spared. After finishing his prayer, the man's clothing caught a tree branch saving his life but did not acknowledge that as a miracle aided by God. "The tree branch was not a coincidence," Webb said.
Webb recounted a personal experience and two examples from the New Testament involving the Savior.
She reflected on an experience when she needed to meet a deadline for her work but due to unforeseen circumstances, couldn't meet it because a certain individual who was supposed to do a violin recording was not able to make it. After finally finding a replacement Webb said that she was able to finish the job and have her work sent off.
"I kept listening and I didn't quit," she said. "I kept looking for the miracle. It was a miracle, it was hard but I kept working for it."
Webb gave the example of the Savior's experience after his resurrection. Two men ran into the Savior on the road and spoke with Him but did not recognize who He was. Only when the Savior had left after they had dinner together did they recognize who it was. "They thought the miracle would look differently-they didn't get it," she explained.
Similarly, the Apostle Peter walked on the water with the Savior but because of fear, took his eyes of Him, lost his faith and started to sink. "But Christ was right there to help," Webb said.
"How often do we ask for help and get help but then fear and sink in the water of our troubles, and don't accept the miracles?" she asked.
Webb shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon found in Ether 12:6, explaining that the miracle comes after hard work and the trial of one's faith.
She added her feelings on the miracle of gratitude, and gave the example of the Ten Lepers in the New Testament. "How many times have you and I been one of the nine who have been cleansed, helped, healed, and not turned and fallen at (the Savior's) feet and given thanks?"
Webb told the university 'ohana the greater miracle of students coming from all over the world and witnessing the peace that is found on campus. She also encouraged all students to recognize their daily miracles and embrace their experiences while attending BYU-Hawaii.
"How are each of you describing your BYU-Hawaii experience to others?" she asked. "This school is fulfilling a mission of our Heavenly Father and you and I get to be a part if that, what an honoring and humbling experience."
Merrilee Webb was raised in Fresno, California and moved to Provo, Utah, where she received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Brigham Young University. She was named as BYU's "most outstanding musician" in 1983.