Speeches
The Difference is in Christ with Tracy Browning of the Primary General Presidency
On Feb. 28, the Southern Virginia University community gathered in the Knight Arena to listen to Sister Tracy Browning, counselor in the Primary General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, speak on creating a distinct life by centering the use of personal gifts on Jesus Christ.
During a recent ministry assignment to Milan, Italy, Browning had the opportunity to see Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper.” She shared that it felt different from other contemporary depictions of the Last Supper in part because of Da Vinci’s unique gifts and talents.
“I saw in the masterful painting his understanding of light and movement, his interest in mathematics. All of that was present in this depiction, making it distinct because Leonardo da Vinci was distinct,” said Browning. “Each of us has been given gifts from God. They’re different, they’re distinct. We have all been given something from God that allows us to create.”
Browning shared that as a child, she realized she had a gift for communication based on her ability to think in images and convey those pictures to others. By using her gift and centering it on Jesus Christ, Browning testified of the ability to create a beautiful life.
“If I have a gift and it comes from God, could it be that the best expression of that gift, the highest use of it, and the way that it might be magnified to its greatest degree would be when I use it to reflect the Creator who gave that gift?” asked Browning.
Browning explained that Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” is scaled around Jesus Christ, with his face as the point of reference for the rest of the painting, and testified of the beauty of centering her life on Christ when she decided to be baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 16.
“I decided that my education pursuit was about trying to understand God’s truth,” said Browning. “In my professional life, I looked at it as opportunities for me to be a blessing and to serve in any capacity I could… I chose to raise a family because I wanted to have a relationship with a man that was eternal.”
“As I have sought to see Christ and to center Him in every aspect of my life, I have found that the creative aspects of my life have become more meaningful,” said Browning. “They have become uniquely distinct and different from the world because I’ve chosen to be uniquely distinct and different from the world. My discipleship calls me to be more like my Savior than like anything else.”
The event featured a musical performance by the university’s combined choirs of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson and ended with the traditional singing of “Love One Another.”