Instruments in the Hands of God

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the General Relief Society session of the October 2005 conference.

Sister Kathleen H. Hughes is married to one of my favorite LDS authors, Dean Hughes. One of his books, Before the Dawn, was inspired, in part, by the unity of sisterhood he felt among the women when his wife served in the General Relief Society presidency. I enjoyed her talk so much in this session because she addressed some of my most glaring faults.

All of us long to possess Christ's pure love, called charity, but our humanness--the "natural woman" in us--gets in the way. We get angry, we become frustrated, we berate ourselves and others--and when we do, we cannot be the conduit of love we need to be if we are to become an instrument in Heavenly Father's hands. Being willing to forgive ourselves and others becomes an integral part of our ability to have the love of the Lord in our lives and to do His work.

I often think of the quote from C.S. Lewis about entering a cellar turning on the light and discovering rats. The light didn't create the rats, it revealed them. I have rats in my cellar! Big, ugly ones that are revealed when I'm frustrated by things I can't control. I often pray to be able to kill the rats and rid myself of them, to clean up my cellar.

Sister Hughes shared something she learned from a woman she had recently met.

Alicia told me something I will never forget. She said, "I only do one thing for myself when I go to church: I take the sacrament for me. The rest of the time I watch for others who need me and I try to help them and nurture them."

That is an insight I needed to be reminded of. And I tried it this past Sunday. At the potluck after the meetings I sat with sisters I don't normally sit with. We had a delightful time. I felt better for having done so. Not that I was better than them, rather that they gave me hope, strength, and sisterhood.

We can only be instruments in the hands of God if and when we are willing to forget our own troubles and inadequacies and reach out to serve others. He will sustain us, and though we may not know the outcome of our service each time, it is surely recorded in heaven. I look forward to seeing the effects of my efforts someday when I return Home.  

 

Conference Session Highlights

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the October 2005 conference.

Elder Russell M. Nelson - "Through times good and bad, the Lord expects each of us to endure to the end. . . . Thanks to Him, no condition is hopeless. Thanks to Him, brighter days are ahead, both here and hereafter. Real joy awaits each of us--on the other side of sorrow."

Elder Robert D. Hales - "The Lord expects us to be as faithful, as devoted, as courageous as those who went before us. They were called to give their lives for the gospel. We are called to live our lives for the same purpose. . . . Do we have eyes to see that the events and prophecies of our time are preparing us for the Savior's Second Coming?"

Elder Won Yong Ko - ". . . these sacrifices cannot be easily made unless we have the mind and the determination to make the sacrifices that are needed to be able to keep those commandments. . . . do not be afraid of sacrifice. Please enjoy the happiness and blessings from the sacrifice itself. . . . And then greater blessings will be poured out on us. It will be just like our surprise and joy when we receive an unexpected gift."

Elder Paul E. Koelliker - "As in Noah's day, our efforts to live these covenants may often be accompanied by a measure of sacrifice. This sacrifice, regardless of how great or small, often determines how committed in mind and heart we are to be submissive to the will of our Heavenly Father."

Elder Lowell M. Snow - "This very general conference is a modern Liahona, a time and place to receive inspired guidance and direction that prospers us and helps us follow God's path through the more fertile parts of mortality. . . . prophets and apostles through the ages are our compass from the Lord."

Elder Ulisses Soares - "People will remain in the Church when they feel someone cares for them."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf - "As we strive to understand, internalize, and live correct gospel principles, we will become more spiritually self-reliant. . . . Developing Christlike attributes can be a painful process. We need to be ready to accept direction and correction from the Lord and His servants. This worldwide conference with its music, and spoken word offers spiritual power, direction, and blessings 'from on high' (D&C 43:16). It is a time when the voice of personal inspiration and revelation will bring peace to our souls and will teach us how to become more Christlike. This voice will be sweet as the voice of a dear friend, and it will fill our souls when our hearts are sufficiently contrite."

President Gordon B. Hinckley - "We leave you with our testimony of the divinity of this work. What a wonderful work it is. How empty our lives would be without it. God our Eternal Father lives. He loves us. He watches over us. Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of mankind. They have restored their work in this last and final dispensation through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph. I so testify in all solemnity and leave my love and my blessing with you, my beloved brethren and sisters of this grateful Church. God bless you every one."

Ministering and Forgiveness

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the October 2005 conference.

So many good talks this session, but I'm choosing just two quotes from President Hinckley's address. 

I do not enjoy travel [he had given figures of how many miles he'd recently traveled, about 35,000] but it is my wish to get out among our people to extend appreciation and encouragement, and to bear testimony of the divinity of the Lord's work.

This struck me as how I should feel about ministering. I should want to get out and visit personally with my sisters to encourage them, and strengthen their faith in the Savior. I've been working at doing better this year.

Somehow forgiveness, with love and tolerance accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way.

The older I get the more I understand how important it is to forgive others. Not for their sake, but for mine. To harbor grudges and hurts without forgiving is like rust or rot to our soul. Part of the miracle that happens is a lighter feeling from letting go of burdens.

 

 

 

The Blessings of General Conference!

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood session of the October 2005 conference.

 

Elder Paul V. Johnson learned to love General Conference in about the same way as I did, by maturing on a mission, listening to and studying the talks. His mother sent him tapes of the talks.

". . . I listened to them over and over again. I grew to love the voices and the words of the prophets and apostles."

Do you recognize voices? President Kimball's distinct gravely voice, the result of losing some of his vocal chords. Elder McConkie's rich, sonorous voice. President Faust's habit of speaking to the end of his breath. I love hearing them! And not just their voices, but their choice of words, their stories, their testimonies, instructions and invitations. 

"There is so much guidance and direction available that you won't make major mistakes in your life unless you consciously ignore the guidance you receive."

A friend and I were talking about things and the subject of temple attendance came up. Our closest temple (2.5 hours away) is closed for six months and members of our family have talked about making arrangements to go to other temples, the closest one being about 5 hours away.  She said before accepting any job offer they looked at the distance to church and temple. They've generally lived quite close to those. For the past fourteen years we've lived fairly far away from them. (35-45 minutes from church, 1.5-2 hours from the stake center, and 1.5-2.5 hours from the temple) Anyway, I mentioned that she and her husband had made much better life choices than I and my husband, and that the Lord has greatly blessed them for the obedience and faithfulness. She denied a bit, saying maybe they weren't dedicated enough to drive 5-6 hours to attend the temple. I replied, No, you've stayed out of debt, magnified callings, served faithfully, and been obedient to just about everything the prophet asks. Nobody is perfect, no one is free from trials. But the consequences of our choices is so evident in our lives.

"In order for the messages of general conference to change our lives, we need to be willing to follow the counsel we hear. . . . This willingness to take action on what we have learned opens the doors for marvelous blessings."

"Every time we are obedient to the words of the prophets and apostles we reap great blessings. We receive more blessings than we can understand at the time, and we continue to receive blessings long after our initial decision to be obedient."

Start Early and Be Steady

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Afternoon session of the October 2005 conference.

Towards the end of 2022 as I began thinking about New Year's Resolutions, goals, and what I wanted to accomplish in the new year I felt the distinct impression that I needed to up my game, so to speak, in daily scripture study. I needed to be consistent and faithful. It was such a strong impression that I didn't think about anything else and began right away to make a weekly plan and study each day. 

I learned to love the scriptures as a child from my father and his father, my Grandpa Joe. Then as a teen seminary was a wonderful time of learning and I began to mark scriptures and look for cross references. Serving as a missionary brought greater understanding as I studied each day and then taught others the gospel of Jesus Christ. That time of my life laid a strong foundation for the rest of my life.

But, I failed to keep it up and there were times when I didn't study at all. Raising children limited my study time and I rarely got more than the minimum read for lessons, talks, or Family Home Evenings. After all the children left home I got more diligent and began to enjoy again the sweetness of personal revelation through the scriptures.

From December 2022 to April 2024 I don't think I missed a day of study. My testimony of the Savior deepened as I studied the New Testament accounts of His life. My gratitude for Him grew too.

Elder Henry B. Eyring said, "What we will need in our day of testing is a spiritual preparation. It is to have developed a faith in Jesus Christ so powerful that we can pass the test of life upon which everything for us in eternity depends. That test is part of the purpose God had for us in the Creation."

My day of testing came on a Monday when my husband called me to tell me our precious son was gone, killed by his own hand. I have never felt pain, nor screamed, nor cried like I did at that moment. It was horrific and frightening. But as my heart raced the thought that filled my mind and my heart was, "I know that my Redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives." My faith was anchored to the Rock of Our Redeemer. I was so grateful to have followed the prompting to increase my gospel study over the preceding five months.

The great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God's commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage.

I'm nobody special, I've no special powers, or even calling. Sometimes I'm really good at ignoring promptings or procrastinating following them. But in that instance I was obedient and I'm so glad I was. 

However much faith to obey God we now have, we will need to strengthen it continually and keep it refreshed constantly. We can do that by deciding now to be more quick to obey and more determined to endure. Learning to start early and to be steady are the keys to spiritual preparation. Procrastination and inconsistency are its mortal enemies.

Over the past year when I have felt like giving up and giving in to grief and despair, I remember the tender mercy from Heavenly Father prompting me to study more diligently. He knew what was coming and what I would need. I'm grateful I obeyed. I hope I can continue faithful and endure to the end of my mortal test.

James, Tatum & Daniel

 

 

Prepared and Strong

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Morning session of the October 2005 conference.

From my perspective of almost 67 years on earth I can see the truth that mortal life has always been perilous, and evil has been on a continual march to capture the souls of mankind. Fashions and technology have changed but not much else. Followers of Christ strive to put off the natural man, scoffers eat, drink, and make merry, while the truly evil plot to accumulate wealth and power over others. We can't for a moment think that "the pride cycle" is something that happened only in ancient times. It is alive and well currently! Both in personal lives and societally.

Bishop Keith B. McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric gave a great talk answering a question he'd tried to answer many years previously. While a mission president (in Germany) he'd met with a mayor and was asked why the church was doing missionary work in that city. He answered, "The gospel of Jesus Christ provides answers and solutions to all of the world's problems, including those confronting the good people of your city. This is why we are here." Mission President McMullin was not allowed to elaborate, and the meeting with the mayor was abruptly ended.

Since this talk was given the world around us has continued to experience natural calamities, wars, crime, depravities of every kind and government induced fear and chaos. Evil is not subtle anymore, it is blatant, biased and broadcast widely.

Bishop McMullin said, "The more we cleave unto righteousness, the more we enjoy the protecting care of our Savior. He is the Creator and Lord of the universe. He will calm the winds and the waves. His teachings and Atonement will heal the repentant soul. He is the Messiah or Deliverer, and because of Him, each of us can be in charge of his or her personal world, even as tragedies beset us."

This was true for me as He gave me strength to carry on after our son took his life last year. He gave us peace and comfort as we relied on the knowledge of temple covenants to sustain the hope of seeing our son again. He replaced guilt at things undone with comforting knowledge that His Atonement will make up for our shortcomings.

Of course, we cannot remain where we are, but must repent and improve. "Every time calamity strikes, there is a corresponding sacred obligation that falls upon each of us to become better. We should ask ourselves, 'What part of my life needs to change so that the weight of chastisement need not be felt?'"

A long time friend and I were texting and the conversation turned to obedience and consequences, and how they are manifest in our lives. Bishop McMullin puts it this way, "Faith, spirituality, and obedience produce a prepared and self-reliant people. As we obey the covenant of tithing, we are shielded from want and the power of the destroyer. As we obey the fast and give generously to care for others, our prayers are heard and family fidelity increases. Similar blessings come as we obey the counsel of prophets and live within our means, avoid unnecessary debt, and set aside sufficient of life's necessities to sustain ourselves and our families for at least one year. This may not always be easy, but let us do our very best and our stores shall not fail--there shall be 'enough and to spare.'"

The answers to life's and society's problems truly are found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ because obedience to the commandments, and keeping sacred covenants, spares us the consequences of wrong choices, gives us strength to endure the wrong choices of others, and helps us keep an eternal perspective as we go through the vicissitudes of mortal life.

"Our duty as Latter-day Saints is to prepare ourselves, this earth, and its inhabitants for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being prepared and being strong as the gospel teaches ensure happiness here and hereafter and make this 'grand millennial mission' possible."