Ministering

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood session of the April 2013 General Conference.

Is ministering hard? I've had a hard time with it because I miss the structure of having a message to deliver each month. That gave me a reason/excuse to contact the sisters I never saw at church. For me it was a good time to discuss the gospel and bear testimony with my visiting teachers (when they came) because that is not part of my married experience. 

Many thought of ministering as something new and different, but in reality it is what we've been doing all along, just under different names and with various emphases, ranging from collecting goods for the poor to sharing a gospel message from our leaders.

David L. Beck, Young Men General President, spoke to the young men about their "Sacred Duty to Minister" and I thought much of it is applicable to all of us today.

 To minister means to love and care for others. It means to attend to their physical and spiritual needs.

That sure sounds like what we are supposed to be doing today!  Sister Jean Bingham, General Relief Society President at the time of the announcement of the change to "Ministering" said, "It looks like going for a walk, getting together for a game night, offering service, or even serving together. It looks like visiting in person, or talking on the phone or chatting online, or texting. It looks like delivering a birthday card and cheering at a soccer game. It looks like sharing a scripture or quote from a conference talk that would be meaningful to that individual. It looks like discussing a gospel question and sharing testimony to bring clarity and peace. It looks like becoming part of someone's life and caring about him or her." 

As I said, I miss the gospel messages, because I get so few chances at home to discuss the gospel. Brother Beck said, "You edify as you teach gospel truths, share spiritual experiences, and bear testimony." Most recently I've enjoyed visits from, and going out with, the local sister missionaries. They bring such a strong spirit with them and I enjoy our discussions.

I know I need to do better at serving others. Brother Beck said, "Ministering is not just something we do--it defines who we are. Minister every day. Opportunities are all around you. Look for them. Ask the Lord to help you recognize them. You will find that most consist of small, sincere acts that help others become followers of Jesus Christ."

On our journey to the promised land, we help each other through our challenges, encourage each other when weary or discouraged, and learn to be strong together by being yoked to the Savior. That's ministering to me.

When It Feels Good

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the General Relief Society session of the October 2007 conference.

It's long been said that you can tell how well you are doing with a particular gospel commandment or principle or whatever, by how you feel when it is talked about in General Conference.

Hearing Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President, speak always gave me good feelings! She spoke of things dear to my heart and how I was trying to live.

"In order to do our part as women under the Lord's plan, we must stand strong and immovable in faith, strong and immovable in family, and strong and immovable in relief. We must excel in these three important areas which set us apart as the Lord's disciples."

"Think of our combined strength if every sister had sincere prayer every morning and night, or, better yet, prayed unceasingly as the Lord has commanded. If every family had family prayer daily and had family home evening once a week, we would be stronger. If every sister was self-reliant enough to be able to give freely of her knowledge, talents, and resources and if every sister's discipleship was reflected by what she said and what she wore, we would be immovable in that which is correct."

Sadly, I've given up on Relief Society in the branch I live in. I don't feel society or relief there. And yet there are so many good women! We just aren't organized or led in a way that builds strength individually or collectively. I miss the Relief Society of my mother's day when sisters met weekly for lessons on a variety of topics and had a "workday" once a month to produce useful and beautiful things. There was so much more "society" as sisters met together often. There was much more relief because the sisters knew each other better and could minister and support each other. The majority of the sisters were not employed outside their homes. Satan has done a great job of luring covenant women out of the home to work, only to come home stressed and tired, just giving lip service to ministering to each other, let alone any person or group outside the church. At least, that's the way I see it.

I have found other avenues of service and society in the community, but my heart still longs for the sweet sisterhood of the Relief Society of former days.

Sister Beck says to the Relief Society presidencies, "Yours is the obligation to help Latter-day Saint women excel in faith, family, and relief. You will help the gospel become a great and compelling interest to the women of the church. You will help the women perfect homemaking, parenting and marriage skills so they can fully live the gospel in their homes."

Wow! Is it just me, or do we need to hear this again and again? Well, it felt good when I heard it in 2007. I was still in the midst of mothering, and still had hope for a bright future in Relief Society. This time around I felt that too many covenant women have given in to the siren song of the world: to have a career, and/or so many activities with and for children that there is no time left for Relief Society. Or in trying to do it all there is so much stress and burnout. Do sisters not know that there are seasons of life? And that the season for raising a family shouldn't also be burdened with building a career? I wish young women would ask ME what's most important. Sister Beck knows!

Merry Christmas!

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.

 

 

 

Talk on Ministering

Brothers and sisters, I have a confession to make. Nothing malignant or testimony shaking. Simply that for the past couple of years I've been a lazy and neglectful ministering sister. I apologize to my sisters whom I've neglected and ask your forgiveness. I am repenting and will do better in the coming days. This talk is a pep talk to myself, an encouragement for me to do better. If you get something out of it too, then we'll both have benefitted.

At the branch picnic Nicole asked me about the salad I brought. She wanted the recipe. I didn't follow one. I just made it up with what I had on hand. She said, "Oh, you're a cook like my mother-in-law. She puts in a little of this and a little of that and it turns out great." Well, after 45 years of reading recipes, trying new things, and practicing cooking, I enjoy making up my own recipes once in a while.

After many decades of having a recipe for ministering, formerly called Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching, we now (for the past five years) have to pretty much make up our own recipes. There are no measured requirements to complete, no standardized message each month, no one size fits all method of ministering to each other.

That can be intimidating at times. But we are not left without guidance or master cooks to follow.

When this "higher, holier" way of ministering was announced in 2018 an impression came to my mind that this was going to lead us to Zion.

What is Zion? And why is that important? Zion is several things, but what I thought about was not a place, but a people. A Zion people is of one heart and one mind. It took me a long time to figure out that the heart and mind we're supposed to be one with is Jesus's heart and mind. He said, "If ye are not one, ye are not mine." When He returns He needs a people to come to, with whom He can dwell, where there is unity, love, and righteousness.

So how does ministering accomplish that? Let's look at some examples from the past.

Think of the Israelites leaving Egypt to go to the Promised Land. They began with urgency, leaving slavery behind, and desiring to live a life of liberty in a Promised Land. But they murmured every step of the way. They complained about the lack of food, lack of water, the labor of travel, etc. They wanted to go back to Egypt where things weren't so bad after all. They were disobedient and contentious. Because of their stubbornness the Lord cursed them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years so that all the faithless complainers would die off before ever getting to the promised land.

Now think of the early saints in this dispensation traveling to their Promised Land. Faith and obedience brought about miracles. They too faced hunger, thirst, fatigue, boredom, bad weather, balky animals, accidents, sickness, death, and every other kind of trial known to humans, yet they reached the Salt Lake valley in a timely manner and built up their Promised Land.

What does this have to do with ministering? Like the pioneers crossing the American plains we are on a mortal journey to the Promised Land of Heaven. Sometimes we're out in front, leading the way, sometimes we're in the middle of the pack, in the thick of things, sometimes we're the stragglers at the back of the group. No one, absolutely no one, goes through mortal life without trials, or joys. To get there we must have faith, lend a hand to each other, encourage each other, bear each other's burdens, comfort each other, rejoice with each other, and journey side by side until we pass over to the other side.

I hope this help us understand the why of ministering.

Let's learn about the how. 

During the summer of 2018, after the announcement in General Conference about Ministering, Steve and I were in Boulder, Colorado over a Sunday and attended church at a local ward. Apparently, the week before had been their stake conference because all of the talks were about the challenge the stake president had given to read the Book of Mormon and mark all the passages that had anything to do with ministering. I thought to myself, I can do that. I found surprising things throughout. 

Almost 100 places where impressions of the Spirit said this is about ministering. I organized them into 13 different categories. First is Do it, Exercise Faith, like Nephi saying he would "go and do the things which the Lord commanded," knowing "that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." And when Nephi returned to Jerusalem to retrieve the Brass Plates, "not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do." 

There are examples of Praying for them, and Praying about them; the largest category on my list is Speak, Teach, and Testify. Sometimes an encouraging word, or a testimony is what is needed to help someone along. We are to Be an Example, Be Forgiving, Serve them, Study, Attend the temple, Care about them, Listen for Promptings, Meet them where they are, and maybe most important at all times, Be Persistent.

I highly recommend studying the scriptures as a way to get personal revelation for our efforts in ministering.

In the church magazine for Adults, The Liahona, formerly The Ensign, every month since June 2018 there has been a section called Ministering Principles. These principles are scripture based and the articles give suggestions for putting them into practice. July's topic is Ministering with Charity, and August's topic is Ministering through Service. Past topics include things like Facing Our Goliaths, Ministering with Mental Health in Mind, Ministering through General Conference, Ministering through Church Activities, How the Spirit Can and Will Help you Minister, and Getting Help to Help Others.

Lest we get discouraged and feel like we're always at the back of the wagon train, think of the Parable of the Laborers. Jesus taught that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a householder, who goes out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. They agree on a wage, and he sends them off to work. He goes out again three hours later and sees others standing idle in the marketplace, and says to them "Why are you standing here idle?" They answer, "Because no one has hired us". So, he says, "Go to the vineyard and whatever is right, I'll pay you." And the householder goes out again every three hours and does the same thing. And then at the last hour of the day he goes out and finds others standing around idle and negotiates the same deal with them.

When the day is finished he has the steward call all the laborers to give them their wages. Everyone received the same wage no matter when they started! Wouldn't you like to work for that employer?

I have good news, we do!

It doesn't matter if you are a 7th generation saint, or the newest convert, our employer, The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, offers us all the same reward for helping in His work.

So, begin where we are! It is possible to repent and change. We can obey the commandments, keep our covenants, spiritually put one foot in front of the other and keep progressing. This journey is not a race where only the fastest and first is rewarded; we ALL will be rewarded for faithfully finishing the journey. Ministering is helping each other toward the finish line.

But, we might think, I just don't have the knowledge or skill or talent that Sister so and so has, or Brother what's his name has. They just seem to be a natural at serving others.

Jesus addressed this fear or excuse too, in the Parable of the Talents. He said that the Kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, and before he leaves calling his servants together and giving them his goods. To one he gave five, to another two, and to another, one talent, each according to their ability. Then the man left. While he was gone the servant who had received five talents traded and made five more talents; the one who was given two, did the same and doubled his. 

But the servant who had received one was afraid of losing it and buried it for safekeeping.

When the master returned he called for an accounting of what he had given the servants. 

The ones who had been given five and two showed their increased talents and were rewarded when the master said to them, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

Then came the third servant. He explained himself saying, "Lord, I know that you are a strict man, reaping where you haven't sown, and gathering where you haven't spread. And I was afraid and hid your talent in the earth, here it is." The master answered him saying, "You wicked and slothful servant, you knew what I'm capable of, reaping where I haven't sown, etc., you should have at least put my money with the investors and I could have had my money along with the interest earned." Then the master commanded that the talent be taken from this servant and given to the one who began with five, saying, "For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."

The moral of the story is that when we do our part, the Lord will multiply our efforts, he will give us more capability. If we don't, what little we do have will be taken from us. Ministering enlarges our abilities to strengthen our eternal church family and build Zion. 

Sister Jean B. Bingham, then Relief Society General President, said, "Sometimes we think we have to do something grand and heroic to 'count' as serving our neighbors. . . . But what did the Savior do? . . . " Besides completing the Atonement, surely the most profound act of service ever performed, ". . . He also smiled at, talked with, walked with, listened to, made time for, encouraged, taught, fed, and forgave."

If you're like me you get overwhelmed thinking about what the Savior, with His superior Godly powers, did and does. I just can't compete in that league. 

Sister Bingham shares some more ideas about what us mere mortals can do:

[Ministering] looks like going for a walk, getting together for a game night, offering service, or even serving together. It looks like visiting in person or talking on the phone, or chatting online, or texting. It looks like delivering a birthday card and cheering at a soccer game. It looks like sharing a scripture or quote from a conference talk that would be meaningful to that individual. It looks like discussing a gospel question and sharing a testimony to bring clarity and peace. It looks like becoming part of someone's life and caring about him or her.

As we study the scriptures and with the Spirit's help we can make up our ministering recipes as we go. There is no one thing that is right for everyone either to give or to receive. We can ask the person what he or she needs, as well as be led by the Spirit.

One of my all-time favorite authors is Jan Karon who wrote a series of books about an Episcopal priest named Timothy Kavanaugh. He is such an encouraging example of how to minister. He is so human and flawed. He has weaknesses and human foibles just like the rest of us. Some things are particularly distasteful or hard for him. But he trusts in God and prays for strength and help to know what to do and how to do it. During the months that I studied ministering in The Book of Mormon, I also reread the first of these books and made a list of all the ways Timothy served and ministered to those around him. Here are just some of them:

He slowed down (to notice things more)

He prayed

He studied the scriptures

He invited people into his home and fed them

He visited the sick in the hospital (I remember my grandma doing that a lot!)

He prayed, right then, with the person in need

He fed people spiritually with encouraging words

He arranged for a worker, which benefited an elderly woman and a young man

He took an 11 year old boy on an outing to a farm

He took food to a homeless man

He prayed for people by name

He gave cash to someone in need

He gave thoughtful little gifts

He prayed with his friend about a serious matter

He invited his neighbors to church

He called to check on his friend recovering from pneumonia

He visited a man in prison

He rescued a neighbor's cat off the roof

When it comes to ministering, there are few limits and enough variety for everyone to find something to do.

 

During their last evening together, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, in an act of humble service and demonstration of love. Then He said, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. . . . If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." He went on to speak to them about love:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have love you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. . . .If ye love me, keep my commandments. . . . He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . . . If a man love me, he will keep my words and my Father will love him, and we will come and make our abode with him. . . . But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. . . . As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you, continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. . . . This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. . . . These things I command you, that ye love one another.

A few final thoughts. Every giver of service needs a receiver of that service. Being a gracious receiver blesses the giver. Not all service rendered will be to our liking. If we are asked, we can express our preferences, if we aren't asked we can be gracious and grateful for the efforts of another. I apologize if anyone was hurt because we didn't want any meals brought in when we lost James. I really needed the daily routine of making food and cleaning up so I wouldn't dissolve into a puddle of grief and self-pity. I'm so grateful for all the prayers that sustained us, and the kind, loving expressions of comfort through our sorrow. Those and hugs were the most helpful. I'm grateful for Stephanie being willing to come over and help me weed part of my garden as therapy for my grieving heart. 

Steve and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary in June, and in all those years we have rarely lived near family, relying on church members to be our family--to celebrate with, to mourn with, to work with, to play with. We call each other brother and sister. Perhaps it would help us to do better at ministering if we actually thought of each other as true family. Wouldn't we make time to visit family? Serve them? Rejoice with them, and recreate with them? I truly believe this is preparing us for life after the Savior returns when we live in peace and love. 

Let us all gird up our loins, fresh courage take to press forward in preparation for the Savior's Second Coming.

I testify that God the Father lives and loves us; He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Example. I testify that They both appeared to Joseph Smith to begin the restoration of all things as promised in the scriptures. The Book of Mormon is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's authorized church on earth. We continue to be led by a living prophet, Russell M. Nelson, who has invited us to minister and love each in a higher, holier way. I pray that we all can do so.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Three Themes I Heard in General Conference

We just finished the spiritual feast of General Conference, and what a feast it was; the talks, the music, even the prayers!

Listening to, and taking brief notes of each talk I heard three themes repeated over and over.

1. Repent! Sometimes explicitly, often implicitly. 

2. Ministering! For those on both sides of the veil we need to do better, much better.

3. Becoming one in Christ! A Zion people is to be of one heart and one mind, and that heart and mind are Christ's. We are not only to follow Him, but to work constantly to become like Him. A tall order, but necessary for us to be ready to receive Him when He comes again.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson - Celebrate Easter with the same fervor and enthusiasm as Christmas.

Bonnie H. Cordon - Create muscle memory of discipleship.

Elder Carl B. Cook - "Let's do it again sometime!"

Elder Gerrit W. Gong - Our wards (and branches) are a spiritual ecosystem.

Elder Quentin L. Cook - Prepare for gathering to our heavenly home.

Elder Allen D. Haynie - Repent! Begin again to follow the prophet.

Pres. Henry B. Eyring - Seek for the Savior's peace, "I will not leave you comfortless."

Elder Dale G. Renlund - There is power in covenants, and protection from the adversary, when the temple is an important part of our life.

Elder Peter F. Meurs - We have access to the saving, redeeming, healing power of Jesus Christ.

Elder Randall K. Bennett - Patriarchal Blessings!

Elder Craig C. Christensen - We were created to have joy. Repentance is the pathway to joy because it leads us to the Savior.

Elder Evan A. Schmutz - Trust the doctrine of Christ and build your life on the rock!

Elder Benjamin de Hoyos - Temples and Family History!

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Daily bread is best prepared and consumed at home.

Elder Mark A. Bragg - Be a good man in a storm, develop spiritual, mental and physical poise.

Milton daRocha Camargo - The Savior solves problems! The more we focus on Jesus Christ, the more sin loses its appeal.

Elder K. Brett Nattress - Do we remember Father in Heaven and love Him?

Elder Juan A. Uceda - The Good, the Beautiful, the Magnificent Shepherd, Jesus Christ. With the Savior's help we can love and minister to each other. (This was one of my favorites!)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson - The only way to be unified is to become like Christ. Bend our efforts to the common cause.

Camille N. Johnson - Jesus Christ is relief!

Elder Ulisses Soares - Hearts knit together in unity and love; cease from contention; clothe ourselves in the bond of charity.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita - Patriarchal blessings are personal counsel from the Lord to you.

Elder Neil L. Andersen - Catch hold of the thought of Jesus Christ to be saved and healed.

Elder Kevin R. Duncan - In this mortal life we can never escape the war, but we can escape the adversary through worship in the temple.

President Russell M. Nelson - Be peacemakers now and always! Anger never persuades, contention never builds. Disciples of Christ should be examples of how to treat others. Charity is the antidote to contention. As we follow the Prince of Peace we become His peacemakers on earth.

President Dallin H. Oaks - We believe in Christ!

Elder M. Russell Ballard - Following the promptings of the spirit is one of the things that matters most in our relationships. A testimony of the Savior matters most! Testify often of what you know and believe, not just what you're thankful for.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband - Fill your "bucket list" with the oil of hearing and acting on the Doctrine of Christ.

Elder Vern P. Stanfill - Good enough! Perfectionism vs. Perfected in Christ.

Elder W. Mark Bassett - Learn from the story of Lazarus that there are things that we can and must do, then Christ can do for us what only He can do.

Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt - Learn for yourself the answer to the question "Why did Jesus have to die?" through studying the Plan of Salvation.

Elder David A. Bednar - Abide in and walk with the Son of God. Is the Word in us? Is the tree of Christ growing in us?

President Russell M. Nelson - Come unto the Savior and He can heal you! Jesus is the reason we build temples, they are His houses.

For dessert we had carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

Wisdom

This post is part of the General Conference Odessey. This week covers the Saturday morning session of the October 1997 conference.

President Gordon B. Hinckley opened the conference with a short address including this statement:

You need not worry that I do not understand some matters of doctrine. I think I understand them thoroughly, and it is unfortunate that the reporting may not make this clear. I hope you will never look to the public press as the authority on the doctrines of the Church.

Elder Boyd K. Packer gave a talk "Called to Serve" that is often quoted.

It is not in the proper spirit for us to decide where we will serve or where we will not. We serve where we are called. It does not matter what the calling may be. 

There's been only one time I did not accept a calling. We had just moved to a new ward, from Washington state to Virginia. We had three little children, ages 5, 3 and 1. We had just begun to homeschool our oldest. One evening my husband said that a counselor from the bishopric was coming over to issue a calling to me. I asked, with trepidation, "What it the calling?" It was to work in Primary. I spontaneously burst into tears. My husband worked long hours and I was with children 24/7. I just couldn't face being with them on Sunday. I really needed to be with adults for a few hours. So my husband explained the situation to the counselor and Brother Brown said that if they'd known our circumstances they wouldn't have decided on that calling. Several months later when our stake was reorganized and boundaries changed, I was called into the Stake Relief Society presidency as a counselor. That calling fit our circumstances much better and I enjoyed building friendships throughout the stake. I even had two more babies while serving in that calling.

Elder Packer further said, 

While we do not ask to be released from a calling, if our circumstances change it is quite in order for us to counsel with those who have issued the call and then let them decision rest with them. Nor should we feel rejected when we are released by the same authority and with the same inspiration by which we were called.

Elder Richard B. Wirthlin (younger brother of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin) said something that certainly applies to today:

We cannot cope with the confusions and the challenges of this world unless we use a clear and consistent moral compass that will unerringly take us through our own personal trials and the tugs and pulls of our own temptations--a compass that will chart our way to peace of mind, self-worth, and joy.

 

Elder Carl B. Pratt made this observation about members in the Latin American countries in which he and his family had served:

We have watched humble, devoted priesthood and auxiliary leaders strive to build the kingdom and to bless the lives of the Saints, but without having the advantages of telephones or personal vehicles.

I wrote in the margin of my copy of the Ensign, "We are so spoiled, and lazy!" We have every modern technological advantage and we still don't minister and take care of each other as we should. (I know there are many who do, but not near enough!)

Sister Mary Ellen Smoot, Relief Society General President, gave this counsel:

My desire is to plead with our sisters to stop worrying about a phone call or a quarterly or monthly visit, and whether that will do, and concentrate instead on nurturing tender souls. 

Wisdom we need today when ministering to each other. 

 

Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke of Spiritual Capacity. 

While the body may reach the peak of its maturation in a few years, the development of the spirit may never reach the limit of its capacity, because there is no end to progression.

He used President Hinckley as the model to follow in building spiritual capacity. He talked of how, "As a young father, he learned how to build. He acquired the skills necessary to remodel a house and make needed repairs. And more important, he has built and maintained the trust of his wife and their children."

President Hinckley was my ideal--spiritual, intellectual, great sense of humor, and a skilled handyman too!

The last speaker of the session was President Thomas S. Monson who told a delightful story that is not included in the printed version in the Ensign. He told of receiving a large, heavy package that had to be checked by security before he could open it. Inside he found a large pair of roller skates with the note that the sender had also sent a pair to President Faust so they could both keep up with President Hinckley!

Perhaps someone could do the same for Presidents Oaks and Eyring!

As always a delight to listen to, read and realize that eternal truths sound and feel fresh whenever we encounter them. 

The Divinity Which is Within You

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the General Relief Society session of the October 1996 conference.

Four years ago Noble was awarded an AS degree.
This week she's just finished her second year of a Masters.

At the time of this session I'd just had our fourth child, and though I was in a Stake Relief Society presidency I didn't feel up to attending the reception and viewing of the session at the stake center.

This week has been a joy to listen to and read the talks given then. As always they are timeless in their application. President James E. Faust of the First Presidency was the concluding speaker. His words were just what I needed to hear Monday evening.

Your God-given appreciation for the spiritual, the lovely, and the beautiful is part of the divinity which is within you. You make life so much more pleasant and worthwhile for all of us.

As my dear Ruth faithfully attended Relief Society over the years, our home and family was blessed with more of spirituality and peace. Things seemed to go smoother because of the spiritual enrichment she received.

For the daughters of God, doing the Savior's work . . . include[s] building faith by testimony and example. It includes teaching the doctrines of salvation. It includes following the Savior's example of love for all mankind. It includes ministering to others. . .

The bearing of testimony benefits both the one testifying as well as the one listening. Regular temple attendance will help us meet all our challenges. Accepting calls from priesthood leaders as well as visiting teaching assignments from the Relief Society president will be a great strengthening experience. In rendering compassionate service individually and as a group, you lose sight of your own problems and do the work the Savior did.

When the pressures of measuring up to worldly standards of excellence and achievement begin to overwhelm it's comforting to hear the words of a prophet reminding me of the worth of eternal things and efforts. 

Marilyn at Light in Leaves has more General Conference Odyssey.

  

 

 

 

Conduit for Revelation

In November 2019 I gave a talk in Stake conference that I shared in a previous blog post. I've continued to ponder on the subject of that talk for over a year. Particularly this paragraph:

 

A popular question in Christian circles, when facing a situation or need, is: What would Jesus do? Frankly, that question makes me uncomfortable because I can’t do what Jesus did. I don’t have the ability to read minds and hearts; I don’t have the power to heal all manner of sicknesses, and I don’t have the authority to raise the dead.

 

At the first of this year I restarted reading the Book of Mormon, reading just one chapter a day. I love this book and find it to be a conduit for revelation to me. The other night as I began to read a chapter the conduit opened up and my mind filled with understanding such that I had to pay attention and write it all down. Perhaps what came to me is old news to you, but if not, here it is for our mutual benefit:

Healing the spiritually blind: help them to see the truths of the Gospel and the Lord's hand in their life; help them to see the eternal purpose of life, the Plan of Salvation, their divine nature and individual worth.

Healing the spiritually deaf: teach them the ways to hear the Spirit through the scriptures, General Conference addresses, the still small voice, warm feelings, remembrances, etc.

Healing the spiritually lame: teach them the skills and practices that will help them move forward spiritually under their own power.

Raising the spiritually dead: reactivating someone, restoring their spiritual life.

Feeding the multitudes spiritually: give excellent lessons, talks and testimonies; well prepared, deeply fulfilling spiritually, giving them living water and the bread of life.

Succoring the spiritual beggar: give time and attention to those who struggle, who are poor financially, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, etc.

Curing the spiritually sick: love and accept those who sins are visible or smellable, as well as those whose are not; love is a healing balm; acceptance creates trust that allows for change to happen.

I was so energized by that revelation! It helped me understand that although I can't heal people physically, I can have an effect on them spiritually and can put this into practice in my ministering efforts.

I have always loved visiting teaching and done my best to be faithful in that. Ministering is just a broader vision of taking care of the needs of the members. I miss being visited regularly. I think that until ministering is better understood and practiced, we won't be able to become a Zion people. Because I don't have any visible physical needs people think I don't need anything. I really miss the uplift of the monthly spiritual message and would love to receive something similar still.

I know Heavenly Father understands my needs because I got a strange phone call the other day from a Jehovah Witness (with an out of state phone number) saying she was my neighbor just calling to share a Bible verse with me. She actually shared two different verses and then bore her testimony of the Savior. We talked for only a few minutes, but it sure lifted my spirit and fed my soul to talk to someone about the gospel and how it is our anchor in the time we live. How she got my number is a mystery, but I'm so grateful she was faithful to her conviction to share the gospel.