In my previous post I wrote that I want to seek learning during my church meetings with more faith and diligence. Well, here are my thoughts and things I want to remember from this weekend's stake conference:
"I want live my life so as to feel able to run towards the Savior when the second coming comes." ~Sister Debra Eckel, our Stake Relief Society President
I want that, too. I appreciated the themes of preparation and striving for holiness today so we can feel worthy to run to Jesus when he comes again. President Ward told a story about a farmer who was interviewing a young man for a position as a hired hand. The farmer asked for his qualifications and the young man simply responded, "I can sleep when the wind blows." That was puzzling, but the farmer hired him anyway. He seemed to be a good hard worker, and there were no problems. Finally one day a huge storm started to form and the wind started blowing extremely hard. The farmer ran to get his hired hand to start preparations to secure the farm and found the young man sleeping. He then remembered what the lad had said about being able to "sleep when the wind blows" and decided to leave him be and go check on the animals and farm alone. He found everything in order, the animals secure, the hay bales tied down, the cellar doors locked. The hired hand hadn't waited for the disaster to strike. He was always prepared to meet it without fear. He really could, "Sleep when the wind blows."
So, President Ward then asked us, "Can we sleep when the wind blows?" That is an interesting thing to think about because we can apply that question temporally or spiritually. I think we need to be constantly preparing for that wind to come in either case.
Taking it spiritually, Sister Eckel asked, "Do you have a 'deal breaker' a point where you think you'd throw in the towel when it comes to the gospel? Could something happen to you that is so hard, you would abandon your faith? She had a friend who tragically lost her son in a freak accident working as a park ranger, and that friend gave up all hope and became bitter. And Debra wondered at it, "Would I give up hope too?" Well, years later she found herself in a similar situation--she lost her son. It was very hard, but she held fast to the gospel. I think she was able to do that because she had continued nurturing her testimony and she was holding fast to the "iron rod," or word of God, as described in the parable of Lehi's dream in the Book of Mormon. She didn't let it go when times were easy, so she was still holding fast when times for tough. She was prepared for when the winds would blow. And they blow for all of us.
We had a visiting general authority with us this conference, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, and he talked in detail about holding fast to the iron rod in the Saturday night session. I was moved by this picture he shared:
He asked, "Is the hand about to take up the iron rod? Or is it just letting go?" This picture shows either a glorious step towards Christ, or a tragedy. Hope or despair.
He also told about how he was able to take a hike to Yosemite National Park and hike up the back side of half dome, a mountain that was cut in half by a glacier many millenia ago. The cut front is a shear cliff, but even going up the backside, like they did, the last 600 feet are so steep that the park service has literally installed an iron rod for the hikers to hold to, to aid them to the top so they won't have to use technical climbing gear.
Where the rod starts, a park ranger is stationed to forewarn that every year some hiker gets about halfway up and lets go, falling to his death, even with the warning not to do that. He implores you to hold fast and keep moving towards your goal to reach the summit. Wow.
First I want to say, I would like to go hike half dome. That sounds incredible! Next, I want to say, WOW, what an awesome hands on lesson about the iron rod!
Today Elder Wilson also shared that a friend of his, a woman his age was talking about life, and she said her greatest regret was that she had not done more to teach her children the gospel in her home. That baffled him because she was a fabulous gospel teacher who had always magnified her callings, and her kids seemed to have learned the gospel. But she clarified that she wished that she had put just as much zeal and loving effort into simply teaching her family the gospel as she had in her calling.
I needed to hear that today.
I have no problem magnifying my church calling. I serve as the Stake Music Chairmen and LOVE directing the choir and choosing music to uplift and bring the spirit to our meetings. I am a passionate musician, so it is easy to get caught up in this service. But I've seen my husband and children have to sacrifice because of my over-zealousness at times. I can very easily be caught up in musical work, instead of the most important work, teaching and loving and being present with my own family.
Elder Wilson told how a young child one asked him, "Did Heavenly Father make the iron rod low enough so I can reach it?"
Yes.
Let me help you reach it, my child! Like Lehi, I want my family with me partaking of the fruit of the tree of life, enjoying that pure love of Christ together as a family unit.
Much was said of temples and holiness, and I wrote in my notes, "Let the children touch the temple, and let the temple touch you." A Swedish women on arriving at the temple put her hand on the exterior of the wall and spoke, "Lord, I have come to thy Holy House." Saturday I got to attend the endowment of a young woman in my ward, a recent convert, who is soon to leave on her mission. I am so excited for her. I hadn't been to the temple in too long, and appreciated the love and peace I felt in serving there.
It was reiterated to me again this conference that you can't teach what you don't know. I need to experience scholar phase in the gospel and in secular learning. Really, they are interconnected. You need a testimony to help others gain a testimony, and you inspire others by setting the example and studying to gaina testimony yourself. Sister Taylor, our Dallas Mission President's wife, said that the missionaries all come in with the goal to bring others unto Christ. Their biggest impact, though, is that they themselves are brought unto Christ. Their hearts are changed and their testimonies ignite like fire! I love that missionaries have a dedicated time to study daily those sacred things that they strive to teach to their investigators. You have to do the work to gain both spiritual and secular knowledge before you can lead others.
Saturday evening Elder Wilson shared how his friend Phil inspired him to teach by doing. Phil invited nonmembers who had been going to church with their spouses for years to read the Book of Mormon with him. They'd get together at his home or their homes and read two verses at a time back and forth and discuss. These men, after having attended church with their member spouses for 20 and 10 years respectively, never had the desire to get baptized until now, after gaining burning testimonies of the Book of Mormon, reading it with a mentor.
Inspire not require.
Elder Wilson was inspired by Phil's efforts and eventually followed his example and invited his friend investigating the gospel to read the Book of Mormon with him in his home. This friend admitted to never having read a single book since graduating high school thirty years previously. He was a little dyslexic, so reading was difficult--he had avoided doing it ever since. The reading sessions were painfully slow at first, reading and comprehension stumbling blocks in every single verse, not to mention there were lots of questions to stop and discuss since his friend had no spiritual foundation whatsoever. But, with time, eventually this friend's gospel understanding AND reading ability improved and improved. He, too, gained a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon and was baptized!!
These men didn't just give the assignment to their friends to read. Like good mentors, they jumped in and learned with the student. They had already gained their own testimonies of what they were reading and teaching, so they were able to mentor their friends as they worked to find their own testimonies. These folks needed someone to help them take the step. They needed someone willing to serve in this way. This is how I can inspire my children. "Go read that book and learn," has less impact than, "Let's read this book together and learn." Especially right now, while they're young.
So, President Ward then asked us, "Can we sleep when the wind blows?" That is an interesting thing to think about because we can apply that question temporally or spiritually. I think we need to be constantly preparing for that wind to come in either case.
Taking it spiritually, Sister Eckel asked, "Do you have a 'deal breaker' a point where you think you'd throw in the towel when it comes to the gospel? Could something happen to you that is so hard, you would abandon your faith? She had a friend who tragically lost her son in a freak accident working as a park ranger, and that friend gave up all hope and became bitter. And Debra wondered at it, "Would I give up hope too?" Well, years later she found herself in a similar situation--she lost her son. It was very hard, but she held fast to the gospel. I think she was able to do that because she had continued nurturing her testimony and she was holding fast to the "iron rod," or word of God, as described in the parable of Lehi's dream in the Book of Mormon. She didn't let it go when times were easy, so she was still holding fast when times for tough. She was prepared for when the winds would blow. And they blow for all of us.
We had a visiting general authority with us this conference, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, and he talked in detail about holding fast to the iron rod in the Saturday night session. I was moved by this picture he shared:
He asked, "Is the hand about to take up the iron rod? Or is it just letting go?" This picture shows either a glorious step towards Christ, or a tragedy. Hope or despair.
He also told about how he was able to take a hike to Yosemite National Park and hike up the back side of half dome, a mountain that was cut in half by a glacier many millenia ago. The cut front is a shear cliff, but even going up the backside, like they did, the last 600 feet are so steep that the park service has literally installed an iron rod for the hikers to hold to, to aid them to the top so they won't have to use technical climbing gear.
Where the rod starts, a park ranger is stationed to forewarn that every year some hiker gets about halfway up and lets go, falling to his death, even with the warning not to do that. He implores you to hold fast and keep moving towards your goal to reach the summit. Wow.
First I want to say, I would like to go hike half dome. That sounds incredible! Next, I want to say, WOW, what an awesome hands on lesson about the iron rod!
Today Elder Wilson also shared that a friend of his, a woman his age was talking about life, and she said her greatest regret was that she had not done more to teach her children the gospel in her home. That baffled him because she was a fabulous gospel teacher who had always magnified her callings, and her kids seemed to have learned the gospel. But she clarified that she wished that she had put just as much zeal and loving effort into simply teaching her family the gospel as she had in her calling.
I needed to hear that today.
I have no problem magnifying my church calling. I serve as the Stake Music Chairmen and LOVE directing the choir and choosing music to uplift and bring the spirit to our meetings. I am a passionate musician, so it is easy to get caught up in this service. But I've seen my husband and children have to sacrifice because of my over-zealousness at times. I can very easily be caught up in musical work, instead of the most important work, teaching and loving and being present with my own family.
Elder Wilson told how a young child one asked him, "Did Heavenly Father make the iron rod low enough so I can reach it?"
Yes.
Let me help you reach it, my child! Like Lehi, I want my family with me partaking of the fruit of the tree of life, enjoying that pure love of Christ together as a family unit.
Much was said of temples and holiness, and I wrote in my notes, "Let the children touch the temple, and let the temple touch you." A Swedish women on arriving at the temple put her hand on the exterior of the wall and spoke, "Lord, I have come to thy Holy House." Saturday I got to attend the endowment of a young woman in my ward, a recent convert, who is soon to leave on her mission. I am so excited for her. I hadn't been to the temple in too long, and appreciated the love and peace I felt in serving there.
It was reiterated to me again this conference that you can't teach what you don't know. I need to experience scholar phase in the gospel and in secular learning. Really, they are interconnected. You need a testimony to help others gain a testimony, and you inspire others by setting the example and studying to gaina testimony yourself. Sister Taylor, our Dallas Mission President's wife, said that the missionaries all come in with the goal to bring others unto Christ. Their biggest impact, though, is that they themselves are brought unto Christ. Their hearts are changed and their testimonies ignite like fire! I love that missionaries have a dedicated time to study daily those sacred things that they strive to teach to their investigators. You have to do the work to gain both spiritual and secular knowledge before you can lead others.
Saturday evening Elder Wilson shared how his friend Phil inspired him to teach by doing. Phil invited nonmembers who had been going to church with their spouses for years to read the Book of Mormon with him. They'd get together at his home or their homes and read two verses at a time back and forth and discuss. These men, after having attended church with their member spouses for 20 and 10 years respectively, never had the desire to get baptized until now, after gaining burning testimonies of the Book of Mormon, reading it with a mentor.
Inspire not require.
Elder Wilson was inspired by Phil's efforts and eventually followed his example and invited his friend investigating the gospel to read the Book of Mormon with him in his home. This friend admitted to never having read a single book since graduating high school thirty years previously. He was a little dyslexic, so reading was difficult--he had avoided doing it ever since. The reading sessions were painfully slow at first, reading and comprehension stumbling blocks in every single verse, not to mention there were lots of questions to stop and discuss since his friend had no spiritual foundation whatsoever. But, with time, eventually this friend's gospel understanding AND reading ability improved and improved. He, too, gained a burning testimony of the Book of Mormon and was baptized!!
These men didn't just give the assignment to their friends to read. Like good mentors, they jumped in and learned with the student. They had already gained their own testimonies of what they were reading and teaching, so they were able to mentor their friends as they worked to find their own testimonies. These folks needed someone to help them take the step. They needed someone willing to serve in this way. This is how I can inspire my children. "Go read that book and learn," has less impact than, "Let's read this book together and learn." Especially right now, while they're young.
President Ward counseled us to remember people's names, love without judging, and think about the golden rule as we relate with others whether they are acting rightly towards us or not, and to strive to make sincere friendships. I appreciated this counsel a lot.
Elder Wilson amazed me in this regard. He was the concluding speaker in both sessions, and before sharing his prepared message, he lovingly reiterated the worth of the messages and spirit felt in every talk and musical number previous to his speaking. I was amazed at how actively he could listen, and how he could share his life experiences and scriptures to expound on what they had shared with such ease. He remembered and used the speaker's names while he spoke, and his messages were shared with love and praise to their efforts. When I met him, his praise for the music was sincere, and he remembered my baby's name several minutes after he was introduced to her. (He's a man... Yes, I was impressed.)
I especially loved his sharing a tidbit about the sacrament in response to a recent convert, Brother Wells, sharing his love for the sacrament. He said that he read an article in the national edition of the Deseret News where folks were asked to try and throw bean bags through different holes in a board and then they were to self report how many made it through the holes. There was a monetary reward for getting more bean bags through the holes. The first time, 80% of the people lied about how many bean bags they tossed through the holes. The next time they ran the study, they reminded the participants about their moral obligations and asked them to sign a waiver promising they would report honestly. That time, 80% told the truth. Just being reminded to be honest was a moral elevation to the study participants as a whole.
The sacrament is our weekly reminder. That renewal, that cleansing, can be "morally elevating" for us every week. The sacrament is a reminder through the bread and water representing the body and blood of Christ that we should strive to remember Him and keep His commandments so we can be more like Him. That was really powerful to me. I hadn't ever quite thought of the sacrament like that before. Like a written waiver signed in my heart to do better week by week.
I really loved and appreciated the insights I received from Stake Conference. I don't know if they are helpful to anyone else, but I need to record them for me so I don't forget! The Lord will trust me with more knowledge if I am a good steward over what I have been given.
Elder Wilson amazed me in this regard. He was the concluding speaker in both sessions, and before sharing his prepared message, he lovingly reiterated the worth of the messages and spirit felt in every talk and musical number previous to his speaking. I was amazed at how actively he could listen, and how he could share his life experiences and scriptures to expound on what they had shared with such ease. He remembered and used the speaker's names while he spoke, and his messages were shared with love and praise to their efforts. When I met him, his praise for the music was sincere, and he remembered my baby's name several minutes after he was introduced to her. (He's a man... Yes, I was impressed.)
I especially loved his sharing a tidbit about the sacrament in response to a recent convert, Brother Wells, sharing his love for the sacrament. He said that he read an article in the national edition of the Deseret News where folks were asked to try and throw bean bags through different holes in a board and then they were to self report how many made it through the holes. There was a monetary reward for getting more bean bags through the holes. The first time, 80% of the people lied about how many bean bags they tossed through the holes. The next time they ran the study, they reminded the participants about their moral obligations and asked them to sign a waiver promising they would report honestly. That time, 80% told the truth. Just being reminded to be honest was a moral elevation to the study participants as a whole.
The sacrament is our weekly reminder. That renewal, that cleansing, can be "morally elevating" for us every week. The sacrament is a reminder through the bread and water representing the body and blood of Christ that we should strive to remember Him and keep His commandments so we can be more like Him. That was really powerful to me. I hadn't ever quite thought of the sacrament like that before. Like a written waiver signed in my heart to do better week by week.
I really loved and appreciated the insights I received from Stake Conference. I don't know if they are helpful to anyone else, but I need to record them for me so I don't forget! The Lord will trust me with more knowledge if I am a good steward over what I have been given.
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