April 2019 General Conference is now a week-old memory. I just went back and reviewed my 11 pages of notes. Don't get too excited; they are just notes, not full sentences, mostly brief bullet points of what I perceived to be the key points of the talks. If I don't take notes, the talks all run together in my mind, one on top of the next, and by the end of 10 hours, I haven't a clue who said what.
I enjoyed Conference. Really I did, despite the fact that my heart ached, missing my Seth. I brought out his bungee chair, just in case anyone else might want to sit in it to watch Conference with me. No one sat in it, I don't think, but there it was anyway. Memories threw me back to Seth in PJs, setting up this chair in front of the TV, pen and paper in hand for seminary notes, awaiting the General Conference snacks I bring out periodically throughout the weekend. This was my second General Conference without him. Two down; two to go.
I could summarize every talk (remember these 11 pages of notes right here), but you don't have the time or energy for that. Instead, may I highlight just a few things that stood out? If I had to write a cumulative theme for the five sessions, I would call it "Walk the covenant path!" So many talks focused on the steps, both big and small, that we can take to keep ourselves walking that path, as well as what to do when (not if) we slip off.
Like many of you, I always anxiously await Elder Uchtdorf's remarks, and I didn't have to wait long this time because he spoke Saturday morning. My notes on his talk are titled "Dieter the Man!" (Don't be offended. I know he wouldn't be.) Seriously, if any human can take a topic like member missionary work and make it awesome, it's Dieter F. Uchtdorf. He made something challenging seem, well, possible, uh, even exciting. Instead of retreating with closed eyes, hiding from the chance to share the gospel, Elder Uchtdorf suggested that if we walk the [covenant] path of discipleship and share what is in our hearts, we can trust the Lord to work his miracles. "Our job is to love!"
Saturday afternoon, I was introduced to Mathias Held of the Seventy. I hadn't heard of him before, but now I'm pretty sure we're related. My mom's birth name is Held, and it's not that common a name, right? Either way, I loved his talk. He told his personal conversion story, about how he and his wife postponed getting baptized because they felt they needed to know EVERYTHING first. Reading Mosiah 18 and understanding the importance of seeing with both physical and spiritual eyes eventually influenced their decision to make that covenant.
That session concluded with the brilliant rhetoric of my favorite speaker (always), Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. He did not disappoint. Just like Elder Uchtdorf, Elder Holland is somehow able to point out where we need to repent, without ever leaving us to feel less than or unworthy, in fact, quite the opposite! His talk inspired and uplifted, while at the same time explaining the need for punctuality at sacrament meeting and for a respectful tone in the chapel, in order to make the sacrament the focal point of our week-long journey along the covenant path. Eli texted the family chat, "I guess I need to work on getting to church on time." My reply, "Yep, until you have a diaper bag with you; then you get a free pass, apparently." Guys, if you missed this talk, stop what you're doing right now (even reading my blog), and go listen to it. Don't read it. You'll miss so much. Listen and watch!
Sunday morning, I was mesmerized by Sister Sharon Eubank. Wow! She explained that while "Satan works to dim our light, Jesus lifts us from grief, pain, and affliction." She also advised us to "step back, and ask Heavenly Father what to let go of" because no, we can't do everything. She concluded by testifying that Jesus reaches out to everyone, even the most marginalized: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Wherever we are, at any moment, we can always take a few more [baby] steps on the covenant path.
The Sunday morning session concluded with President Nelson. A Facebook friend of mine posted afterward, "Well I guess you can't drink coffee while serving your 12-month mission." Ahh, the General Conference rumors! Not gonna lie. The rumor about a shortened mission length for elders had me more than a little bit hopeful. I tried not to be. But I was. Nevertheless, I felt blessed to hear President Nelson speak about other things. I smiled when he counseled those who are not sure they even believe in God to "Start there! Seek experiences with him." And yes, when the Lord's prophet reminds us to "Do it now" because "Time is running out!" I'm inclined to listen.
The final session of Conference was probably my favorite? Maybe? It's hard to choose. It included so many excellent talks. Elder Juan Pablo Villar of the Seventy expressed gratitude for his body. After a week of crazy high anxiety (meaning full-on obsession with fear of fatal illness - ugh), it was good for me to reflect on the gift of my HEALTHY body. His story of going to visit his older brother who was serving a mission, when Elder Villar himself was not yet a member of the Church, and spending 10 hours that day walking the streets, of course made me think of Seth. Elder Villar said, "My heart bathed in love from Heaven." I think Seth would echo those words.
Then Elder Bednar reminded us that our homes should be MTCs, as he reinforced the "home centered, church supported" model for gospel learning. We cannot borrow gospel light from others, at least not forever. "What have you learned this week about the Savior in your home study?" Next, Elder Kyle S. McKay of the Seventy spoke about God's timing. We can have "immediate hope for eventual deliverance," and however long that takes, his kindness will not depart from us.
Finally, my favorite talk on Sunday was by Elder Gerrit W. Gong. He started by asking the question, "Have you ever counted sheep?" Uh yeah. And pigs, dogs, zebras, and salamanders as well, because when my stupid anxiety is misbehaving, nighttime is the absolute worst. None of this counting business ever works, by the way, but the "sheep" image is still comforting, and Elder Gong related it to Easter, as Jesus is both the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd. He calls us by name, he gathers us by holy covenant, and he admonishes us to minster in love.
And that would be the real message. As we minister in love, we stay on the covenant path. It can't be any other way, I don't think. As I look at the empty bungee chair, I am grateful for so many things, too many to list. But foremost, I am grateful that as I write this, Seth is literally walking the streets of Paraguay, along the covenant path, ministering in love.
No comments:
Post a Comment