My General Conference Experience

(Picture source)

This is my journal entry for the day, and I felt I should share it with anyone who would like to read it. I hope you had a day that was as wonderful as mine.

October 1, 2011

Cleveland Heights, OH

I have just finished watching the Saturday Sessions of General Conference today. I am overflowing with love and joy and gratitude. I am full of happiness. This is the life. There is nothing better than the gospel in this whole world, or in the universe. How blessed I am to be a part of it! To know the truth of Jesus Christ’s gospel restored to the earth, and that there is a living prophet and apostles in our day to give us guidance, comfort and counsel uplifts my soul to the highest heights. I want to share this unabashedly with every person I meet! (and usually I do, sometimes to the chagrin of my more shy companions J)

I took President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s counsel to prepare for General Conference this time by studying, pondering and praying, and thinking of specific questions. Seth, my excellent husband, and I studied, highlighted and discussed every talk of the apostles and prophet from April Conference together in the last 3 weeks, and I also decided to study all the other general authorities talks from April Conference in Spanish. Although I have listened to every one of those talks at least 3 or 4 times (while I do dishes, get ready for the day or drive to work), reading and pondering them helped me to better apply them to my own life, and this brought me great inspiration and needed personal revelation.

My thoughtful and loving visiting teachers, Emily Barker and Shannon Horrocks, came to visit me on Sunday, and they have been such a strength to me. (They remembered my birthday. Emily and her husband came to help us take down our air conditioner units, even though Emily had biked 6 miles from work in the rain, and neither had been home to eat dinner. Shannon took us to the mechanic today for us to pick up our car, and she brought me flowers. I love flowers. Emily calls me to tell me she is thinking of me and to listen to my cares and troubles, and triumphs too. They send me uplifting and thoughtful emails to help me know they care. Shannon came over and helped me clean my windows. Emily came and helped me to unpack, to hang up pictures of Christ and family in our home, and to babysit for a friend.) I really mean that I have the best visiting teachers ever. They listened intently to my concerns and helped counsel me. They said they didn’t have all the answers to my questions, but testified that they knew the Lord did. They promised to pray for me, and I know they have prayed for me daily. They encouraged me to prepare my questions for General Conference, and they knew that I would receive answers and help. How grateful I am for these loving visiting teachers.

This morning, before the first session of general conference started, I took the time to write down 10 of my most pressing questions that I have at this point in my life. Some were very personal and specific, and others were more general. Then I prayed that the Lord would help me to listen to the Holy Ghost and to hear the answers that He would send through General Conference. I can say with conviction that the Lord answers prayers.

I had a question about my scripture study, how to make it more meaningful, and how I could balance between all of the wonderful things I could study. Elder Richard G. Scott had the answers to my questions. I still haven’t figured it out completely, but I am going to go back and diligently study his talk and receive the answers that the Lord wants to give me.

I have had questions about how I can serve others and listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Elder Jose L. Alonso had the answers. I have many questions about how to balance my life and use my precious time in the wisest way, and how to know what is most important; Elder Ian S. Ardern had the answer for me. Sister Barbara Thompson (whom I got to meet 3 weeks ago, and who gave me a big hug! What a wonderful, happy, fun, caring woman!) answered my question about how I can receive more personal revelation. I have felt discouraged and overwhelmed in my calling, and Elder Carl B. Cook taught me how I can fell uplifted and how I can accomplish the work I must do. Elder Neil L. Anderson comforted me and taught me in the very way that I needed. I could go on and on if my tired little fingers would allow me to type.

To summarize, I felt the prophetic teaching of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland come alive for me, “ If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.” That happened for me in every single one of the talks I heard today. Oh, how I wish that every person in the world could feel that feeling! That ‘God knows me personally and intimately. He knows exactly what I need, and how I need it. He knows how to speak to me, and comfort me, and teach me, and help me.’ He is teaching me to learn how to listen to His voice. I am sure, without any doubt, that His voice is being broadcast throughout the world through this very General Conference. I know God speaks through His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, and that He speaks through His apostles who are living in our day, and who are so in-tune and understanding of our time. I have heard His voice today, and I know that God will answer the prayers and questions of the honest seekers of truth. I am and will be eternally grateful for this magnificent conference. My testimony is being strengthened. I am becoming a better me. I am feeling the peace and joy that I need so deeply to overcome my specific trials.

I promise anyone who will read these words that the same will happen for you if you will just ask, seek and knock. I have invited more than 10 people to watch this conference, and many have been thankful for my invitation, others were sincerely disappointed that they were already engaged in other plans, others I can only hope that they will just click on the link I sent them to lds.org and learn more about what conference is, others I am glad they read my email telling them that we have a prophet and apostles in our day who teach us God’s word, and 1 (the wonderful woman I visit teach, Myrtle Alexander, who is in her 70’s and who struggles with many difficulties of age) is going to come watch it with us tomorrow morning. I hope that it will touch her heart as it has mine, and that she will feel loved and valued like I do. I am just going to keep inviting anyone who will listen to enjoy these blessings. I feel that the best way to receive blessings is to share them. And this is one of the greatest blessings I have in my life. I am so thankful that Seth is there by my side for each conference, preparing, listening, and learning with me. It is a wonderful thing for our family.

I hope that this day and tomorrow will be days of renewal and recommitment for you, as they are for me. I hope you will cherish General Conference tomorrow and receive answers to your prayers, solutions to your problems, and comfort for your concerns. I am so excited for tomorrow! I still have questions on my list, and I am sure that if they are not answered directly (which many already have been), that the Lord will help me feel that He will guide me to the answers.