Elder Bednar came to our Stake Feb. 6, 2011. It wasn't stake conference, it was just a "special meeting". Everyone thought there would be a change in the Stake Presidency, or split in boundaries, but no, that didn't happen. We sat in the second to last row on the stage...and the primary and nurserys and relief society room were also full. It was a packed house! No joke, the first speaker, Elder Posey made the joke that "sorry to dissapoint, but there won't be any changes in the stake" and a whole family next to us got up and left...10 minutes into the meeting...and didn't come back! ha!
Elder Posey talked about temple attendance, and using the example of the Savior to look inward. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". He said, we believe in exhaultation, not just salvation. Life eternal is immortality. But eternal life is living forever with God, or exhaultation.
President Hymus talked about how this chance to hear an Apostle is so special, it is comparable to the 200 souls at the waters of mormon. There are 3000 stakes, and the changes of an Aposle coming to our stake happens 1 in 27 years! That really hit home. I have had the opportunity to hear many Apostles...I guess I took it for granted all those years at BYU. He talked about how our mission experience shouldn't be the pinnacle of our spirituality. We need to continue to climb spiritually. He reviewed the stake goals: read from the Book of Mormon at least 5 minutes every day, Pray Daily, Have FHE, Attend temple, and teach a friend in our home.
Sister Hymus talked about really studying the scriptures. We learn as we put forth the effort to learn. She said we may not always love to be with famiy, but we can learn to love and forgive.
At this point, Jacob was coloring and looked up and asked in a sigh, "why'd you pick this church?". He was bored, tired, and wanting the meeting to be over. I had to keep from laughing out loud.
Sister Bednar talked about how we can learn to have the strength to do hard things. We can support our husbands in their callings, by putting trust in God to give us strength to do all the other things while husband is away. She talked about just 2 weeks ago flying into an island so small the wings of the plane were over the ocean. It was like a little noodle of land in the ocean with a stake of Zion living there.
Elder Bednar started by talking about his 20 years living in Arkansas, and how one of his best memories was the time they beat the KY Wildcats. :) He said since it doesn't happen very often, the 21,000 of them were going crazy. He also talked about how our stake felt more like home. He lived 83 miles from his stake center and it took him 1 hour 35 min to get there. He knows about distance, about time, about sacrifice serving in this part of the country. He said his wife was "freaking out" about landing on the floating noodle, and she gets up and takes the microphone and explains that there was ocean in front of the plane too...that they were surrounded by water...and he said, "I misspoke, she is still freaking out". It was hilarious!
He then began his talk packed with doctrine and geared toward investigators also. He talked about how Joseph Smith couldn't have made this up...look at the fruits of the gospel...how saints live in the "isles and uttermost parts of the earth". That this gospel supercedes and transcends any human error of historians. We could knit-pick, fault find, and gossip about the restoration (and alike today) or we can focus on the restored gosple, on serving and loving others, on forgiving, on being kind.
He testified that God is non changing. He speaks today just as he spoke to Abraham, Jeremiah, Noah, etc. The church Christ established "The church of Jesus Christ" is a body of believers. We are of latter-day saints, to proclaim we have the same church Christ established, only in our day...with Joseph Smith being the first prophet after the Apostacy, being the one to bring restoration of Christs true church. Ours is a living church. The message we share is the single most important message you will ever hear. The Apostacy was expected and prophesized, God continued his pattern of prophecy by calling Joseph Smith.
There is power in Godliness. We are agents. We are to act and not to be acted upon. We have already accepted the covenant to be agents to Christ. We therefore are breaking a covenant if we don't keep any of those promises: to pay tithing, to attend church and renew our baptismal covenant, to serve, etc.
Those who say, "I have my agency, I can do whatever I want" are mistaken, misled and this statement is grossly inaccurate. Parents have a duty to guide children. Give them choices that are within the parameters of righteousness. "You can walk or ride to church". But not going isn't an option.
Moses 7: 32 and 33. Mosiah 24: 13-15. We are a covenat people. We are agents. Our burdens will feel light, they don't just go away, but we can submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. Our Temple Covenants give us strength beyond our own, it cleanses us.
As an Apostle of Jesus Christ, he invoked an apostolic blessing upon us. That we will come to see and understand the power of Godlines through the Priesthood of God. We can truly hear the voice of the Lord. That the things we will begin to see and hear will be a safeguard and protection to us as we understand the power of Godliness and apply its teachings in our lives.
As we left, I saw him in the Young Womans room, where lunch was set up. There was only a door and about 5 feet between us...it felt awesome being that close. :) I always look forward to his talks during General Conference. He is an amazing teacher! It was so great. We drove back from Atlanta Saturday night getting home at 2:30am just to be able to attend this meeting...and it was totally worth it!
