Dear Sisters,
Wasn’t
General Conference wonderful! Unfortunately,
I got to see very little of this conference ‘live’, so instead of
waiting for my Ensign to arrive, I have spent the past few weeks watching the
sessions I missed and reading the talks on-line. What a blessing it is to have
ready access to the words of our beloved leaders! I truly felt their love and
the love of our Savior wash over me as I listened to their words.
Since I have been asked to share my thoughts on one of
the talks that especially touched me, I would like to remind us of the words of
Elder K. Brett Nattress of the Seventy, in his talk entitled No Greater JoyThan to Know That They Know. This talk refers to our own children, but I
also feel it refers to all those whom we have stewardship over and those we
teach or visit teach.
First,
our children: Elder Nattress begins by
asking “if all that your children knew of the gospel came from you – as their
only source – how much would they know?” … “Is there any
greater gift that we can impart to our children than a memory burned deep into
their hearts that we know that our Redeemer lives? Do they know that we know?
And more important, have they come to know for themselves that He lives?”
I am sure the story of his mother reading the Book of
Mormon to him each day, though he insisted he wasn’t listening, struck a chord
with most of you as it did me. How many
days did we rush through scripture reading just to ‘get it done’? How many
times did my kids curl up in a blanket on the floor during Family Home Evening,
sleeping while they ‘pretended’ to be listening? How many times have I wondered
if anything was getting in at all! Her response to him was priceless and
brought tears to my eyes. “I will not lose you!”
He goes on to say: “Her words pierced my heart.
Notwithstanding my imperfections, I was worth saving! She taught me the eternal
truth that I am a son of a loving Heavenly Father. I learned that no matter
what the circumstance, I was worth it. This was a perfect moment for an imperfect
little boy.”
Isn’t that why
we do what we do? Isn’t that why we drag our kids off to church each week and
struggle with them all through Sacrament meeting? Isn’t that why we strive to
follow the counsel of our leaders, even when it is difficult? Isn’t that why we
don’t give up when they start to stray? We DO NOT want to lose our
children. We want them with us through
all eternity because we love them, and we know what joy that will bring to all
of us.
Let me now go back to his first question,-and I hope
Elder Nattress won’t mind if I change the wording a little…”If all your Sisters knew of the gospel came from
you – as their only source- how much would they know? Is there any greater gift that we can impart
to those whom we serve than a memory burned deep into their hearts that we know
that our Redeemer lives? Do they know that we know? Can we help them come to
know for themselves that He lives?” Do
our Sisters know that they are worth saving – no matter what their
circumstances?
Elder Nattress
quoted President Packer: “Save for the exception of the very few who defect to
perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no
apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is
the promise of the atonement of Christ.”2
He then goes on to say: “I don’t know if anything in
this world could bring more happiness and joy than to know that our children
know the Savior, to know that they know “to what source they may look for a
remission of their sins.” That is why, as members of the Church, “we preach of
Christ” and we testify of Christ”
Preparing and
teaching lessons, visiting teaching, and serving others in any capacity can be challenging,
tiring and unrewarding, if we allow ourselves to forget that our service is
helping to bring others to Christ. If we can take this one step further and let
those whom we serve and teach know that we do this because of our love for our
Savior, if we can testify truly of Him, then our efforts will not be in vain. Our time will be well spent, and the Spirit of
the Lord will shine through us as we preach and testify of Him.
Of this
I testify in the name of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ.
Cindy
Erekson
Stake Relief Society President
