not a book...a pamphlet.

 (admit right up front that I just went on and on.  Maybe I should parcel it out! yes.  I will)

 Part A

A friend was teaching the Gospel Doctrine class and she made the comment, along the lines of...because I know Nancy, I will say that if she could add a National Holiday it would be General Conference.  She loves General Conference.

True.  She then asked me how I gained my testimony and I gave a real brief reply but I want to tell you the foundation of my testimony that I did not mention.  Well, maybe in passing but not really.

I had been taught the Church was based on revelation through the First Vision.  I did not connect that with the fact the Church believed that the heavens were opened.  As a Bible believing Baptist I had not really been formally taught the heavens were closed but it was clearly understood that of course they were.  How could God communicate with man anyhow???  Speak to man???  Never entered my mind.

When I found out that fact that the Church fully believed that God communes with mankind and there are Apostles on the earth and it's not just a title but has special meaning....  One of which is communication with God...Truth be told--I was floored!  I didn't really know how to deal with it.

You know the ending of this little bitty tale...my weakest link became fire-forged strong and is a joy in my life...a lifeline/confidence builder/increaser of my faith/testimony.

It wasn't that the men were amazing orators or movie star looks or anything worldly that got me when I started studying to figure it out for myself.

The clincher for me, the base of my search, was what they gave up for the Church to serve as an Apostle of Jesus Christ for the rest of their mortal life.

Just as in the Bible and the calling of Apostles of old...

Part B

And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

(Matthew 4:18-22)

And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost.

And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord and the power of God unto salvation. (D&C 68:3)

What I the Lord have spoken I have spoken, and I excuse not myself;  and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.  (D&C 1:38)

Part C

 The commonality of these men is testimony/commitment to serving/willingness to walk away from life as they know it....Where they live.....What they do with their time....And once they are called they serve until the time they die!  They are told when they get a break and for how long.  Month of July?  I can't remember right now.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell used to even use that time to write his books!

This year I'm really thinking of what they and their wives and their families give up in order to push the work forward.

None of the current 15 Apostles had even retired from the careers they had chosen. They were enjoying that choice and being successful in their lives.  President Monson was called as an Apostle when he was 36.  He, as all the rest, had given years of service before that call came.

Here are the ages when called to the Apostleship....
Elder....
Monson 36
Packer 46
Perry/Oaks/Bednar 52
Holland 54
Ballard 57
Anderson 58
Scott/Nelson 60
Hales/Eyring 62
Christofferson 63
Uchtdorf 64
Cook 67

Part D

(I just now remembered that I have written before about my love and conviction of Apostles!)

Below was written 2 years ago and I still feel the exact same way!.... a bit of that blog....right here! 
  
A lot of these men were just into the swing of their careers.  The sheer amount of education and success in the careers of Elder Nelson and Elder Oaks, just those two alone are mind-boggling.  Both called on the same day.  Members wondering why the call and couldn't they do more for the Church by staying and to continue developing their fields of expertise?   A Cardiovascular Surgeon!  A justice of the Utah Supreme Court!  

Dreams and plans for how many years?  how much education and sacrifice to obtain those goals.  rising to the pinnacle of success and still growing, moving ahead and then poof!....one phone call.  one meeting.  and straightway (dictionary- at once, immediately) they shift gears, no looking back and they start their ministry.  

From that moment on, every word they say will be as if chiseled in stone.  True, they have 6 months to prepare for General Conference talk but once those words are spoken...that is it.  no do overs.  no take backs.  no apologies.  no changes.  Right out of the chute that expectation is understood.

I now have a testimony that the heavens are indeed open and these chosen servants will be the ones that are used to further the work.  Therefore when I'm searching for answers to problems/challenges/adversities in my life, I can research from these Conference talks and I will find what I need and the Holy Ghost will let me know....  there it is.  just what you've been looking for.

Part E

Look at the paragraph below.  He was called in 1984 and walked away from his lifelong dream right at that point in 1984!  Proof positive that the Church is true for men such as this to leave what they were doing and serve in spreading the Gospel until their last breath!

"Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is uniquely qualified to address the topic of religious freedom. Prior to his calling as an apostle in 1984, he served as a justice on the Utah Supreme Court from 1981–1984, as legal counsel to the Illinois Constitutional Convention Bill of Rights Committee in 1970, as a professor at the University of Chicago Law School from 1961–1971, as law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren of the United States Supreme Court from 1957 to 1958, and as Editor-in-Chief of The University of Chicago Law Review from 1956–1957. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Public Broadcasting Service from 1980–1985, as a board member from 1977–1985, and as president of Brigham Young University from 1971–1980."

Part F

AND Elder Nelson walked away from all of this, that he loved and enjoyed....

An internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher, Dr. Nelson received his B.A. and M.D. degrees from the University of Utah (1945, 47). Honorary scholastic societies include Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. He served his residency in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and at the University of Minnesota, where he was awarded his Ph.D. Degree in 1954. He also received honorary degrees of Doctor of Science from Brigham Young University in 1970, Doctor of Medical Science from Utah State University in 1989, and Doctor of Humane Letters from Snow College in 1994.

His professional work included the positions of research professor of surgery and director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency at the University of Utah and chairman of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Author of numerous publications and chapters in medical textbooks, Elder Nelson lectured and visited professionally throughout the United States and in many other nations prior to his call as a General Authority. A host of awards and honors have come to him, including the Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Utah; the Heart of Gold Award from the American Heart Association; a citation for International Service from the American Heart Association; and the Golden Plate Award, presented by the American Academy of Achievement. He has been awarded honorary professorships from three universities in the People’s Republic of China.

Dr. Nelson has served as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association, and president of the Utah State Medical Association.

Part G

 (go here to learn about these marvelous men and their families and the love they have for the Savior. Love that is strong enough for them to straightway leave their careers to serve!!  your testimony will grow stronger than ever!! The above information, about Elder Nelson is from the Church site I suggested you go to)

Getting things in order....

Thinking over what food to prepare and what chores need to be done so we can just fully immerse ourselves in General Conference this weekend.  I'm a believer that answers to questions, especially personal challenge solutions/direction can/will/are given at General Conference.  I'm trying to prepare myself.  Trying to figure out exactly what I need some direction on so I will recognize the answer.

Right now I feel scattered with so many things that I feel/know/want to be accomplishing and I feel I'm sort of a Bingo number in the tumbler drum.  Feeling every number listed is necessary.  Feeling the sand in my own personal hour glass is slipping down the tube at lighting speed.  Sort of feeling like thumping on the side of the glass and seeing if I can get a bit more time than what I'm perhaps allotted.  Wondering if I can accomplish all I want?  That is where the scatteredness comes into play.  the questioning...am I off course?  am I off focus?  am I jittery with spinning so many plates on sticks and need to pare down?  Is what I'm wanting just normal things or am I feeling the panic of time lessening and breathlessly trying to do what I neglected before?  That sort of scatteredness and jumping all over the place to put out brush fires...am I really accomplishing anything besides just moving around?

With that wound up tighter than the the 8 day clock feeling, I decided to take all of that randomness to the best place in the world for divine help...The Temple.

I took a friend with me, Carol.  She had no idea of what my thoughts were but I knew what I was mentally/emotionally taking and what I needed some help on as I'd been thinking of it for quite awhile in prep for Conference.

a huge group.  an amazing group.  almost all were young full-time missionaries.  The women's side had 15 extra seats and the men's side was full to capacity.  It was amazing energy in the room.  The session took much longer than usual and we were on the back row so we were last into the Celestial room.  I was glad for the longer than expected time as I had a lot of time to pray and contemplate.  We didn't stay long in the celestial room as it was totally filled and we also knew we needed to get on the road.

During the movie I was listening and again, a certain part of the orchestration just absolutely  enveloped me.  I closed my eyes and breathed deep each time it played.  It was like it spoke to the divine within me.  my soul loved the sound and the feeling and it came to me very strongly that I am a daughter of God and beauty like that music was familiar to me and a part of who I am.  Underneath all of the lengthy list of concerns of what I feel I lack and need to do, is my Spirit, that responds to heavenly beauty that can only be felt and not seen.  I was so happy to feel that so personally.  It was tender and relaxing.

The thought came to me...Strengthen thyself.

That was so interesting.  Not a scattered list.  Not specifics.  More of a one size fits all and whatever I'm engaged in, to choose things that will Strengthen me.  

************************************

"These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His Spirit. We are not assigned specific topics. Over weeks and months, often through sleepless nights, we wait upon the Lord. Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, we learn the message that He wants us to give."  by Elder Robert Hales

Above quote from  here

Time to celebrate!!!!

I'm still on cloud nine about the General Women's Conference but am shifting my focus to the most amazing time of the year...General Conference!!!  I have a grandson that is a Seahawk fan.  I mean a real fan.  He outfits his wife, two young children and himself in Seahawk shirts and all sorts of stuff.  They don it for every game.  Life comes to a standstill when the Seahawks play.  That is how I am about General Conference!  I know the routine of my personal readiness.  Time to get ready!

I prepare myself (most likely I'm at Temple as you read this) as to questions I want answered...guidance I am seeking...assurance that I find necessary.  I 100% believe in personal revelation and that it just pours down during General Conference.

A friend in Yakima, a Seminary teacher, shared below with me.  I really enjoyed it and think you will also.  it's a great perspective on the preparation the speakers go though.  Each in their own way.  I remember reading once that Elder Packer had worked 8 years on his talk about purity/chastity.  He wanted to talk about reproduction and never mention the word sex.  I think the talk was made into a pamphlet and maybe a filmstrip.  These men do not just quickly jot down thoughts.  They receive their errand from the Lord.

General Conference to me is like the greatest spiritual gift in the whole wide world!!!  LOVE IT!!

**************************************

Here is what Sharon shared last year....

I was listening to General Conference on LDS radio and after one of the sessions, there was an interview with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and his wife. It was wonderful and I couldn't stop listening.  Something that impressed me was his answer when asked how he prepares his talks for general conference.  He said that he prays diligently for the 6 months before to know what the Lord would want said.  Usually about 3-4 months before Conference he begins to receive impressions, sometimes a letter from a member along the same lines, he reads or runs across the same subject, etc. Basically, he understands what the Lord is telling him because all these indicate the same message.  He said as he begins to put the talk together 2 months before,  the least number of drafts he has done are 8 rough drafts, but often run as high as 12 or 14.  When he finally feels it is near completion, he lets his wife read it and make suggestions, as well as his brethren in the Twelve.  They also help him see things like areas where he may mean one thing, but it may be taken by some to mean something different. Then he makes his final talk.  Hours and hours of preparation.  The most important thing to him is that he speak the mind and will of the Lord.

*************************************************

by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles....

 “Perhaps you already know (but if you don’t you should) that with rare exception, no
man or woman who speaks [in general conference] is assigned a topic. Each is to fast and pray, study and seek, start and stop and start again until he or she is confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present regardless of personal wishes or private preferences. … Each has wept, worried, and earnestly sought the Lord’s direction to guide his or her thoughts and expression” (“An Ensign to the Nations,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2011, 111).

*************************************************