Trust

I don't know what it is. Everytime I have to teach the women at church a lesson, I just want to share what I've learned with everyone! :) I feel like I've found and rediscovered so many neat, important things. I feel so uplifted and ready to go conquer Satan and everything bad in the world, and I guess I want all of my family and friends to come along with me. :) I'm like a brand-new missionary just bursting with that first discussion, ready to put all of her memorizing and studying to use. (Yeah, I know they don't memorize them anymore. But I did. Yeah, I know. Old.)


This time around though, I really want to share because I think it would help all of us have the best General Conference weekend ever. And who doesn't want a fabulous General Conference weekend?


So, my lesson was based on three previous General Conference talks:
Obedience to the Prophets - Elder Costa
Our Very Survival - Elder Duncan
Trust in God, Then Go and Do - President Eyring


We talked a lot about trust. I really liked how all of these talks didn't just admonish us to have faith in God or believe the prophet really speaks God's will, but they told us to trust God and to trust the prophets. Especially the current, living prophet. Trusting is so much more than believing or having faith. It involves action. It involves moving forward with the faith we have, testing it to see if it's really true and valid.


Two of the talks also both referenced a well-known 1980 BYU devotional given by President Ezra Taft Benson. (You can read it or even listen to it. I have to admit, I thought it was neat to hear his voice again.) It was titled, Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet. In it, Pres. Benson discussed 14 points to clarify the role of the living prophet on the earth today.


1. The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything.
2. The living prophet is more vital to us than the Standard Works.
3. The living prophet is more important to us than a dead prophet.
4. The prophet will never lead the Church astray.
5. The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or diplomas to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.
6. The prophet does not have to say, "Thus saith the Lord" to give us scripture.
7. The prophet tells us what we need to know, not always what we want to know.
8. The prophet is not limited by men's reasoning.
9. The prophet can receive revelation on any matter - temporal and spiritual.
10. The prophet may well advise on civic matters.
11. The two groups who have the greatest difficulty in following the prophet are the proud who are learned and the proud who are rich.
12. The prophet will not necessarily be popular with the world or the worldly.
13. The prophet and his counselors make up the First Presidency - the highest quorum of the church.
14. The prophet and the presidency - the living prophet and the First Presidency - follow them and be blessed - reject them and suffer.


Each of these points could be discussed in so much detail, and I really liked studying into them a bit and seeing how President Benson expounded on them. But I think my favorite was this story he shared as he discussed #7, quoted from Marion G. Romney:


“One day when President Grant was living, I sat in my office across the street following a general conference. A man came over to see me, an elderly man. He was very upset about what had been said in this conference by some of the Brethren, including myself. I could tell from his speech that he came from a foreign land. After I had quieted him enough so he would listen, I said, “Why did you come to America?” “I am here because a prophet of God told me to come.” “Who was the prophet;” I continued. “Wilford Woodruff.” “Do you believe Wilford Woodruff was a prophet of God?” “Yes, I do.” “Do you believe that President Joseph F. Smith was a prophet of God?” “Yes, sir.”


Then came the sixty-four dollar question. “Do you believe that Heber J. Grant is a prophet of God?” His answer, “I think he ought to keep his mouth shut about old age assistance.”


Now I tell you that a man in his position is on the way to apostasy. He is forfeiting his chances for eternal life. So is everyone who cannot follow the living Prophet of God.” [In Conference Report, April 1953, p. 125]


(Off the subject, but I love how he calls it the "sixty-four dollar question.") :)

Here are a couple other quotes I really liked:

1. Elder Duncan said, “There is no safer way to approach life, find answers to our problems, gain peace and happiness in this world, and protect our very salvation than by obeying their words.” (Ensign, Nov. 2010, p. 36)
2. Elder Costa, “They will speak the will of the Lord for us, His people. They will transmit the word of God and His counsel to us. Pay attention and follow their instruction and suggestions, and I testify to you that your life will be completely blessed.
3. President Eyring: “You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer in this conference, you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that he has come to trust you.

When I was a sophmore at BYU I took a New Testament Religion Class. I loved that class. My teacher was awesome. As general conference approached, our teacher encouraged us to prayfully write down three questions or concerns that we wanted answers to. He told us that if we did it and then listened closely, with a prayerful heart, to all the sessions of conference, we would get the answers and help we were seeking. My class was large, and I admit to doubting that we would really all get answers for every question we had. It just didn't seem possible to me. (Not my brightest moment.) But I did it. And I got my answers. Just like everyone else. And I've tried to do it ever since.

Have you ever tried it? It's the best way to make general conference weekend fabulous, meaningful, and personal.

Go ahead. Give it a try. Trust God.

You won't regret it.