Sunday morning with Elder Russel M. Nelson

Sundays, for me, can be pretty relaxed. I get up earlier than I want to get to church by 9am, then I spend 2 hours running after a bunch of kids in nursery, and I come home to a well deserved nap. Today was a little different, though, as Elder Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was visiting our Stake and held an impromptu Stake Conference. It was great. His brother in law is our current Stake President, so over the last 4 years we have had the privilege of hearing him address us several times. I always enjoy hearing him speak to us. (Settle in, this is going to be a long post)

Our Stake President spoke first and encouraged us to follow the doctrines revealed to Joseph Smith and our latter-day prophets so that we may gain salvation. He testified that Jesus Christ is our perfect example. He encouraged us to have faith in Christ, and to gain a personal testimony of the plan of Salvation. His wife then spoke to us of her love for the scriptures and how when we take our problems to the Lord with humbleness and faith, we are given the answers we seek. She said how reading D&C 122: 7-10 has brought her comfort over the years.

Next we heard from Sister Shipley (Stake Young Women's President) who gave a rousing talk around courage and the need for it in our lives. Courage to live the gospel, courage to share the gospel, courage to cling to the iron rod and our covenants.

Then Sister Nelson (the former Wendy Watson) told us how the scriptures will answer every question we have. She said that when we pray to be led and guided, we can't follow that up with "just kidding" once we are prompted. We must be willing to do what is asked of us. She assured us that the Lord prepares us even when we don't realize it. She talked about how the Lord doesn't want our lives to be like a flat line, and so he will sometimes shake us up by sending "personal earthquakes". She says that we all experience personal earthquakes in our lives and our task is to find a way to rebuild and become stronger afterward. She encouraged us to seek the Spirit and rebuild by loving the Lord more, and loving the scriptures more.

Elder Nelson told us a story about rafting down the Colorado river when his kids were younger, and how he ended up falling out of the raft and into the water because of his desire to protect and hold on to his wife and youngest daughter, instead of holding onto the ropes in the boat and having them then hang onto him. He said that we need to cling to the iron rod like he clung to the ropes inside the boat after his tumble into the water.

He also told us of a time before he was an apostle, when he traveled as President Kimball's private doctor to New Zealand. President and Sister Kimball were both ill, and were confined to their hotel room with Elder Nelson. The rest of the party had gone to enjoy an evening with 3000 New Zealand youth. Elder Nelson related how all at once President Kimball sat up in his bed and told Elder Nelson to go and tell Sister Kimball that they were going to the performance. Elder Nelson said there was no asking him, as the doctor, if they were well enough to attend, only that they were going. Elder Nelson did as he was asked and went to tell Sister Kimball while President Kimball showered and got ready. Sister Kimball got right out of bed and got ready to go as well. In the meantime, Elder Tanner had relayed to the crowd of youth how he was sorry that President Kimball could not be with them that night in person. A young man was invited to give the opening prayer, and he gave a long one. He prayed that President Kimball would be made well enough to come to the performance that the youth had practiced for so long. Elder Nelson said that as the prayer ended, their car (carrying President and Sister Kimball) entered the stadium and a cheer like he had never heard before went up. He testified that the Lord hears and answers prayers.

Elder Nelson then suggested that he would give us his talk for General Conference, as he had it on his I-phone, but then thought better of it, as he didn't want us to have to sit through it twice. So funny. He then said he would give us a wink during his talk at General Conference so we, in Edmonton, would know that we got a little preview ;) He did give a hint that it has to do with Family History, and the desire of the church to have one pedigree chart that encompasses the whole world.

He told us that we need to be able to receive revelation and act on it, and to come to know the voice of the Lord. He also told us that we need to take advantage of every day as this life is the time to prepare to meet God, and that there are no "premature" deaths if you are prepared. He reiterated that if you are prepared, it's not premature. He said that we should be prepared to give an answer to the mocking of the world regarding our beliefs. We should shout them out and be good member missionaries.

The Lord loves us and provides for us. He listens and answers prayers. He loves us unconditionally and has given us the tools for our journey. He is real. He lives. I know.