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All eleven of our sisters were in the second row and Sister Diede and Sister Pepper, our STL's, were right in front of Elder Bednar. |
When we first found out that Elder Bednar was coming to the California San Diego (CASD) Mission Conference we were hoping that our missionaries could attend it too. But on the afternoon of their conference our sisters would be giving tours. Unfortunately, Elder Bednar's schedule was too tight to squeeze in one more meeting. SO, we took comfort in knowing that some of our sisters had appointments to attend the Newport Beach Temple that day, and the temple is a great spiritual alternative.
Then someone brought little fliers to the Battalion announcing that Elder Bednar would be speaking on Friday evening too. We received mixed messages on just who was invited to the Friday evening meeting. Gratefully, Elder Clark, the Area 70, reached out to Stan and said our sisters could attend the Friday evening fireside meant for friends, new members, and members thinking of returning to the Church. Once we had approval, we quickly got on line and miraculously were able to change our temple reservations to the following Saturday. This allowed us to have our departing sisters and their companions attend the Saturday CASD Mission Conference meeting with Elder Bednar and the others go to the Friday meeting. Gratefully, as senior missionaries, we were able to attend both meetings. Elder Bednar travelled and spoke with Elder Johnson and Elder Shumway.
There is no way I can adequately recap what was spoken Friday and Saturday. Both times Elder Bednar taught as the Savior would. Friday evening he taught and bore testimony of doctrine; Heavenly Father's plan of salvation, the church Christ established, the falling away due to distorted doctrine, lost authority, and corrupted covenants, and the need for a restoration. He bore testimony of how our church has the answers to life's most perplexing questions that cannot be found anywhere else. He bore testimony of the authenticity of The Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ. He taught all these things as he asked questions and invited people to give answers.
He taught about how Heavenly Father is concerned about who we are becoming and this is why we are agents to act and not be acted upon. The church is made up of imperfect people and is a laboratory where we help each other with opportunities to be better disciples of Jesus Christ. If we take offense from someone's imperfections, it is our choice to be offended. It is when we choose to be bound with Jesus Christ, we will find the greatest freedom and the greatest safety and joy in life.
Because our hearts need to change He wants us to ask him what He wants for us, not tell Him what we want from Him. Repenting, or change, takes faith, and faith is a power because it invites God's power into our lives.
On Saturday afternoon these three men taught us for three hours much in the same manner as the evening before, only this time everyone had been given selected talks by Elder Bednar and asked to study them before coming to the meeting. Once the meeting started he taught the application of D&C 84:85, "Neither take ye thought before hand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man." (See also D&C 100:5-8)
He taught that faith is a spiritual gift to "do" before you "know." He had previously invited us to treasure up in our hearts and minds the words of truth from the preparation documents we were given, and then he asked us, "What did you learn?" He invited us to raise our hands and be willing to answer this question without thinking in advance on what we wanted to say, but trust that we would be given the thoughts and words to say in the very moment. It was quite the experience to listen to all these young sisters and elders sharing, extemporaneously, the thoughts that came to them. Elder Bednar would take time to validate thoughts/feelings as well as to push a little deeper by asking another question as well as to teach/reinforce/expound on a principle the young missionary mentioned.
Some of the principles I heard were, obedience is not a transaction to get what we want. It's about helping us to become like our Heavenly Parents. Focus on being worthy through Christ. Let my ego go and get out of the way of doing what I think so the Lord can work through me. Spiritual gifts cannot be earn. When He can trust us, He gives us the gifts so we can love and serve others.
We don't have to have all the answers for ourselves or others. Learning comes line upon line, here a little and there a little. ( Elder Bednar taught that the "teacher" we should appoint amongst ourselves is the Holy Ghost. (D&C 88:122) The Holy Ghost will teach us when we have a desire to learn and act in faith instead of waiting to be acted upon. When we come prepared and have a desire to learn the Spirit can teach us things that the speaker didn't actually say, but the Spirit did. This is learning by the Spirit, and when we take what the Spirit taught and implement it in our lives, it is the process of becoming a "new creature" in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
An example in the scriptures of this type of teaching and learning can be found in 1 Nephi 11-14. Nephi can with a desire to learn, and the Spirit, through a series of questions, taught Nephi by inviting him observe, learn by what he felt and then bear testimony and then act on what was impressed to his heart and mind. In other wards, to be an "agent" who acted and not be acted upon.
In the last days, the covenant people of God will be "armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory" (1 Nephi 14:14) because they know how to listen and hearken to the Spirit of the Lord. God doesn't just want a covenant connection with us, He wants a covenant relationship that can happen through the Spirit's communication with us.
Each person was invited to sum up, in five words or less, some action she/he felt impressed to do from the experience. I actually had two come to my mind. 1) Always take time to testify and 2) Give more prayers of gratitude. God is mindful of His work taking place here in California. Everyday His spirit is felt by missionaries and visitors at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site. I am so grateful to be trusted by Him to be a part of His work.