General Conference

Tomorrow the text and video of General Conference will be available online.   I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Conference last weekend as a family.  Even James was able to be with us for the Saturday sessions.  We had a great weekend filled with conference, soccer, and Thai food, but I did not take a single picture.   So, here is my testimony of General Conference instead : ) 

A few years ago our family had the opportunity to visit with Elder Bednar at his office.  Elder and Sister Bednar lived across the street from my family when I was young and are dear friends of my parents. So, although we are nobody special, this friendship with the Bednars has blessed our family in many ways, and this opportunity to visit personally with an Apostle was one of them.  I tried to prepare my kids well for this day.  We prayed about it, I think I even fasted about it, and we discussed ahead of time what questions we might like to ask.   True to form, on the appointed day, two of my kids had a disagreement about (of all things) socks and were like ticking time bombs the whole visit.  Elder and Sister Bednar were awesome and so was our visit, but I was distracted, aware of the short fuse.   As we left Elder Bednar’s office, my mind flooded with questions I wished I’d asked.   I worried for a moment that I had missed the chance of a lifetime because, believe me, I need all the help I can get. 

Then, we toured the Conference Center, and I realized that we were being blessed to witness a technological miracle.  It was amazing to see that the Lord has provided a way for everyone to have the same opportunity we had in Elder Bednar’s office--a chance to be personally taught by his Apostles and Prophet.   I realized that if we prepared ourselves spiritually for General Conference just as we prepared for our visit to see Elder Bednar - if we prayed to have the Spirit with us, if we came prepared to listen, if we came with really good questions in our hearts - we could be personally taught through the Spirit all we need to know.  I felt better knowing I hadn’t missed the only chance I might ever have to receive guidance from an Apostle of God. I think it’s a miracle that every nation, tongue, and people has this chance too, and they have it over and over again every six months.  And that is why I love General Conference so much  : )