Helaman’s Army

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I have a love for hidden things and new discoveries that I think may stem from finding the Gospel through a friend and learning so many new teachings in a short span. I was such a sponge in the early days. I remember how attentive I was at Institute, which I started attending shortly before taking the missionary discussions and joining the Church.  I also think my mind was quickened in some ways as I seemed to be able to read the Scriptues including the Old and New Testament faster than I ever have. I think I read the Book of Mormon at a very fast pace then as well. That does not mean I absorbed everything in all of the standard works by any means. I was a special time to look back upon. There were so many teachings that were brand new to me such as living with Heavenly Father before I was born, the thousand year period after the Second Coming marked with peace for all but the end of that period according to my understanding of teachings.  The idea of Zion really caught hold in my heart and that may be a post in itself down the road. I would learn of three degrees of Glory.  Then, there is the Book of Mormon, modern prophets, and temples. There was so much to learn of the Restoration.

I remember the anticipation of going to my first General Conference. I did not know what to expect. I do not think I expected them to be in normal business suits but that may have been from the tradition of my former faith or how I expected them to look like apostles of old.  I have been a member for over twenty years now.  Many themes repeat in General Conference and in Sunday School and Relief Society.  I know that more truths more be revealed in my lifetime according to God’s timing. Although I have heard the basic talks, I do look forward to General Conference to this day.  Jesus taught in simple parables and that is often the way of today with parables or anecdotes to teach me. I know that we learn by repettition as well. When I was in grade school, I remember a priest telling us that we get out of Church what we put into it. I do believe it is my responsibility to prepare my heart for General Conference. When I was more spiritual, I really came away spiritually fed. I do feel blessed in recent years as I have noticed that I often hear thoughts that I have pondered around that time spoken at General Conference. I feel that may means that I am being taught by God what I need to know. Maybe others are given the same emphasis in their hearts and God has us on a teaching program. Although the Gospel can be rather simple, sometimes the most simple concepts can be deep for me to grasp even to this day. I learned from my earliest days in the Church that we need faith, hope, and Charity. President Uchtdorf spoke words about hope and its relationship to faith and charity that I will need to read again and hope to digest further.

I have really come to appreciate hearing the First Presidency and Apostles bear witness of Christ and the truths of the Restored Gospel as I know that they are special witnesses of Christ.  I also need to bask in the comfort and strength that is there for the offering at General Conferences. I am so thankful when the speakers leave us with their blessings. These are scary days and the need for consistency as well as comfort and as needed warnings from those inspired special witnesses is something that I not only look forward to but I long for. I could cast my mind on many things in this cyncial world and also things I read online even on some LDS sites that might drown out the message. Then, it would be my loss. I believe that you need to stay close to the center of the Church for safety. I hope to be true and obedient to all that is repeated over and over as well as the teachings that may come line upon line and precept upon precept.

I felt a surge of emotion that did not usually accompany me when I addressed the brothers and sisters in my Young Single Adult Sunday School and bore testimony of the need to reach out to less actives. I was also emotional thinking of a convert who had become activated. I knew she was so special as my calling brought me in contact with her. Though she was not attending Church actively when I first started calling her, she would read the Book of Mormon at work. That was such an example to me as I thought it meant that she was open. I was more shy about such things in public. After we took her to a Fireside, she became very active and there were some sisters that became very close to her and socialized a lot.

How could I convey to the brothers and sisters who had always known the Gospel how very badly people needed what we had? I looked out at those who I perceived to have come from good homes.  I think that the majority were here for Dental School and one for Medical School. There were local people here as well. I knew what I knew from the contrast in my life. I did have a faith from my youth that I treasured. I knew that the Restored Gospel had brought me such peace and closeness with God to a degree that I never experienced in the faith of my youth.  Those were blessed days for me in my relationship to Heavenly Father.

I do now believe that members can know how much they have been blessed even if they have not had the contrast in their own life.  I hope that I am getting the following correct as the mind can sometimes splice events together or confuse person and place.

There was an Elder in my mission who was very respected. Somebody posed a question to him as to whether he had been Spiritual prior to his mission. From his comments, I think that he had been blessed with God with the ability to be very spiritual but that he opted to live a more normal life and not be true to his gifts. He said on his mission that he realized how very much people needed the Gospel.

In my Institute class, there was a young man who I think at first thought it was presumptive or being a bother sharing the Gospel as a missionary. He too would have the awakening that people really need the Gospel.

I know life members can have their own conversion experiences.  And they can have trials as well. One of my missionary companions had nightmare experiences prior to her mission that I do not know if I could survive. She was very blessed with testimony.  I think that she said that she felt like she brought her testimony from heaven with her into this life. In speaking of those who are not members of the Church who have the Light of Christ and the blessings that can come from the Light of Christ, she said that they did not know what they were missing compared to the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

I can try to use all the words to teach about the blessings and not properly convey how very much the world needs the Gospel.  My heart has been so touched and my cup has run over with the joy that I have known since being baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My over-zealous friend who shared the Gospel with me later shared that he felt prompted that I needed the Gospel. I wasn’t even looking and didn’t even know what the Restored Gospel was even on a limited scale. He knew what the Gospel meant to him and he shared despite initial rejection on my part. I am so grateful for member missionaries and full-time missionaries. I give thanks for the Priesthood and those who are worthy Priesthood holders. I do know that I have been blessed.