We had stake conference this past weekend. What's more, we had a change in our stake presidency. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and Elder Pickered of the Seventy were with us to make that change and help to uplift and strengthen the members of the stake.
As one might imagine, we had record attendance at each of our meetings. At the adult session, I think we had about 740 attendees, almost doubling the previous high water mark. That was a particularly good session of conference, as the adult meeting usually is. It was great to be in attendance with my wife and my oldest son, Dallas, who, at 18, can now attend the adult meeting. I appreciated his attentiveness to the things that were said, particularly those said by an Apostle of the Lord.
In the priesthood leadership meeting earlier in the evening, Elder Nelson taught us about the importance of paying a full tithe with respect to the economic conditions in which we currently find ourselves. He said that if we invest in our tithing, there will be no erosion of our nest egg. That statement could be interpreted in different ways. I think what he was saying is that a full tithe payer will have the promised blessings poured out upon him/her such that there will be increased strength, spiritually and mentally, to weather any storm, economic or otherwise. A full tithe payer builds a firm foundation for present and future crisis.
He also taught that each man needs to understand that his most important duty as a priesthood holder is to care for his wife. I wonder how many problems would be solved, or not even become problems in the first place, were all of us priesthood holders to learn that important lesson. I was taught by Elder Nelson in different settings on both Saturday and Sunday. On each occasion, the importance of wives, children and family was made very clear: they are our first priority; nothing comes before them.
Elder Nelson taught so much during our meetings: the process of revelation received through a Prophet, Christ's mission and atonement, our need to focus on ordinances, how to pray and the importance of enduring to the end. The whole weekend was one big spiritual experience for me personally. It is not often that we have an opportunity to sit at the feet of an Apostle, in person, and be taught.
If there was one thing that struck me throughout the weekend, it was the deep love that Elder Nelson has for others. It is evident in his eyes, in his handshake, in his voice. With all due respect to all of the other church leaders and members I have come to know and love over the years, I have never felt more comfortable than I did in the presence of Elder Nelson.
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4 comments:
My dad was so excited that you got called, when he told me he made me guess who it was. Congratulations, although that seems a bit of a misplaced word, but I am so happy for you and those that you will serve.
My dad told me the thing that struck him about Elder Nelson was how with every question put before him he always went directly to the scriptures and taught from there. I always need those reminders to be more immersed in the scriptures when I'm looking for answers to life's questions.
I also appreciated your words in your post when you said about E. Nelson's promise of tithing, "That statement could be interpreted in different ways. I think what he was saying is that a full tithe payer will have the promised blessings poured out upon him/her such that there will be increased strength, spiritually and mentally, to weather any storm, economic or otherwise. A full tithe payer builds a firm foundation for present and future crisis."
I have struggled sometimes to understand the promised blessings from tithing. I think often in the church we equate the promise of both "temporal and spiritual blessings" as including an increase in our financial status. I thought alot about this when discussing the topic with a friend who served his mission in the Phillipenes, he said so many in the country were literally starving and in such poverty that they were having problems of having what they called, "rice converts". Everyone was lining up to join the church b/c they knew the church would give them rice to feed their destitute families. So the church had to stop giving out rice to it's members. It was a real trial for him to see members faithfully pay their tithing and still starve. There was no knock at the door with a basket of food after they gave away their last dime, there was no unexpected job offer that helped them rise from their poverty. They just went on day after day facing temporal hardships that he had never before even considered. Anyway, I don't often hear stories like this when we're talking about tithing, but I've come to believe that temporal blessings doesn't always equate with a relief from our temporal afflictions in this life.
I have a bookmark I was given years ago that has a quote from a man who died of cancer. His family mass produced the bookmark with their father's words and handed it out at his funeral and to all the nearby stakes to give to anyone who wanted one. On one side is a list of scripture references on the atonement and on the other side is this quote,
"Dear Brothers and Sisters,
These chapters on the Atonement became mine, not through a class or a talk or a handbook, but as I struggled during the "midnight hours" being taught by the promptings of the Spirit.
I have learned through the trials that have been ours that we often look for a miracle in the form of a particular outcome. If we do, we may miss the real miracle that comes as we are refined by the Spirit in the process of enduring the very trial itself. Christ always provides a miracle, but not always the one we are looking for."
-Brother Steve Peterson
September 12, 2005
I agree with your interpretation of Elder Nelson's words and those of Brother Peterson's: sometimes when we pay tithing we will be blessed with a lightening of our temporal load, but Christ promises us that He will ALWAYS bless us so the temporal challenges of the world refine us and make us His.
I, too, enjoyed listening to Elder Nelson. Of all the spiritual experiences you felt that weekend, I find it interesting how you managed to slip past mentioning your new calling... such a humble man:)
Thanks for teaching us Rachel and Darin.
My mom told me that you got called to the presidency. I think that is awesome!!! I wish that I could have been there to sustain you. I think you have an amazing spirit and will be a wonderful asset to the stake!
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