Sundays....I thought they were supposed to be relaxing...

So David and I were asked to talk today in sacrament on, "How the words of the prophets strengthen or empower your personal testimony." I believe that we did a pretty good job. I know David did. I also know that there were many that could not be there so I copied down my talk to share with everyone who couldn't hear it personally. It was slightly different because I didn't just read the whole thing some of it was improvised but this is the gist of it. I would have done the same for David but he doesn't write his talk down just thoughts that he would like to talk about but here is mine.

08/30/2009
HOW THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS STRENGTHEN OR EMPOWER YOUR PERSONAL TESTIMONY!!!

These past couple of weeks I have been feeling kind of lost. In the sense of where to take my life, and if the path I have chosen is what I should really be doing, and probably the most important is that I have been needing a reminder to know that Heavenly Father loves me and is aware of my situation and my feelings. So as I went to school on Thursday for my first day I was feeling slightly anxious and nervous about all my classes and how I am going to be able to handle all the classes, and work, and church and home life and then on top of those feelings, I was feeling that I somehow needed to fit institute into my schedule. I went through my first 3 classes with a battle going on inside my head. One thought saying that going to institute was what I needed to do and if I did school would be just fine, and the other thought was saying that if I took it I wouldn’t have enough time to put the time and hours into school like I needed, and work full time, and be a loving wife. So to try to ease the voice telling me to go I told my self I would just go look at the classes that were being offered between my 2 hour break, so as I got into the institute building I grabbed a little pamphlet that had all the classes. I probably stared at it for probably a good 5 minutes straight, then thinking that was all I needed to do I went to leave, but that little voice came back telling me that I needed to enroll and then the battle started again. I finally told my self that I would just go sit in one of the classes and see how I felt afterward and as I started walking towards the room I was stopped by that little voice. It just kept telling me that I needed to enrol,l so I walked back over to the table where they had a laptop to enroll students and probably stood there debating for another good 3 minutes and then I looked up at the laptop and right their on the screen as the screen saver is President Monson next to a quote that says this; “I ask that you make institute a priority. As we contemplate the eternal nature of our choices, educational preparation is a vital factor in our lives. When faced with a lengthy period of schooling, there appears at times to be no light at the tunnel’s end, no dawn to break the darkness. At such times, you need the light that comes from becoming acquainted with the lessons the scriptures teach. You should learn the background and setting of the Master’s parables and the prophets’ admonitions. Study them as though they are speaking to you, for they are....friends will be make. The spirit will be felt, and faith will be strengthened. I promise you that as you participate in institute and study the scriptures diligently your power to avoid temptation and to receive direction of the Holy Ghost in all that you do will be increased. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. That is a promise which I leave with you”

So after reading this it was like hello how much more of a sign do you need to go to institute. So of course I enrolled right then and went to my class. The whole 50 minutes was devoted to how Heavenly Fathers knows each and every single one of us. Knows how we feel, our fears and hopes, and how he has such a deep and unconditional love for each and everyone one of us.

I know that Heavenly Father speaks through prophets. Those words in institute were exactly what I had been needing to hear for weeks, had I not walked up to that laptop to see those words from President Monson, to encourage me to go to attend institute, I would have still been praying for the reminder of His love. And not only did I get the answer of Heavenly Fathers love I came out of that class knowing that this semester I was going to be okay with everything and that I was going to be able to handle anything that came my way big or small.

Heavenly Father speaks through his prophets. I was talking with a girl at work about my experience at the institute building and she told me about a quote my President Hinckley, that just reaffirmed that I will be okay, from this semester and on if I “be not afraid and only believe” It says “believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do good things. Believe that no mountain is too high that you can not climb it. Believe that no storm is too great that you cannot weather it. You are not destined to be a scrub. You are a child of God, of infinite capacity.”

I know that prophets are sent to be a help and a guide to us on this earth. The Lord has a plan for us, and he did not send us to this earth with out a way to accomplish that plan. He has given us helps and guides, especially the words of the prophets. I know that the lord speaks to our prophet President Monson, and I know that the words he speaks are the words the Lord wants us to hear and what we need to hear. I know listening to a prophets voice can help strengthen our testimonies, because it has strengthened mine.

I am reminded of a primary song that is called follow the prophet and the chorus says “Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet don’t go astray, follow the prophet, follow the prophet,, follow the prophet, he knows the way.”

There are so many stories in the Book of Mormon and Bible that tell of stories of prophets warning and teaching the people and the blessing that come after, when the people have followed. I have seen example of that in my life where the prophet has asked us to do something and we did, and later on we were blessed because of it.

I know the gospel is true, and I know that this church is true. I know Heavenly Father knows and loves each one of us. I know President Monson is a true prophet who Speaks with Heavenly Father and then tells us what the Lord wants us to hear. I am so grateful to have come to this Earth when the gospel is at its fullest and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.