This past weekend the prophets and apostles spoke to the world during General Conference. The addresses given by the speakers are incredible. Mostly because the topics they speak on are not assigned. As Elder Hales said,
"These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His Spirit. We are not assigned specific topics. Over weeks and months, often through sleepless nights, we wait upon the Lord. Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, we learn the message that He wants to give."
This is God's Conference. We are learning the things that he needs us to remember and heed most in these times. Some may say we don't learn anything new. And maybe we aren't learning any new doctrine. The topics are basic and simple. Perhaps that is because we still need to be reminded of the things we already know, yet struggle to live daily.
President Uchtdorf said something that has continued to pass through my mind these past few days since conference:
Beautiful. So simple. Like Nephi, I also delight in plainness. My soul also delights in fatness. I wish we had more in common though. He's pretty amazing. But I digress...
My dad sent me a picture of a tree in our backyard in Idaho this week. This Russian Olive tree has been around a lot longer than I have. It was torn apart due to the infamous Idaho winds. My dad explained the demise of the tree:
"This tree has seen winds this high before, but not from the direction they came from last Monday. Isn’t that a little like life? We can usually handle the temptations from Satan when they come at us in the same way, we get pretty strong in being tempted. But this tree hadn’t been tested from a different direction and it went down. Luckily we are smarter than trees and can choose the right. But that doesn’t mean that the adversary doesn’t try to get to us from different angles. Unlike the tree, we can think and make choices and re-position ourselves to withstand his wind."
It reminded me that it is what we do with our doubts that make or break us. In this gospel we are encouraged to ask questions. "Behold, this is my will; ask and ye shall receive." Yet, the adversary is also ready and waiting to give us his version and deceptions. He will tempt us in new ways and from different angles. If we aren't prepared in the strength of our faith the adversary will have a feeding frenzy on our doubts.
Always remember these words to live by - "Doubt your doubts, before you doubt your faith". Feed your faith, starve your doubts. This gospel is true, and nothing I don't know will tear me away from what I do know.
