The Burning
My Sunday afternoon session tickets arrived in the mail yesterday! I get to go to Saturday afternoon, too!
I can only imagine how powerful General Conference is going to be. This weekend I went down to Green Bay for our Stake Conference. There were quite a few adventures, but there is something in particular I want to highlight.
Bishop H. David Burton [Presiding Bishop of the Church] was there for the weekend, so I got many opportunities to hear him speak. Among much of his speaking were amazing stories. This morning he shared a vivid and beautiful description of the 4th floor Sealing Room in the Salt Lake Temple [where the General Authorities meet on Thursdays], and explained all the beautiful paintings lining the walls and the memories he associated with them. He told a story about home teaching as a young boy, and being in a home of a very ill woman. A car pulled up and out bounced President David O. McKay, then Prophet of the Church. He had come to give this woman a blessing. Meanwhile, Bishop Burton sat on the front porch step, thinking about a football game he wished he were at home watching. President McKay came out and sat on the step next to him and spoke with him about how he always wanted to go to General Conference more than anything and after years and years they were finally able to go and what a blessing it was to serve the Lord and hear the General Authorities speak. He also told Bishop Burton a story of how he [President McKay] had met President John Taylor at that General Conference. He recalled President Taylor taking off his suit coat, rolling up his sleeves, and showing the marks he had suffered while he was with the Prophet Joseph Smith in jail. How amazing is that?!? He then gave stories and personal thoughts of every prophet since that he had met, whose portraits grace the walls in that sealing room.
This morning as my parents and I walked in the Stake Center doors hours early to get a good seat, Bishop Burton was right ahead of us. He stopped in the hallway and as we passed he shook our hands. At the first thought of knowing he'd be there this weekend, I didn't think much of it. Oh, he's just presiding bishop... I thought. My mood has been less than wonderful as of late. But as I passed by, he smiled at my parents as they walked along and offered his hand to me. I have a very tight and firm handshake; as I shook his hand, he pulled me gently around in front of him, looked in my eyes, and smiled such a touching smile and stood shaking my hand for a good amount of time. The evening before he and our Stake President watched me in the front pew of the less-attended adult session as I sang with my all, and they both smiled gently at me. A simple shake of the hand was so powerful...and knowing that he had shook the hands of many prophets, including President McKay, who shook President Taylor's hand, who was with Joseph Smith. It sounds a little stretched, but it really is a powerful thing. And knowing that Bishop Burton frequently meets with President Hinckley [he told a cute story about President Hinckley calling him up and telling him to drop Sister Burton's list of things for him to do because he had to talk to him]. I don't know, it's just amazing.
This morning the choir sang prelude music. As they were singing "Lord, I Would Follow Thee", I looked over at my dad and he had tears in his eyes. I teased him a bit and kept taunting him, but soon enough I was overcome with tears. An extremely deep burning rushed over and it felt as if the Spirit flew across the pew and encompassed us tremendously, amist the chatter all throughout the chapel behind us and overflow as people came in and greeted one another. I started giggling but couldn't stop weeping as I told him to stop his crying because it was apparently contagious. The music and the presence became so apparent and struck the richest chord in my soul. I felt completely overwhelmed and so safe. It was the most amazing feeling I have yet to feel in my life in the Gospel. I have been tender all day and my thoughts have been gentle and directed in the scriptures.
I recently remembered that there are protestors at General Conference. I am not looking forward to it because I tend to be an emotional person, even though I know I will just need to walk past and ignore them for many many reasons. However, I found this page of video clips of the protestors, and the one with the Sisters singing right next to a protestor brought me to tears. I felt a deep burning much like what I felt this morning during the prelude. I grow frustrated when others belittle our beliefs, but I also feel peace in knowing the Gospel is true.
I am so thankful for this Church, for personal revelation, for a Prophet of God, for my Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I would be nothing.