Jeffrey R. Holland was the last second-to-last speaker during the two-day conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah. He entitled his remarks "An Ensign to the Nations," and was a very effective concluding* speaker for several reasons. First, before he even said anything, I was psyched to hear from him. I will even admit that when he got up to speak I made the "rock on" sign with my hands (\m/ >.< \m/), much to my father's dismay. Elder Holland always gives really exceptional talks, so I was excited to hear what this one would be. He also has a great deal of credibility as an Apostle of the Church, serving in that capacity for nearly seventeen years. I'm nineteen years old so for as long as I can remember Elder Holland has been in a position to inspire and uplift me by teaching me the words of God, and I've had a long time to learn for myself that his calling as a special witness of Christ is indeed authentic. His remarks also came at the end of a fabulous conference, and the Spirit was already strongly testifying to me that what I had previously heard was true and of God.
Then, Elder Holland bore his own powerful testimony "that God not only lives but also that He speaks, that for our time and in our day the counsel you have heard is, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, “the will of the Lord, … the word of the Lord, … the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.”" He taught that no speaker at the conference is assigned a topic, but prays earnestly to know the will of the Lord concerning the message they should share. While this is something I had heard mentioned before, Elder Holland devoted almost his entire talk to this principle, lending it a weight I hadn't given it before.
One section of his talk in particular really touched me, and watching him speak live in the Conference Center I could tell that he was emotional as well. He said, "Every man and woman you have heard during the past 10 hours of general conference has ... wept, worried, and earnestly sought the Lord’s direction to guide his or her thoughts and expression." He described the speakers as, "mortal messengers with angelic messages, men and women who have all the physical and financial and family difficulties you and I have but who with faith have consecrated their lives to the callings that have come to them and the duty to preach God’s word, not their own." This description just really humanized the speakers and made me empathize with them as people and also respect them so much for all that they do to try and bring us God's messages for us. My respect for the speakers, already high, shot up again as I felt the Spirit testify to me, again, that I was hearing the truth.
Elder Holland also encouraged us to consider what we had just personally experienced - we had felt the Spirit and been inspired with personal messages from God, and each talk fit had together perfectly. We had seen it ourselves! Personally, I had heard two talks in a row that very morning that really hit me, spoke to me, and were just what I needed to hear and wanted my friend to hear. It had been so perfect, I knew that God had heard my prayers for my friend and for myself to hear His messages for us.
Elder Holland's tone was so kind and so loving, I just felt his sincerity and love, and the love of my Savior. He was very real and understanding - saying, "we understand not everyone is viewing pornography or shirking marriage or having illicit sexual relationships. We know not everyone is violating the Sabbath or bearing false witness or abusing a spouse. We know that most in our audience are not guilty of such things, but we are under a solemn charge to issue warning calls to those who are—wherever they may be in the world. So if you are trying to do the best you can—if, for example, you keep trying to hold family home evening in spite of the bedlam that sometimes reigns in a houseful of little bedlamites—then give yourself high marks and, when we come to that subject, listen for another which addresses a topic where you may be lacking. If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you." Everyone laughed when he mentioned the "bedlamites" - because we have all been in that situation. Personally I have never been a parent, but I'll admit to having been a bit of a bedlamite in years past, and I've seen my share of bedlamite cousins and little siblings. Elder Holland is gifted at lightening the mood and making us feel close to him, even though he was speaking to millions all over the world. It was clear from his words that he understood what it was like to be a normal person, just trying to do their best to follow the Lord. Even though we all hold him in very high esteem and think he can do no wrong, he lets us know that he understands our situation. He also mentioned the very thing that I had experienced - listening by the Spirit and hearing a personal prophetic message just for me. Multiple speakers had touched on my very circumstance, and I knew this was because they were teaching by the Spirit.
Finally, Elder Holland offered some personal information about our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. He told us that, "President Monson’s life is not easy ... Called to the apostleship at age 36, his children were ages 12, 9, and 4, respectively. Sister Monson and those children have given their husband and father to the Church and its duties for more than 50 years. They have endured the illnesses and demands, the bumps and bruises of mortality which everyone faces, some of which undoubtedly yet lie ahead of them. But President Monson stays irrepressibly cheerful through it all. Nothing gets him down. He has remarkable faith and unusual stamina." I didn't know that his youngest daughter had been only 4 when her father was called as an Apostle. That's basically her whole life! I was five years old when my dad was called to serve as Bishop, so I could relate in a very small way to that family. Again, Elder Holland made President Monson seem very human, and as I was present in the Conference Center I could look for myself at the man and the Prophet who had sacrificed so much for this Gospel.
Elder Holland continued, "President, for this entire congregation, seen and unseen, I say we love and honor you. Your devotion is an example to us all. We thank you for your leadership. Fourteen others holding the apostolic office, plus others on this stand, those seated in the congregation, and legions gathered around the world love you, sustain you, and stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this work. We will lighten your load any way we can. You are one of those angelic messengers called from before the foundation of the world to wave the ensign of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world. You are doing so magnificently." As he spoke, I felt the truth of what he was saying, and I felt myself rising to the challenge he offered. Yes, I would do this. I would support the Prophet in every way I could. And as I looked around the Conference Center, I got chills as I saw how many faithful Saints were gathered together in just that location - over 21,000. And I knew there were millions more around the world who were feeling the same way I was and promising to do the same thing.
Elder Holland then concluded his remarks with, "of that gospel being declared, the salvation it provides, and He who provides it, I so testify in the grand and glorious name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen." And for a Christian person, there is no stronger appeal than an appeal to the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ.
*technically he wasn't the concluding speaker, President Monson was. But the Prophet always gives the concluding remarks, so Elder Holland's was in a way the last talk. It was a perfect set up for the Prophet's concluding remarks, and an excellent way to end the conference. :)
*technically he wasn't the concluding speaker, President Monson was. But the Prophet always gives the concluding remarks, so Elder Holland's was in a way the last talk. It was a perfect set up for the Prophet's concluding remarks, and an excellent way to end the conference. :)
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