Talks That Inspire: General Conference--October 2006

With General Conference approaching, I though I would share some remarks from the October 2006 General Conference that touched me recently.  We are truly blessed and loved to have a Heavenly Father who blesses us with counsel that pertains to our day and to our lives.

Salt Lake Temple

Dallin H. Oaks,“He Heals the Heavy Laden”

To each of us our Savior gives this loving invitation:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

“Take my yoke up one you, and learn or me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

…At times we may despair that our burdens are too great.  When it seems that the tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the disciples in the storm, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).  At such times we should remember His reply: “Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?” (v. 40)

The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available for every affliction in mortality.

…The Atonement also gives us the strength to endure “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind, because our Savior also took upon Him “the pains and the sicknesses of his people” (Alma 7:11).  Brothers and sisters, if your faith and prayers and the power of the priesthood do not heal you from an affliction, the power of the Atonement will surely give you the strength to bear the burden.

Joseph B.Wirthlin, “Sunday Will Come”

In the lonely hours I have spent a great deal of time thinking about eternal things.  I have contemplated the comforting doctrines of eternal life.

Elaine S. Dalton,“Look Toward Eternity”

To become worthy, we make choices that will enable us to return to our Heavnenly Father’s presence.  We do those things which will qualify us to claim all the blessings that He has in store for us.  This is the reason we are here on earth—“to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord…shall command.”  It is through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we can resist temptation.  Our faith will enable us to shun evil.  It will be repulsive to us because “light cleaveth unto light” and “virtue loveth virtue.”

To become unspotted from the world requires not only faith but repentance and obedience.  We must live the standards and do those things which will entitle us to the constant companionship and guidance of the Holy Ghost—for the Spirit cannot dwell in unholy temples.

Thirty-eight years ago my husband and I were married in the Salt Lake Temple by President Gordon B. Hinckley.  The counsel and direction he gave us that day have become a beacon for our lives…[He] counseled us to remain worthy.  He said, “Always live in such a way that when you need the Lord’s blessings, you can call upon Him and receive them because you are worthy.”  He said: “There will come times in your life when you will need immediate blessings.  You will need to live in such a way that they will be granted—not out of mercy but because you are worthy.”

D. ToddChristofferson, “Let Us Be Men”

We who hold the priesthood of God cannot afford to drift.  We have work to do.  We must arise from the dust of self-indulgence and be men!  It is a wonderful aspiration for a boy to become a man—strong and capable; someone who can build and create things, run things; someone who makes a difference in the world.  It is a wonderful aspiration for those of us who are older to make the vision of true manhood a reality in our lives and be models for those who look to us for an example.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, speaking in this meeting in April 1998, gave specific counsel for young men:

“The girl you marry will take a terrible chance on you…[You] will largely determine the remainder of her life…

“Work for an education.  Get all the training that you can.  The world will largely pay you what it thinks you are worth.  Paul did not mince words when he wrote to Timothy, ‘But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel’ (1 Tim. 5:8)

Good men sometimes make mistakes.  A man of integrity will honestly face and correct his mistakes, and that is an example we can respect.  Sometimes men try but fail.  Not all worthy objectives are realized despite one’s honest and best efforts.  True manhood is not always measured by the fruits of one’s labors by the labors themselves—by one’s striving.

Though he will make some sacrifices and deny himself some pleasures in the course of honoring his commitments, the true man leads a rewarding life.  He gives much, but receives more, and he lives content in the approval of his Heavenly Father.  The life of true manhood is the good life.

Gordon B.Hinckley, “We Bear Testimony to the World”

Circumstances change, but our message does not change.  We bear testimony to the world that the heavens have been opened, that God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, the risen Lord, have appeared and spoken.  We offer our solemn witness that the priesthood has been restored with the keys and authority of eternal blessings.

Living on the Edge: Tales of Danger Abroad, Part I

Plodding up the steps from Gagarin Metro Station, I tried to catch up to my companion.  It was the end of a long day of missionary work and we were just about back to our apartment.  The sun had set hours previously, one of the curses of the long Siberian winter.  Looking up through my fur shapka, I could see my companion ahead of me by a full flight of steps.  I had been in Russia for about one month.  Adjusting to the long nights, the language, the food, and walking everywhere proved to be difficult.

I couldn't find a picture of Gagarin Station.

As I began to make the extra effort to catch up, I suddenly felt a hand on my arm.  I stopped to see a lady, a pretty lady with a bit of her blonde hair sticking out of her shapka.  With darting eyes she started to speak to me rapidly in Russian.  The language was still incomprehensible. 

In my best Russian I asked, “Will you please repeat yourself?  I’m not Russian.”

Shaking her head, she muttered something else and started to walk away.  At that moment my companion made his appearance.  Looking back he had seen me struggling to converse with a possible investigator and returned to help.

He quickly picked up the conversation.  At first she shook her head as though she didn’t want to speak with us any longer.  Then she nodded and turned to walk up the stairs.  My companion followed her, turning to tell me to follow.

Unsure of what was going on, I again tried to catch up.  As I followed I saw a large man standing at the top of the stairs looking nervous.  The lady looked at him quickly and almost imperceptibly shook her head.  I don’t think my companion saw it.

We turned toward the nearest apartment building.  As we entered I realized that we were being set up for a robbery.  My companion realized it about the same time I did.  I turned toward the door ready to attack her accomplice.  The lady, suddenly seeming nervous and scared, quickly said thank you and ran up the stairs.

Looking at my companion I said, “I think we’re about to get robbed.  What did she say to you?”

“She said that she was scared of someone at the top of the stairs and asked if we could escort her to her apartment building.  But she acted very strangely, especially once I walked up.”

“We need to be careful going out that door in case someone is waiting for us.”

Carefully we made our way out the door.  Nobody was waiting for us and we made it home safely.  After discussing the situation we realized that she thought I was alone and a possible target.  Once she realized that I wasn’t a Russian and that I wasn’t alone, she no longer wanted to speak with us.  At the top of the stairs she was waving off her accomplice realizing the risk of robbing two foreigners may not be worth the gain.

It was an early lesson about being careful, especially in strange, foreign places.

Throughout my travels abroad I’ve had a number of what might be considered dangerous and frightful situations.  Here’s a quick spoiler alert: I didn’t die during any of these events, nor did I even get injured in any meaningful way.

In the hopes of providing not only some entertainment, but also some travel safety tips, I’m going to share some more of my experiences.

Russians love to celebrate the New Year.  It’s the biggest national holiday of the year.  Families and friends gather for dinner and celebrations.  The night often culminates in a walk after midnight.  My first New Year’s Eve in Russia rolled around after just two weeks in the country.  As 1994 came to a close, my companion and I wrapped up our few teaching appointments.  We rushed out to the street hoping to find a taxi to take us to a party with some members of the branch. 

Getting a taxi in Russia normally is a simple affair.  You stand next to the road and put your hand out.  Any driver of any car may decide to pull over to offer you a ride.  Sometimes they charge something and sometimes they do it just out of the goodness of their heart.  On this night, however, there were few cars on the road and the drivers who were out were rushing to their own parties.  Walking in the general direction of our party we continued to try to flag down a driver.

Just as we were about to accept the fact that we would have to walk a few miles in the cold and dark and arrive late, a Lada pulled over.  There was a driver with his friend in the front seat.  My companion quickly negotiated a fare for our destination and we climbed into the backseat.  As our driver accelerated the car on the icy road the smell of alcohol hit me.  Both our driver and his friend were quite drunk and were in a hurry to get us to our destination. 

It was my first experience riding in a car with a drunk driver.  For fifteen minutes, that felt like an hour, I was in a car with a drunk driver who was driving fast on an icy road.  As I pictured myself lying on the side of the road with my body mangled, I realized that many of the other drivers on the street likely were drunk as well.  Sitting in that car, fearing that I might end up dead or in a Russian hospital, I thought of the Lord’s promise in Doctrine & Covenants 84:88:

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”

As we slid around corners and narrowly avoided hitting other cars I knew that promise was being fulfilled at that moment.  Of course, following that experience, I always tried to check for a strong scent of any alcohol before I would climb into a vehicle.  We had a wonderful party that evening with great food.  We walked back to our apartment.

Taxis have been a source excitement and adventure for me during my time overseas (and a few times in the States as well).  A few months after surviving the drunken New Year’s Eve ride, another elder and I were flagging down a taxi to get to a baptismal interview.  We were thrilled to see a black Volga pull over to speak with us.  Volgas were larger than most other vehicles on the road at the time so it was much more enjoyable to be inside them. (Not to mention that they tended to have nice radios, affording us an opportunity to listen to some music for a few minutes.)

Russian Volga

The driver quickly agreed to take us.  I got into the front seat and we took off.  The driver kept glancing over at me.  Figuring that he was just interested to see an American, I got ready to speak with him about the church. 

Before I could open my mouth he asked, “Are you from America?”

“Yes.”

“Are you one of those Mormon missionaries?”

“Yes.  Have you heard about the Mormons?”

He reached down to the floorboard, pulled out a .45 caliber pistol, and rested it on his lap.

“Yes.  I know about the Mormons.  Our priest told us about you.  You here from America to ruin our Russian culture and Orthodox faith.”

I swallowed hard, looking from the gun to his face and back again to the gun. 

Waving the gun he said, “I ought to just shoot you now.  Why shouldn’t I just shoot you now to protect our Russian Orthodox faith?”

With that I explained what I knew about the love of Jesus Christ and his desire to help and love everyone.  I expressed my certainty that Jesus would not condone the killing of someone who simply was trying to share his message with others. 

Eventually we arrived at our destination.

“Are you going to shoot us?”

“No, I won’t shoot you today, “ he said as he tucked the gun back under the seat.

“How much do we owe you for the ride?”

“Nothing.  I enjoyed the conversation.”

After saying farewell, I and the other missionary were ecstatic to be alive still.  That, however, wasn’t the end of the story.  A week later we were in the same place trying to flag down a taxi.  The same driver pulled over. 

Looking in the window I smiled and said, “Hello.  Are you going to shoot us today?”

“No.  I won’t shoot you today.”

“Will you give a ride at no charge.”

“Yes, no charge for the ride.”

We again made it to our destination safely.  But the next time we needed a taxi, we flagged it down from a different street.  Sadly this was not my most frightening ride in a taxi.  That would come years later.

Please check out Part II of this series:
Living on the Edge: Mafia and Guns in Russia
Lost on the Bosporus and Robbed (Nearly) in Kazakhstan  
Brett, the Cultural Warrior, in China