Revelation.

Today we have all heard some beautiful talks about the gospel and many aspects of it. These messages were brought to us by the leaders of our church and were filled with revelation and the spirit of the lord. I greatly enjoyed both the talks of Elder Uchtdorf and Elder Bednar.

Elder Uchtdorf spoke of missing the strongest and most powerful of revelations because we might be thinking to much of ourselves. His remarks awoke in me a greater desire to serve those around me. THis is a lesson I'm sure all of us have learned once or twice in our lives, yet a refresher is always welcome, especially when we might feel to be in the pitt of despair. I recall the words and story of a stranger named Gorge on Temple Square just yesterday.

Yesterday I was on Temple Square and some sister missionaries came and started talking to me. We spoke for a short time when a stranger came and knelt down beside one of the sister missionaries. HE proceeded to tell her that he saw her earlier with a frown on her face and that we can't have people with a frown on there face, so he was going to cheer here up.

He then told us a story about a cookie, and this cookie all day long, ever day, sang "I am a cookie, I am a cookie." All day long that was all he did, 24 hours a day he sang "I am a cookie, I am a cookie." Now next door to this cookie, that was always singing "I am a cookie, I am a cookie." there was Sourdough Bread. Now, the Sourdough Bread was, you guessed it rather sour. He was a pretty grumpy guy. He was getting rather annoyed at his Neighbor the cookie and his constant singing of "I am a cookie, I am a cookie." and this Sourdough Bread, well you see, he had a shotgun. He told himself, I'm going to shoot that cookie, I am, thats what I'm going to do. That will stop his constant singing "I am a cookie, I am a cookie!!" so, That very day, he went over and BANG!! he shot the cookie. Right in the center, blew a hole right through him. And the cookie looked down and started to sing. "I am a doughnut, I am a doughnut!!"

Gorge then turned and said, always look at everything that happens to you in a positive light. Always remember that no matter how bad things get, no matter how low you are, there is always something good to be found and there is always someone that has it worse then you. Always. Everyday seek to put a smile on someones face. Always help someone else to smile, it is the greatest service you can do for someone. Give everyone you see a smile. I saw you with a frown and I knew I had to make you smile sister, and I'm glad I could do that for you. I'm Gorge from southern California, I'm going to be baptized next week. It was nice to talk to you. I'll see you guys later. He then stood up and left us there.

How awesome is that!! Here is a man who has felt the moving power of the spirit work upon him and know wants to share that with everyone he sees. With everyone to whom he speaks. His words were powerful to me and they caused me to feel the spirit and to smile. I don't know the effect that they had on the sister to whom he spoke yet, I know that he was following a prompting of the spirit. He may not yet have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, yet he can feel and follow the spirit and receive Revelation and yesterday he did just that.

What a wonderful blessing is to receive such a powerful out pouring of the spirit of the Lord!!

Also I wanted to make some comments about Elder Bednars talk. He spoke of Revelation and how we receive it usually line upon line, precept upon precept. He spoke of the example of Joseph F. Smith and how this pattern of revelation was in his life. Joseph F. Smith said "As a boy I would frequently ask the lord to show me some marvelous thing in order that I might receive a testimony, but the lord withheld marvels from me and showed me the truth line upon line until he made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this not did he have to speak with the trump of an angel. by the whisperings of the still small voice of the spirit of the living God, he gave me the testimony that I possess...And no amount of marvelous manifestations will ever accomplish this."

When he said this I had the thought of Joseph Smith and how hard it must have been after the first vision to cling to the truth. I think of the times I have had strong impressions and the spirit speak boldly to me and how after words I could doubt those things, how those feelings faded in me, and yet how my core testimony, after my twenty two years of life doesn't fade quickly. How I know, as Joseph F. Smith knew from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet that the Gospel is true. The basics of the Gospel, the core of my testimony is engraved on my heart. And I know as Joseph F. Smith know that this could never have happened through marvelous manifestations.

I have learned much more from this conference and I am so grateful for the opportunity i had to listen to these talks, I plan to listen to them more and again as this week goes on. There is much to be learned, felt, reveled, and experienced from conference. I have felt a desire to do better, study more, listen harder, serve greater, search deeper, and be marvelous. And these things are exactly what I am going to do.