Lots of mental illness in my family. Me included to some degree. The Master Healer By Carole M. Stephens First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency in Women’s Conference used an awesome example of mental illness in her talk. Since I am preparing a sacrament meeting talk for November 13 on General Conference, every talk I listen to I think: Should I include that? "Third, the Master Healer can comfort and sustain us as we experience painful “realities of mortality,” 13 such as disaster, mental illness, disease, chronic pain, and death. I have recently become acquainted with a remarkable young woman named Josie who suffers from bipolar disorder. Here is just a little of her journey toward healing as she shared it with me:
“The worst of the darkness occurs on what my family and I have deemed ‘floor days.’ It begins with sensory overload and acute sensitivity and resistance to any type of sound, touch, or light. It is the apex of mental anguish. There is one day in particular that I will never forget.
“It was early in the journey, making the experience especially frightening. I can remember sobbing, tears racing down my face as I gasped for air. But even such intense suffering paled in comparison to the pain that followed as I observed panic overwhelm my mother, so desperate to help me.
“With my broken mind came her broken heart. But little did we know that despite the deepening darkness, we were just moments away from experiencing a mighty miracle.
“As a long hour continued, my mom whispered over and over and over again, ‘I would do anything to take this from you.’
“Meanwhile, the darkness intensified, and when I was convinced I could take no more, just then something marvelous occurred.
“A transcendent and wonderful power suddenly overtook my body. Then, with a ‘strength beyond my own,’ 14 I declared to my mom with great conviction seven life-changing words in response to her repeated desire to bear my pain. I said, ‘You don’t have to; Someone already has.’”
From the dark abyss of debilitating mental illness, Josie summoned the strength to testify of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement.
She was not healed completely that day, but she received the light of hope in a time of intense darkness. And today, supported by a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and refreshed daily by the Savior’s living water, Josie continues on her journey toward healing and exercises unshakable faith in the Master Healer. She helps others along the way. And she says, “When the darkness feels unremitting, I rely on the memory of His tender mercies. They serve as a guiding light as I navigate through hard times.” 15
Sisters, I testify that—
You don’t have to continue to carry the burden of sorrow caused by sin—alone.
You don’t have to carry the pain caused by the unrighteous actions of others—alone.
You don’t have to experience the painful realities of mortality—alone.
The Savior pleads:
“Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
“… If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come … will I receive.” 16
“[He] would do anything to take this from you.” In fact, “[He] already has.” In the name of Jesus Christ, the Master Healer, amen."Friday, 11/4/16, 11:20am Hello Brandon! Here is a question for you. Prioritize your prison activities for me. Put your favorites at the top and the no opinions in the middle and the yucky ones at the bottom! So the question is Where does reading my postcards fit? I imagine your 30 minute TV/phone visits is probably at the top, but who knows. @ So I included ETB’s priesthood leadership talk called Power of the Word last time. When I looked it up and read it after sending it to you I discovered I had already highlighted about 10 lines. I had read it and might have sent it before!? Well, at least it was long enough ago I did not recognize it right off. @ I have my worst dreams/nightmares in the last hours of sleep. This morning I switched from the Saturday afternoon session to the Women’s conference to accompany me while I slept those last hours. I lay on the living room couch with my computer running and my headphones on. I am so grateful I have found peace in the apostle’s addresses etc.. @ At one point in our BoM class last night I got distracted and forgot what my point was going to be. Heidi Taylor our teacher had done the same so I just said come back to me in a minute. It is nice to be accepted and understood. I did not go to/come to fhc yesterday so last night was a good outing for me. I went to a craft store by Lowe’s named Michael’s with a 50% coupon to spend on my way to class. I walked through the whole store and found nothing! So I went next door to the dollar store and walked out of there with nothing as well. I felt sort of empty and disappointed. But I tried to encourage myself and pump myself up by saying: How many people can go in two stores and come out with nothing? I should be proud of myself. @ I sent out a 10 person text asking who I should vote for. I only got 3 responses back. Jessica’84 said, “not Hillary”. Gayelinn’72 said, “Castle-constitution party”. Louis’80 gave a long thoughtful answer. I can tell he is Mr. Mom and not working right now. “ “ @ Do you vote or care about voting? I don’t care to but I do anyway. Civic responsibility. @ Janice Divine has been called as a RS counselor, even though single, and she missed our class last night. She bought two books for each of our new students, the Institute manual itself costs $7! But man does it go deep! Her RS was working on assigning 30 sisters as visiting teachees. @ We were asked to think of someone we most trusted as part of the lesson. Then to think of the traits and characteristics that person has that makes us trust them. And then extrapolate to what that trust allows us to do in that relationship. I picked Gayelinn’72. She accepts and loves me. Because of that I am able to share insecurities and vulnerabilities that I can’t share with anyone else. Burt, first time back after 6+months gone, said he can only trust the divine. Nephi placed his trust in God. Job put his trust in God. Vern has put his trust in God but it is nice to have someone on earth I can trust and hear back from better than I can hear God. Heidi said she loves the reassurance she feels when being obedient and valiant. I must admit, that is when I feel the Spirit the strongest. When I have struggled to reach out and bless someone else’s life. @ Of course JaniceD was curious about how her gift books were received and how the class went. I couldn’t really report on her gift books. But we spent 23 minutes laughing and talking about the class. Delightful. As you may have recognized I love to report and laugh. @ Burt and Karye spent at least 10 minutes visiting afterwards. I dislike it when students clean up and put the room away so well that there is no place to sit and no table to rest on for visiting afterwards. I decided to keep them company as they visited and put the table away when they were done. Burt was asking about how old karye is as we walked out. She hasn’t stopped and visited with any of the boys until him. She was extremely playful and teasing last night during class. And quite disclosive/ revealing/ responsive to Burt’s questions about her brain operations and seizures. There were 7 in Karye’s siblings (two boys), 7 in HeidiT’s (one boy), 7 in JaniceD’s and 7 in Vern’s, 7 in Nephi’s, 7 kids of Ishamael. Just kidding on those last two. David G Woolley says that JS shared all kinds of things about Lehi’s family that are not in the BoM. Perhaps it was all in the book of Lehi/ 116 lost pages or perhaps Moroni told him stuff each of those 4 years they visited. Woolley has 2 older sisters for Nephi and they are married to Ishmael’s sons. And Zoram and 4 boys married Ishmael’s daughters. Woolley’s books are only in hardback so I won’t be sharing those ones with you. Just like Gerald Lund did his 3 historical fiction about JC’s time with lots of Jewish traditions, Woolley does lots of Jewish traditions in Zedekiah’s time. Woolley is a the soccer coach for BYU and he has a blog that started back in ‘07 or ‘08 where he segways/ tangents off of his BoM research for his 6 books about Lehi and analyzes the scriptures about the times. Fort Lakish, 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem plays a major role in his story. Hugh Nibley was fascinated with the evidence Fort Lakish produced as well! General Yuash commanded Fort Lakish and later became the Lord of Southern Israel. Babylon came and carried away the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedikiah and Fort Lakish has the only written evidence ever found confirming the Old Testament stories and BoM! The only potsherds, written evidence of the Old Testament! No wonder Hugh Nibley and David Woolley make such a big deal about them! So cool! Usually the writing on potsherds is eroded but these ones were varnished and then caught in a fire. The fire hardened and preserved the writing! So cool! The old testament is true! The Book of Mormon is true! There is actual physical written evidence! But no one really cares. Because it is not the facts and evidence that convince a man but the Holy Ghost. And when we lose the Holy Ghost through sin we lose our testimonies and beliefs, don’t we?. Our light goes out. @ Gays are so strange in my mindset. Karye has a sister that married a girl. Yep, a sister that married a girl from the war torn countries of Old Russia. This girl was in the air flying to the USA the hours 9/11 occurred, says Karye. And Karye says she loves her and that she is so sweet. Karye’s sister was the boy in the white tux and this Uzbekistan girl was the female. Karye talks about how flabbergasted her father is over the whole thing. Karye had to learn to talk and walk and everything after her seizures and brain cysts were removed. She says that on the MRI there are plaques all over her brain. 5 years before her life flight to UVMC she heard a voice while swimming that told her: “you are going down”. She has remembered it ever since 2009 when it all happened. She is usually the first to leave after the lesson but not last night. :) @ Saturday, 11/5, 10:34am Hi again bps, I was feeling lonely and bereft last night. I had spent two nights watching movies on Youtube and hadn’t prayed long and close and rich/ meaningfully. I did before sleeping and it eased away that lost feeling. It makes me want to say, I love you, you are wonderful! You are Brandon. Just keep doing your best. HF understands. I got a good sense of your testimony at my last visit. Just your frustration with the short attention spans of those around you and their inability to focus, and care especially about spiritual things is similar to the frustrations of Lehi/ Uriah/ Jeremiah/ Ezekiel/ Nephi, 600BC. Have you ever related to those prophets before? You can. @ Louis’80 lives 2 miles away and dropped by to invite me to watch his kids from 12 to 3 today so Bonnie can go boating. His back is tweaked/ paining him so he plans on just watching but Bonnie doesn’t feel comfortable going without him. Makes sense. I had just returned from my dog walk. Didn’t make it out last night. But it was so pretty and fresh this morning. I love getting out in nature. I spend at least an hour a day outside. @ I had left my stamps home so I hadn’t mailed your postcard. I drove it over to the post office and had the stamp hand-cancelled. Only one postal worker there this Saturday morn. @ DFU gave a most powerful talk at women’s conference. He was the only male speaker. Good idea! I know you will be getting it in a few weeks but too bad, I just have to share this with you, in part to honor its richness and promises. @~@Fourth Floor, Last Door
By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2016 General Conference
"Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness. 8 [When we stop and believe he really loves us like DFU testifies, then we can’t help but feel love and trust towards Him in return. Don’t you? I can’t believe someone really loves me like that can you? Well I can believe it for brief periods of time. All 6 of my siblings fight suicide feelings. Perhaps because I am the oldest child I don’t. But life is hard Brandon! How knowing God loves our uniqueness can be such a blessing.vj]
With this kind of faith, though we may not understand why certain things happen or why certain prayers go unanswered, we can know that in the end everything will make sense. “All things [will] work together for good to them that love God.” [in the end everything will make sense. Stay true to him Brandon!]
“The worst of the darkness occurs on what my family and I have deemed ‘floor days.’ It begins with sensory overload and acute sensitivity and resistance to any type of sound, touch, or light. It is the apex of mental anguish. There is one day in particular that I will never forget.
“It was early in the journey, making the experience especially frightening. I can remember sobbing, tears racing down my face as I gasped for air. But even such intense suffering paled in comparison to the pain that followed as I observed panic overwhelm my mother, so desperate to help me.
“With my broken mind came her broken heart. But little did we know that despite the deepening darkness, we were just moments away from experiencing a mighty miracle.
“As a long hour continued, my mom whispered over and over and over again, ‘I would do anything to take this from you.’
“Meanwhile, the darkness intensified, and when I was convinced I could take no more, just then something marvelous occurred.
“A transcendent and wonderful power suddenly overtook my body. Then, with a ‘strength beyond my own,’ 14 I declared to my mom with great conviction seven life-changing words in response to her repeated desire to bear my pain. I said, ‘You don’t have to; Someone already has.’”
From the dark abyss of debilitating mental illness, Josie summoned the strength to testify of Jesus Christ and of His Atonement.
She was not healed completely that day, but she received the light of hope in a time of intense darkness. And today, supported by a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and refreshed daily by the Savior’s living water, Josie continues on her journey toward healing and exercises unshakable faith in the Master Healer. She helps others along the way. And she says, “When the darkness feels unremitting, I rely on the memory of His tender mercies. They serve as a guiding light as I navigate through hard times.” 15
Sisters, I testify that—
You don’t have to continue to carry the burden of sorrow caused by sin—alone.
You don’t have to carry the pain caused by the unrighteous actions of others—alone.
You don’t have to experience the painful realities of mortality—alone.
The Savior pleads:
“Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
“… If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come … will I receive.” 16
“[He] would do anything to take this from you.” In fact, “[He] already has.” In the name of Jesus Christ, the Master Healer, amen."Friday, 11/4/16, 11:20am Hello Brandon! Here is a question for you. Prioritize your prison activities for me. Put your favorites at the top and the no opinions in the middle and the yucky ones at the bottom! So the question is Where does reading my postcards fit? I imagine your 30 minute TV/phone visits is probably at the top, but who knows. @ So I included ETB’s priesthood leadership talk called Power of the Word last time. When I looked it up and read it after sending it to you I discovered I had already highlighted about 10 lines. I had read it and might have sent it before!? Well, at least it was long enough ago I did not recognize it right off. @ I have my worst dreams/nightmares in the last hours of sleep. This morning I switched from the Saturday afternoon session to the Women’s conference to accompany me while I slept those last hours. I lay on the living room couch with my computer running and my headphones on. I am so grateful I have found peace in the apostle’s addresses etc.. @ At one point in our BoM class last night I got distracted and forgot what my point was going to be. Heidi Taylor our teacher had done the same so I just said come back to me in a minute. It is nice to be accepted and understood. I did not go to/come to fhc yesterday so last night was a good outing for me. I went to a craft store by Lowe’s named Michael’s with a 50% coupon to spend on my way to class. I walked through the whole store and found nothing! So I went next door to the dollar store and walked out of there with nothing as well. I felt sort of empty and disappointed. But I tried to encourage myself and pump myself up by saying: How many people can go in two stores and come out with nothing? I should be proud of myself. @ I sent out a 10 person text asking who I should vote for. I only got 3 responses back. Jessica’84 said, “not Hillary”. Gayelinn’72 said, “Castle-constitution party”. Louis’80 gave a long thoughtful answer. I can tell he is Mr. Mom and not working right now. “ “ @ Do you vote or care about voting? I don’t care to but I do anyway. Civic responsibility. @ Janice Divine has been called as a RS counselor, even though single, and she missed our class last night. She bought two books for each of our new students, the Institute manual itself costs $7! But man does it go deep! Her RS was working on assigning 30 sisters as visiting teachees. @ We were asked to think of someone we most trusted as part of the lesson. Then to think of the traits and characteristics that person has that makes us trust them. And then extrapolate to what that trust allows us to do in that relationship. I picked Gayelinn’72. She accepts and loves me. Because of that I am able to share insecurities and vulnerabilities that I can’t share with anyone else. Burt, first time back after 6+months gone, said he can only trust the divine. Nephi placed his trust in God. Job put his trust in God. Vern has put his trust in God but it is nice to have someone on earth I can trust and hear back from better than I can hear God. Heidi said she loves the reassurance she feels when being obedient and valiant. I must admit, that is when I feel the Spirit the strongest. When I have struggled to reach out and bless someone else’s life. @ Of course JaniceD was curious about how her gift books were received and how the class went. I couldn’t really report on her gift books. But we spent 23 minutes laughing and talking about the class. Delightful. As you may have recognized I love to report and laugh. @ Burt and Karye spent at least 10 minutes visiting afterwards. I dislike it when students clean up and put the room away so well that there is no place to sit and no table to rest on for visiting afterwards. I decided to keep them company as they visited and put the table away when they were done. Burt was asking about how old karye is as we walked out. She hasn’t stopped and visited with any of the boys until him. She was extremely playful and teasing last night during class. And quite disclosive/ revealing/ responsive to Burt’s questions about her brain operations and seizures. There were 7 in Karye’s siblings (two boys), 7 in HeidiT’s (one boy), 7 in JaniceD’s and 7 in Vern’s, 7 in Nephi’s, 7 kids of Ishamael. Just kidding on those last two. David G Woolley says that JS shared all kinds of things about Lehi’s family that are not in the BoM. Perhaps it was all in the book of Lehi/ 116 lost pages or perhaps Moroni told him stuff each of those 4 years they visited. Woolley has 2 older sisters for Nephi and they are married to Ishmael’s sons. And Zoram and 4 boys married Ishmael’s daughters. Woolley’s books are only in hardback so I won’t be sharing those ones with you. Just like Gerald Lund did his 3 historical fiction about JC’s time with lots of Jewish traditions, Woolley does lots of Jewish traditions in Zedekiah’s time. Woolley is a the soccer coach for BYU and he has a blog that started back in ‘07 or ‘08 where he segways/ tangents off of his BoM research for his 6 books about Lehi and analyzes the scriptures about the times. Fort Lakish, 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem plays a major role in his story. Hugh Nibley was fascinated with the evidence Fort Lakish produced as well! General Yuash commanded Fort Lakish and later became the Lord of Southern Israel. Babylon came and carried away the Jews and destroyed Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedikiah and Fort Lakish has the only written evidence ever found confirming the Old Testament stories and BoM! The only potsherds, written evidence of the Old Testament! No wonder Hugh Nibley and David Woolley make such a big deal about them! So cool! Usually the writing on potsherds is eroded but these ones were varnished and then caught in a fire. The fire hardened and preserved the writing! So cool! The old testament is true! The Book of Mormon is true! There is actual physical written evidence! But no one really cares. Because it is not the facts and evidence that convince a man but the Holy Ghost. And when we lose the Holy Ghost through sin we lose our testimonies and beliefs, don’t we?. Our light goes out. @ Gays are so strange in my mindset. Karye has a sister that married a girl. Yep, a sister that married a girl from the war torn countries of Old Russia. This girl was in the air flying to the USA the hours 9/11 occurred, says Karye. And Karye says she loves her and that she is so sweet. Karye’s sister was the boy in the white tux and this Uzbekistan girl was the female. Karye talks about how flabbergasted her father is over the whole thing. Karye had to learn to talk and walk and everything after her seizures and brain cysts were removed. She says that on the MRI there are plaques all over her brain. 5 years before her life flight to UVMC she heard a voice while swimming that told her: “you are going down”. She has remembered it ever since 2009 when it all happened. She is usually the first to leave after the lesson but not last night. :) @ Saturday, 11/5, 10:34am Hi again bps, I was feeling lonely and bereft last night. I had spent two nights watching movies on Youtube and hadn’t prayed long and close and rich/ meaningfully. I did before sleeping and it eased away that lost feeling. It makes me want to say, I love you, you are wonderful! You are Brandon. Just keep doing your best. HF understands. I got a good sense of your testimony at my last visit. Just your frustration with the short attention spans of those around you and their inability to focus, and care especially about spiritual things is similar to the frustrations of Lehi/ Uriah/ Jeremiah/ Ezekiel/ Nephi, 600BC. Have you ever related to those prophets before? You can. @ Louis’80 lives 2 miles away and dropped by to invite me to watch his kids from 12 to 3 today so Bonnie can go boating. His back is tweaked/ paining him so he plans on just watching but Bonnie doesn’t feel comfortable going without him. Makes sense. I had just returned from my dog walk. Didn’t make it out last night. But it was so pretty and fresh this morning. I love getting out in nature. I spend at least an hour a day outside. @ I had left my stamps home so I hadn’t mailed your postcard. I drove it over to the post office and had the stamp hand-cancelled. Only one postal worker there this Saturday morn. @ DFU gave a most powerful talk at women’s conference. He was the only male speaker. Good idea! I know you will be getting it in a few weeks but too bad, I just have to share this with you, in part to honor its richness and promises. @~@Fourth Floor, Last Door
By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2016 General Conference
"Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does—every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds—is for our eternal happiness. 8 [When we stop and believe he really loves us like DFU testifies, then we can’t help but feel love and trust towards Him in return. Don’t you? I can’t believe someone really loves me like that can you? Well I can believe it for brief periods of time. All 6 of my siblings fight suicide feelings. Perhaps because I am the oldest child I don’t. But life is hard Brandon! How knowing God loves our uniqueness can be such a blessing.vj]
With this kind of faith, though we may not understand why certain things happen or why certain prayers go unanswered, we can know that in the end everything will make sense. “All things [will] work together for good to them that love God.” [in the end everything will make sense. Stay true to him Brandon!]
All will be made right. All will be well.
We can be certain that answers will come, and we may be confident that we will not only be content with the answers but we will also be overwhelmed by the grace, mercy, generosity, and love of our Heavenly Father for us, His children. [Really, really? Is this possible? Is this true?]
Just Keep Knocking
Until then, we walk by whatever faith we have, seeking always to increase our faith. Sometimes this is not an easy quest. Those who are impatient, uncommitted, or careless may find faith to be elusive. Those who are easily discouraged or distracted may hardly experience it. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring.
It comes to those who pay the price of faithfulness.[I just sent the last 5 sentences to MichaelJ, EricY, BruceR, and VarloD. I hope they can use them as a reminder.vj]
This truth is illustrated in the experience of two young missionaries serving in Europe, in an area where there were few convert baptisms. I suppose it would have been understandable for them to think that what they did wouldn’t make much of a difference.
But these two missionaries had faith, and they were committed. They had the attitude that if no one listened to their message, it would not be because they had not given their best effort.
One day they had the feeling to approach the residents of a well-kept four-story apartment building. They started on the first floor and knocked on each door, presenting their saving message of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Church.
[The apartment building is pictured! You would not believe what they can show in talks these days. They didn’t used to allow visual aides but now we use them all the time!vj]
No one on the first floor would listen to them.
How easy it would have been to say, “We tried. Let’s stop right here. Let’s go and try another building.”
But these two missionaries had faith and they were willing to work, and so they knocked on every door on the second floor.
Again, no one would listen.
The third floor was the same. And so was the fourth—that is, until they knocked on the last door of the fourth floor.
When that door opened, a young girl smiled at them and asked them to wait while she spoke with her mother.
Her mother was only 36 years old, had recently lost her husband, and was in no mood to talk with Mormon missionaries. So she told her daughter to send them away.
But the daughter pleaded with her. These young men were so nice, she said. [You should have heard the sisters start to giggle and then laugh! All the girls 8 and older were invited! Do you think DFU planned this for his audience? Absolutely! Vj] And it would take only a few minutes.
So, reluctantly, the mother agreed. The missionaries delivered their message and handed a book to the mother to read—the Book of Mormon.
After they left, the mother decided she would read at least a few pages.
She finished the entire book within a few days. [Chills and thrills! She finished the whole book within a few days! How wonderful! She was one of HF prepared and chosen ones wasn’t she?vj]
[Sister Uchtdorf’s family with missionaries picture! There it is in real life!!!vj And sister Uchtdorf looks like she is about 11 years old. Young. Just a little round faced, dark haired girl.]
Not long after, this wonderful single-parent family entered the waters of baptism.
When the small family attended their local branch in Frankfurt, Germany, a young deacon noticed the beauty of one of the daughters and thought to himself, “These missionaries are doing a great job!”[Uproarious laughter, if uproarious laughter is allowed in the conference center! Masterful! Man did he have them eating out of his hand. But the suspense was still on. It wasn’t until the next sentence we realized this is a personal story!vj]
That young deacon’s name was Dieter Uchtdorf. And the charming young woman—the one who had pleaded with her mother to listen to the missionaries—has the beautiful name of Harriet. She is loved by all who meet her as she accompanies me in my travels. [v-tearful. What an honor. He loves her with all his heart. And what a wonderful thing for the sisters saints of the Church to see! Age doesn’t matter! You don’t have to be young and beautiful your whole life! Look at what DFU is teaching! Brilliant!]She has blessed the lives of many people through her love for the gospel and her sparkling personality. She truly is the sunshine of my life. [his witness, his testimony of his love for his wife!-vj]
[Sister Uchtdorf speaking in Norway, yep! Another picture Brandon!]
How often have I lifted my heart in gratitude for the two missionaries who did not stop at the first floor! How often my heart reaches out in appreciation for their faith and work. How often have I given thanks that they kept going—even to the fourth floor, last door.
It Shall Be Opened unto You
In our search for enduring faith, in our quest to connect with God and His purposes, let us remember the Lord’s promise: “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”11
Will we give up after knocking on a door or two? A floor or two?
Or will we keep seeking until we have reached the fourth floor, last door?
God “rewards those who earnestly seek him,”12 but that reward is not usually behind the first door. So we need to keep knocking. Sisters, don’t give up. Seek God with all your heart. Exercise faith. Walk in righteousness. [I kept knocking Brandon. I knocked for a decade. Have you ever knocked that long? I wrote my question down on a postcard/ index card and put it on my window sill along with a stick from a tree. I about had a cow when I discovered Kathy had thrown the stick out. It was a special stick from one of our honeymoons/ anniversary celebrations at Zion National Park.]
I promise that if you will do this—even until the fourth floor, last door—you will receive the answers you seek. You will find faith. And one day you will be filled with light that grows “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”13 [I received the answer I sought. vj]
My beloved sisters in Christ, God is real.
He lives.
He loves you.
He knows you.
He understands you.
He knows the silent pleadings of your heart.
He has not abandoned you.
He will not forsake you.
It is my testimony and apostolic blessing to each one of you that you will feel in your heart and mind this sublime truth for yourselves. Live in faith, dear friends, dear sisters, and “the Lord [our] God [will] increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!”14
I leave you my faith, my conviction, and my certain and unshakable witness that this is the work of God. In the sacred name of our beloved Savior, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. [I can’t stop crying over this talk. It is so sweet. The promises are so real. I have experienced those promises coming true and some I hope to come true still. We are so blessed Brandon. We have a hope in Christ. How miserable we would be without that hope! How lost. How lonely. How hopeless!vj]
We can be certain that answers will come, and we may be confident that we will not only be content with the answers but we will also be overwhelmed by the grace, mercy, generosity, and love of our Heavenly Father for us, His children. [Really, really? Is this possible? Is this true?]
Just Keep Knocking
Until then, we walk by whatever faith we have, seeking always to increase our faith. Sometimes this is not an easy quest. Those who are impatient, uncommitted, or careless may find faith to be elusive. Those who are easily discouraged or distracted may hardly experience it. Faith comes to the humble, the diligent, the enduring.
It comes to those who pay the price of faithfulness.[I just sent the last 5 sentences to MichaelJ, EricY, BruceR, and VarloD. I hope they can use them as a reminder.vj]
This truth is illustrated in the experience of two young missionaries serving in Europe, in an area where there were few convert baptisms. I suppose it would have been understandable for them to think that what they did wouldn’t make much of a difference.
But these two missionaries had faith, and they were committed. They had the attitude that if no one listened to their message, it would not be because they had not given their best effort.
One day they had the feeling to approach the residents of a well-kept four-story apartment building. They started on the first floor and knocked on each door, presenting their saving message of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Church.
[The apartment building is pictured! You would not believe what they can show in talks these days. They didn’t used to allow visual aides but now we use them all the time!vj]
No one on the first floor would listen to them.
How easy it would have been to say, “We tried. Let’s stop right here. Let’s go and try another building.”
But these two missionaries had faith and they were willing to work, and so they knocked on every door on the second floor.
Again, no one would listen.
The third floor was the same. And so was the fourth—that is, until they knocked on the last door of the fourth floor.
When that door opened, a young girl smiled at them and asked them to wait while she spoke with her mother.
Her mother was only 36 years old, had recently lost her husband, and was in no mood to talk with Mormon missionaries. So she told her daughter to send them away.
But the daughter pleaded with her. These young men were so nice, she said. [You should have heard the sisters start to giggle and then laugh! All the girls 8 and older were invited! Do you think DFU planned this for his audience? Absolutely! Vj] And it would take only a few minutes.
So, reluctantly, the mother agreed. The missionaries delivered their message and handed a book to the mother to read—the Book of Mormon.
After they left, the mother decided she would read at least a few pages.
She finished the entire book within a few days. [Chills and thrills! She finished the whole book within a few days! How wonderful! She was one of HF prepared and chosen ones wasn’t she?vj]
[Sister Uchtdorf’s family with missionaries picture! There it is in real life!!!vj And sister Uchtdorf looks like she is about 11 years old. Young. Just a little round faced, dark haired girl.]
Not long after, this wonderful single-parent family entered the waters of baptism.
When the small family attended their local branch in Frankfurt, Germany, a young deacon noticed the beauty of one of the daughters and thought to himself, “These missionaries are doing a great job!”[Uproarious laughter, if uproarious laughter is allowed in the conference center! Masterful! Man did he have them eating out of his hand. But the suspense was still on. It wasn’t until the next sentence we realized this is a personal story!vj]
That young deacon’s name was Dieter Uchtdorf. And the charming young woman—the one who had pleaded with her mother to listen to the missionaries—has the beautiful name of Harriet. She is loved by all who meet her as she accompanies me in my travels. [v-tearful. What an honor. He loves her with all his heart. And what a wonderful thing for the sisters saints of the Church to see! Age doesn’t matter! You don’t have to be young and beautiful your whole life! Look at what DFU is teaching! Brilliant!]She has blessed the lives of many people through her love for the gospel and her sparkling personality. She truly is the sunshine of my life. [his witness, his testimony of his love for his wife!-vj]
[Sister Uchtdorf speaking in Norway, yep! Another picture Brandon!]
How often have I lifted my heart in gratitude for the two missionaries who did not stop at the first floor! How often my heart reaches out in appreciation for their faith and work. How often have I given thanks that they kept going—even to the fourth floor, last door.
It Shall Be Opened unto You
In our search for enduring faith, in our quest to connect with God and His purposes, let us remember the Lord’s promise: “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”11
Will we give up after knocking on a door or two? A floor or two?
Or will we keep seeking until we have reached the fourth floor, last door?
God “rewards those who earnestly seek him,”12 but that reward is not usually behind the first door. So we need to keep knocking. Sisters, don’t give up. Seek God with all your heart. Exercise faith. Walk in righteousness. [I kept knocking Brandon. I knocked for a decade. Have you ever knocked that long? I wrote my question down on a postcard/ index card and put it on my window sill along with a stick from a tree. I about had a cow when I discovered Kathy had thrown the stick out. It was a special stick from one of our honeymoons/ anniversary celebrations at Zion National Park.]
I promise that if you will do this—even until the fourth floor, last door—you will receive the answers you seek. You will find faith. And one day you will be filled with light that grows “brighter and brighter until the perfect day.”13 [I received the answer I sought. vj]
My beloved sisters in Christ, God is real.
He lives.
He loves you.
He knows you.
He understands you.
He knows the silent pleadings of your heart.
He has not abandoned you.
He will not forsake you.
It is my testimony and apostolic blessing to each one of you that you will feel in your heart and mind this sublime truth for yourselves. Live in faith, dear friends, dear sisters, and “the Lord [our] God [will] increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!”14
I leave you my faith, my conviction, and my certain and unshakable witness that this is the work of God. In the sacred name of our beloved Savior, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. [I can’t stop crying over this talk. It is so sweet. The promises are so real. I have experienced those promises coming true and some I hope to come true still. We are so blessed Brandon. We have a hope in Christ. How miserable we would be without that hope! How lost. How lonely. How hopeless!vj]
She finished the entire book within a few days.
Not long after, this wonderful single-parent family entered the waters of baptism.
~~~
One day they had the feeling to approach the residents of a well-kept four-story apartment building. They started on the first floor and knocked on each door, presenting their saving message of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His Church.
No one on the first floor would listen to them.
~~~
That young deacon’s name was Dieter Uchtdorf. And the charming young woman—the one who had pleaded with her mother to listen to the missionaries has the beautiful name of Harriet. She is loved by all who meet her as she accompanies me in my travels. She has blessed the lives of many people through her love for the gospel and her sparkling personality. She truly is the sunshine of my life.
How often have I lifted my heart in gratitude for the two missionaries who did not stop at the first floor! How often my heart reaches out in appreciation for their faith and work. How often have I given thanks that they kept going—even to the fourth floor, last door.
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