Thursday, April 7, 2011

Samuel's Weekly E-Mail

I love getting Samuel's weekly e-mail's, and since it has been forever since I have posted anything here I have decided to post Samuel's e-mail from this week. He is an amazing young man (I know, I am a little biased) I hope you enjoy this letter as much as I did.


During his talk at the end of the Conference, Elder Holland invited us all to reflect on the miracle that is General Conference, and it took me back. I remember dozens of Conferences spent at home, playing with Legos in front of the TV screen until my dad said it was "time to stop playing and listen to the prophet." I do not remember a single thing that President Hinckley said in any of those General Conferences, but I remember that when the Prophet of the Lord spoke, my family listened.

I remember receiving the Aaronic Priesthood and therefore going to the church with my father and later my brother to watch the Priesthood Sessions of Conference, and soon as they said the final Amen, running out to be first in line for ice-cream. I do not remember more than one or two of the talks delivered in sessions such as these, but I Do remember the brotherhood I felt with my fellow Priesthood bearers, ready to receive instruction by the Spirit.

Now I am older. I've experienced more. I've felt the Spirit in ways or to levels I never had thought of before. And I wait in anticipation for the Conference, preparing questions that want answered. I root through the Ensigns and Liahonas stacked in our apartment, searching out the Conference issues. I hang on to every word uttered by those men ordained of God inspired to chastise and build me up. I scribble notes of the modern scripture coming from the pulpit and any inspiration that the Spirit distils upon my soul.

General Conference really is a Miracle. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the duely ordained Speaker of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Earth. I know that the First Presidency and Quorem of the Twelve are just as qualified as were the Apostles of old to be witnesses of the Living Christ to a world hungry for the truths of Heaven. I know that this is not the church of men. Christ Himself directs this work and gave the Church His name, for by none other can we be saved.

This was my last Conference in the mission. I'll be finishing the mission the last week of July. Plenty of time to "make these things known unto the inhabitants of the Earth."

Later Days

Elder Wright