PROPHETS AND APOSTLES ARE ONCE AGAIN ON THE EARTH!!!

Yes! It is TRUE! We do have a Prophet and 12 Apostles that are directed and guided by Jesus Christ and God, our Eternal Father! It is THE greatest GOOD NEWS possible! And, I just want to share that with the world! I am so very grateful that we are so very blessed to have divine direction and revelation once again on the earth! And, every six months, we are privileged to hear them speak! It is the highlight of my year to spend two days just listening to the Prophet and his counselors and the members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles! As well as the leaders of the women's auxiliaries and the Quorum of the 70.

My children and I have, for years, made this semi-annual event one of the most valued and most anticipated of all events! TO think that we are able to hear the word of GOD given to HIS Prophet and Apostles! It is truly a spiritual feast! AND, I know that I always am so very grateful that we are so blessed!

For years, it was necessary for us to travel to the church and listen to these great men and women via a satellite broadcast. AND, as my husband worked Saturdays, if I wanted to attend, it required a huge effort on my part to get all the children dressed in Sunday Dress, pack whatever provisions we needed, ie. diapers, lunches and quiet toys, to keep all the children quiet and reverent. The broadcast would begin around 11 am and last until 1 pm, with a two hour break, and then there would be the next session that began at 3 pm and last until 5 pm. To conserve on gas and the hassle of gathering all the children---(which, I had up to 9 children while we were in Michigan and of course, all 11 children in Minnesota!) I would just pack for the entire day! Eventually, I hit upon the idea to have the older children rewarded if they were taking notes and paying attention! I brought candy and goodies for all the children that were quiet and reverent enough to allow me to listen to what was being said!

Now, it was completely selfish, my rewarding the children for their reverence! I wanted more than anything, to listen and to learn! FOR me, this was the OIL that I needed to fill my lamp---so to speak! I knew that I would be a much better wife, mother, friend, and neighbor, if I was able to hear what the messages from a Prophet of God! AND, I yearned so for the spiritual renewal that accompanied their messages, and their very spirits! Little did I know that I was planting seeds that would bring forth great fruit! You see, it never occurred to me that anyone would NOT want to participate in Conference! I just never could fathom anyone NOT valuing this sacred privilege to sit, so to speak, at the Prophet's feet!

And, that attitude has been transferred to my children----perhaps it is just the treats that they yearn for, but, in time, I pray it will be far more that they look forward to. For the older children that have already left the nest, I believe that they do consider Conference as valuable as I always have.

I just received today, an email from my daughter who is currently serving a mission for our church. She thanked me for her "conference treat box!" and told me that it provided great comfort to her to know that though we could not be with each other, at least we were all watching conference together---though the distances divide, we were united in our faith, our worship and the messages that we heard, those, we were able to share! She told me how grateful she was that I had always made the sacrifice to take all the children with me and to make it a rewarding experience. You see, many of their friends' parents would take turns attending sessions, so that the children did not have to sit through so many hours of church! But, to me, it was an honor to feel the spirit that was so strongly with those men and women of GOD! And, I was probably even more anxious to listen to all the sessions, because as a youth, we were in Marquette, Michigan and the area stations would only broadcast one session of the five! I had always wished that we could hear each and every session; but it just was NOT a possibility!

SO, my joy was full when I was newly married and I discovered that if we would just go to the Stake Center, where the satellite dish was, we could hear and see every session! What a blessing that has been to me for all these near 30 years! There are some talks that I will never ever forget, as long as I live! There are some moments, where the spirit was so very strong, that there just could be no doubt that a Prophet of GOD was speaking!

I am so very humbled that our Heavenly Father cares so very much about EACH of US that HE provides a Prophet, Apostles and other wonderful, dedicated and worthy leaders to guide, direct and lead us. These awesome men and women are much like the Savior, in that they live exemplary lives and radiate such a light that it just fills my soul with great joy and peace. I am so very grateful for them, for this gospel of Jesus Christ and for the daily help that is available to us all, if we will just pray earnestly! HE DOES HEAR and ANSWER our Prayers! And, HE does speak to HIS PROPHET and APOSTLES and HE DOES DIRECT HIS CHURCH---PERSONALLY! WE DO HAVE AN AWESOME GOD!