My Mom's Stake Conference Talk and Testimony

I recently asked for a copy of my mom's stake conference talk since she said she used a few of my "kid quotes" from my blog. We were famous! So she sent me her typed notes with the request to not sue her for copyright infingement for using their quotes :)

I have to say I learned new things about my mom from her talk so I wanted to share a few select portions of it here so we can have it printed up for my kids to read someday too. I have mainly chosen the parts that are her personal testimony or experiences:

 Nov. 22, 2015 El Dorado Stake Conference Sat. Evening Session

I have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am thankful to be serving in the stake primary at this time,-- to be able to visit the children, and the leaders-- who serve so willingly and gratefully.  I am thankful for what I learn from children.  I am thankful to be an advocate for the children both in the schools I have worked at and here at church.

Children keep us on our toes but are a delight to each of us who spend any time with them which pretty much includes about all of us.  We marvel at how they can make us laugh---- (Borrowed from my daughter):

Penelope has decided that each color of Fruit Loops gives you a special power. I am pretty sure she made these up on her own and she has stayed consistent with the meanings over several weeks. She said, "Yellow makes you calm, red makes you breathe fire and the green ones turn you into a bush. Purple turns you into stone." Her dad tried to guess one- Do the blue ones make you turn into "Let it Go (P's name for Elsa)?" She said, "Uh no Dad. THAT is not real. The blue ones turn your sweater blue. And orange ones make you crazy." So now you know.      

Miles was talking about ghosts and other scary monsters in the back of the car the other day and he said, "This is how you get ready to be a zombie.  Wake up. You DON'T brush your teeth. Put on your zombie clothes, scare the whole town and don't make friends."

We sometimes get a little embarrassed by children who say whatever comes to their mind: like Anthony did at my school the other day---What is that in your mouth Miss Mary?  I get that a lot because of the gold crowns on my teeth, so I started to show him my gold crowns.  He said, no not that, that crooked tooth.  Oh Anthony! 

Or:--the positive attitudes of children that can’t help but cause us to want to emulate them: A man stopped by baseball game and asked a young boy what the score was,” he said “14 to 0” with a smile.  The man said “you don’t seem to be discouraged and he said “discouraged, why should I be? We haven’t even been up to bat yet.”

Or the children in spite of our best efforts to try to set a good example for them, can be the example for us such as this illustration:

Quote “A four year old was at the pediatrician for a checkup.  As the doctor looked down her ears with an otoscope, he asked. “Do you think I’ll find Big Bird in here?”  The little girl stayed silent.  Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked down her throat.  He asked, “Do you think I’ll find the Cookie Monster down there?”  Again, the little girl was silent.  Then the doctor put a stethoscope to her chest.  As he listened to her heartbeat, he asked, “Do you think I’ll hear Barney in there?” “Oh, no!” the little girl replied.  “Jesus is in my heart.  Barney’s on my underpants.”  

Children have taught me so many things in how to be a better grown-up, like how to forgive so quickly, how to not judge one’s appearance, how to take delight in the little things, how to love without condition and allow to be loved and funny as it seems, their example of how to take instruction and constructive criticism.

I have been asked to speak to you a little bit about the significant and eternal roles women and children make in councils.

I left the school I worked at for 17 years this last March and it wasn’t because of the children.  I have told some of my little friends that I will be back to help in their classroom.  In the meantime I have gotten a job at another school part time and haven’t been back yet.  One of my little friends saw me at church last week and told me that our friend Melissa is waiting for me to come back because she told her that I said that.  Her pleading eyes and her voice of counsel to me caused me to make a phone call that night to their teacher and volunteer my services in her classroom.  My first visit back was last Tuesday.

I have a testimony of this gospel and I have had one since I was around 8 years old even though I was not a baptized member.  I was a young child with an old soul who wanted to belong to a church.  I used to listen to the televangelists on TV and called the number on the screen to order a bible.  I anxiously awaited it and when it arrived I held it as if it was something very special.  I don’t recall what I did with it after that, but I had a Bible. J 

The only thing I knew about Jesus Christ at that time was that he was born in December because we celebrated his birth.

On one Sunday I found myself in a Lutheran Church attending a children’s sunday school class.  I can’t remember how I got there.  I was a strange child. J  I was looking  for something. J

Lucky for me, or was it luck, a single mother moved in next door with 3 girls.  The one closest to my age became my best friend.  My best friend followed the Light of Christ within her and invited me to a thing called primary at her church. I found what I was looking for, even though I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for.  I found it first in the form of a primary teacher who welcomed me and loved me without condition.  Most likely I didn’t remember everything she spoke, but I knew I was where I was supposed to be and it felt as we say, “Like Home.”

I now often wonder what transpired behind the doors of the Bishop’s office during that time regarding that little girl and her family who lived next door to the lady with 3 girls. Was their discussion on what was the best way to meet this family’s needs, How do we teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ?  How do we show that we care and love them?  The results of their pondering, discussions, and praying came in the form of missionaries who came to our house on a regular basis.  They didn’t just teach us, they served us.  The story goes on and because our missionaries loved us, we loved them and they taught us to love the Savior so my family got baptized.

This all happened because we were ready for this in our lives- And the members of the ward council put us on their agenda.   I know that the woman who was my teacher and had the loving qualities of a mother towards someone else’s child, had a great deal to do with our progress. 

This was an example of the power of ward councils—Gathering & combining the power of prayer among men and women of the Gospel concerning a primary girl and her family.

I bear testimony to the power of a woman’s value and perspective and viewpoints when it comes to the issues brought before councils. Sisters - know that you are there in those councils representing the mantel of your calling of those you are shepherding.  Have courage and be not timid. J I am grateful to our priesthood leaders who recognize this and have implemented this.  I humbly share these thoughts In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.