An Apostle! Awesome!

We just had stake conference. What a marvelous Saturday night meeting. Elder Russell M. Nelson was our visiting apostle. He taught us much. He talked about what is really important and told of a home in Mongolia where he visited. What he described was a tent. He said that though circumstances were very humble, the woman had what is really important in that home. Tacked up to the canvas were a picture of the Lord, the prophet, the temple, and a framed certificate of documentation that she was sealed to her husband who had passed away. I was very touched by this story. He asked us to think of one word that describes the Lord Jesus. Different people put out the words love, faith, obedience, compassion. (My word was ATONEMENT.) He then asked us to think of Jesus’ mortal life in 2 categories: (1) His mission (2) His ministry. He said the one word for his mission was Atonement (bingo!) – that Christ became our redeemer and Savior as advocate with the father. He made the resurrection a reality and eternal life a possibility. His ministry was everything else: teaching, obedience, miracles. The one word to encompass the ministry was EXAMPLE. This is uniquely available to everyone. He talked about charity, love, focusing on the ordinances, prayer, knowing things of eternal significance and enduring to the end. He gave examples of how Christ exemplified each one, and how he descended below all things to rise above all things. He cautioned us that we should not ask for a release from our callings, and apply that in our home situation by never giving up on a family member. He talked about the importance of marriage and told us to “be so attractive they can’t resist being with you.” That got a chuckle out of the audience. We left that meeting very uplifted. I stood in line to shake his hand. He has the cutest dimples and is warm and friendly to everyone. An amazing man!