Echoes from the past

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday Morning Session of the October 1985 Conference.

I always like it when I find convergences between the older general conferences and the new ones. Of course, the overall doctrine, and even the specific themes (things like strengthening families, becoming more Christlike, learning to love others, etc.), always match up SO well that it's more the rule than the exception. But sometimes there are even closer parallels than that, and when there are, I always wonder if there is some special message for me in that coming together of ideas? I'll show you what I mean.

In 1985, Elder Marvin J. Ashton said:

Many years ago I heard a story that impressed me. I share it with you today as I endeavor for a few minutes to direct your thinking toward the important word "peace." A beautiful little blind girl was sitting on the lap of her father in a crowded compartment in a train. A friend seated nearby said to the father, “Let me give you a little rest,” and he reached over and took the little girl on his lap. 

A few moments later the father said to her, “Do you know who is holding you?” 

“No,” she replied, “but you do.”…  

Our trust and our relationship with our Heavenly Father should be one similar to that of the little blind girl and her earthly father. When sorrow, tragedy, and heartbreaks occur in our lives, wouldn’t it be comforting if when the whisperings of God say, “Do you know why this has happened to you?” we could have the peace of mind to answer “No, but you do.” 

In October 2019, Elder L. Todd Budge said:

Recently our grandson Abe was afraid to ride one of the carousel animals that move up and down. He preferred one that didn’t move. His grandmother finally persuaded him that it would be safe, so, trusting her, he got aboard. He then said with a big smile, “I don’t feel safe, but I am.” Perhaps that is how the Jaredites felt. Trusting God may not always feel safe at first, but joy follows. 

I loved these reminders of the childlike trust I am seeking to gain (regain?) for Heavenly Father and His plan for me.

Here is another convergence I noticed. This is Elder Oaks in 1985:

Elder John A. Widtsoe taught that “there is a spiritual meaning of all human acts and earthly events. … It is the business of man to find the spiritual meaning of earthly things. … No man is quite so happy … as he who backs all his labors by such a spiritual interpretation and understanding of the acts of his life.”

And here is Elder Bednar in October 2019:

Just as important lessons can be learned by observing the behavior of cheetahs and topis, so each of us should look for the lessons and warnings found in the simple events of everyday life. As we seek for a mind and heart open to receive heavenly direction by the power of the Holy Ghost, then some of the greatest instructions that we can receive and many of the most powerful warnings that can safeguard us will originate in our own ordinary experiences. Powerful parables are contained in both the scriptures and in our daily lives.

This was interesting to me because trying to find deeper meaning/metaphors in "the simple events of everyday life" is something I do habitually, and maybe TOO much. Lately I've been rolling my eyes at myself a little bit and telling myself, "Not EVERYTHING has to MEAN something!" Even after I heard Elder Bednar's talk, I thought, "But how would I know WHICH simple events have spiritual parallels and which are just meaningless?" But the Elder Widtsoe quote makes it sound like finding that out is part of our blessing and challenge. I guess as long as I make sure to have the influence of the spirit, I really can learn a lot even from the seemingly mundane lessons that suggest themselves from my everyday experiences.