As a warm, spiritual cloak

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday Morning Session of the October 2000 Conference.

I loved President Faust's talk where he shares experiences that led to his growing testimony. Because I serve in Primary right now, I've been noticing when people share their first experiences with the Spirit, how often they turn out to have happened in Primary—during their Primary years, usually, but even sometimes during Primary itself, while singing a song or listening to a teacher. It makes me see my callings (as a mother and as a Primary leader) differently, and with more weight. I think I'm realizing as never before how important those first years are for children as they build their conceptions of who God is and how they feel about Him. When I first had children, it felt like those early years would last forever, and I felt no particular urgency about utilizing every moment. Now (for good or ill) I feel almost panicked about the importance of teaching the gospel early, while the children will listen, knowing how little time I have.

President Faust described some of his sweet early experiences, and I just pray that my children have had some of these too:

The first cornerstone of my testimony was laid a long time ago. One of my early recollections was having a frightening nightmare as a small child. I still remember it vividly. I must have screamed in fright during the night. My grandmother woke me up. I was crying, and she took me in her arms, hugged me, and comforted me. She got a bowl of some of my favorite rice pudding that was left over from dinner, and I sat on her lap as she spoon-fed me. She told me that we were safe in our house because Jesus was watching over us. I felt it was true then, and I still believe it now. I was comforted in both body and soul and went peacefully back to bed, assured of the divine reality that Jesus does watch over us.

That first memorable experience led to other strong confirmations that God lives and that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. Many of these came in response to earnest prayer. As a child, when I lost things such as my precious pocketknife, I learned that if I prayed hard enough, I could usually find it. I was always able to find the lost cows I was entrusted with. Sometimes I had to pray more than once, but my prayers always seemed to be answered. Sometimes the answer was no, but most often it was positive and confirming. Even when it was no, I came to know that, in the Lord’s great wisdom, the answer I received was for my best good. My faith continued to grow as building blocks were added to the cornerstone, line upon line and precept upon precept. There are far too many of these to be chronicled individually; some are too sacred to utter.

It's so interesting that as a parent, you don't KNOW if or when these things are happening in your children's hearts! You just have to hope! 

And then I loved these words:

At times I have stumbled and been less than I should have been. All of us experience those wrenching, defining, difficult decisions that move us to a higher level of spirituality. They are the Gethsemanes of our lives that bring with them great pain and anguish. Sometimes they are too sacred to be shared publicly. They are the watershed experiences that help purge us of our unrighteous desires for the things of the world. As the scales of worldliness are taken from our eyes, we see more clearly who we are and what our responsibilities are concerning our divine destiny.

I humbly acknowledge that these many experiences have nurtured a sure knowledge that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer. I have heard His voice and felt His influence and presence. They have been as a warm, spiritual cloak.

This is what I was trying to describe in this recent post—the "warm, spiritual cloak" that comes when you feel God's love and comfort in the midst of difficulty and even your own failures. I'm sure President Faust, at the time of this talk, had come through many more of these experiences than I yet have. But I still feel I am starting to understand what he knew—that the Savior has a personal interest in me and in my struggles, and that Heavenly Father is giving us, step by step, the experiences we need most.

Other posts in this series:

Lead Kindly Light—by Rozy