The most commonplace of lives

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood Session of the October 2003 Conference.

I like reading talks about the Priesthood. They feel so much more relevant to me than they used to—even the ones from back before people talked as much about women's connection to priesthood authority and power. My understanding of those principles has grown a lot in recent years, I think. But the talk I noticed most in this session was about something I don't feel very knowledgeable about—connection to our ancestors. President Faust said,

We can have exciting experiences as we learn about our vibrant, dynamic ancestors. They were very real, living people with problems, hopes, and dreams like we have today.

In many ways each of us is the sum total of what our ancestors were. The virtues they had may be our virtues, their strengths our strengths, and in a way their challenges could be our challenges. Some of their traits may be our traits.

I'm so interested in this idea. I can see lots of ways I resemble my mom and my dad. But I just don't know my farther-back ancestors well enough to make those connections! My mom often told us stories about our pioneer heritage, so I know about Robert Gardner and Alma Helaman Hale coming across the plains, and the Fonnesbecks leaving Denmark and coming to Cache Valley, and I've read histories of the Nelsons who settled in Malad and then Milton. But I've never seen myself in any of those people, and maybe that's just because I haven't looked? Or I haven't tried hard enough to see them as real people like me? I definitely haven't helped my kids learn much about them either. I do feel a sense that my ancestors matter, that they care about me and I should know them better. But I just haven't found a way to DO that yet, I guess. So it will be something I keep working on!

President Faust continues:

It is a joy to become acquainted with our forebears who died long ago.…

I have been fascinated by learning of some of the unknown, ordinary people whose records tell of heroic lives. Arthur R. Bassett once said: “Who among us wants to throw stones at their own ancestors? I, for one, am intrigued by their battles—their victories as well as their defeats. … I am fascinated by what may seem the most commonplace of lives, because I have come to realize the excitement that is concealed in the commonplace.”

 

Other posts in this series:

Individual Responsibility—by Rozy