When I was really young and living in Zimbabwe, my Dad was studying in England and during the December holidays we would spend time with him. I was 3 or 4 years old the first time and my body didn’t take too kindly to the cold. I had a massive asthma attack and spent Christmas in hospital. While in hospital two young guys came to sing in the children’s ward. Sometime later, I was in the city with my Mom and pointed out two men to her. I told her they came to sing when I was in hospital. Later in the day, this happened again. I pointed them out to my Mom and this time they saw me pointing and came to speak to us. They made an appointment to come and visit with us. My Mom made the appointment for the day after we left England to return to Zimbabwe and she didn’t tell my Dad they were coming!
When they arrived, my Dad had no idea who they were or what they were on about but was polite enough to let them in. He told them he was a retired Christian but they still gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked him to read it. He didn’t, but as time went on he continued with the discussions and eventually agreed to go to church. His first visit to church was a fast and testimony Sunday and he said he was impressed by all the children going up and sharing their testimonies. He was subsequently baptized and the following year when we returned to England, my older sister and my Mom were baptized. I was baptized when I turned 8.
The week preceding this General Conference was a tough one for me. I experienced a few blows and just felt that I was in a spiritual slump. Nonetheless, I did what I needed to do to prepare; I listened to talks from the previous conference, pondered on the questions I needed answered, and prayed that Heavenly Father would help me recognize the answers as I listened to the talks.
What a magnificent spiritual feast! I was so full. There was something I needed to hear in every talk. I received answers to the questions I had and even to questions I had not even vocalized. During my evening prayers on the Monday after conference, I expressed gratitude for the prophets and their teachings. I expressed how wonderful it is to know that those brethren are so close to Heavenly Father and the Saviour and that they commune and counsel with Him on a regular basis and that He lives!
I was suddenly overwhelmed by the truthfulness of what I was expressing. The Spirit was telling me it was true. There was even an answer to a prayer I was too afraid to utter.
Heavenly Father is so aware of me and I don't think I will ever fully comprehend that. I'm so grateful for my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the opportunity to hear the words of the Lord at Conference.
