Notes from Elder Ballard

We were privileged to have Elder Ballard come to our Stake Conference this weekend. He spoke to us as couples last night and with our families today. I tried to stress to my boys that this doesn't happen very often - we were in the presence of a servant of the Lord, a prophet. I can't explain the feeling that filled the Stake Center as Elder Ballard enter the Chapel. Everyone rose and the room went silent - even this morning with all the children, it was silent.



Here's a few notes I jotted down during the meetings:

• Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). Find time every day to stop and find a quiet place to stay in touch with Heavenly Father. By finding that quiet time, we will have more opportunities to receive revelation. By receiving that revelation we will come to better know our God.
• Never lose Couple Prayer. Bonding occurs when Heavenly Father is invited constantly into our marriage. "Keep and honor that relationship and it will bless your home".
• Listen and Follow the promptings of our Heavenly Father. Elder Ballard told two stories, one in which he followed promptings and one in which he didn't. He warned us not to "put off Heavenly Father ".
• He shared an unpublished testimony of President Hinckley from 1997 in which the prophet said he was worried about the people that were learning, but not experiencing. We need to have a conviction in our hearts, not just in our minds. As parents, we have the opportunity to take the Gospel and make it real for our children. We must take time to maximize teaching opportunities. He warned us not to be so busy that we miss the Magic Moments.
• He read this poem

"A mighty wind blew night and day.
It stole the oak tree's leaves away
then snapped it boughs
and pulled its bark
until the oak was tired and stark.
But still the oak tree held its ground
while other trees
fell all around.

The weary wind gave up and spoke,
"how can you still be standing, Oak?"

The oak tree said,
"I know that you
can break each branch of mine in two,
carry every leaf away.
Shake my limbs, and make me sway.
But I have roots
stretched in the earth.
Growing stronger since my birth.
You'll never touch them,
for you see,
they're the deepest part of me.
Until today I wasn't sure
of just how much I could endure.
But now I've found
with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew."

~ anonymous

and told us to be sure the roots of our testimonies reach from our minds to our hearts so that when the winds blow and the branches break, they'll never touch the most important part which is our knowledge of Jesus Christ our Savior.

I am so grateful we were able to hear from a prophet of the Lord. I know the Lord lives and loves me. I know our Savior Jesus Christ lives. I know marriage and the family is ordained of God. I know the Gospel is true. I know.