Gen Con (not the gaming convention)

The signs of spring are here. The snow is melting. Robins have been spotted in many yards. The sweet sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir can be heard in the Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah where the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are gathering for the semi annual General Convention. Not all LDS are able to go to Salt Lake City for this event. Many gather in chapels and around TV sets,radios and computer screens to listen to the talks which are broadcast through all these media. C and I were two of the many that were watching. I like General Conference a lot. The speakers are drawn from church leadership at the highest level and are all very good public speakers. That alone makes it well worth watching. There was a bit of humour at the Sunday morning session. Elder David Bednar stood at the lectern and remarked that the hymn following his talk was titled, "Have I Done Any Good?" Then he said in a wry tone of voice, "I get the hint." A few chuckles could be heard after that remark. A few more chuckles could be heard when the choir stood to perform the song. After they finished President Henry B. Eyring thanked the choir to the sounds of more chuckles. I'm glad that these speakers are not afraid to show a sense of humour. There is usually one talk that I want to share and this conference is no exception. Elder Paul V. Johnson gave a talk on challenges and growth. I liked it because it is, to me at least, a good answer to the question often asked in time of trouble, "Why is this happening to me?" I have long believed that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is clear, sometimes it becomes clear later and sometimes the reason is never known. Elder Johnson said that trials we face on earth are to help us to grow and to learn. He said that we need challenges to teach us and strengthen us. He gave the example of an athlete. An athlete who aspires to be world class must train rigorously or else he or she will not ascend to the level they want to be at. Challenges are what help us to discover our character and make us stronger. When I was in high school I was bullied by three football players. Nearly every day during my sophomore year I was teased, had my books vandalized, had spitballs thrown at me in class and many other things. I was determined that I would not let them shake me or prevent me from going to class or do what I wanted to do. I learned to be stubborn and determined. Many years later when I was struggling in pharmacy school I had the determination to continue and to not give up. That earlier experience in high school, unpleasant as it was helped to succeed in college. Elder Johnson also said that great blessings can follow great trials. His example of this was a favourite hiking trail. It is not an easy climb. The trail up the cliffs is steep, the worst part is just before the top of the cliff is reached, but once a climber gets over that part they are rewarded with a breathtaking view that is obscured during the worst part of the climb. I've seen examples of this too. A classmate of mine in high school was jailed for shoplifting. Every day the police would bring her to school and every day she would be picked up and taken back to the county jail. I would sit with her at lunch and would talk to her during the day when I would see her. Most of the other kids shunned her, because I didn't do this as well I was also shunned. Some classmates that were friends would no longer speak to me. There were some that befriended me and didn't scorn me for supporting Janet. This was the blessing that came after the trial. Elder Johnson said that we should not be resentful of the trials that help us. This is hard to do. If you do it,get through that trial and wring out every bit of education you can get from the experience, you can say, "I have done good."