Yesterday, the highlight of our ward conference came in the combined Priesthood/Relief Society meeting, where we were crowded close together in the Primary Room. After a offering few opening remarks and bearing powerful testimony of Christ, Andy Shumway, a counselor in our stake presidency, requested that the rest of the meeting be a testimony meeting, with members of the ward bearing witness of the Savior. In quick succession, many members of the ward stood and bore humble, sweet, powerful testimonies of how the Savior had blessed their lives. It was a powerful, moving, deeply spiritual experience. I was overwhelmed by a pervasive feeling of love for the fellow members of the ward as we shared deeply-held feelings about Jesus Christ and his impact in our lives. I shall always treasure the memory of those few minutes we spent together.
This morning as took my exercise walk, I listened to Elder Eyring's talk in October 2008 general conference, "Our Hearts Knit as One." I was particularly impressed with his counsel about gaining unity through revelation from God:
" ... there are principles we are following as a people which are leading to greater unity.
One of those principles is revelation. Revelation is the only way we can know how to follow the will of the Lord together. It requires light from above. The Holy Ghost will testify to our hearts, and the hearts of those gathered around with us, what He would have us do. And it is by keeping His commandments that we can have our hearts knit together as one."
Yesterday, I experienced that. A powerful feeling of joy and unity came to a small group of Saints in Mesa, Arizona, who were focused on the Savior and who received revelation through the Holy Ghost as we shared the tender feelings of our hearts.
This same priniciple applies to our families. As David, Rachel and Devlin sang "A Child's Prayer" in Sacrament Meeting yesterday morning, where we were gathered to hear Rachel's brother give his farewell missionary talk, the same thing happened. We turned our hearts to the Savior and felt the powerful witness of the Holy Ghost ratify the truth of the words they sang so beautifully. We rejoiced together in the spirit of the sealing power and were unified in a spirit of love.
I know this priniciple is true. As we jointly focus on the Savior, teach and testify of him to each other, and seek to follow his counsel, we will receive an outpouring of the Holy Ghost, will be filled with love for each other and will be unified in a manner not possible in any other way.
Love,
Dad/Mark
Let us make our homes sanctuaries of righteousness, places of prayer, and abodes of love that we might merit the blessings that can come only from our Heavenly Father. We need His guidance in our daily lives. ...