Words of Wisdom

This morning I had the chance to attend a rehearsal for an address Elder Bednar will be giving next week at BYU's Education Week.  Also in attendance to give feedback were the Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society Presidencies, the Young Men's and Sunday School Presidencies, some of the Quorum of the Seventy, and Elder Nelson.  Elder Bednar gave such a great address and then the feedback that came from these inspired leaders was so applicable and given in such a positive light.  He asked Elder Nelson if he had any advice and if what he said was appropriate and true.  Elder Nelson told him "Everything you said is in bounds."  It was so neat to see the respect Elder Bednar had for this senior apostle and the help they clearly are to each other.

One very significant item to me was a point of feedback one of the members of the seventy gave, which was that Elder Bednar encourage audience members to prayerfully consider who and how they can share the upcoming church movie with.  He mentions it in his address and will share the trailer.  Elder Bednar said to him "That's your job after my talk is done."  Everyone chuckled, and then he said "No, hear me out:  I can give these attendees a list of items to go home and do, from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.  But it would be so much more efficient if I simply teach the concepts, and then members themselves and all of you make the connection to share these meaningful messages."  I was so amazed at how simply and profoundly he understood his role, and the role of member missionaries, and how with so much love and understanding he taught such a simple concept.

As I walked out, Elder Nelson walked past and shook all our hands and asked how we were doing.  I made a joke about how perhaps Dr. Nelson knew how to get this baby here, and he looked at me and said "Birth is a lot like death: you can be certain it will happen, you just don't know when, and in the end, it doesn't really matter!"  He asked how I was feeling, and if this was my first baby, and then he told me that he watched his wife have 10 kids and each time she was in labor he thought of the 23rd Psalm:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

He said "It's true--you will be just fine, because you are following God's plan, and He will take care of you, and you are glorifying him by doing what he wants in the right way."  Then he squeezed my hand and wished me well, and went about his much more important business.

What a sweet and sincere man to offer some words of comfort to a crazy, anxiety ridden pregnant woman.