Stake Conference

So this week was stake conference, as given away by the title, and here is my little story about it.  (FYI I really do enjoy going to church despite the impression this may give.)  We'll start with back in the day, when I was a wee little child, I never really understood the point to stake conference.  The only perk was two hours of church instead of three.  Granted those two hours were on hard metal chairs...  So Saturday night I had been with my two best friends.  For once I managed to actually get them out the door before twelve which is a small miracle within and of itself.  (At BYU, there is a honor code which require people of the opposite sex to be out of the apartment by midnight.)  However, I was really thinking I could feel the Spirit after getting them out on time, and for once I wouldn't be tired at church because it was at 2 pm, instead of 9 am. 

Well I slept in on Sunday morning; it was glorious.  Then I was relatively productive in the realms of spiritual things to do on a Sunday.  I read my scriptures, the Ensign, and wrote letters.  Well at about 11, my roommate tells me that she thinks she has the mumps and she is getting ready to do to insta-care.  She had had a nasty sore throat and a little bit of a cold the last couple days.  She finally headed out around 12, and I asked her if she got done in time if she was going to go to church with me.  She told me probably not because she hoped they would find something and she didn't want to infect the entire stake.  Well at that point, I had basically decided I did not want to go because I had no one to go with.  I did have friends in the ward I could call, but wasn't really too motivated.  It also didn't help I was going to Salt Lake for a birthday party and I could just show up early if I didn't go to church.  As I was getting ready, still very much against going, I had also been texting by boyfriend telling him about said situation.  The conversation drifted on and off topic, him not knowing I didn't want to go, just knowing I didn't have anyone to go with.  I had even text my mother asking if it was okay if I didn't go.  

I knew I didn't need her permission or anyone else's for that matter.  I also knew that if I didn't go, I would still have a testimony of the truthfulness of the church.  I knew it wouldn't really have a big impact on my life, relatively speaking, but I just didn't know about the unknown of not going to church and that ate away at me.  

Well I continued to text my boyfriend, and it basically ended with him saying, "Have fun at stake conference."  It was that little comment, "Have fun at stake conference" that got me.  I couldn't not go; then I would have to tell him.  Granted I don't think he would have been bothered by it, but I didn't want to face it, which I find hilarious.  I'm not worried about judgement day, but I am worried about what my boyfriend thinks about my church going habits.  Any who, it was that small comment that made me call a friend and invite myself to go with her.  

In short, I am glad I did.  There were some really good talks given ranging from service and virtue, to motherhood and your diet, not to mention the atonement, of course.  I felt spiritually uplifted and renewed, which is the whole point to stake conference and church services in general.  They provide time to escape the world and learn of our eternal potential and how to achieve heavenly goals.

So how do I tie this all in with the Doctrine and Covenants?  Well it didn't, initially, but after much scriptures searching, I believe I found a tie in.  Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 says, "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach on another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."  We can teach one another simply by the example of how we choose to live our lives.  This is what Nate did for me this week.  Also, because previous to the Sunday, I have constantly been reading my scriptures, praying, going to church, choosing to do the right things I was more prepared to make the decision to do something I didn't necessarily want to.  My diligence prior to last Sunday, allowed me to enjoy stake conference, once I was actually able to drag my butt there.  Moral of the story:  do good things and you will enjoy the consequences of your actions.