A Day with Elder Bednar

Last weekend, my family participated in a multi-stake event with Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A few meetings were held with leaders of the wards and stakes (Scotty attended as Elders’ Quorum president), and then on Saturday afternoon, the youth were invited to attend a special meeting with Elder Bednar and two other general authorities.

Elder David A. Bednar

Originally, it was just supposed to be the youth in attendance, but as it drew closer, they decided to invite youth leaders, so I was able to go with Nicky and Daisy.

(A confession: I didn't want to go! I had such a poor attitude about it. I struggle with events like this because I don't like the exclusivity. I wish that everyone who wanted to attend could attend and that it wasn't based on callings). 

In the meeting, the youth were given a phone number to which they could text questions that would go to Elder Bednar’s iPad. He would then select questions to answer, and he, the other general authorities, and their wives would give commentary under Elder Bednar’s direction. He stated that he received over 1,000 questions (it was quite a crowd!)

As he and the other presenters taught us, much of what he said was very familiar to me. I’ve read a lot of talks and books by Elder Bednar, so I recognized an abundance of what he said from other places where he has taught similar things. My most recent reading from Elder Bednar (aside from this year’s General Conference talks) was his book The Spirit of Revelation, which I listened to in May, and he shared a lot of teachings in the meeting that are included in that book.

I didn’t take any notes during the meeting, but afterward, I wanted to jot down a few things the Spirit impressed upon me. As I was doing a write-up in my personal journal, I decided to seek out some documented quotes from Elder Bednar that align with what he taught in this meeting.

Here are some of the quotes I found that support Elder Bednar’s teachings from the meeting (though I’m only scratching the surface of what was taught over the two hours).  I’ll embolden some lines to help with skimming. Please note that some of the writing below is my own commentary (pay attention to the quotation marks).

We can be led by the Spirit without knowing we are being led by the Spirit

One of the most popular questions in the Church has always been “How can I tell if I’m being prompted by the Spirit or if it’s my own thoughts?” I, myself, have spent my lifetime figuring out this exact thing. This was one of the first questions Elder Bednar addressed.

“How can I tell when I’m being prompted by the Spirit?…Quit worrying about it. Quit fussing with it. Quit analyzing it. You be a good boy, you be a good girl, you honor your covenants, you keep the commandments; and I promise you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that as you press forward with faith in Christ, your footsteps will be guided. As you open your mouth, it will be filled, and you will be where you need to be, and most of the time, you will not even have any idea how you got there.”

(Source)

“I think we overcomplicate this. I think we overanalyze it… If you have a thought to do something good, it’s from the Holy Ghost… Is that the Holy Ghost or is that you? What difference does that make?... If it invites and entices to do good, it comes from Christ, and we ought to do it.”

(Source)

We don’t need no angels!

One time in Relief Society one of my ward Sisters made a comment about angels, and she jokingly (but also kind of not-jokingly) said that it’s unfair that she hasn’t had any angels come visit her and tell her how it is. After class I went and talked to her and said, “You know what! You and I? We don’t need no angels!” and I expressed how some people need angels, but look at us! We’re doing this without angels! That is not to make light of experiences people have had with ministering angels, but most of us, in this life, will have ministrations through the Holy Ghost and not face-to-face with Heavenly beings.

“You may have an occasion when you forget to pray in the morning. And all of a sudden, you hear in your mind the voice of your mother, who, when you were small, would say, “Remember your morning prayers.” Why would God send an angel to deliver that message to you when the Holy Ghost… can prompt a recollection of your angel mother reminding you to pray? The spiritual effect is the same…

I have heard people say, “If I could just be like Saul on the road to Damascus and see a light, or have an angel come to me like Alma the Younger, then I would know.”

I mean no disrespect… but, spiritually speaking, Saul was “messed up.” He was a staunch persecutor of Christians…

Do you think such a man was prepared to sense, hear, feel, or respond to the still small voice? In order to get the attention of this wayward man, the Lord had to use the equivalent of a spiritual lightning bolt…

Perhaps many members of the Church today do not typically see lights and hear voices on their personal journeys to Damascus because they have been blessed to be in a much better place spiritually than was Saul. God trusts us to learn about and respond to the still small voice of His Spirit.”

From The Spirit of Revelation

Stop worrying about what “more” you need to do. Just focus on consistency.

Elder Bednar mentioned over and over again the importance of being consistent in the small things like prayer and scripture study.

“Ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results.”

(Source)

“Sometimes we overcomplicate the gospel. Consistency in acting in accordance with the Lord’s will is key.”

From Twitter, March 14, 2015

It’s not about you!

“This work is never about me and it is never about you. We need to do all in our power to fulfill our teaching responsibilities and simultaneously "get out of the way" so the Holy Ghost can perform His sacred work. In fact, anything you or I do as representatives of the Savior that knowingly and intentionally draws attention to self-in the messages we present, in the methods we use, or in our personal demeanor-is a form of priestcraft that inhibits the teaching effectiveness of the Holy Ghost.”

From Act in Doctrine

On gratitude & prayer

Sister Bednar shared this experience at our meeting, but here it recounted is in Elder Bendar’s words:

“Our family learned an important lesson about meaningful prayer as we knelt to pray one evening with a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Earlier in the day Sister Bednar and I had been informed about the unexpected death of a dear friend, and our immediate desire was to pray for the surviving spouse and children. As I invited my wife to offer the prayer, the member of the Twelve, unaware of the tragedy, graciously suggested that in the prayer Sister Bednar express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing…

Sister Bednar responded in faith to the direction she received. She thanked Heavenly Father for meaningful and memorable experiences with this dear friend. She communicated sincere gratitude for the Holy Ghost as the Comforter and for the gifts of the Spirit that enable us to face adversity and to serve others. Most importantly, she expressed appreciation for the plan of salvation, for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for His Resurrection, and for the ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel which make it possible for families to be together forever.

Our family learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of thankfulness in meaningful prayer. Because of and through that prayer, our family was blessed with inspiration about a number of issues that were pressing upon our minds and stirring in our hearts. We learned that our gratefulness for the plan of happiness and for the Savior’s mission of salvation provided needed reassurance and strengthened our confidence that all would be well with our dear friends. We also received insights concerning the things about which we should pray and appropriately ask in faith.

The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests.”

(Source)

Elder and Sister Bednar

On renewing covenants

Scotty and my in-laws attended the leadership portion of the meeting with Elder Bednar, and they shared with me some things he said about baptism and renewing our covenants through the sacrament. I wasn’t in that meeting, but I wanted to include this topic here since they were very touched by what he said.

“The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually. The act of partaking of the sacrament, in and of itself, does not remit sins. But as we prepare conscientiously and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us. And by the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins…

Sometimes Latter-day Saints express the wish that they could be baptized again—and thereby become as clean and worthy as the day on which they received their first saving gospel ordinance. May I respectfully suggest that our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son do not intend for us to experience such a feeling of spiritual renewal, refreshment, and restoration just once in our lives. The blessings of obtaining and always retaining a remission of our sins through gospel ordinances help us understand that baptism is a point of departure in our mortal spiritual journey; it is not a destination we should yearn to revisit over and over again.

The ordinances of baptism by immersion, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament are not isolated and discrete events; rather, they are elements in an interrelated and additive pattern of redemptive progress. Each successive ordinance elevates and enlarges our spiritual purpose, desire, and performance. The Father’s plan, the Savior’s Atonement, and the ordinances of the gospel provide the grace we need to press forward and progress line upon line and precept upon precept toward our eternal destiny.”

(Source)

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After attending the event and taking some time to ponder, the things I want to remember the most are:

1. If you're on the covenant path, you don't have to worry so much about everything else. The Holy Ghost is with you, and you will end up where you should be.

2. It's not about me! Oh what a hard lesson to learn. Elder Bednar stated, "It's not about you!" so many times, and it made me realize how often I have made things of the gospel about me when it's NOT ABOUT ME!

3. Consistency is key. Tiny, consistent drips do far more good than occasional floods.