What a week! So grateful for conference! Maybe it's just because I'm a missionary, but I felt like a lot of the talks were about missionary work. If you didn't watch conference please take time to do so.
One of the larger themes I noticed was the discussion of Lehi's dream specifically as Nephi interprets the iron rod to be the word of God. In the dream there are numberless concourses of people pressing forward towards the tree of life, through a powerful mist of darkness. Their only reference point, a rod of iron. The vision states that "they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree." And another group "continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." I love the juxtaposition here. Some clung and then partook but others continually held fast and fell down and partook of the tree. Nephi, in praying to understand the vision, learns that the iron rod is the word of God. With this knowledge, the vision details that those who continually hold fast to their scripture study don't just end up partaking of the love of God, they fall down in awe of the gift it is because they have come to understand Him. Those that merely cling, however, taste the love of God and say, "huh, this is it?" And then "cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed." Why are they ashamed? Because they "know not the dealings of that God who has created them." Because they have a "form of godliness but deny the power thereof." This is scary stuff! These are the other five of the ten virgins who prepared their lamps but didn't have enough oil. They went through the motions but fell short of the goal.
General conference is when we get to check in on how we view the word of God. Do we sleep through it? Or do we hold fast? What good is a prophet if we don't listen? It is so easy to be like those who "tasted of the fruit (and) they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost" (1 Nephi 8:28.)
If you're not going to church, come back. If you aren't reading your scriptures, start. If you haven't watched conference, do it. There are no backup singers on the celestial stage. We learn that we will be judged according to our works and our desires. It is imperative to find out what your desires are and what you want them to be. If those are unified, wonderful! If they are not, be sure that you are taking steps to make them so! Otherwise, you deprive yourself of joy. The spiritual dissonance that occurs when the person we want to become is not the person that we're becoming is horrific. It is the cause of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It is damnation. I've felt it, I've been there. Yet just as exquisite as my pain was the joy in realizing that I could change! That's the power of the atonement. That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to avoid this, I urge you to choose this day. Asking deep probing questions of yourself and confirming them with the Lord is a great place to start. Learn what is required to obtain your goal and start working! I don't think there is much paid time off in the heavenly economy. I'm so grateful that I made the choice to change, and for the savior who allowed me to do so! I love you guys!
-Elder Dahl
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