A Yearning for Home by Elder Uchtdorf
For the very first time, I had the opportunity to attend General Conference in Salt Lake City. I've been a convert of the church for almost 5 years and had never been in person. I was baptized, served a mission in Portugal and then moved to Utah to attend BYU. So, I had never had the opportunity. It was wonderful! Although, I was surprised by the protesters and the strange rudeness of the people who ushered us to our seats.
Elder Uchtdorf has always been my favorite apostle because his talks are so relatable and delightful to listen to. He starts out with a hook, a story about a family that lost their dog on a family vacation to only have to leave and go home. The dog shows up 6 months later to find his family, a remarkable story. It's baffling how many animals can migrate large distances, passing it on for generations. He then relates this to us and our journey home to Heavenly Father. Uchtdorf paints the picture that we already know our Heavenly Parents and are on our long journey to reunite.
He then talks about why we should journey home. First, because it will make your life better and secondly because God will use you to better the lives of others. He also talks about feelings of inadequacy, and how not to worry because God can use you as an instrument. The founding members were human with faults and downfalls and yet somehow Heavenly Father was able to use them for a very important work.
I love the imagery. I have a testimony that knowing Heavenly Father does indeed make your life better and that He can use you to touch the lives of others. My life has only gotten better since I found God. I'm married, pursuing my education and a much happier person. I was able to serve a mission and some of my family members have come into the church. My older sister was baptized a month after me, found her husband at her baptism and has two small boys now. My mother was baptized shortly before I left for my mission and my father six months into it. My father passed away after I arrived home but we were sealed as a family shortly after. I have a growing eternal family. I hope I can take his talk to heart and come closer to my Heavenly Family.
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/a-yearning-for-home?lang=eng
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