This was one of the most Spiritual Experiences of my life.

We had the privilege of having Elder Russell M. Nelson attend our Stake conference this November. He was here to reorganize our stake presidency. Kinsey and I were able to attend both the Saturday evening adult session and the Sunday general session. Both sessions were awesome, but it's the Sunday session that I will focus on here - as it had a profound effect on me. I feel that if I fail to write down my thought and feelings surrounding these things than I will loose them. 

Elder Nelson was the concluding speaker, and after he spoke of his faith in, and support for, our new stake officials, he began what I would consider one of the most spiritual addresses that I have ever been blessed to attend. 

He said that he new that many of us were hoping for "the apostle" to tell us something that we could use in our lives - to help us in our struggles with life. And for that reason, he did not prepare a message, or even bring notes to speak from, but told us that he would rely solely on our Heavenly Father to guide him in what he should say. I absolutely believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that Elder Nelson spoke to us as the mouthpiece of God. The rate in which the words flowed, and the spirit that came with them, bore witness to me that he is truly an apostle of the Lord, and was speaking to us the things that my Father in Heaven wanted me to know at that moment in time. Many times during his message, Elder Nelson looked right at me - making eye contact - and I felt as if what he was saying was meant for me and my family. I am overcome with emotion when I begin to think that my Father in Heaven spoke directly to me through one of His apostles! 

Early in his remarks, he asked the youth (12 - 21) of the stake to stand, and he spoke to them. Then, after they sat down he asked the primary age children to stand. He told them that they could stand on their chairs and wave if they wanted to. Tay stood up, and Wyatt stood on my knees and waved. He then proceeded to give us, as parents, advice as to how to raise these children. At this point I was already starting to tear up, and the emotions were only getting stronger. I felt the spirit of the Lord bear witness to me as I realized that this was directed to me and mine - or rather, me and His. 

It was only the night before that Kinsey and I were at our whits end with Wyatt, and were asking my moms advice on raising him. He has been trying our patience and pushing us both beyond what we considered our breaking points. My mom has special skills necessary to deal with him, because she had to deal with me. You see, Wyatt and I are a lot alike. But during Elder Nelsons remarks, I began to be taught by the spirit about how to deal with Wyatt as well as Tay and Eliza. 

He said to never forget that our children are not our, but are our Heavenly Fathers. He said that this in never more evident than when He calls one of them home in their youth. As he said this, my mind was directed to a family who I don't know well, but is only separated from our house by a horse field, called the Oldwadge's. I found out during a ward missionary meeting that they had recently lost a five year old child because of illness. I hope they were there. 

Elder Nelson told us to teach our kids about the Savior and His atonement. He said that if we wanted a curriculum for family home evening, to go to the bible dictionary, under the heading or Jesus Christ. He said there are many pages there, and that this is what we should be teaching our children. He impressed upon us all the need for our children to have a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and the Savior. Also, he said that children who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost need to be taught to use it. He said that he feared that there are many who, after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, "have never unwrapped it." He said that we, as parents, need to not be so quick to solve our kids problems for them, but instead teach them to rely on the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide them to their own answers.

Elder Nelson also told us to teach them to pray. He told us as parents to never treat our children as if they were "scuzzy", or anything less than the royal sons and daughters of a loving God. This is especially pertinent to me, because I frequently forget how much our children mean to our Father in Heaven and His Son, when they are testing boundaries and are whining and screaming.

Elder Nelson invoked an apostolic blessing on the people of our stake, and in that blessing he said that any amongst us who are ill will be healed, in accordance with our faith. Taylie has been struggling with a fever that comes and goes, and an infection in her throat that has seemed to hang on for too long. I know now that she will be ok. Although her fever has come back, I know that if my faith is sufficient she will be healed.

After Elder Nelson was finished, the choir sang the first verse of The Spirit of God, and the congregation was to sing the fourth verse with them. When it came time to sing I was so absolutely overcome by the spirit and the emotion of it all that I was unable to get out more than a few words. The power of the spirit was stronger than I can ever remember feeling, and tears flowed freely down my face. I admit I was a little embarrassed of my emotions, and I was waiting for Wyatt to ask me what was wrong, but he never did. The hymns of Zion have such a profound effect on my spirit - especially that hymn. The closing prayer was just long enough for me to somewhat compose myself, but i still felt as though I was exhausted.