Fall

I have always really liked autumn. This could likely be explained by the fact that when I was a child I looked forward to my birthday. I suppose I still look forward to my birthday, but not for the same reason as when I was turning, say, ten. It was all about presents then. Now it's more about being able to celebrate something with those I care about... that's really all I have to say about birthdays.

And now to why I love fall today.

I know that instruction and inspiration is available all year round, but every six months there is something that I look forward to with more anticipation and excitement than just about anything. This excitement really began seven and a half years ago--the looking forward to the first weekends in April and October.

"And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them--that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land" (Ether 9:28).

Elder Holland used this verse as the title for his Conference address a year ago. I driving to the Salt Lake airport with Jessica and some of her family to drop someone off, and we were listening to Conference. I knew Elder Holland would be speaking last (before President Hinckley's final remarks anyway) because he hadn't yet spoken in any other session. I looked forward to that talk, and when it happened I was not disappointed. With the energy very distinct in his personality, Elder Holland bore testimony of exactly why I love the fall: General Conference.

And this Conference is one that I'm looking forward to with even more anticipation than usual. For one thing: I need it. I need the inspiration of the inspired leaders of the church. I need the strengthening of the Spirit that always attends these sessions. And another thing: there will be a new counselor called to the First Presidency. The world lost one of its best men when President Faust passed away. He was the very embodiment of humility and pure love. What I love about President Faust was his unabashed relationship with his dear Ruth. There is so much about their relationship that is inspiring, but I'll just share one simple example.

Not long after returning from my mission there was a Regional Conference held in the Marriott Center. Jessica and I attended and could not wait to hear from the visiting authorities, among whom were President Faust, Elder Maxwell, and Elder Groeberg. The thing that I noticed was that during the singing of the hymns, President and Sister Faust would hold hands. After how ever many years of marriage, they still liked to hold hands--such a simple yet profound gesture--as a sign of their deep and wonderful affection for each other.

Who will be called to fill the vacancy in the Presidency? If it is a member of the Twelve, who will then fill the vacancy in that quorum? If I were still in school there would likely be speculation about this in some of my classes, especially the religion classes. Though in 2004 it was in a class on Texts and Ancient Temples that the most speculation went on: the professor was very confident that he knew who would be called. (He was wrong, but can we imagine the Twelve without Elder Uchtdorf and Elder Bednar?) Something we have to accept is that the leaders of the church are indeed growing older and will not be around forever--there was always hope in my heart that the leadership of the church would forever be what it was from 1995-2004, the longest stretch of continuity in the First Presidency and the Twelve in the history of the church.

However things turn out, it will always be as the Lord wills, and that is something to know. So with the beautiful fall colors and the cooling of the air comes this tender mercy so wonderful for those who know that there are in very fact prophets in the land again.