At the start of this new year, our relief society teachings will be from the sermons and teachings of President Ezra Taft Benson. And because this is so, I have a prelude to my lesson this month so I hope you will bear with me for this bit of a short story before moving on.
I am happy to have President Benson's teachings, as with all our prophets he was a great man indeed, but I also had the great blessing of meeting President Benson at a conference held in Cedar Rapids Iowa. I was living in Nevada Iowa and had been for some time. While there I attended the Ames Iowa Ward, for in small areas many towns congregate at one middle local area and so Ames which was about 8 miles from my house, was our ward.
In that year October 11 1987, a special Conference was called for the people of Iowa, in Cedar Rapids. President Benson had attended college and lived in Ames Iowa, he graduated with his degree from there and it seems, you see, that he not only had a great love for Iowa but in particular for the Ames ward. We in the ward who wished to attend had been given tickets and the fire in our hearts was kindled indeed! I, even though I was young in years and in the gospel, knew he was a prophet of the Lord and I wanted to be in his presence and hear him speak and was greatly excited and uplifted. Also in attendance and speaking was James E Faust
then of the Quorum of the twelve, whom I did not know at that time due to my not keeping up well, but since then has become a beacon to me and I love him dearly.....
I can very well understand why President Benson loved them so much, those of the Ames ward, as I a young 18 year old mother, coming from Texas, had been welcomed into their family as if I was born in, I had been there two years when this event happened and as I think of them now, all that they did for me, and how they carried me as a young woman without a strong testimony or understanding, I feel a great love for these people and I will forever love them and think of them. Which is why I can understand why, at the end of his speaking, that President Benson would tell of his love for this special ward and this special people and ask for them them, only the Ames Iowa Ward, to come forward to him that he could look upon them and shake each person's hand.
I must say, there was almost a gasp among us, that we could be so blessed. I was of the first few in line, and to look upon this man, I can say he glowed. There was a presence about him that I cannot explain and it was not my innocence that made it so, it was him, I had never seen anything like this before and I just didn't see it, I felt it. I held my daughter in my arms as I waited in line, she was was two, but very mature, (she attended kindergarten at the age of three) and she reached out her hand and smiles immediately to him with all the trust as if she had known him forever. He smiled wide looking upon her and took her little hand into both of his and she loved him.....I know those are strong words but if you could have seen what I saw, she loved him.....its all I can say. He then looked to me and took my had with great smiles of joy and asked my name and we spoke only briefly. But the scene, the scene reminded me of that in the book of Mormon, when Christ appeared to the Nephites and they came with awe and wonder and looked upon him and touched him....it was a scene like that indeed......though none of us put him in the place of Christ, make no mistake, yet we saw that Christ shinned through him, he had a connection like none other, and it was seen with the natural eyes...
I left that conference strengthened and new in many ways, and though many tragic things would happen to me shortly after this (the death of my daughter) the words of this man never left me. What do I remember most of what he said? I can honestly and truly say in all the years since I have never forgotten his words, in the worst times of my life and in the best it has echoed through my mind. " The book of Mormon contains the words of Christ its great mission is to bring men to Christ" President Benson urged with greatness, almost like a pleading, that we read this book, and not just once but over and over through out our lives that we learn all that Christ has to teach us.
On a personal note, it is the Book of Mormon that brought me back. Those echoing words of President Benson came at times, when I needed them most. In addition to the Bible it continues to teach me that loving Christ is not a religion it is a choice, it is a way of life.....
You may call me crazy but, over the years at the truly darkest time in my life, (when my son died as a victim of suicide) I dreamed of President Benson. I saw him very clearly and heard him speak to me. The things he said pertained particular to the episodes of my life, my heart and mind. It was great leadership and guidence to what I needed and I remember that dream and advice almost on a daily basis and try to live my life accordingly. At the time of the dream, I hadn't thought of that meeting with him in years, nor thought to remember it for so much was happening, so why would I dream of him in that way and I've never dreamed of him since it was only one time but I remember it as if yesterday........
I've been told before by some who are "learned" that the dreams are just the mind that Christ and the great ones don't come for little people such as me.....but I know different, I truly do and for me I will ever believe in the connection of souls. My daughter died at the age of three and lives in the celestial kingdom, where President Benson lives and they knew each other in a sense from here, I like to believe he came to help me when I needed it most, and he truly did for I became a new woman during that time....and he is right, though the trails come and pour upon, I am happy and full of joy this day for I truly feel the love of Christ...thus, I consider this prophet....my friend......
