UPDATES

 Hello Family! 

I"ve been poor at writing emails these last couple months. I guess it gets harder and harder the longer I'm out serving. 

These last couple months have been crazy. I went from branding cattle to watching general conference with members that are loaded. I've seen drastic differences in the way that people live just in the span of a short 3 hour drive. 

I wanted to share a few of my insights from general conference. We all have been going through similar issues regarding Coocoo and her medical problems. Seeing that these are prevalent, I assume we all had a different view of the way speakers shared divine truths. 

Elder David A. Bednar promised, "I promise your personal anguish will be relieved and your obedience and faithfulness to patiently submit your will to God will be rewarded in “the own due time of the Lord.” “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”" 

"For since the beginning of the world have not men heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath any eye seen, O God, besides thee, how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee." (Doctrine and Covenants 133:45)

President Dallin H. Oaks stated, "We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow." 

D. Todd Christofferson spoke about Patricia Hollands funeral service and said, "In time, Patricia and Jeffrey will be reunited. They will later be joined by their children and their covenant-keeping posterity to experience the fulness of joy that God has in store for His faithful children. Knowing that, we understand that the most important date in Patricia’s life was not her birth date or her death date. Her most important date was June 7, 1963, when she and Jeff were sealed in the St. George Temple. … Why is this so important? Because the very reason the earth was created was so families could be formed and sealed to each other. Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter. No one can be exalted alone."

Elder Alan T. Phillips stated the following, "True religion [is] the tie that binds us to God and to each other." 

"You’re pulling life’s load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world."

"Some of the most real things in life are not seen; they are felt, known, and experienced." 

"Know who Jesus Christ is. He is our Savior and Redeemer. Bind yourself and those you love to Him."

These are but a few of my insights the Spirit taught me during this last conference. Through and through I want to just say that I have seen the Plan of Salvation in play more than ever. I believe that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." For "the things which are not seen are eternal." 

Elder Jeffery R. Holland once stated that "there is something at work in suffering that is exalting." And we see clearly more than ever that "exaltation is a family matter," according to our Prophet Russell M. Nelson. 

So if this means that we all suffer together in order to be exalted together, it is worth it to me in the end. 

For God has promised, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Revelation 3:21)

 Jesus is the Christ. I know Him. I know He loves you. We will be together forever because of Him. 

Love,

Elder Oliver Smith