Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, where two friends who love Jesus
share our own approach to studying the most recent General Conference talks.
This is Abbey and Amy.
Let's jump into it.
Today we're discussing the talk, The Wind Did Never Cease to Blow by Elder Alaraldo
B. Cavalcanti of the Seventy.
So Abbey, just the title alone, I really, really love that because we're in that part
of the Book of Mormon right now.
So he starts by saying, and we're going to jump into that in just a second, but he starts
out his talk by talking about, in 2015, 62 members of the J. Ruben Clark Law Society
partnered with the State Prosecutor's Office in Pernambuco, Brazil, sorry about that, to
address the legal challenges of elderly residents in four different nursing homes.
It took over five hours of interviews with over 200 residents who'd been largely forgotten
by society.
They uncovered cases of abandonment, mistreatment, and financial exploitation, leading to charges
being filed against the offenders.
Then he ties it to this active service embodied King Benjamin's teaching that serving others
is serving God.
Though the resident struggles weren't fully resolved, the event reminded them of their
worth in God's eyes.
Like Amy said, if you're listening to the podcast pretty close to the release date that
we put them out, then you too have been taking a deep dive into these chapters in the ether
that tell about the rise and fall of the Jaredite people.
But definitely the beginning of their story starts with people that are covenant confident,
they're enjoying the blessings of following Jesus Christ.
I think it would be useful in a Relief Society lesson, because we're in a Book of Mormon
cycle this year, to give the sisters, brothers a chance to discuss the lessons that they're
learning from this Jaredite story.
We would agree.
It's full of symbolism.
Oh yeah.
Symbolism of enduring trials and relying on the Lord, similar to the challenges that we
face in our day.
So I'll ask you that question.
What symbolism have you drawn in your study of ether this year or previous years?
Okay, so I really liked it this week.
It was so cute.
When we were doing a scripture study at night and he was in seminary that day and we were
just kind of talking back and forth and he said, you know, can I take this?
Can I ask questions?
You know, like what do the barges represent?
What do the stones represent?
And it was just kind of fun to see him, you know, do that.
As far as the barges, Abby, we know they were tight, like under a dish, like it says in
Ether 6-7.
They were designed to withstand the mountain waves of the sea.
And then their construction teaches us that our lives, when fortified by faith and obedience
to God's commandments, can endure life storms.
Now the second one would be that I would think of as the stones.
The glowing stones provided light in the barges, symbolizing the constant presence and guidance
of Jesus Christ, even in moments of darkness.
Just as the stones illuminated their journey, Christ's light can guide and comfort us in
our struggles all throughout our lives.
I love that.
And this year in particular, I loved how my studies had me focusing on the idea that the
brother of Jared is the one that came up with the solution to his problem.
He decided on the stones being the path that he would try to get light.
And he worked those stones, he made them shiny and clear as glass.
The best chance of getting light is possible, but that still wasn't enough.
And then he presented that to the Lord, who was then able to touch them and give the light
that he was seeking for his family.
And what a noble thing.
They don't know how long they're going to be on this journey.
And they certainly don't want to do that in the darkness.
And this was a beautiful answer to something that was deep in his heart.
So I loved the idea of doing the best that we can, presenting it to the Lord, and then
Him consecrating our efforts, magnifying them, and then making them perfect.
Right.
I love that too, Abby.
Like the loaves and fishes.
Okay, so now the winds, which this talk talks about.
The winds, as the record says, the Lord caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon
the face of the water towards the promised land.
That's in Ether 6.5.
While these winds created hardship, they were also divinely directed to push the Jaredites
toward their destination, which is kind of what hardship does in our lives pretty much.
Right?
It's hardship, but the Lord can consecrate it.
The Lord knows where those winds, those trials are designed to direct us.
For sure.
And all things work together for those that love God.
The trials and challenges we face in this life can act as these winds pushing us closer
to Christ and our eternal goals when we trust in His guidance.
That's the key right there.
Yes.
So the winds, as the talk is titled, that never cease to blow for the Jaredites, very
much parallel modern trials that we feel.
Sometimes it's just relentless.
We don't feel like we get a break from the hard things that we're dealing with.
However, just as those winds were essential for progress, our challenges often are what's
refining us and bringing us closer to God.
The Jaredites had no control over the winds or the waves.
They had to completely trust in the Lord.
So that's the lesson that we're learning from them in our own lives.
If we completely trust in the Lord, we may not be able to control the circumstances around
us.
But if we know and believe that Jesus Christ came for us, that He atoned for us, that His
grace and guidance can, again, lead us back to our Heavenly Father.
So I think we'd all agree, it's a great thing to study.
It's a great thing to come back to time and time again because it really does mirror the
spiritual journey that we're on ourselves.
And the winds might seem like a challenging thing, but really without the winds, they
literally would have just sat on those barges and gone nowhere.
Seriously.
Also, I think a lot of times of the 344 days they were on the ocean.
But they didn't know it was going to be 344.
I was just going to say that.
How would you feel on day maybe 10, maybe 50, maybe 100?
I can't take this anymore.
And then what if on day 343 you were like, that's it, I'm done.
You didn't know you had one more day.
Anyone can do something for one day.
Well, mostly, right?
And I can't think of exactly what verse it was, but it talked about them singing songs
of rejoicing.
Oh yeah.
You know, mid-journey.
That's pretty impressive.
They really entered those ships of prepared people.
And a consecrated people.
I agree, Abby.
This is where he reminds us of the trials the nursing home residents were facing and
referenced a man whom he called to be a counselor in the bishopric.
That was a funny story.
I know, right?
Mr. Sunglasses.
Yes.
Who many misjudged because he wore his sunglasses and they didn't see his face.
And then he explains that we can be the wind that did never cease to blow, bringing hope
in guiding others to the covenant path.
So a little twist on the story.
I don't think I've ever heard of somebody talking about the winds as not being the trials
in our lives.
Same.
So we started a lesson.
We would kind of see where the brothers or sisters that were maybe teaching or discussing
this talk with, you know, take the idea of that, the winds never did cease to blow.
But I do like this, let's call it a twist on how to consider the winds.
I think he could have made that same application though.
We can be part of, what he's going to talk about is how we can propel people.
We can be a soft, gentle gust to help direct people on the covenant path when they're undergoing
trials.
But I was thinking like we could really consider our small part in helping people fortify their
barges.
If we see in our children, people that we rub shoulders with, maybe kind of a leaky
part of their vessel and we know that it doesn't seem like that big of a deal.
It's just a small leak.
But that if a real trial were to come their way, that could accumulate to something that
could sink them.
It can sink you, yeah.
If you can see that in somebody and you know, you might have been put on their path to point
out, hey, you know, maybe that's inviting them to the temple with you.
Maybe that's bringing them along to mutual activity or something.
Totally.
So being somebody that magnifies the light of Christ, you know, that's the way light
can be shared.
It doesn't take away from you to be able to share light.
So it's not like handing somebody your own stones, but it's like if you have something
good to share about our Savior Jesus Christ and then you bear that testimony, that in
its way is sharing light with others.
And then we talked about the wins.
We may consider it as trials, but we may look at it as helping push people along in subtle,
small ways in helping them.
Right.
You know, Abby, it is an interesting idea to think of the small and simple things we
do for others to give them that forward momentum toward God.
I always like when I'm asked to do small and simple things.
Not big.
Not the big ones.
Labor, laborious.
We can act as instruments in God's hands to help others progress toward His blessings.
Okay, so how can we serve as humble gust of wind in the Lord's hands?
This is where he spends a lot of time talking about efforts as missionaries.
And so I think he had some good points on that.
So I think we should kind of go over what he said.
He quoted President Russell M. Nelson, who made an exciting and inspiring invitation
to the youth, saying, I reaffirm strongly that the Lord has asked each worthy, able
young man to prepare for and serve a mission.
Every day thousands of young men and women answer the Lord's prophetic call by serving
as missionaries.
And I was thinking the little small and simple miracles that missionaries witness over their
time in service, they really get a chance to see that it doesn't take much to recognize
that God's involved in the details of our lives.
When you knock a certain street, make a certain contact, sit on the bus by somebody, you can
recognize that as a coincidence, or you can see that it's God's miracle in putting somebody
in your path that was really prepared for the message that you have to share.
For sure, Abby.
What else did he share was cute?
Oh, he said this, choosing to be a missionary does not mean that you will be the best version
of yourself the moment you step foot in the missionary training center.
I think a lot of missionaries go with the best of intentions, but the person that walks
off the plane is a very different version than the person that walked on the plane.
And then the Lord, He's happy with, you know-
Because there was lots of wind.
Yeah, whatever you have.
Yes, we'd be lying if we didn't say missions, we'd be the hardest time of your life for
sure.
Up to that point.
He reminded us that the prophet Jeremiah was insecure, saying, I cannot speak for I am
a child, so you might feel that way.
Like I don't even know what I'm going to say to people, but the Lord consecrated Jeremiah's
efforts and he was able to speak.
You might be like Moses, oh my Lord, I am not eloquent, but I am slow as speech and
of a slow tongue.
It would be very natural for you to have any one of these doubts yourself, but you can
find comfort that the Lord has answered.
Say not I am a child for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee.
Any promises therefore go and I will be with thee.
I will be thy mouth and I will teach thee what thou shalt say.
And I've seen missionary after missionary testify of that, the words that they're speaking
are from themselves.
It's definitely, they're definitely just being an instrument and propelling people.
Agreed, agreed.
I like how he really isolated the purpose of a missionary or to say that in a different
way, what a mission can do for a missionary.
So quoting this, your transformation from your natural to spiritual self will occur
line upon line, precept upon precept, as you earnestly strive to serve Jesus Christ in
the mission field through, and then he says daily repentance, faith, exact obedience and
hard work to find constantly teach repentance and baptize converts.
And then he says, though you are a name tag, sometimes you may feel unrecognized or forgotten.
However, you must know that you have a perfect heavenly father who knows you personally and
a savior who loves you.
You will have mission leaders who despite their imperfections will serve you as the
wind that did never cease to blow in guiding you along your journey of personal conversion.
So again, just talking to the missionaries, and then this is really good in the way that
he does in a way demystify a mission.
I know when I went, I didn't really have a lot of information.
I just knew that quote, it was the best two years or for me a year and a half and that
my brothers and sisters had all gone before me and that it was really hard.
And they cried a lot when they got my sisters cried when they get off the plane.
But I mean, I just like that he's saying these things like, I feel like we are preparing
our missionaries in a better way and in more ways, like emotionally and mentally.
That is also part of the mission because guess what, it's part of your body that means you
carry it with you.
Like that's going to be there too.
You don't leave your mental capacities and your challenges behind you.
It all goes.
So I like that he is talking about this part.
Love that.
I love that he kind of sets the expectation to say, obviously we should prepare for our
missions, but fully expect that a lot of the learning and lessons are going to happen in
real time on that mission.
You can never anticipate all of the things that are going to happen.
And I feel like having not served a mission, I feel like you can get lessons.
You can get some of those lessons that missionaries get, but I've personally witnessed 18 year
old boys, 19 year old women come home in a year and a half.
Obviously day after day, they're experiencing things that it's maybe taken me quite a few
more years to do.
And in fairness, I mean, it's 24 hours a day of service.
You're always on.
But you're really opening yourself up for tons of life lessons learned in that compact
time.
So good compensation for as hard as it is, it is also such a payoff.
They will still remember it as some of the best times of their life.
You know, missions, like you said, year and a half sisters, two years, maybe three if
you're mission president or something like that.
But what I liked as I was listening to this talk is thinking mission or no mission, you
know, the lessons, I think he really wants us to think about the lessons that we can
learn on them about ministering.
Understanding that this friend you're in contact with or this friend, they all need kind of
something specific.
They need a specific experience that's going to help them remember the plan of salvation
they'd been introduced to before they came to earth.
And then kind of a light goes off as they recognize like, oh, that is truth.
And I know that to be true.
What's this going to take?
It's going to take some covenant making.
But I think the best missionaries come home, the best ministers for the rest of their life.
It's not just like I've done this time and now it's done.
They can take those lessons and then apply it in their ministering efforts.
And so I thought that's like part of being the wind that never did cease to blow.
When we recognize people that we have assignments over or when we're looking kind of outside
of that, we can really try to pinpoint those who are unrecognized or forgotten.
He talked about that.
Yes, he did.
Because sometimes they're sitting in there and to the point that they're immobilized
and they don't really know which direction to go, they're looking for a person to help
direct them in their paths.
And so I would say it's not often huge assignments, ones that you get a lot of recognition for.
Sometimes he just asks you to reach out to his children.
And we talked about small and simple ways, especially when we let the spirit be part
of that decision on what we can do for that person.
I always like when he gives me an impression to do something for somebody that's small
and simple because it comes across big to them.
They're really happy that you reached out on a birthday or that you thought to sit by
somebody or that's not a huge thing, but it doesn't take much to be recognized.
Right.
Especially if they were wishing for that thing or hoping for it.
You know, needing a little extra something, then it is a big deal when it's exactly what
they needed.
Yeah.
So looking again, he talks about the forgotten ones.
So looking for the forgotten ones in our wards, but maybe more importantly in our general
surroundings, in our communities, in our neighborhoods.
Though some may wait a long time for relief, for they have no man that can help them, the
Lord Jesus Christ has taught us that no one is ever forgotten by Him.
On the contrary, He was a perfect example of seeking out the one in every moment of
His mortal ministry.
Abby, I think it's awesome that you're doing a tie, you know, tying quilts tomorrow.
I noticed that you haven't just invited people from the ward, but it's also from the community
and there'll be lots of people there helping.
So I think that's going to be a good thing.
Looking forward to that.
It's good to have something to invite people to because it's always nice to get together,
like to have multiple little events and try to make sure that you reach all your friends
is difficult.
This one's kind of like a cheater way to be like, hey, your friend, let's eat some pie,
let's make some quilts.
And I'm looking forward to friends and friends and friends.
I'm hoping friends are friends.
I'm hoping there are people that I don't know yet that I'll get to know.
I was thinking, it wasn't really mentioned in this talk, but I think it would come up
if we were discussing this in a Relay Society about the work that we're doing in our homes
as being the opportunity to be propelling gusting winds or whatever, teaching our children
to love and trust Heavenly Father and trust our Savior Jesus Christ.
Little moments every day can be just subtle gusts of tailwinds.
So I was thinking, what opportunities are we taking with Come Follow Me?
Are we doing family home evening?
Are we having family councils?
Do we take the time to have family dinners?
Are there projects we're working on together?
Do we do service together?
Can we attend the temple?
All of these things I see as directional tailwinds.
Families do for each other what's difficult to accomplish just on our own.
And if we aren't providing a healthy foundation in the relationships in our homes, then I
feel like it just opens up those little spirits that we were trusted with to let something
else direct them.
Maybe like a much higher chance of the adversary capturing them when the difficulties and
the winds of life are crashing down.
That's true.
I guess the winds caused the waves and the waves crashed down.
But you know what I'm saying.
All of it works together.
Yes.
Also, when you said families do for each other what is difficult to accomplish on our own,
that is exactly why we're in family units.
You know what I mean?
It's not necessarily a school or whatever.
A method of disbursement.
Yes.
For the Lord to show us that when you're in constant contact with people, you tend to
get to know them quicker.
And also things that are a little bit difficult tend to come out or whatever, but you really
learn how to deal with the things of life.
So yeah, that is perfect.
That is where our best work is being done right now is moms.
And if you don't have the opportunity to, maybe you weren't sent to a strong family
unit like that, like you're navigating these things on your own, you'll maybe reflect on
your life.
What people did you surround yourself that provided that safety net for you?
Or did you not have the opportunity to have that guidance and it is easy for you to see
you were tossed and turned about the things that life had to offer, really hit you like
a ton of bricks until you found the gospel of Jesus Christ that's given you the direction
that you need.
About the Abbey.
I've seen a lot of people listening to this and thinking of the scenario that they have
for themselves and like, yeah, that's where I'm at on this and that would have been nice
or oh, I can make this adaption and consider the things that I'm doing to be like not just
monotonous and mundane, but important in helping those that are ourselves and those that are
around us.
Yes.
I love that, Abby.
What do you have for us for an action item?
Probably just reiterate what we talked about when you're considering the winds that never
did cease to blow, maybe you think of those as the trials that you've experienced in your
life or kind of anticipate that there's going to be more and whether you have taken those
as growing opportunities or whether you will allow those to be growing opportunities for
yourself to get you closer to your heavenly father.
And then I think I would add to that because the talk really wanted to make this focus
when others are facing their own storms and trials, what guiding hand might you be able
to offer to give them the momentum towards God that they could use in that time of need?
That's awesome, Abby.
Thank you.
So this was a short and sweet one, but again, we hope that you kind of reflect on what's
come to your heart as you've studied the Jaredites.
It's good stuff.
It's a good life lesson.
Yes, it's a good life lesson.
And I think we can all do our parts and pieces to help in this.
So that's it for today.
Thanks for being with us.
Catch you in the next one.