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,
True to the Faith that Our Parents Have Cherished,
by Elder Hans T. Boom of the Seventy. So he starts
out. In the Nashville, Tennessee temple hangs
a painting titled Carry On. The story behind
the painting is as follows. In Missouri in 1862,
the 14 -year -old Mary Wanless promised her dying
stepmother that she would see to it that her
disabled father and her four much younger siblings
would all make it to the valley of the Great
Salt Lake. Mary drove the oxen and milk cows
that pulled the wagon in which her father was
bedridden and she cared for her siblings as well.
After each day's journey, she fed the family
by foraging edible plants, flowers, and berries.
Her only compass was the instruction she'd received
to keep traveling west, quote, until the clouds
become mountains. This is just such an extraordinary
story. As I was listening to it again, Abby,
I was like, wow, that is so commendable. They
reached the Utah Valley in September, having
traveled all summer and spring. Her father died
not long after the family settled in Utah County,
where Mary later married. and raised her own
family. Pioneer stories like this, again, strengthen
our testimonies and resolve to be such an example
for those who come after us. Elder Boom shared
about his own heritage in the gospel of both
his parents and his in -laws. He mentioned that
his parents embraced the gospel and were baptized
in their young adult years. Both had difficult
childhoods. A summary of that is that the...
During World War II, his father was put in a
concentration camp in Indonesia and his mother
faced hunger with a broken home. Hunger and a
broken home, like she would survive off tulip
bulbs. Yes. Yeah, to live. When I first heard
that, I was like, did he just say tulip bulbs?
And I was like, yes, he's from Denmark. Yeah.
Oh, yeah. Despite their hardships and limited
means, the couple met through their church, and
they married in the burned Switzerland temple.
They began their family living in a small attic
apartment in Amsterdam. When they'd finally saved
enough money for a washing machine, the bishop
approached him and asked if they would contribute
to the building fund, and they decided to continue.
hand washing their clothing and gave all that
they had to the building of the church. That's
a small story of the sacrifices they were willing
to make. But in fact, the family faced many challenges.
But these trials, one after the next, strengthened
their faith in Jesus Christ. It's amazing, Abby.
He asked, how did two people who experienced
so many trials in their younger years become
the very best parents I could ever wish for?
The answer is simple. They fully embrace the
gospel and live by their covenants to this very
day. They've been married now for 65 years. His
mother passed away from complications of Alzheimer's,
but at 92, he still resides in his home, his
father, and thought it was special that he mentioned
something ago. Some time ago. Some time ago that
the dreadful experience in the camp in Indonesia
during World War II had prepared him to patiently
care for his wife for so many years as she fell
ill and deteriorated from this horrible disease.
And also for the fateful day, he had to entrust
the primary care to others and he couldn't be
at her side anymore. Abby, when I heard this
too, my heart hurt for him. Number one, that
he was in a camp in Indonesia and it's like part
of you is like. Just be angry about that. And
just be like, that's done. Never looking back.
Like, I paid my dues. The fact that he was like,
that prepared me for this hard thing. You know,
like my heart broke for him. And I just thought,
man, what a humble man to be like, yeah, even
in this hard time of me caring for my wife while
she's having this. terrible disease that is so
sad when someone like kind of passes away twice
because their mind is gone he was able to look
at back in his life and find the blessings i
just my heart went out of something terrible
that he had argued he said these pioneer parents
lived by the motto just carry on having a perfect
hope in christ to be raised up at the last day
and dwell with him in glory forever this attitude
impacted elder boom and many others in the generations
that have come after them Let's look at the pioneer
heritage of his in -laws. So in the village where
my wife grew up, that's what he says, her parents
who were good church -going people embraced the
gospel as a young married couple with my wife
as their two -year -old daughter and only child
at the time. Their decision to become members
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day
Saints had a great impact on their lives as they
were shunned by villagers and also by their family.
It took many years, loving notes to family members
and service to the community before they were
finally accepted. On one occasion, When his wife's
father was serving as a bishop, he was falsely
accused of something that was immediately released.
His mother -in -law was so hurt, she asked her
husband if they should continue going to church,
and I did love his answer. He answered that they
of course would continue to go to church, since
this is not the church of men, but this is the
church of Jesus Christ. It took some time before
the truth came to light and apologies were made.
What could have been their breaking point just
added? to their strength and their conviction.
Exactly. Both sets of parents are demonstrating
something, you know, maybe we take for granted.
Faith and testimonies of our parents don't come
because things are just easy. Things have just
easily come to them. Typically they come because
they've been able to weather the hardships and
remain faithful because, and their testimonies
have been strengthened because their lives are
focused on Jesus Christ. Their testimonies are
forged from difficult things that they've had
to endure. And they're able to endure because
of their enduring testimony of their Savior.
Amen to that, Abby. Sometimes we do think that
people are staying in the gospel because they
don't have a clear understanding of things. Do
we sometimes think that? What they demonstrate
is that they just have had too many experiences
with the Spirit and can say with the Prophet
Joseph, I knew it and I could not deny it. He
referenced one of my all -time favorite songs,
The Army of Helaman, this phrase, We have been
born as Nephi of old to goodly parents who love
the Lord. We have been taught and we understand
that we must do as the Lord commands. And I loved,
I've been a primary chorister multiple times,
and sometimes there's words to songs and you
think, do we need to edit this? Is this going
to hurt feelings? And he said a truth that I've
shared many times, even if this isn't the case
in your own home. Like his mother, his own mother
experiences a child. You can sing words like
that and you can know if you continue on the
path that you're on, that you can become one
of the goodly parents who love the Lord. So sometimes
you're singing that song and you're agreeing
and testifying. Yep, I came of goodly parents,
Nephi. Yeah, I love that, Abby. But sometimes
that's just enough to say, I'm going to be a
goodly parent. And I love that. We don't have
to change, modify the words. because it doesn't
fit some lives. It can fit everybody's life going
forward. Amy, do you like that song? I love that
song. I thought so. When you sing armies of Helaman
and the phrase, we'll be the Lord's missionaries
to bring the world his truth. What does that
spark in you? I love it so much. The first time
I really... felt the words of this song was when
my oldest sister, she's about 10 years older
than me, went on a mission and my dad put together
a slideshow. And this was in the 80s, right?
And he used this song and I just bawled through
it. And now as I'm about to send off my third
child as a missionary, also when I was on my
own mission, I mean, like, yeah, this bringing
the world is truth. As being missionaries, when
I watched my siblings go, when I went myself
and now as watching my children go. So, yes,
just today, you know, my son had his farewell
last week and he will be set apart next week.
And he was talking with my with my dad. My mom
and dad are here and we were having dinner together.
And I just loved that my dad made the comment
that. One of the legacies that we have as a family
is that we are missionaries and we have served
the Lord in our youth and that we also continue
serving the Lord. And I loved hearing that from
my dad because he's now, you know, in his mid
80s. And I love that part of the legacy is that
we continue on regardless of our age. What a
beautiful thing to have, you know, and I feel
like that goes so well with this whole talk and
just the whole feeling that Elder Boom created.
Your son gets to be true to the faith that his
parents have cherished and their parents have
cherished. Right. And his children will cherish
the faith that he has cherished. It's a great
cycle. Elder Broom said, I have felt it on many
occasions while singing the song in several FSY
settings and other youth gatherings. I got immediately
excited on this part because in a couple weeks,
I get to attend with my husband, our third FSY.
This probably airs the week that we're there.
Love it. And I will too get to experience, because
every year that power that fills the room as
hundreds of youth participate in the youth medley
as they sing this song, the Spirit testifies
to me, we are raising up the next generation
of the Lord's missionaries. We are in great hands.
Amen, Abby. Another song that he references is
True to the Faith. And I love this song. Shall
the youth of Zion falter in defending truth and
right? While the enemy assaileth, shall we shrink
or shun the fight? No. True to the faith that
our parents have cherished. Such a great song.
And so just. So strong. The lyrics are strong.
The feeling behind it is so strong. A great action
item here. Please learn and receive strength
from the faith and testimonies of those who came
before you. It'll help you understand that in
order to gain or grow testimony, a testimony,
sacrifices will have to be made and that sacrifice
brings forth the blessings of heaven. You know,
I would maybe ask you a question because you're
just immediately in the sending a missionary
out. How have your own personal trials you've
been going through the last few months maybe
been a blessing to your family? As you've demonstrated
your faithfulness to your covenants. It's interesting
that you say that because sometimes like I'll
be laying on the bathroom floor and I'm really
sick. I can't do anything. So I have my phone
with me. And one time I started just writing
my prayer down. I was like, Heavenly Father,
I'm so frustrated. I feel like I've wasted away.
the time I have with my son. And I'm like, this
doesn't feel fair to me. And then because it
was a prayer and because I turned to him soon,
I started saying, you know what, Heavenly Father,
actually, now that I'm thinking about it and
now that I'm voicing this, I see the blessings
of the things how I've been very intentional
with the time I have with him because my time
and my energy. have been so small. I'm like,
we will do this. We will do this. We will do
that. There were three specific things that we
were able to make happen. And I feel like, because
again, I turned to the Lord in my frustration
that he sent the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost
kind of whispered to my heart and said, you haven't
been this intentional with your other two missionaries
even. Because sometimes when time and energy
feel like they are in, yes, in infinite. Thank
you. That's the word infinite. then we treat
it as such. But I knew how precious it was because
of what I'm going through that I was able to
say, we're doing this, this, and this, and we
got it done. And that was a huge blessing. So
it was so funny because I started the prayer
by saying how frustrated I was. I ended the prayer
by crying in gratitude and saying, Heavenly Father,
thank you so much for that because I will always
remember it. So who knew, right? He did. He reminds
us of the powerful invitation our beloved prophet,
President Russell M. Nelson, shared when he asked
every worthy, able young man to prepare for and
serve a mission. For Latter -day Saint young
men, missionary service is a priesthood responsibility.
For young and able sisters, a mission is also
powerful, but optional. You could be called as
a service or a teaching missionary. Both types
of missionaries contribute to the same goal,
bringing souls to Christ, each in their own unique
and powerful way. In both types of service, you
will show the Lord you love Him and that you
want to get to know Him. Remember, for how knoweth
a man the Master whom he has not served, and
who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the
thoughts and intents of his heart? I got to attend
my own meeting today, and then we went. This
is the first week that our graduating seniors
are transitioning into the single adult ward.
So cool. So Adam invited me to come up with him.
stake youth specialist. So this is my fake calling.
That's why I said it that way. But I'm like,
yeah, I'm going to go. So we go there and like
quite a missionary theme in the whole meeting
today. Your own son, for his testimony, this
will be the second to last week before serving
the Lord. But in that meeting, a sweet young
man worked his way up to the pulpit. He served
a service mission here in Star Valley. And his
body is weak and frail in some ways, but it is
housing a mighty, fine, strong spirit. And he
got up to the pulpit, and he invited everybody
to serve a mission. He's speaking to a lot of
just graduating seniors, and some have made that
decision, and they're going to go. Some are maybe
contemplating it. Some maybe think it's not for
them. in such a sweet way it wasn't like a shaming
way he invited everybody to if they are having
fear about the idea of serving mission to cast
it off and i'm just looking at him and i'm thinking
you were born into a body that made that challenging
and difficult but he served a faithful faithful
mission he touched so many lives like who's not
going to open the door for for this elder He
served in the temple. One funny story, we were
cleaning the temple one evening and he would
go change his clothes like in the laundry. There
was like a little room in there and there was
just kind of clothes in a heap on the floor in
this like back mechanic room. And I'm like, oh.
Elder so -and -so, I'm not going to say his name.
Elder so -and -so must have been serving today.
But it's so cute. Like nobody cares about his
clothes being there. I guess what I'm saying
is we were driving. We were on a little Sunday
drive after that. And I told my husband, it's
very easy to picture him standing by their Savior,
Jesus Christ. And his spirit's so much bigger
than his. frail body here on earth side like
i just it's easy to imagine just amazing things
from him and for him to testify and encourage
and invite everybody to cast off their fears
and don't be afraid to to listen to the prophet's
counsel and to serve very in whatever way that
they can i'm like how cool is that that this
is being shared today and then we're going to
go into recording this talk i love that thank
you elder thank you elder indeed all of us whether
we are the first generation in the gospel or
the fifth could ask ourselves, what stories of
faith, strength, and celestial commitment will
I pass on to the next generation? I'll give you
a minute to think about that, but I would ask,
what would you put down in print or voice recording?
What would you say in this podcast to that question?
I want to share my own testimony that I know
that we come to know Jesus Christ. more than
any other time usually in our trials. I agree.
Maybe I'll mention here, yesterday my husband
and I ran down to Utah to take our daughter to
a funeral. We have a young couple in our ward.
They haven't been married just about three years,
and she serves in their young women's as one
of their leaders. Her husband was diagnosed with
cancer last Friday, and he passed away on Monday.
And the funeral services were Saturday in Utah.
Such a tragic event, like lots of tears shed.
They're like the oldest in their family. So all
of their younger siblings, you know, all of their
grandparents, aunts and uncles, all of them are
still living because his life was cut so short.
But a couple of things that stood out were. Just
ways that they testified in that funeral, different
speakers about the tender mercies that they're
seeing and the sustaining power of the Spirit
as their knowledge of God's plan being a perfect
plan. It came out one speaker after the next.
Maybe they don't understand why this has happened,
but they know that with time they'll understand
it a little bit better. The mom spoke and she
said, And his parents had scheduled the temple
appointment for the following day, the Tuesday.
And she's like, I don't want to go to the temple.
But, you know, felt like, yeah, I'll go to the
temple. So they all attended together. And the
temple president took some time with them and
testified to them that if they could look for
the what in this tragic situation, it would soften
the blow of the why this happened. And her husband,
who passed, was a natural missionary. The crowd
was eclectic. It's hard to explain that, but
he was search and rescue. He was a snowboarder.
He was a biker. He was a salesman. He was in
construction. There's just a myriad of places
life has taken him, and he's been such an example
of... He's been such an example, such a missionary,
always testifying of Jesus Christ, and that's
attracted people to him. And he's kept these
friendships through life. It was actually said,
some people have a few friends that are really
close, and some people have a lot of friends.
But this man has a lot of close friends. And
that's true. And you're looking, it was like
a state conference type of crowd, right? So his
younger sibling stood up and said that he aspires
to live life like his brother. I guess what I
felt from this, from the talks, from the things
that were shared is that he was an amazing missionary,
this side of the veil, and that I have no doubt,
and they all testified, they have no doubt that
he's going to continue in his missionary efforts
on the other side of the veil. So even though
his life was cut short on earth, the message,
the testimony that he's able to bear, people
are looking to be true to the faith that he has
cherished going forward. That's so good, Abby.
There is a challenge of elder boom. He says,
let us all continue in our efforts to get to
know our Savior Jesus Christ better and to make
him the center of our lives. He is the rock upon
which we must build so that when times become
difficult, we will be able to stand firm. And
then his final words, let us be true to the faith
that our parents have cherished, true to the
truth for which martyrs have perished. To God's
command, soul, heart, and hand, faithful and
true, we will ever stand. We'll catch on the
next one. See you next time.