43 (11/20/23) President Ballard

 43 (11/20/23) President Ballard

Like probably all of you, I have reflected on the passing of President Ballard this past week. What was your first thought or impression? If I were to guess, it was the same as mine. It was that you felt a sense of loss, but more so a sense of happiness that he is back in the loving embrace of his wife. 


President Ballard has been a General Authority for almost 50 years and for my entire life. When I think of an apostle, he is one that I sang about as a primary boy. I am grateful for his devoted service to his Heavenly Father, and for his special witness to all the world of Jesus Christ. 


I like to go back and listen closely after the passing of a prophet, to hear their last thoughts, words, and feelings in mortality. They bring so much peace and strength in their conviction and endurance to the end in witnessing of our Savior Jesus Christ. What words of wisdom or advice, or what matters most to them seems to come through as if they know it is the last time to share their testimony on earth. At least that is how it seems to me. Here are some things that stood out to me from President Ballard’s last conference address a few weeks ago.


President Ballard: “I’d like to share with you some things that have been in my mind. I have seemed to have the Prophet Joseph in my mind the last few months … I think how grateful we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that Joseph Smith, a boy who desired to know what he needed to do to have his sins forgiven, found the courage to go into a grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, New York, and there kneel in prayer and—by his own statement—pray out loud for the first time 

On that occasion, as Joseph got on his knees in what we call the Sacred Grove, the heavens opened. Two personages, brighter than the noonday sun, appeared before him. One spoke to him and said, “[Joseph,] this is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” 


Stop and take a minute to listen to President Ballard’s voice and the way he enunciates the words “Hear Him!” It is different than I have heard or considered before, giving it more meaning to me. In this way it is as if Heavenly Father is asking us to exercise our agency. To choose the Savior’s voice over the deafening cry of the world. 



President Ballard: “I’ve been thinking about all of the marvelous things that we know and all of the things that we have. My beloved brothers and sisters, my testimony to you this morning is how abundantly blessed we are to know all that we know because we have Joseph Smith, the prophet of this last dispensation of time. We have an understanding of the purpose of life, of who we are.

We know who God is; we know who the Savior is because we have Joseph, who went into a grove of trees as a boy, seeking forgiveness for his sins. I think it’s one of the most glorious and wonderful things that anybody in this world can know—that our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have revealed Themselves in this latter day and that Joseph has been raised up to restore the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.”


“May we have the Spirit of the Lord well up in our hearts, and may our love for the gospel of Jesus Christ—our beloved Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ—increase as we strive to serve Him and keep His commandments and be more like Him… Wherever you are in this world, may God bless you. May the Spirit of the Lord be with us.


I leave you my witness and testimony that I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is our Savior, our Redeemer. He is our best friend. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.


I really love his last words to all of us about the Savior. He is our best friend.


I am excited to gather this week for Thanksgiving. We won’t have Sadie and Seth for long, and we will miss having Miles here, but will look forward to talking with him. We really do have so much to be thankful for. Mama and I couldn’t feel more blessed. 


Love,


Dad

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