Crikey!: Elder Bednar Came To Sydney!

Dear family and friends,

Oh wow it has surely been an incredible week of learning and many wonderful experiences! As I mentioned in the title of my email we had a wonderful opportunity to have an apostle of the Lord, Elder David A. Bednar to come and speak to us. We had a combined mission conference with the Australia Sydney North mission also. We had about 400 missionaries in one stake Center. Talk about a powerful force right there. The spirit was so strong! Along with Elder Bednar we had 4 members of the 70's that also joined in this conference.

I had another wonderful experience with an apostle of the Lord. (Thanks to my wonderful mother!) We had several speakers and when Elder Bednar got up to speak he began by saying hello and then said, "now I have one item of business that I must take care of before I begin," My heart dropped and I knew instantly that once again my mother had done something for me. He said, "Can I have Sister Heidi Sorensen come forward?" I'm pretty sure my face went bright red and I didn't know what to think. I went up on stage and he talked about my wonderful mother and what an awesome job she does in the temple. He even mentioned that she gave him a big piece of pie that day that she gave him something to give me. He got a big smile on his face. He then gave me a bag of candies and a note from my mom. Then he had his wife give me a big hug. It was very sweet of them to do that for me to help me to have an unforgettable experience. It was an embarrassing/ exciting experience in my life. Thanks mom for all that you do! Everyone afterwards kept saying how awesome that was and that I was famous and I just replied, "no I'm not famous my mother is, and I just happen to be her daughter. :) Thanks for letting me have that experience, mom.

This conference was one powerful conference and I learned so much more than I could ever record in words. It is hard to describe the feeling that was in that conference. Elder Bednar being the great teacher he is set up this conference a lot different than I've ever seen before. He had us read some conference talks before we came so that we were ready and prepared for it. He then asked us to share some of the things that we learned from the readings. He then let us ask him questions and it was all more of a discussion rather than him teaching us the whole 3 hours. It was a great experience because it allowed the spirit to be the teacher. He taught us a lot about the importance of using this tool in the way that we teach. We are truly not the teachers, we are the instruments in the Lord's hands in bringing this message to them. Here are some of the other things that I learned...

Not all spiritual experiences are dramatic. Most of them are subtle and are received by a still small voice. I had a lot of thoughts and personal revelation come to me as I was listening. It was really cool also when he was letting us ask questions. At one point he stopped and said, how many of you by a show of hands have had a question in your heart or mind that you haven't voiced but have had it answered? We looked around the room and majority of the room had their hands raised. He said now that is a miracle! how could that be? He then pointed out that, that is how the spirit works. As the spirit is present in a meeting you will learn and be edified and often find answers to questions you haven't verbally shared.

I also got a greater understanding of the atonement of Jesus Christ. I learned how the Savior knows us each individually and how he suffered for our sins each as individuals. It was one by one that he felt our pains, sorrows, disappointments. I always thought of it in a completely different way. I thought of it as just a feeling that all goes into a bowl and he took all of those pains and sins upon him all at once. But this helped me to understand how he truly knows us each personally and has felt what we feel and knows exactly. He thought of us individually in the garden of gethsemane. He knows us individually and wants what is best for us. That was one of the best lessons I learned this week.

I know that my Savior lives and that he loves us each individually. He can truly lift our burdens and help us in our life to get through anything that comes our way. He is our Savior, our Redeemer and Mediator. I know that He is there for each one of us.

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful examples and support. Hope you all have a great week!

Love Always,

Sister Heidi Sorensen