I Sustain...

I was doing a little yard work at the Brick House on Saturday when the afternoon session of General Conference began.  Dave was on his way out of the parking lot and stopped to tell me that during the sustaining of President Monson people yelled out "opposed".  Then, while we were discussing it the same thing happened during the sustaining of the First Presidency and Quorum on the Twelve.  Certainly people have the right to oppose though this is not a venue where we typically hear it being shouted from the congregation.  I read later that those opposed are a group of people who planned to go and do that.  Seems to me they made a choice to draw attention to themselves instead of approaching local authorities in the prescribed manner to address their concerns.  Regardless, it happened and will likely continue to happen.  I read an article a moment ago by Erin Hallstrom titled My Experience in the Conference Center During the Opposing Vote.  She captures some feelings there that I think others have felt as well.  She spoke of wanting to raise her hand higher so that her sustaining vote was counted.  She also talked about the power with which the congregation sang "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet".  Awesome.

Last night we discussed this for a bit and Dave mentioned his feelings as he watched President Monson speak at the Priesthood Session and receiving confirmation at that moment President Monson was the Lords prophet on the earth.  I was listening to President Monsons conference talk from last October, Ponder the Path of Thy Feet, as I walked to school this morning.  I too felt a powerful confirmation that he is the Lords prophet on the earth and my heart rejoices to sustain him as such. 

As I was pondering this a scripture came to mind from my mission and a lesson taught by Elder F. David Stanley who was visiting the mission.  He taught us an importance lesson about sustaining our leaders and raising our hands to the square.  When he raised his hand to the square he did not do it lightly or lackadaisically. He raised his hand to the square firmly and with purpose.  In his mind he would say Ezra!  Ezra is in reference to a verse of scripture found in Ezra 7:10 which says: "

"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it..."

That lesson stuck with me and when I raise my hand to the square I do so firmly and with purpose.  As I live my life I strive to prepare my heart to seek the law of the Lord and I strive to find myself doing the things that I have been asked to do.  Asked by whom?  The leaders who I have sustained, the Prophet of God on the Earth. 

These words in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 1verse 28 also come to mind "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same" as I ponder counsel given by those whom the Lord calls.  I take that counsel as the mind and will of the Lord, the law of the Lord if you will.  And in Joshua 24:15 "Choose you this day whom ye will serve... as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".  We serve the Lord by receiving or seeking His law and then by doing it.

I count it a great blessing to raise my arm to the square, to sustain those called of God to serve, to seek counsel from them and then to do my very best to do it.  I know that President Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God on the Earth today and that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are Prophets, Seers and Revelators.  I sustain them as such and am grateful for their service in the work of the Master.