Spiritually Prepared

Sunday Oct. 25 was Ward Conference for the 27th Ward. I got someone to play the organ so I could be to Sacrament meeting and listen to Dad. He did a great job and talked about staying away from the edge and when you do some temptations will not even come your way. President Naaken talked about being spiritually prepared. He challenged us to be to Sacrament meeting early so we have time to prepare ourselves for the sacrament. He said when he rushes in for interviews they don't go very well if he hasn't had time to prepare for them. Also when we rush into the temple we most likely don't have a very spiritual experience. Then he told us of the experience he had last week in which he was attending the funeral of his 44 year old brother-in-law that died of cancer. He was not looking forward to the experience of seing his sister (he said he was really close to her) and her 3 children (a 2yr old girl and 2 boys 12 and 14 I think). What a neat experience it turned out to be for him because she was spiritually prepared and they had also prepared their sons for this experience. He drove the boys to the cemetary and said they told him about reading the scriptures and Family Home Evenings preparing them to go on without their father. He said he was impressed to tell them that their father would be a ministering angel to guide them. He then talked about how we replenish our physical food storage and we also need to replenish our spiritual food storage because we never know when it will need to be called on. He ended with a quote he said was from Ezra Taft Benson (Ensign Nov. 1986), but when I looked it up it was actually stated by Marion G. Romney (Ensign May 1980)
“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness” (Ensign, May 1980, p. 67).

I'm so glad I didn't miss this spiritual experience and how it helped increase my spiritual reserve.