My favorite General Conference talk is Stand in Holy Places by President Thomas S. Monson. I’ve watched this talk on YouTube several times and it hit me especially profoundly today. God’s Holy Spirit is undeniably felt as President Monson speaks.
I’ve said this before but I love the end when President Monson looks right at the camera (it seems like he’s looking right at me) as he quotes the Lord in Isaiah saying, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed.” I love that declaration because I know it’s true, and my gratitude brings tears to my eyes!
President Monson urges all of us to have a personal relationship with God through prayer and receive personal inspiration from Him which is a blessing that our connection with God brings. President Monson’s touching and dramatic experiences of receiving promptings from the Lord are truly inspiring!
I love this talk and therefore share a few thoughts from President Monson:
Communication with our Father in Heaven—including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us—is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life.
Our Father in Heaven is the same yesterday, today, and forever. … In this world where nearly everything seems to be changing, His constancy is something on which we can rely, an anchor to which we can hold fast and be safe, lest we be swept away into uncharted waters.
As a means of being in the world but not being of the world, it is necessary that we communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer. He wants us to do so; He’ll answer our prayers.
If you do not now have such a relationship with your Father in Heaven, I urge you to work toward that goal. As you do so, you will be entitled to His inspiration and guidance in your life—necessities for each of us if we are to survive spiritually during our sojourn here on earth. Such inspiration and guidance are gifts He freely gives if we but seek them. What treasures they are!
The Lord invites us, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.” As we do so, we will feel His Spirit in our lives, providing us the desire and the courage to stand strong and firm in righteousness—to “stand … in holy places, and be not moved.”
As the winds of change swirl around us and the moral fiber of society continues to disintegrate before our very eyes, may we remember the Lord’s precious promise to those who trust in Him: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” What a promise!