Sunday

I woke up early yesterday morning, thinking that I was assigned the lesson if the Family History class in Sunday School. I was tired but happy as I sat in my office on campus and read through scriptures and quotes about the subject of the lesson. A few hours later I walked a couple buildings over to where my ward meets to be told that we were meeting all together for Sunday School that day, so I didn't need to teach. Next week we'll have Sunday School in the Family History Center, so I don't need to teach then either. I wasn't disappointed. I liked the study and I was relieved to not have to teach about a subject I was just barely learning about.

I was surprised as the hours of the day went by because I felt so good during the whole day. Starting the day with a scripture study like that did wonders for how happy I felt and how close I felt to the Spirit.

It was fast Sunday, and although I would like to share my testimony, I usually don’t because there are just so many kids in the ward who rush to the pulpit right at the beginning that I don’t want to join the mad rush. This time, though, there was a moment with about 10 minutes left in the meeting when there was an opportunity for me to speak, so I did. This is what I said.

I am grateful for the season where in, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and like those holidays, it is a time when I feel especially grateful for my Savior.

I sometimes try to think of ways to describe spiritual things in words that make sense to me, hoping that they will then make sense to others and I will be able to put into words certain things that are important to me. I think that feeling the Spirit is as if my spirit or soul is a tuning fork. It has a certain native resonance to it, characteristic in the original makeup of the material. Just like the tuning fork, when I hear or see something that is on that eternally true pitch, this something deep inside of me moves, and even becomes a very powerful and happy feeling, and nothing but that pitch can produce it. Nothing but spiritual truth can cause that reaction in me.

I felt that way during the Sacrament meeting. The testimonies were all short, less than 3 minutes, and Christ-centered. When testimony meetings are like that, they are my favorite church meetings.

I also feel that way with music, and there is one hymn whose words I especially like. It is “Savior, Redeemer of My Soul.” The words are these:

Savior, Redeemer of my soul,
Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,
Whose wondrous pow’r hath raised me up,
And filled with sweet my bitter cup!
What tongue my gratitude can tell,
O gracious God of Israel.

Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night?
Then let my lips proclaim it still,
And all my life reflect thy will.

O’er-rule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul till I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of they love,
And fit me for the life above.