This will be a long blog that I am compelled to write. This weekend is the 181st Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. Conference, as it's experienced by members of the church, is a unique and wonderful custom. Conference has been held almost every October and April since the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ in 1830. Thousands of members flock to Salt Lake where there are five conference sessions to attend; often missionaries hold reunions with other returned missionaries, and many families plan family gatherings and reunions around Conference sessions. The majority of the membership, however, must be content with viewing Conference via closed wire broadcast, satellite, internet, or the radio, or published copies of the talks. Watching in our homes, we plan special snacks, gather blankets and comforters, and enjoy the novelty of wearing our casual clothes to "church." We love Conference and our leaders and cherish their words, are comforted by their messages.

I've been a member of the LDS Church for 57 years, and I have embraced it with all my heart, even though I was coerced into joining. My father grew up as a member but drifted away. However, he felt so guilty about his inactivity that he sent we three children to church. For several years, we merely sat on the back row, stoically obeying our father's orders until we met Althea Herring--Althea WHITBY Herring. She instantly recognized that we had to be Whitbys because all Whitbys look alike!! Althea would brook no resistance; we were to be baptized immediately. We didn't know we could argue with such an immovable force. We were baptized, in spite of being terrified of the deep water in the font.

I am who I am--good or bad--because I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I embrace the doctrines of the Church, which is very definitely a Christian Church, in spite of any bad press we've received on that subject. I try to live my life so that others will know that I am a practicing latter-day saint. Most of all, I have found within the sacred scriptures, strict tenets, and strong emphasis of family and service of the faith what I've needed to travel through the winding path of my life. I have, and have had, a good, blessed life, and this is not my swan song nor my last lament--I don't plan to leave this life any time soon. I don't feel that I've had nearly the afflictions, difficulties, nor tragedies that so many others have experienced in their lives, and I've sometimes wondered why not. For a Christian, afflications bring strength of character; Billy Graham once said that if a Christian doesn't have any problems, he'd better pray for some, so that he could be refined in the fire of affliction.

I realized today, while I was watching Conference, listening to our current president, Thomas S. Monson, that I never seem to see the trials of my life as afflictions when I'm going through them!! Once they're over and I have time to reflect on them, I think, "That was pretty tough, but it's over; we can go on." I feel this way because of my personal testimony of the power of faith and of prayer. The best example I can use is my experiences in dealing with my children and their struggles now that they are adults rearing their own families. When a child calls in crisis mode, I'm like the person who's been dog-paddling around in a quiet stream, only to realize that the rushing sound he hears is a nearby rapids that he's about to head into!! My child doesn't know it, but I'm paddling ninety miles an hour in a silent prayer that I may have the right answer or words of comfort at that very moment for their personal benefit. I have trust that a loving Father in Heaven is giving me a big shove, so that I can get back into the quiet stream.

The tradition of Conference that best explains what I've been trying to convey is that we believe in the existence of a modern, living prophet, who we accept as a mouthpiece of God. The first prophet I became acquainted with was David Oman McKay, the ninth President of the Church. To introduce President McKay, let me share this story:

I remember being in New York when President McKay returned from Europe. Arrangements had been made for pictures to be taken, but the regular photographer was unable to go, so in desperation the United Press picked their crime photographer--a man accustomed to the toughest type of work in New York. He went to the airport, stayed there two hours, and returned later from the dark room with a tremendous sheaf of pictures. He was supposed to take only two. His boss immediately chided him, "What in the world are you wasting time and all those photographic supplies for?"

The photographer replied very curtly, saying he would gladly pay for the extra materials, and they could even dock him for the extra time he took. It was obvious that he was very touchy about it. Several hours later the vice-president called him to his office, wanting to learn what happened. The crime photographer said, "When I was a little boy, my mother used to read to me out of the Old Testament, and all my life I have wondered what a prophet of Good must really look like. Well, today I found one."

I accepted David O. McKay as a prophet, and his words as prophetic, as I have accepted all other presidents and prophets up to this day. Just a few hours ago, I listened to the words of our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson. His talk was riveting, challenging, powerful. His sweet counsel on this day has moved me to share my testimony in this blog. Thank you for listening. Love, Mom