A few notes from Elder Holland's Talks

The missionary's currently serving in Scotland got to meet Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Teixeira of the Seventy and his wife, and Elder Herbertson of the Seventy and his wife.  Unfortunately, Elder Bates is serving in Northern Ireland at this time and so he and the other missionary's serving in Ireland and Northern Ireland were unable to attend.  Elder Holland gave loving, yet aggressive spiritual instructions.  He didn't stand at the pulpit, but he walked around the chapel, yelling, making jokes, and staring the missionary's down in the eye - all in the most Christlike way possible!  Paraphrasing some of what he said:

• Can you imagine an organization or a government that puts their future in the hands of 18-21 year old young men and women?  We expect you to save this church!
• You are engaged in the salvation of a human soul.  It is the most important thing you could ever do.
• Don't you dare leave this gospel after your mission!  If you do, I'll hunt ya, I'll find ya!
• We have to go where our investigators go and what they go through in order to see change.
• John 3:  Jesus taught a Pharisee, a "Master" in Judaism who could not understand the simple doctrine of being born again.  Then in John 4, Jesus went to the lowest of all people, a Samaritan woman, and taught her simple doctrines. 
• We do not decide who learns.  It can be a Master of Religion, or a rejected sinner, it does not matter.  It is not our choice. 
• Our responsibility is to talk with everyone.  Everyone.

On Sunday, there was a multi-stake conference broadcast from Edinburgh to 56 stakes and 4 Districts across the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia. Paraphrasing the talks:

• Elder Herbertson:  The Holy Ghost is not the only source of comfort and peace.  As disciples of Christ, which all of us promised to be when we were baptized, we are obligated to comfort and bring peace to those around us.
• Edinburgh Stake President Alan Freed:  The "Miracle of Dunkirk" in 1940 during WWII.  There was 338,000+ Allied troops stuck in the North of France trying to get away from the advancing German military.  Large Navy ships could not attempt a rescue so they asked the citizens for help.  Over the next 8 days, 800 smaller ships, fishing boats, & pleasure yachts rescued all of them.  It was not the "experienced" navy ships that made the rescue, but the smaller, less experienced vessels.  No matter who you are or how insignificant you may feel, your impact, your "small vessel" will make the difference in the lives of those around you.  Disciples don't wait to be asked to help.  They just help.
• Elder Holland:  Changing the age for the sister missionary's will change the future of the church.  He has had thousands of spiritiaul experiences in his life, some he would not be allowed to talk about.  But they all started with one thing:  Reading the Book of Mormon, testifying to him the reality of Jesus Christ.  Have you ever tried to write such a book as the Book of Mormon?  If Joseph Smith did not translate the Book of Mormon, then I would move heaven & earth to find the man who did!  Someone who claims to have written the Book of Mormon is a far more impressive miracle than the young boy translating is.  As I lay on my death bed, the last thing I will declare to the earth is that "This is God's truth."
• To the missionary's he said, "Whatever the miracles of the past have been, they are nothing to what we will see in the future.  The work has only begun in these islands!"  This generation will live to see the manifestation of the scripture quoted by Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith 4 times from Joel 2.  It has scarcely been realized.  We've only seen the beginning.