A Question for an Apostle

Sister Matthews (her name has been changed) eagerly pulled her scriptures toward her as she began her daily personal study. Her mission president had announced that Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would be visiting their mission later that month to speak at a special missionwide meeting. At the meeting, Elder Bednar would listen to the missionaries’ questions and help them find inspired answers.

Sister Matthews was thrilled at the opportunity to receive an answer from an Apostle. She diligently studied the assigned general conference talks and thoughtfully searched for a question that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve would want to answer for her. Finally, she found a question that she knew would be perfect for the meeting. But as she continued her study, she soon recognized an answer to that question. She shrugged it off, thanked the Lord for answering her question, and began looking for a new question to bring to the meeting with Elder Bednar. That one was soon answered too—and the next one, and then the question after that.

Sister Matthews began to feel frustrated and was tempted to pray and ask, “Can you just not answer one question so I can take it to Elder Bednar to be answered?” But it didn’t take her long to recognize her mistake—instead of expressing gratitude for the answers she was receiving directly through the Spirit, she had felt annoyed that they weren’t coming in the way she wanted them to. “I’ve been looking for a question,” she thought, "not an answer.” She immediately stopped what she was doing and thanked her Heavenly Father for the answers He had given her, wrote down the promptings she had felt, and made plans to start applying them.

Asking sincere, inspired questions provides the opportunity for the Lord to teach us and help us grow in understanding and testimony. He can give us answers to those questions in many different ways. “The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—the Lord’s prophets upon the earth today—are a vital source of truth,” but we can also find personal, direct answers to our questions through sources including “the light of Christ, the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, parents, and Church leaders” (Doctrinal Mastery Core Document [2016], 3). As we immerse ourselves in the word of God and seek to hear the promptings of the Spirit, He will speak to us and help us to find peace.

The preceding experience was shared by Elder Paul H. Watkins, an Area Seventy in the North America West Area. The anonymous sister missionary’s experience was related at a conference in April 2016 by President Jim L. Wright of the California Santa Rosa Mission.

Share with Us—Stories of Inspiration

Throughout the coming months, we would like to continue to share the special experiences your students are having with the scriptures as they seek to acquire spiritual knowledge. If you or your students have had an experience finding answers to questions through the scriptures, please share it with us on the S&I Worldwide News and Updates Facebook page or by email at si-information@ldschurch.org.