Sheri Dew

As promised, here's my follow up about what Sheri Dew spoke on at the Toronto conference in July.

As sister Dew got up to speak, she told us that she was going up to the pulpit, not knowing what it was she needed to speak on that night. She mentioned some of the comments people had said to her as she asked them about the conference. One guy mentioned that he had met a cute girl, so that was good (lol). From there, she decided to give us a little background on herself. Sheri Dew is a 57-year-old single (never been married) woman. She is President and CEO of Deseret Book (an LDS publication company) and she served as a councellor in the general Relief Society presidency.

Sister Dew said that she wasn't married, and not for lack of trying or opportunity. She said that the opportunities she had just didn't feel right or they didn't work out. She said "never in the history of the world has any husband been prayed about more than mine has". That made me fall in love with the woman. She said that she understood the importance of spouses and children, because she had neither of them. Nothing in her life could fill that void. Sister Dew expressed her faith that the Lord has assigned her to a mission that doesn't require her to get married at this point in her life, but she continues to hope and pray that someday it will happen for her.

From there, Sister Dew went on to speak about our conference. She said that we, as YSA, go to conferences like that one because we want to come away from it changed. Then she moved on to, what I feel, was the main message she gave that day (which she didn't prepare for in advance, but was amazing regardless). She began by saying that God knows who you are, where you are, and what your mission is in life. He knows exactly what you need to accomplish this mission.

Sister Dew then quoted 2 Nephi 28, and said that the adversary's main mission is to:
-get you confused about who you are
-get you confused about your gender identity
-at all cost, he will prevent you from finding out what the Saviour did when he atoned
and
-he will try to prevent you from learning how to receive personal revelation

She said that sometimes we act like we're going to stay in the earth, that we have lots of time to repent and get on the right track, but we're not going to stay here, and we don't have much time.

Sister Dew spoke of how almost all prophets from the beginning of time have spoken about Christ and the Latter-Days. She said (and this is my favourite quote) that "foreordination is profound divine confidence". That really struck me, and I challenge you to really think about that for a minute.

From there she gave us some advice on how to counteract the adversary's mission. She quoted D&C 33:3-6 and said that we must be fearless in building Zion. She also said to read D&C 138 and Abraham 3 looking for the verses that talk about the "noble and great ones". She said that we can become the noble and great ones, and to ask the Lord to speak to you about those verses.

Sister Dew told us to get clear on who we are. She said to learn about what the Saviour did when He atoned and how eager He is to help us. Luke 4:18. The doctrine of the Atonement is a doctrine of healing. Christ has strengthening and enobling power. 3 Nephi 11:32. She told us to repent and believe and to ask for help with our struggles and weaknesses. She also told us to "unplug" ourselves. Cut the time you spend "plugged in" to the world in half because it affects your ability to feel the spirit. Are we going to listen to the Lord or to the world? And finally, she said to learn the language of revelation. Learn what it sounds like when the Lord speaks to you.

This conference confirmed to me that my Heavenly Father knows who I am and what I need in my life. He understands what I need to hear and what I need to feel in order to accomplish my own personal mission. I feel a little closer to that mission now, and feel like I am figuring it out. I hope that you will ponder on what your mission may be (or even missions, because we may have more than one!) and that you will ask and seek and pray about it.

Until next time,
-J