A few weeks ago, as we sat in the orange folding seats of the forum waiting for weekly announcements, we were informed that Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would soon be arriving at the Jerusalem Center. In the LDS faith, we believe that God continues to speak to prophets and apostles today as He did in ancient times. Elder Holland is one of those few apostles who receive revelation from God on behalf of millions of members across the globe.
We were completely and absolutely stunned. The realization of such an exciting surprise grew as we received instructions to be respectful and provide space for our guest as he passed us on the stairs or ate in the cafeteria.
For the rest of the day, all we could talk about was the upcoming arrival of Elder Holland and his children, continually peeking our heads out into hallways to see if we could get a glimpse of him as he walked past. During the next few days, I had the opportunity to exchange greetings with him, his loving and genuine manner as infectious as ever. I was so touched with the generosity of the Hollands and their children, and was reminded of people in my life whose lives are now wholly dedicated to God. The effort and sacrifice of such a noble work is enormous and, at times, an overwhelming burden to bear.
The climax of Elder Holland’s visit occurred during our Sabbath services. After being informed that Elder Holland would give a few closing remarks after the scheduled speakers, the entire congregation grew restless when the clock revealed only five minutes were available to our honored guest. As he stood before us, the room became thick with the presence of a powerful spirit. In bold and passionate language, Elder Holland charged us with a responsibility to never be the same after our experience here. He shared with us that he wept because of the knowledge that the people of the world cannot all come to Jerusalem and experience the Holy Land as we have.
His message was a call to arms. “Dark storms lie ahead,” he warned us. “I need to be able to COUNT on you”. Wow. I felt my heart begin to hammer at the intensity of his words. They were delivered with clear and powerful conviction, and the accompaniment of the spirit was so forceful that I was absolutely certain of their surety. I am a witness of this place, of this spirit….and I intend to testify of it.
Even after Elder Holland closed his remarks-forty minutes after the meeting should have ended- the room was pulsing with the rich and palpable energy of the power of his message. The spirit is truly a remarkable testifier.
The world is getting more complex and hard times lie ahead. As Elder Holland shared with us, even the Church will come up against dark and daunting forces. His address to us gave me inspiration that was firmly delivered and received with total resolution. When the time comes, I want to straighten my back, plant my feet, look into Elder Holland’s firm and righteous countenance and say with absolute conviction “you can count on me”.
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