Your Ultimate Nerdy Friend In the Gospel

Thursday while I was out on a walk with the fabulous Watson, I was listening to a speech.   I have mentioned before my addiction to BYU speeches.  I got sick of listening to the radio in the car and on walks so I often listen to talks.  I also listen to conference talks and the Ensign.....and yes I still do rock out to music too.   I don't always have time to read, but I do always have time to listen.  As I was listening to a talk by Stephen R Covey called "An Educated Conscience."  I was thinking that I would love to share this talk (actually lots of talks) with someone.  I love being able to discuss topics with people.  It's a good exercise for my brain and it also helps me understand things better and gain a firmer testimony of spiritual truths.  I was thinking that I would love this person to send talks to me as well.  Sometimes it's hard to find something with so many good choices out there.  I wasn't sure who was as nerdy as I am that would be willing to be even extra nerdy.

It's not like I haven't shared talks with people or received some.  My visiting teachers and I share talks and religious books with each other and have great conversations.    This was more of a this talk is so good, who else could benefit from it?  In return I wanted someone to find a talk and think of me.   This isn't a "who do I know that needs to work on this" kinda thing.  Just someone to hash it out with.  Break it down, pull out the goodness, digest it and then apply it.  

When I sat down to lunch later in the day I decided to go through my email.  What did I find sitting there since 8:24 that morning?  An email from a friend saying that she had just listened to an amazing talk.  She said: "If you ever need a good talk on the atonement, this one is amazing....just thought I'd share with my nerdy friend....who I love. :-)"

Talk about a coincidence.  Was that a tender mercy?  Was that just cool or what?  This friend and I are both on a similar path.  We've become super nerdy and spend our time trying to figure this mortal experience out.  The really cool thing is that we don't think that the other is crazy because we having similar experiences and struggles.

My reply to her was "I'll see your talk and raise you 2."  So.  How do you join this super nerdy club?  Start listening to or reading some talks.  Then share them with someone.  Make sure you are getting your daily scripture reading in first though.  Talks are not a replacement for scriptures.  BTW did you know you can listen to those too?

The talk my friend sent me was "The redeeming & strengthening power of the atonement" by Bruce C and Marie K Hafen.  Seriously so good.  That will cause some deep introspection if you let it.  I've actually already had the opportunity to share bits of it while on a visit and some points will most likely make it into my seminary lesson in the morning -which is the liberty jail sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.  Joseph definitely knows a thing or two or three about severe mercy.

The other 2 talks in addition to the one I was listening to Thursday morning were:

"Revelation" by Dallin H Oaks  This one got me thinking about my students and thoughts I've had about revelation.  He had great examples of the different kinds of revelation.  It was actually after listening to this talk that I had the light of understanding hit me regarding the true nature of my son.  It was when I realized I had seen who he was when instincts kicked in and he had no time to think about who he was.

"True Doctrine Understood Changes Attitudes and...." by Todd B Parker  This one I actually did share with another friend.  When he gets to the part about all things testifying of Christ it was powerful.  The entire talk was good and it got me thinking about some things.  Mostly of what I understand, how I teach and how to testify and some things I needed to do.

So there you have it.  The way to become an ultimate nerd.  I would put the links in, but anything worth having is worth sacrificing for.  I say nerd because it sounds less intense than saying it's a path toward true discipleship and becoming godlike.  There's a lot of work involved in getting the heart changed.  It truly takes a serious amount of "educating your conscience" and then acting on what you know while utilizing the enabling power of Jesus Christ (which everything testifies of) - who sometimes blesses us with severe mercy, so that you can receive that revelation you so desperately need to make it back into the presence of our Eternal Father in Heaven.  I have to say.  It's a pretty awesome journey that will have you seeing things as you never have before.