Killer Bees

I remember as a young mother how Conference Saturday was a day filled with soccer games, grocery shopping, music lessons and errands. When we lived in Utah we could sometimes catch a talk or two in the car. After moving to Illinois we listened on a special side-band radio or had to go to the church for each session. At this stage of my life I look forward to every session of conference and enjoy being able to receive it at home through sattelite. I still enjoy going to the stake center on Sunday to watch it on the big screen.

Today might be a good time to tell the story of my friend Gayle. In 1990, she and her husband gathered their family together a week before conference and promised them that by praying for the brethren and listening carefully they could receive answers to any concerns they might have. With a magic marker and a flip chart they invited their children to make a list of concerns: getting good grades, reducing contention at home, finding good friends, earning money for college and missions, understanding more about the gospel, how to get answers to prayers. Their seven-year-old son was learning in school about killer bees coming up from South America or Mexico. That's what he was concerned about! His parents wrote it on the list with a heavy heart knowing it would not likely be discussed in conference.

For each session of conference, the family gathered to listen, and as each topic was discussed it was checked off their list. One speaker discussed the "Signs of the Times." They tried to convince their son that Killer Bees could be one of the signs. No dice. How about being prepared? If we're prepared, with won't have to worry about killer bees. No way. What about faith, or praying for protection. Absolutely not! He wanted to hear the words.

Finally in the last talk of the Sunday morning session, President Hinckley said, "Our generation is affected with critics in the media who think they do a great and clever thing in mercilessly attacking men and women in public office and in other positions of leadership. They are prone to take a line or a paragraph out of context and pursue their prey like a swarm of killer bees." Blessed are the Merciful, Ensign, May 1990, p. 69

One little boy is completely convinced that Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers through our living apostles and prophets who speak to us in conference. I am convinced too, and hope that we are all listening for answers to our concerns this weekend.