The school office
Time zone: “International Date Line West,” which means I’m sitting in the first time zone in the world. That means that General Conference, for which I hunger and thirst, will be broadcast on the internet at 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Sunday and Monday here (10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Salt Lake City time).
I’m the only Mormon on Guegeegue (population 100). The other members of my branch are two islands away on Ebeye, an hour walk or ½ hour ride by rough, bumpy causeway (when I can get a ride). So I’ll be watching conference by myself.
Let’s see – the second session at 8 a.m. on Sunday is comfortably do-able. The Monday times won’t work, since I have to be in top shape to teach, starting at 8:30 a.m. that day. I’ll try to wake up for the 4 a.m. session on Sunday; it would sure be delicious if I could hear that session too. I spend the week before conference going to bed just a little earlier and waking a little earlier.
I also begin to include the conference speakers in my prayers. Perhaps General Authorities’ talks are revealed intact, but I suspect at least some of them come together like my sacrament meeting talks do, with a lot of prayerful hard work and study and several drafts and revisions. I pray for the choirs, who are rehearsing and preparing as well. I also pray for those behind-the-scenes men and women whose jobs are so essential to making this conference available to so many people in so many languages. I’m sure it takes a lot of hard work to make the impressive technology invisible, so as not to detract from the power of the messages.
Sunday, 3:15 a.m. – the eyes open. Let’s go!
I say a quick prayer of thanksgiving, get dressed in my Sunday best, and step outside into the salty night air to walk over to the school office where I can access the internet. The local stray dog joins me with a puzzled look; it’s a little dark for our morning walk along the ocean shore. I hope this is one of the days the internet is working (so far it’s been about 50/50).
3:45 a.m. I insert my office key into the lock and try to turn it. I’ve never before been successful with my office key, but one of the other teachers made it work after she spent a solid five minutes jiggling it. I’m sure I just need enough time to get the key to connect. I’ve got 15 minutes before conference begins.
4:10 a.m. – If time were all it took, I’d be hearing the soaring sounds of the choir by now instead of the gentle, constant roll of the ocean surf. Must not have been meant to be. Back to sleep for a couple of hours.
7:45 a.m. – Luckily, two teacher friends here are awake anyway. I ask them to let me into the office. The internet is working!!!!
8:00 a.m. – I relax into the comforting voices of the church leaders whose wise counsel I’ve listened to over the years, the familiar hymns sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the feeling of connection with latter-day saints around the world listening to the counsel of a living prophet. I have the honor of joining saints around the world, solemnly raising our right hands to sustain the prophet and other general authorities of the church, with me sitting alone (except for the stray dog at my feet) in a silent school office on a remote island in the Pacific.
I’m positive that all the general authorities have not suddenly developed speech impediments that require 15 second pauses every minute and a half. It’s the internet cutting in and out. But I’m able to piece together most of the talks. Dallin H. Oaks’s soothing, even-toned voice delivers exactly the message I need to hear as I consider how to work with that young man who won’t do a thing I ask in my 11th grade English class Section C. Elder Oaks reminds me: “Every parent [and teacher] knows that you can love a child totally and completely while still being creatively angry and disappointed at that child’s self-defeating behavior.” Elder Boyd K. Packer teaches me in his matter-of-fact, gentle voice that “The Lord has many ways of pouring knowledge into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to correct us, to warn us. Keep that channel—your mind—clean and free from the clutter of the world.” He said uncluttered – not untainted. I work at keeping the taint out most of the time, but life clutter – that’s another matter. I’ll try, President Packer.
Thomas S. Monson, a prophet to the world.
Jisos Kraist (his Marshallese name), a Savior for the nations, from eternity to eternity.
Heavenly Father (will He ever be Jememuij Ilan to me?), lovingly holding it all together, mindful of each and every one of His children – including me, and you.
