One By One

President Monson’s concluding remarks in General Conference included this statement, “My dear brothers and sisters, I love you, and I pray for you.” I testify that President Monson does love and pray for us.

A couple of years ago, our stake planned and prepared for a change of ward boundaries to accommodate an additional ward. The approval of the changes was received with a letter attached from President Monson. He wrote that he was concerned for Amy, a Mia Maid, because she would be the only Mia Maid remaining in that ward after the split. Although the boundary changes were approved, he stipulated that the two wards should participate together for Mutual activities until the youth program had increased in sufficient membership. As leaders we were touched and taught by this prophet, seer and revelator.

As an apostle, President Monson witnesses to the world of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he also witnesses one by one that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us, care about us and know our needs. Although we may not be mentioned by name in a letter, I believe that he does know us and indeed, prays for us.

He ministered that day to Amy one by one, following the example of our Savior who, when he appeared to the Nephites, invited each one to “come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of Israel and the God of the whole earth…and this they did do, going forth one by one until all had gone forth.” (3 Nephi 11:14, 15) Jesus Christ also “took their little children, one by one, and blessed them and prayed unto the Father for them.” (3 Nephi 17:21)

Do we feel that love, care and concern from our prophet? Do we feel his prayers to the Father in our behalf?

If so, how has that knowledge and feeling changed you?

If not, “seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (D&C 88:63) It will be opened unto you as you look for “the tender mercies of the Lord that are over all those whom he hath chosen.” (1 Nephi 1:20)

In Matthew 10:41 it says, "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." How can the love we feel from our Savior and our prophet, President Monson, bless us?

• Do we take time to be with each family member one-on-one?
• Do husbands and wives have a date night?
• Do dads have a time set aside for personal interviews with their children?
• Do both moms and dads have time with each child, separately and individually?
• Is there regular time together as a family to “work” and enjoy “wholesome family recreation?”
• Do we pray individually, as parents and as a family for one another?

If we believe and feel the “pure love of Christ” that emanates from our prophet and allow that love to work in us and change us, “there will be no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.” (4 Nephi 1:15)

The next phrase uttered by President Monson was "Please pray for me." Let us pray for him as he prays for us. Elder Loren C. Dunn tells this story,

"When I was growing up, Heber J. Grant was the President of the Church. My father always prayed for President Grant. And he had great personal feeling for him because President Grant at one time was president of the Tooele Stake, and my father at that time was president of the Tooele Stake. President Grant became ill and passed away, and I can remember after the funeral kneeling in family prayer as a young boy and hearing my father praying with the same love and devotion and feeling for the next prophet, the next President of the Church, George Albert Smith.

As a youth, I was surprised because I had never heard anybody pray for any prophet other than Heber J. Grant. And I felt almost cheated—like my father was turning away from a good friend. But as the time went on, through that experience and other experiences, he taught me a very valuable lesson—you see, he had great love and appreciation for President Grant, and that would never change, but in his heart I realized that he had saved his greatest love and his greatest loyalty for his God, and whomever God would send he would sustain and uphold and pray for and embrace." (Ensign, May 1983, 29)

Our stake is changing boundaries again to accommodate more growth and another division just occurred. I am leaving a ward I love to become a part of a new ward. Although I am surprised and a bit sad, I know that a prophet knows of this change and prays for me and all of us.