"Help from both sides of the veil"

In one of his BYU devotionals, Elder Holland tells the story about an 18-year-old from a small town in Southern Utah that left home to travel east to visit his sister. He was taking the train and he had an overnight layover (what do you call a train layover?) in Chicago, and it terrified him. However, Elder Holland relates, when his parents drop him off at the train station, "his humble, plain, sun-scarred father did something no one in this room should ever forget. He said, 'Son, wherever you go in this Church there will always be somebody to stand by you. That’s part of what it means to be a Latter-day Saint.' And then he stuffed into the pocket of his calico shirt the name of a bishop he had taken the time to identify from sources at Church headquarters. If the boy had troubles, or became discouraged and afraid, he was to call the bishop and ask for help."

Well, the boy did have troubles in Chicago and did call the bishop and did get help. And that story has always stuck with me. Wherever I go in the world, if there are Latter-day Saints anywhere nearby, I know that there will be someone to stand by me.

Later in the talk, Elder Holland gave this epic statement: "In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike—and they will—you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham’s seed."

And today I want to talk about help from both sides of the veil.

The auditorium of the Jerusalem Center, where church is held. District Conference filled almost all of those seats, including the 88 BYU students that are here on study abroad and live at the Jerusalem Center. And don't be jealous, but the chapel here has the most beautiful view in the church (although you can't see it in this picture--this overlooks the Old City, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Kidron Valley, etc), with the view out the window of the Galilee branch building (which overlooks the Sea of Galilee) coming in as a close second.

Today we had District Conference in Jerusalem, with members of all three branches in Israel (Tel Aviv, Galilee, and Jerusalem) participating. And I was reminded once again that no matter where you are from or what language you speak or what you are doing in life, there is a place for you in the gospel of Jesus Christ. From the three branches in Israel, we had Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, and English speakers. The program was translated into four languages. Headsets were handed out before the meeting started and local members worked as translators so that everyone could hear the message in a language they understand.

This is help from our side of the veil.

But sometimes translation of the words is not the only thing needed. I believe that the Spirit is necessary to translate what the speaker or the scripture or the song says to what we personally need to take from it.

As we sang the opening song today in District Conference, I had one of those translation moments. I'll admit it straight up: moving to Jerusalem for a year of graduate studies was not the easiest decision in the world to make for so many reasons. Even after coming out here the doubts still occasionally surface. Questions of money, safety, purpose, and ability often hamper my ability to move forward with what God has asked me to do. But today's opening song, just a week after I arrived in Israel, was "How Firm a Foundation."

Each time I have questioned my decision to go to Israel (starting back in 2005), this hymn has come up in sacrament meeting, a BYU devotional, sung as part of our repertoire in Women's Chorus, or as a General Conference hymn. The second verse always hits me the hardest: "In every condition, in sickness, in health, in poverty's vail or abounding in wealth, at home or abroad, on the land or the sea, as thy days may demand so thy succor shall be."

I have found this to be true. According to what our lives demand, God succors and helps us. And often it is through help from our side of the veil.

Let me tell you two stories to illustrate.

When I first got to Jerusalem I didn't have an apartment lined up. I wanted to be able to look at them and meet the roommates before agreeing to anything, which was great. It just left me homeless for a couple of days while I found a place to live. My kind friend (whom I had never before met but had emailed her two days before I arrived. She is Mormon and graduated from BYU, and because we shared these two factors she offered to let me stay at her apartment for as long as I needed) had let me sleep on her floor. This was miracle #1. A week later, when I found an apartment, I needed to find a way to cart my luggage across town. I considered the bus but I wasn't sure if they would be ok with me and 3 suitcases. I thought about a taxi but didn't really want to pay that much money just to cart my suitcases across town.

And then I remembered. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and there are people here who can help me. I emailed my Relief Society president (I don't have a phone yet) and asked her if she knew of someone who could give me and my suitcases a ride to my new apartment. And boom. Within 4 hours I had a ride arranged for the next day.

When my Relief Society president found out that my housing situation is only temporary and I will be looking for another apartment come October 17, she said, Oh, I think the Walkers were looking for someone to housesit and watch their dog in October. And boom. Within 4 hours I had arranged with the Walkers to stay at their house for the three weeks they will be in the US, providing me with housing until November 19.

There are several points to my story. First, my Relief Society president is an absolute angel and so willing to help anyone in need. Second, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all over the world are willing to help and serve when others need a hand (or 20!).

And third, in the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil. And today helped me see those armies of heaven riding at reckless (I love that word) speed to my protection and aid.

Isn't God wonderful?