In 2011, she was at Women's Conference at BYU and heard a talk about heroines from the scriptures. She filed the memory away in case she needed it again. Now she is teaching a Sunday School lesson about Sarah and Isaac and Hagar and Ishmael so she remembered the talk. (Which is impressive to me. I just try to remember where I parked.) She knows I collect the books that contain Women's Conference talks (especially since I can't go lately because of a little thing called Drama Has Taken Over My Life) so she asked me about it.
It's from a talk by S. Michael Wilcox and here's what he said:
The great message of Hagar’s life is that God hears all of us. He hears because we are important to Him. He hears because we are beings of tremendous value. He certainly hears the Sarahs and the Isaacs of the world—the story we might say is the main story, the main generational line that will be followed throughout the Bible—but he also hears the Hagars and the Ishmaels.
...On a broad scale, though religions for centuries have failed to fully comprehend this truth, becoming somewhat exclusive in their understanding, God hears the prayers of the Muslims, the Jews, the Christians—Catholic, Baptist, Mormon. Every year millions of people go to Mecca for the Hajj. They reenact the story of Hagar by running back and forth between two mountains looking for water. This is such a powerful story. God hears because we are important—all of us!I appreciate Olivia bringing it to my attention. She's a good little sister...
I also appreciate the message that I know is true. God cares about us, all of us. We are all His children. He hears our prayers.
I am grateful.
2 comments:
I am so impressed that you found that Women's Conference book so quickly. I knew I could count on you!
I also wish I could go to her class. I think they should video her class so I can watch it later on Sundays. It seems only fair.
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