Today at church during Relief Society, I felt the Spirit over and over and over. As sisters, we shared in some truly tender moments – loving one another and rejoicing in our sweet sisterhood. It was palpable – the feeling in the room.
Our lesson facilitator in Relief Society today is a deeply faithful and committed member of the church. She is the mother of many children. Every Sunday she and her large family sit on the very first row in the chapel. She and her husband always sit right next to each other, and then their precious children finish off the pew. It warms my heart every Sunday to see them either come in or when I enter, see them faithfully and reverently sitting – ready to worship, learn, and grow. They just inspire me.
All of them – down to the baby who lets me love on her.
But especially the mother.
She guided a beautiful sisterly discussion today. As I was enjoying the feelings of the Holy Ghost and appreciating how He blesses me with his peaceful presence, I remembered these words from Elder Eyring’s last General Conference address.
“If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today,
you may take it as a sweet evidence that the
Atonement is working in your life.”
(Eyring, H., “Our Constant Companion,” General Conference, October 2023)
When he taught that back in October, I was delighted to hear it. That sentence alone was one of my most favorite lines from all of conference. For me, it closed a mighty chasm of wondering. Sometimes for me it has felt very uncertain to know – to really recognize – that the Atonement is, in his words, “working in [my] life.” But what an incredible clue! If we have felt the Holy Ghost today, it is working. This is, indeed, “sweet evidence.” Moreover, it is sugary as honey to the heart and soul.
So today, I had seriously “sweet evidence,” and it made my soul rejoice. To diminish all the miles between me and God, there is Jesus, dear Jesus, and His Atonement. Evidences of its powerful and cleansing application are nothing short of wordless.
Nonetheless, unto all the world I declare – along with Elder Eyring – these words: take it as evidence!