Rather than play background music at my desk, I often log on to the Mormon Chanel. One of my favorite "on demand" programs is entitled 'Conversations'. These are one hour interviews with Church leaders, authors and news makers. Some of my favorites have been episode 17 with Sister Susan Easton Black and episode 22 with Elder Jeffrey R Holland. But because I am reading President Monson's biography, I recently clicked on episode 28 to listen to an interview with his biographer Heidi Swinton. I enjoyed hearing the challenges of being called to write the biography while she and her husband were knee deep as presidents of a mission in England.
Anyway, the following personal experience she told impressed me as a great life lesson on getting past self doubts and insecurities.
Heidi Swenton- biographer of Pres. Thomas S Monson.
After writing 'American Prophet: the Story of Joseph Smith' the project was done and submitted to PBS. The accompanying book was also completed and was at the printing press. While on a walk one day, she began questioning her script. She did not feel at ease or at peace about it and became overly concerned she had not done the prophet Joseph justice. She became so torn and overwhelmed with the feeling of inadequacy that she began to weep. She prayed vocally, saying out loud to the Lord that although she had done her best it was too hard and she feared her best wasn’t good enough.
It was then that she remembered an experience of the prophet Joseph’s. In Nauvoo when he started to build the temple he stood before the people and told them they needed the temple before anything else. It was the culmination of his mission and the restoration. He saw it as maybe the last piece of his ministry. He wanted to give the members the endowment to make up for all of his followers trials and hardship. However when the temple rose above the Mississippi, its construction was moving far too slowly for the prophet. He was torn with the inability to complete this task in the manner he had expected but he was out of time.
It was then that she remembered an experience of the prophet Joseph’s. In Nauvoo when he started to build the temple he stood before the people and told them they needed the temple before anything else. It was the culmination of his mission and the restoration. He saw it as maybe the last piece of his ministry. He wanted to give the members the endowment to make up for all of his followers trials and hardship. However when the temple rose above the Mississippi, its construction was moving far too slowly for the prophet. He was torn with the inability to complete this task in the manner he had expected but he was out of time.
So he calls nine men, takes them to the redbrick store and up on the second floor reveals the endowment. Not where he wanted to, not in the manner nor place he had intended but he did it anyway. He never officiated in the Nauvoo temple, in fact he never had the chance to walk the halls of the finished temple. It wasn’t the way he wanted it, but he took what the Lord had given him and it worked.
Then Sister Swenton received the following impression, “Heidi, Joseph Smith had to give the temple endowment for the first time on the second floor of a red brick store. It wasn’t how he wanted it, but it worked.” The clouds lifted and she realized that although not perfect, her efforts would do.
Then Sister Swenton received the following impression, “Heidi, Joseph Smith had to give the temple endowment for the first time on the second floor of a red brick store. It wasn’t how he wanted it, but it worked.” The clouds lifted and she realized that although not perfect, her efforts would do.
Here is a link to the entire interview:
http://mormonchannel.org/programs/conversations-episode-28?lang=eng
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