By Matthew Frizzell, Council of Twelve Apostles

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

The first time I felt drawn to God’s work in the church was my first World Conference. It was 1984. I was ten years old.

There was no way I could have known that the 1984 World Conference would be a watershed event in the life of the church. Section 156 of the Doctrine and Covenants was presented and adopted at that conference. It called for the ordination of women and work to begin on the Temple dedicated to peace in Independence, Missouri.

I remember attending worship morning and night at conference. One evening, Apostle Paul Booth preached the sermon. For a ten-year-old, conference worship was long and formal. But Paul’s sermon spoke to me. Paul was not a tall man, but he spoke with a booming voice. His words came across to me with sincerity and authority. It was among the first times I felt called into God’s mission within the church.

I remember visceral emotions expressed on the conference floor as delegates reacted to the document that would become Section 156. At that time, documents considered for inclusion in the Doctrine and Covenants came the week delegates voted on it. The conference chamber was pregnant with a sense of anticipation and audible reactions as it was read. The debate following was contentious. I remember such contrasting speeches. Some wept with joy over women in the priesthood, while others objected to the consideration of the document. I remember wondering, “What’s the big deal with women being ordained?” I didn’t understand why ordaining women was unacceptable.

Legislative sessions were recessed and reconvened as tension built. But each began with prayer and hymn singing. In a poignant moment of debate in the conference chamber, my dad leaned over to me. After one person spoke for and another against the inspired document, he said that we were able to sustain debate because we sing and pray together. His comment was simple but founded my understanding of spiritual practice. While tradition would eventually divide us, its practices could also hold us together and sustain community. It’s a choice. To date, that conference grounds my thinking on how common consent works in theocratic democracy. Spiritual practices that create community make it work.

Prayer Phrase

“Let us work for the good of all” (Galatians 6:10).

Spiritual Hunger

Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.