'I am grateful to the amateur lay leaders throughout my life who, with lots of love and concern, helped to mold and shape me,' writes V. Trent Jackson of Kanab.
The sun rises on the temple of the LDS Church on the first day of General Conference in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.in her fear of the concept of lay religious leaders. The entrenched religious leaders in Jerusalem at the time of Christ expressed similar sentiments as they watched amateurs like Jesus, Peter, James and others like them revolutionize the world.
God has never had to rely on the learned and wise of the world to do his work. Throughout human history He has called upon amateurs like the carpenter’s son, Peter the fisherman, Mohammed the shepherd, Joseph Smith the farmer, and Harriet Tubman the slave to accomplish his will. I am grateful to the amateur lay leaders throughout my life who, with lots of love and concern, helped to mold and shape me. Their genuine love towards me and my family and their sincere desire to serve God meant more to me than any theology degree hanging on their office wall ever could have.