BYU-Idaho’s devotional this week featured the recent speech titled, “The Fast Track to Light and Truth,” delivered by Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus who serves as the Second Counselor of the Young Women’s General Presidency for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her address today was centered around the importance of heeding divine messages and recognizing the urgency of the Lord’s work. It also touched upon the importance of fasting and prayer and how it can help individuals draw closer to Christ.
Sister Spannaus opened with a powerful anecdote, recounting a vivid dream in which she saw Jesus Christ on a stone bed, covered in white linen but with his feet exposed. She explained how she believed the symbolism of the dream was the urgency of the Lord’s work and emphasized the importance of readiness and action when it comes to the mission of gathering Zion.
“Our mission is to help prepare the children of God to receive Christ at His Second Coming! We are building a Zion society, and there is an urgency,” Spannaus said. “The enemy wants us to go in slow motion, to be numb or to pay attention to the less important things. But we know that we are playing in the final game and the coach has put in his best players.”
Sister Spannaus also discussed the importance of building a firm foundation in Jesus Christ through faith, love, light and truth. She explored the many ways that Latter-day Saints can receive light and truth, which includes the guidance of their loving Heavenly Father. The main two ways that she focused on most were through the power of fasting and prayer.
“Anyone willing to observe, ponder and ask will receive more light. As we persevere in seeking Christ with real intention, in constantly having Him in our thoughts, and in seeking divine direction, we will receive more light and that light will illuminate our minds to make better choices and decisions. We will find purpose and direction in our lives,” she said.
Joined by her husband, Alin Spannaus, they shared a few stories of the many miracles in their lives where they were able to see God’s hand through their sacrifice. Through hardships such as immigrating to a new country, trying to get into a new school, language barriers and financial troubles, they say the Lord has helped them through it all.
“The Heavens are open, and the Lord wants to communicate with us. He wants to teach us, help us know the truth,” she said in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio. “It’s a balance in our lives. But I want to bear my testimony that I know these things because I try them. I know that this is for everyone, not just for some of us. We need to be agents, we need to be willing to do it. And the Lord, He will help us always.”
Sister Spannaus concluded the devotional by sharing a dream that Elder Melvin J. Ballard had in which he described meeting Jesus Christ and feeling and overwhelming sense of joy and love. She emphasized the power in completely submitting and devoting yourself to God. She invited the audience to embrace the blessings of fasting and sincere prayer, saying that these practices will lead them to greater light, truth and spiritual strength.