The Light of the World Can Not Be Hid, But the World's Lights Have No Such Promise

Chapter One
1. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from President Jones that all the auxiliaries should be trained.
2. And all auxiliary presidencies went to be trained, each into their own corner of the stake center.
3. But on the day before the training, the stake Relief Society Presidency arose and went up from their homes unto the stake center to prepare for the training which was to come.

4. And they did bring with them their lap tops, and their LCD projectors, and their CD players and their lighthouse nightlights.
5. Yea, many corded things did they bring that did require much electricity.
6. And after the many corded things were set up and plugged in, the Relief Society presidency did look around and behold their preparations and did declare them to be good.
7. And the presidency did leave the stake center, and all of their preparations, and did return unto their own homes.
8. And they did sleep well, firm in the knowledge that their preparations would be found acceptable on the morrow.
Chapter Two
1. Then, when the time of the training meeting was soon to be accomplished, did Mindy prepare to return to the stake center to help Sister Woodhouse with the final training preparations.
2. Yea, the previous evening’s preparations not-with-standing, there was still much to prepare.
3. But as Mindy was yet preparing to depart unto the stake center, her lights did cease to light, and flat iron did cease to iron. Even every electronic device did cease to function within Mindy’s house.
4. But Mindy did not panic. Instead, Mindy did leave her apartment and did travel to the stake center.
5. And as she drove, Mindy did say unto herself, “I will go and make my preparations for the meeting, for I know that the stake center shall have power, it being nearly six blocks hence.”
6. But when she did arrive at the stake center, she did see that it was dark. And she did exclaim unto herself, “Uh oh.”
7. Then did Mindy venture into the darkened stake center. And great was the darkness thereof.
8. And she did hear Sister Woodhouse calling out, for behold Sister Woodhouse had been in the gym when the darkness had descended. And it did take much time, yea even a great many minutes, for Sister Woodhouse to find her way out of the darkened gym and into the darkened hallways.
9. And Mindy and Sister Woodhouse did enter the almost-prepared Relief Society room. And they did sit near the window in the waning evening light and they did ponder the meaning of these things.

Chapter 3
1. And then Jolene and Sue did arrive, yea and the other stake auxiliary presidencies also came forth to attend the training.
2. And some of the presidencies were wise, and some were foolish.
3. They that were wise brought with them lanterns and flashlights and handouts... none of which required power.
4. But they that were not so wise took no flashlights with them, but instead they did bring powerpoints and LCD projectors. Yea, even CD players did they bring.
5. And at 6:30 p.m. there was a cry made, Behold, the Stake President cometh!
6. Then all those auxiliary presidencies rose to come out to meet him and to hear his counsel regarding the darkness and general lack of power that had befallen them.
7. And the wise presidencies turned on their lanterns and their flashlights. And Mindy said unto them, "Give me one of your flashlights, for I have none."
8. But the other presidencies answered saying, “Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you.”

9. And Mindy did ponder these things in her heart.

Chapter 4
1. And so all of the stake auxiliary presidencies, those with flashlights and those without, did rush out to meet the Stake President.
2. And they did cry unto him, “Behold the darkness!” And the Stake President did behold the darkness, but the darkness troubled him not.
3. For thus sayeth the Stake President, “Fear not, for the power shall return in due time, and if it doth not return the training will continue. For behold, did Moses need power to train the Israelite Relief Society? Did Alma, yea even Alma the Younger, require power to train the Nephite Young Women’s leaders? Did the pioneers need power to train the Primary Presidencies?
4. “I say unto you nay, nay, and nay. They did not need the power of man to accomplish the work of the Church. So shall we go forth as those stake leaders, for behold, the Power of the Spirit shall be with us.”
5. And so the Young Women presidency and the Primary presidency, and even the stake presidency did all prepare to teach by flashlight light.
6. But the Stake Relief Society sisters did remain troubled. For behold, their entire training presentation did hinge upon the use of power.

7. And so the minutes to the meeting did steadily depart and the ward auxiliary presidencies did steadily arrive.
8. And among those arriving was Sister Rasmussen, even the 1st Ward Relief Society president, and she did proclaim to Jolene, and to Sue, and to Mindy that Brother Rasmussen’s funeral home did yet have power.
9. Yeah, and she did invite the Relief Society to move their training into the funeral home.
10. But President Jones heard these things and shook his head. And he did say again, “Have I not told thee to cease from worry? Have faith. For behold, the power shall return again at 6:55, and even if it should not, ye shall train here, for the refreshments ye have prepared are here. And neither I nor the refreshments shall move.Therefore, take three deep breaths and prepare to train whether in darkness or in light.”
11. And the Relief Society Sisters did take deep breaths, and they did exercise their faith, yea, even to the procuring and plugging in of additional extension cords. But this is not all.
12. For they did also begin to arrange for a generator to be brought to the front of the stake center, that power cords might be brought through the window and into the Relief Society room.
13. For behold, there is power in faith, but there is also power in generators.
14. And then did the Relief Society Presidency, even Jolene and Sue, and Mindy, and their beloved Sister Woodhouse, they did enter into the darkened chapel.
15. And as President Jones did rise to adjust various flash lights upon the pulpit, the battery operated chapel clock did strike 6:55. And as the clock did strike 6:55, the power did return unto the stake center.
16. And as the power did return, the Stake President, even President Jones did turn to the auxiliary presidencies who were seated behind him on the stand. And he did smile at them as if to say, “Did I not tell you that it would be thus?” Chapter 5
1. And so the training of the auxiliary presidencies did commence, and there was much rejoicing. And after the Stake Presidents opening words, the Relief Society presidencies did gather together and did surround themselves with lights and with lap tops and with every kind of electric presentation technology available.

2. And as Mindy did sit at the lap top, surrounded by power cords that were indeed full of power, she did gaze upon the many light houses that adored the displays and the handouts and the invitations and the powerpoints. And she did think upon the theme that Sister Hobson had chosen for the meeting, “Let the Lower Lights be Burning.”
3. And Mindy did take a moment to enjoy the irony of the darkened training that had been centered upon lighting way for others, for great was the irony therein.
4. And Mindy did say unto herself, “Behold, there needs must be an important lesson to be learned from this, even a metaphor or analogy that will be of worth to us in days and years to come.
5. “And if not, at least it shall make for an entertaining blog post.”