To Appreciate Their Efforts

Tomorrow is the beginning of another General Conference weekend. (if you're not sure what that is, click here for more info) I'm so excited this year to listen for a new little insight that I've discovered the past six months.

Every day to keep up my Spanish I read a little bit of the Spanish Liahona- a magazine published by the LDS church. The Liahona includes articles for children, teens and adults. Just like in any language, the children's articles are written in simple words that can be easily read and understood by someone who has only been reading a few years. For me, the kids' articles are a breeze- I often sit down and read a couple stories before I even realize I'm reading Spanish. The articles for teens take slightly more thought, and the articles for adults require my 100% concentration and often the help of a Spanish/English dictionary.

This might sound slightly surprising to you if you've never learned a second language. I know before I joined the bilingual ranks myself, I always assumed that once you were 'fluent' in a language you were just as good at it as you are your first language. I was surprised when my Spanish teacher in the missionary training center admitted one day that he actually hadn't ever learned the Spanish word for door nob. 'How is that possible?' I thought, 'You're fluent.' Boy did I have a LOT of lessons in store for me.

I soon realized that I would never be finished looking up words in the Spanish language. After all, I still have to do that in English! As I became more and more comfortable speaking Spanish I learned that the key to speaking a second language well wasn't necessary knowing every word, but being able to take a thought and figure out how to express it in the limited vocabulary you already had. It's like playing a never ending game of Taboo.

Keeping this in mind, you'll understand my delight when, every time I finish reading an article written by Dieter F Uchtdorf I look up and think to myself- oh yeah, I was just reading Spanish! It's the same response I get when I read the kids' articles.

President Uchtdorf's first language is German but he gives his talks in English, a second language he speaks very well. So well that I'd never imagined his vocabulary to be limited in any way. However, as I read his addresses in Spanish I realized he's playing that second language Taboo game right along with the rest of us. Every single word he uses in his talks is a word I know in Spanish- which says a lot since I have the Spanish reading comprehension of a young kid. Yet with that simple language he shares deep and interesting thoughts that enlighten the minds of the most educated adult. It's a beautiful result that could only be done by someone who had to learn English the hard way.

So this weekend I especially look forward to listening to the addresses given by President Uchtdorf and those speakers who have been working not only to compose a talk for millions to hear, but to translate it into a language that is not their own. Their extra effort and discomfort (I can not imagine speaking to so many people in a second language!) allows us to have intricate truths explained plain and clear. I am so excited to listen and appreciate their efforts a little more this time around.