There's something about children — perhaps the innocence; perhaps the faith — that seems to make them inherently more willing to "submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit." (See Mosiah 3:19).

More often than not, those who instruct children learn more than they teach.

For Sister Schmidt, the lesson taught by 6-year-old Jaime was about following the prophet.

Climbing on Sister Schmidt's lap and looking up at her face, Jaime asked, matter-of-factly, "Sister Schmidt, do you have the same prophet that I have?"

Experience had taught Sister Schmidt to not be surprised by a child's inquiry.

But this one, somehow, seemed a little more unusual than normal.

"Why, yes, of course we have the same prophet," Sister Schmidt reassured her young charge. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," Jaime responded, "why do you have two earrings?"

Wow.

In a nanosecond, Sister Schmidt knew of what Jaime asked. President Gordon B. Hinckley had taught about such adornment.

"A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body. Likewise the piercing of the body for multiple rings in the ears, in the nose, even in the tongue. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have declared that we discourage tattoos and also the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes.' We do not, however, take any position on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings — one pair." (October 2000 General Confernce, Priesthood session)

Much more than a nanosecond would be needed for Sister Schmidt to figure out how to reply to Jaime. The problem: there was no good reply.

But there was a good course of action.

Sister Schmidt would follow the prophet's counsel.

Just a few days ago, the world at large — and especially Latter-day Saints — received inspired counsel, advice and direction from the Lord's apostles and prophets.

That the Lord's prophets should convey the Lord's word to His people, is, of course, central to the Lord's practice. Over time, the methods of that conveyance have changed, but the import of the message remains unchanged.

That the Lord would so often — and with such clarity, specificity, timeliness and direct application to our needs — convey His word is, perhaps, the greatest blessing of our dispensation.

When President Hinckley stood at the Conference Center pulpit, he knew that, with the benefit of modern technology, his counsel would literally "be carried across the world, and. . . be heard and seen by Latter-day Saints on every continent."

But the power of the word lies not in how the message is disseminated, but in how the message is received.

It must be received in the heart.

". . . what matters most, is what may have occurred within each of us as a result of our experience. I, for one, have made a stronger resolution within myself to be a better person than I have been in the past. I hope that I will be a little kinder to any I meet who may be in distress. I hope that I will be a little more helpful to those who are in need. I hope that I will be a little more worthy of your confidence. I hope that I will be a better husband, a better father and grandfather. I hope that I will be a better neighbor and friend. I hope that I will be a better Latter-day Saint with an increased understanding of the wonderful aspects of this glorious gospel.

"I challenge every one of you who can hear me to rise to the divinity within you."

As a mere 6-year-old she probably didn't fully realize it, but Jaime evidently received earlier counsel from the prophet into her heart — and thereby committed, as President Hinckley now asks, to be a better person.

Nothing is stopping us from the same commitment. With simple faith and increased effort, we can take the next step and accept President Hinckley's challenge "to rise to the divinity with [us]."