The Story, Part 2

At this year's Women's Conference, each class had two presenters. Presenting with Richard Holzapfel was Melissa Heath, a recent widow and member of BYU faculty. If you judged her by today's fashion standards, she would fail. Her hair was plain and unstyled, her clothing also plain and well-worn. She was plump. Some might call her a bit dowdy.

But you can't tell by looking. She was a woman with knowledge, experience (she works with children, helping their emotional problems with bibliotherapy--books), and an important message for us. If I worried about her being paired with such a powerful, articulate man, I needn't have. As soon as she opened her mouth I knew she would tell me something worth hearing.

Her message centered on the idea that we must be sure of the information we gather for use in our lives, and we must be sure of the source of information or even what we think is inspiration. Satan is a counterfeiter, she reminded us, but the Holy Ghost is a sure guide.

One story concerned her husband and an eye problem he had. He complained of severe, sharp pains that seemed to come from inside the eye. They became unbearable, so, after a week or two, the Heaths went to an ophthalmologist. Before they went, Melissa decided to look online for information on eye ailments. After a lot of looking, she settled on an ailment that seemed to fit the symptoms her husband described. She was excited to have that knowledge.

Armed with her newly gained information--and obviously dying the share it with the doctor--she accompanied her husband to the eye exam. After the dr asked many questions, most of which she answered for her husband, because, as she said, "He doesn't always get the details right," Melissa spoke up and told the dr she had figured out what was troubling her husband's eye. "I'm sure it's (whatever name she said)." The dr whirled around to face her and asked, "Where did you get that information?" She answered, "From the internet."

"And how much did you pay for that information?" asked the dr.
"Nothing," she responded.
"That is exactly what it is worth."

Turns out, Melissa was wrong in her diagnosis. She did not have enough or the right kind of information. And she didn't know its source.

For what it's worth to you.