http://lds.org/general-conference/sessions?lang=eng
I can't go into great detail yet because I need more time for that, but I wanted to give what I viewed as highlights of each talk. I hope you will take this next 6 months to ponder each talk individually and ask yourself a few questions:
1. What was the main message of the talk
2. What were the impressions I received about my life while reading/listening to/watching this talk?
3. What actions/committments do I need to take/make to answer the call of this message from my Father in Heaven.
I am by no means perfect at this yet, but as I stated in my last entry, I attempted to really change how I dealt with October's conference. Embarrassingly enough, I would often get to the next conference and barely remember anything from the previous one. That is certainly not the case this time. My life has been richly blessed by my study of these talks and I know yours can be, too.
Disclaimer: I'm taking these bits of each talk from my notes, so they may not be perfect quotes. In future entries, I intend to write in more detail about individual talks using the source material as my guide!
Saturday Morning Session
President Thomas S. Monson:
He spoke about the re-dedication of the Laie, HI temple. He said "extensive renovations" had taken place. I felt strongly that I had been going through extensive renovations recently and that I was approaching the time when I felt I could be "rededicated" to the work of the Lord.
He also said that "Missionary work is the lifeblood of the kingdom". I can testify of that. When you're at church, look around you. How many were born in the church? I would wager less than half. And many that were, have parents who were converted through missionary efforts (and the Spirit, of course!). I will be forever grateful to my Father in Heaven for the family that introduced me to the gospel and taught me (by example) how a faithful Latter-day Saint conducts their life. Thank You to the Cox's (who are on a full-time mission) and to their daughter, Laurianne who invited me to church and was shocked when I said, "yes"! They're my eternal friends. I hope that I can become a better member missionary. I'd be selfish not to share what I have been given!
Elder L. Tom Perry:
He said to "Be thou an example of the believers...in the observance of the Sabbath Day" and said that it "must include worship" I looked up the word worship. Wikipedia and Princeton web say:
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed to one or more deities. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship -- to give, at its simplest, worth to something. Show devotion to a deity or have a feeling of profound love and admiration for.Though we do not bestow worth on our Savior or Father in Heaven, we can give them worth in our lives. We can show how our love and admiration for them demands our devotion.
He said that we should do three things on the sabbath:
1. Keep yourself unspotted from the world
2. Go to the house of the Lord and offer up your sacraments
3. Rest from your labors
The sacrament, he said, give us the opportunity of self investigation or self-inspection. It helps us "rectify our course" on a weekly basis.
One of the last things he said that really packed a punch for me:
The adversary succeeds when we relax our commitment to the Savior. Observing the Sabbath is part of that commitment.Jean A Stevens
She spoke about a ward that was having trouble getting their members to pay tithing. They went to the Primary and asked them to pay it. After a few months they went to the adults and told them that the Primary children had been paying their tithing and would they follow that example?
Except ye be converted and become as a little child:
Full of faith
Receptive to the Spirit
First to love, first to forgive
humble
reverent
BEHOLD YOUR LITTLE ONES. Follow the example of children - this is a key to spiritual growth.
Walter F Gonzales
One line in his talk that really grabbed me -
Lovest thou me? Come, follow me.....Making covenants is an expression of love.Kent F. Richards
He spoke about his work as a surgeon. In order to heal people, he had to surgically inflict pain on them. He made a paralell to this and our lives when Heavenly Father allows trials to come into our lives. We must "allow suffering to bring [us] closer to God....it ministers to our education"
He testified then, that the Savior knows how to succor our pains. He descended below them all. His "ongoing labor" is with each of us, "His greatest work".
I add my testimony to his. I know that the Savior experienced all of our pains, trials, sins. He knows how to make us whole again. He is the "great physician". We must go to him always, but especially when we are in need of healing. There IS a balm in Gilead.
Quentin L. Cook
"Our LDS women are incredible".
[AMEN, BROTHER! :)]
One thing he said that I had never thought of: the Savior is
Husband to the widow and father to the fatherless.This is a beautiful statement. The errand of angels is given to women. We better take that errand and complete it with everything that we are!
Speaking of the errand of angels. I saw a movie with that title. It is about sister missionaries in Austria. It was a beautiful movie. A character in the movie said something wonderful: Remember, you have more than one name on your name tag. Though we don't usually get a name tag, everything we do in the church we do in the name of our Savior. Not only does that make us highly aware of our responsibility, but it makes us aware of the HELP we have in doing this work. He will not leave us comfortless! From Doctrine & Covenants 84:
83 For your aFather, who is in heaven, bknoweth that you have need of all these things.84Therefore, let the morrow take athought for the things of itself.
85Neither take ye thought beforehand awhat ye shall say; but btreasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be cgiven you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.
88And whoso areceiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go bbefore your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my cSpirit shall be in your hearts, and mine dangels round about you, to bear you up.
Henry B Eyring
His talk was about the Church Welfare Program, which is celebrating it's 75th anniversary. I am really excited about the day of service he mentioned. I think it will be a great opportunity to give "kindly service for the Lord". He encouraged us to include children in participating in giving...to "spread joy over generations"
A great quote:
Everyone is happier when they can take care of themselves, then helping others in need.
He said we could do this through living and teaching others provident living. "You cannot give yourself poor - If you give a crust, you will get a loaf"
As this has been a long entry, I will post one session at a time. I am grateful for the opportunity to put these thoughts down (even if no one else reads them).
Thanks! I hope you will enjoy conference again and again!
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