President Henry B. Eyring: Sunday Morning Session, October 2009

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“The message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can and must expect to become better as long as we live. Considering the attributes of Jesus Christ should quash the pride of the self-satisfied person who thinks he or she has no need to improve. And even the most humble person can take hope in the invitation to become like the Savior.”

“We believe that through living the gospel of Jesus Christ we can become like the Savior, who is perfect.”

“Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him.”

_____

“The greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is. And the sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love.”

Choices that would allow families to be together forever:

1. Husbands and wives: “Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion’s joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion.”
2. Parents of a wandering child: “The Savior is the perfect example of persisting in love. Elder Orson F. Whitney taught, ‘Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Then he goes on to say: “Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.’”
3. Children: Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. –Mosiah 13:20. “It is the only one of the Ten Commandments with a promise. You may not have parents that are living. In some cases, you may not feel that your parents are worthy of the honor and respect of their children. You may not even have ever known them. But you owe them life. And in every case, even if your life is not lengthened, its quality will be improved simply by remembering your parents with honor.”

The Lord clearly values what you will find in that history book and in a text on political theory. Remember His words. He wants you to know “things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations” (D&C 88:79). And He favors not only Spanish verbs but the study of geography and demography. You remember that His educational charter requires that we have “a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms” (D&C 88:79). There is also an endorsement for questions we study in the sciences. It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it.

If we will keep spiritual learning in its proper place, we will have to make some hard choices of how we use our time. But there should never be a conscious choice to let the spiritual become secondary as a pattern in our lives. Never. That will lead to tragedy. The tragedy may not be obvious at first, nor may it ever be clear in mortal life. But remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly with spiritual sight, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision.

Henry B. Eyring, “Education for Real Life,” Ensign, October 2002, 14

To read the entire article, click here…

Shared this on Facebook too, but just had to put it on my blog. It reminds me not to procrastinate what’s important. It also reminds me about what we choose, and what I need to choose more often.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 1 – M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

• Priesthood is the divine power that seals
• How to Talk between Father and Son:
• Most Nurturing
• Who Sons and Fathers Become
• Applies to All Mentors
• 3 Suggestions for the Son:
  • 1. Trust Your Father:
    • Not Perfect, but loves you and is looking out for your best interests.
    • Your Father will feel responsibility and will make him work harder.
  • 2. Take an interest in your father’s life.
    • Interests
    • Goals
    • Job
    • How he met your mother?
    • Watch your father, you’ll understand your father better.
  • 3. Ask for your father’s advice:
    • Ask on Church, Classes, School, Assignments, Missions, Callings.
    • Asking says to him: “I appreciate your knowledge and experience.”
• 3 Suggestions for the Father:
  • 1. Listen to your sons. Ask the right questions and what to know.
    • Connect with your son: Driving, Fishing, Conversations before bed, working in the yard.
    • Have one deep conversation with your son at least once a month.
    • Where and when is not important. Just that it happens.
    • Ask how they “feel”
    • Just listen. You don’t have to fix everything.
  • 2. Pray with and for your sons.
    • Important events: New School Year, Birthday, One and One Prayer, Testimony Sharing.
    • Never give up. Even when you can’t do anything.
  • 3. Talk about and warn about bad things: Drugs, Pornography. Discuss the priesthood and moral cleanliness.
• Trust will flourish. Be open about Sexual Behavior with open and frequent discussions. Be positive about sexual relations in the bounds of marriage.
• Return Missionaries – All this advice applies to them as well.
• Pray to Heavenly Father. Honor your Earthy Father.
• Most important decision is to marry the right girl in the temple.
• Fathers of return missionaries, this applies to them too.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 2 – Walter F. Gonzalez, of the Seventy

• USE the Book of Mormon
• Take the Book of Mormon Test: Is it of man or of God?
• 3 Activities to best read and apply:

1. 1. Feast Upon the Words of Christ. READ IT.
   2. Implement the Teachings
   3. Teach From the Book of Mormon

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 3 – Yoon Hwan Choi, of the Seventy

• Story of 9 Rowdy Boys, Baptized and went on missions.
• They went from 9 Boys to a family of 45 members.
• The boys sang in a group.
• Choi prayed about them and was inspired to teach them to be missionaries.
• “Attend all church meetings” – Taft
• Teach them to change their lives
• Adam did not always have to know why, he just obeyed.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 4 – President Deter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor, First Presidency

• Must remain steadfast in faith.
• Work Hard.
• Trust in God.
• Uchtdorf was teased as a young child. When he looks back, he sees that being teased gave him personal growth.
• Adversity, when faced with faith, can be overcome.
• Prinicples:
  • 1. WORK.
    • If you keep at it, steady and constant, things will improve.
    • In the sweat of thy face, thou shalt eat bread.
    • Lord doesn’t expect us to work harder than we are able. Don’t compare your performance to others, he does not.
    • When your wagon is stuck in the mude, God is more likely to help one who gets out to push, than those who pray.
    • Righteous work in the home is sacred and has eternal results. It cannot be delegated.
    • Spend your days growing.
    • Spiritual Wings – as sons of God, we should grow to the horizons.
    • Retirement is not part of God’s plan. You should always be doing something.
    • Excuses with age: Skateboarding, biking, spicy food at the buffet… should not keep you from working.
    • No retirement from priesthood.
    • Wanting to retire from work is not a thought of a disciple.
  • 2. LEARN.
    • Old saying: “Education is not so much a filling of a bucket as a lighting of a fire.”
    • Learning is a commandment.
    • Joseph Smith said as a mortal part of our journey that knowledge in this life crosses into the resurrection.
    • Knowledge takes away anxiety, doubt and darkness.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 5 – President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor, First Presidency

• Keeps olive oil on him at all times.
• Keeps it in his desk (He has a desk!)
• Keeps it on his nightstand.
• The olive oil has a date on it: The day it has been concecrated.
• Always ready.
• Story: A father called him about his three year old daughter. She had been hit by a car. He plead for a priesthood blessing. He had to fight the doctors to place a drop of oil on her head amidst bandages. Doctors said she was dying. They were wrong. She lived and also learned to walk again.
• Those prepared are ready to answer.
• Preparation begins at home, quorums, etc.
• Steady Obedient Service.
• Need:
  • To have faith, authority to act in the name of God.
  • Nephi – Given the authority to do miracles. He brought drought/rain, god gave him power and trust.
  • D&C 121 – Moves are pure, Gentleness, Love, Not Selfish. D&C 121 contains a promise in there.
  • Prepare for days when heaven needs you. Service & Opportunity.

Saturday Session 3 (Priesthood), Talk 6 – President Thomas S. Monson, President and Prophet

• Anger
• Story of a couple fighting and a child who got hurt as a direct result.
• Anger doesn’t solve anything.
• Destroys everything.
• Heber grant story about work.
• “Man is a fool who takes insult that is not intended”
• Anger is Satans tool.
• Story about Brother Marsh, how a result of a quarrel over milk and cream lead to the extermination order.
• Story about two brothers who shared a 1 room cabin in New York. They got into a fight and drew a line down the center of the room. They did not speak or cross the line for 62 years. This story was told at a funeral.
• Reads “School Thy Feelings Poem”

Sunday Session 4, Talk 1 – President Henry B. Eyring, 1st Counselor of the First Presidency

My Notes:

• Become Better than you are now
• Do not feel like you are good enough.
• Do not give up trying to be better.
• The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we CAN and we must expect to become better as long as we live.
• We believe that through living the Gospel, we can become like the saviour who is perfect.
• “I’m trying to be like Jesus” Primary Song
• Family is the testing ground for learning Love
• Love is putting others above ourselves.
• Sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love.
• The idea God holds for us is to form families in a way that is most likely to lead to happiness and away from sorry.
• A man and a woman are to make sacred covenants that they will put the welfare and happiness of the other at the center of their lives.
• Children are to be born into a family where parents hold the needs of the children equal to their own in importance.
• Children are to love parents and each other.
• That is the idea of a loving family.
• Choices to qualify that there will be no empty chairs in our families in the world to come:

1. 1. Pray for the love that allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes the weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companions joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften your sorrows of your companion.
   2. Council to the parents of a wandering child. The savior is the perfect example of persisting in love. Story of Jesus re-inviting the Nephites to come to him. Story of the Prodigal Son gives us hope.

      Elder Orson F. Whitney, General Conference in 1929, to the faithful parents that honor temple sealings to their children:

      “Though some of the sheep may wonder, the eye of the Shepard is upon them and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of divine providence reach out after them and drawing them back to the fold…Pray for your careless and disobedient children, hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on ’till you see the salvation of God. You can pray for your children. Love them. Reach out to them with confidence that Jesus reaches for them with you. When you keep trying, you are doing what Jesus does.”

   3. Council to the children. Lord gave you a commandment with a promise. The only commandment with a promise… Honor thy Father and Mother.

• “Try to show kindness in all that you do. Be gentle and loving in deed and thought.”

“The question that really matters is this: “How can I learn to sense even the beginning of sin and so repent early?”

“It is not true that the behavior of others removes our responsibility for our own.”

“The very faith we need to repent is weakened by delay. The choice to continue in sin diminishes our faith and lessens our right to claim the Holy Ghost as our companion and comforter.”

I really love Pres Eyring’s talks.  And I am forced again to say how much I regret not paying enough attention when I was younger, oh how much did I miss?

The last quote I clipped because it makes sense that faith is something we have in degrees.  I am reminded of the statement made by Jesus to His disciples, “if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed…”  Implying that faith is of a different size and that faith can grow.

Oftimes I think we are hard on ourselves.  I think that if we can start with the fact that we have faith, even if it is a teeny, tiny bit of faith, then we have something to build on.

After all, if we attend church, we probably have faith.  If we read our scriptures, we probably have some faith.

I think everyone has some faith!

Why are you happy now?

see more MormonMessages: youtube.com/user/MormonMessages

Another excellent video from MormonMessages, the official LDS YouTube Channel.

We had another great General Conference! Some of the dominant themes were faith and endurance amidst trials, temple worship, and unselfish service. Here are some highlights, with some of my own thoughts (and at least one soap box.)

Saturday Morning:

• Elder Hales gave excellent advice about budgeting. We need to say more often, either “We can’t afford it, even though we want it,” or “We can afford it, but we really don’t need it.” I liked the example he gave about wanting to give his wife a nice coat for their anniversary but she didn’t like the idea. “Where would I wear it?” she asked, concerned for what it would mean to some poorer sisters in the ward. I think that there might be some good that comes from the recent economic crisis, in that it may shake us out of our sense of entitlement and our feeling like we need everything under the sun.
• Elder Eyring spoke about handling adversity. “We must be transformed through making righteous choices where that is hard to do.”

Saturday Afternoon:

• Elder Ballard talked about learning from the past mistakes of others, particularly the pride that comes from forgetting God. “Some of life’s most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you,” he said. I like this approach because I think that one of the major reasons for the recent economic crisis is because we as a people are disconnected from the wisdom of those who have gone before. We don’t want to listen to our parents and grandparents who would tell us that money doesn’t grow on trees.
• Elder Cook gave a very interesting talk. I don’t remember now everything he talked about, but I appreciated his remarks on the Latter-day Saint view of salvation and how it compares with the other Christian notions of the day in which the majority of the world would be consigned to eternal hell-fire. I wonder how much we as a church do not emphasize enough the near-universal salvation in our theology. I think we too often see anything but the Celestial Kingdom as hell, which is not scriptural and I think is rooted perhaps in an unrighteous desire to continue to have a heaven/hell dichotomy. Although we should definitely strive at eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom, let us not let this keep us from rejoicing at the power and mercy of Jesus Christ, who redeems all the work of His hands! This is good news!
• Elder Scott gave a nice talk on temple worship. He counseled us to understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our relationship to Christ, and Christ’s relationship to the Father. I like what he said about removing your watch in the temple. I’ve been thinking lately about how the temple is a sacred space that operates by “higher time,” so to speak. When we worship in the temple, we transcend this world and enter into a higher realm. In doing so, we leave behind trivial cares of the world.

Priesthood Session

• I was struck by Bishop Edgley’s talk. He talked about the need for quorums, especially in the months and years ahead, to do more in terms of helping unemployed members. He said that probably every quorum in the Church, regardless of professional experience, likely has the experience, skills, and insights that are necessary in this regard. (I was reminded that I should tell my bishop about my resume writing skills.)
• President Uchtdorf joked about how he was looking for a story to tell, and he thought of farming stories, stories about animals, nuclear physics stories (in honor of Elder Scott), and pigeon stories (in honor of President Hinckley), but the story he ended up with is — you guessed it — aviation. He talked about an airplane that crashed at night in the Florida Everglades as a result of the pilots’ preoccupation with a warning light that didn’t turn on — when the only problem, it turned out, was that the bulb was burned out. He used this story to warn us against distractions, counseling us to be more like Nehemiah: “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down [to engage in petty matters].” What could be accomplished if we were all like Nehemiah? President Uchtdorf asked. I’ve thought about this lately in terms of the Internet. Lately I have spent much less time on the Internet and I am very grateful. I am worried about many of my friends. Internet addiction is a real problem, people! Perhaps some people even reading this post should be doing more important things. If this is you, then stop reading now. Get on with your life. Do you really need to check your email as many times as you do? Do you really need to update your Facebook status 12 times a day? Surely there are better things to do! Is it possible that Internet distractions keep the still, small voice from penetrating into our hearts? (I really don’t mean to offend here — but this is something that I personally have struggled with, and am recuperating from, and I hate to see others get sucked into mindless Internet addiction. Soap box over.)

Sunday Morning:

• I just really like President Uchtdorf’s talks. I especially like when he moves from a quiet to a really loud voice, especially considering his accent. In this talk he spoke of the problem with “spectator discipleship.” It’s one thing to know the gospel in theory, it’s quite another to practice it. An important reminder for people like me.
• I don’t remember much from the talk of newly-called apostle Elder Neil Andersen. I will say though that I like Elder Andersen a lot. I appreciated it when he visited my mission several years ago, and I also really liked the devotional he gave at BYU a few years back. He spoke of the problems with liberal individualism (a problem that many Church members buy into).
• Elder Holland gave a wonderful talk on the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. I won’t do it justice with any commentary.
• President Monson counseled not to focus on the problems of the world, but on the blessings of the gospel. He reminded us of past Saints who have faced tremendous challenges and who have prevailed in Christ. As usual, nice stories. The closing hymn of this session was fitting: “When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us and threaten our peace to destroy, there is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh.”

Sunday Afternoon

• What an awesome talk by Elder Oaks! He spoke of selfless service, especially through temple service and raising children. He spoke of temple work having no other motive than love and service for our fellow men, both living and dead. He also said that the gap between those who are willing to have children and those who are not is widening. I think this is very scary, for reasons beyond the need for spirits to come to earth. When married people are able but not willing to have children, they voluntarily cut themselves off from the “circle of life,” so to speak. By being disconnected in this way, people lose the lessons of the past (hearkening back to Elder Hales’ and Elder Ballard’s talks). Elder Oaks said further that we cannot walk, talk, or do as other men, in terms of “every trendy action.” (Perhaps this is an interesting way to talk about our not drinking coffee.) He castigated the “me generation”–our generation with its sense of entitlement, its consumerism, its “something for nothing” mentality. Finally, he talked about our need to have more selfless attitudes in regard to our church attendance. We should stop thinking about what “I” should get out of Church, and to think rather in terms of how we can serve.
• I really like Elder Bednar’s talks, and this talk on temple worship was no exception. Bednar says that we take upon ourselves the name of Christ in a more full and complete way when we make covenants in the temple. There is a difference between those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple, versus those who do not or those who go haphazardly and hurriedly.
• Elder Gary E. Stevenson’s talk went along nicely with Elder Bednar’s. He spoke of the “righteous unity between the temple and the home.”
• President Monson closed the conference with a warning against adversity (especially through the Internet and pornography) and requested that we remember him and all the general authorities in our prayers.

First, receiving the Holy Ghost takes faith in our Heavenly Father and in His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. A memory of a great spiritual experience some time ago, where you had confirmed to you that truth, won’t be sufficient. You will need to be sure of your faith in the moment of crisis, which may come at any time day or night, when you plead for the influence of the Spirit. You must then be unshaken in your confidence that God lives, that He hears your cry for help, and that the resurrected Savior will do for you what He promised to do for His servants in His mortal ministry.

The brothers Nephi and Lehi received many revelations daily. The record shows that they knew concerning the true points of doctrine. Of all the true doctrine, nothing is more important to you and me than the true nature of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. For that I return again and again to the scriptures. For that I return again and again to prayer. For that I return again and again to partaking of the sacrament. And, above all, I come to know God and Jesus Christ best by keeping the commandments and serving in the Church. By diligent service in the Church we come not only to know the character of God but to love Him. If we follow His commands, our faith in Him will grow and we may then qualify to have His Spirit to be with us.

I received a phone call from a distraught mother in a state far away from where I was. She told me that her unmarried daughter had moved to another city far from her home. She sensed from the little contact she had with her daughter that something was terribly wrong. The mother feared for the moral safety of her daughter. She pleaded with me to help her daughter.
I found out who the daughter’s home teacher was. I called him. He was young. And yet he and his companion both had been awakened in the night with not only concern for the girl but with inspiration that she was about to make choices that would bring sadness and misery. With only the inspiration of the Spirit, they went to see her. She did not at first want to tell them anything about her situation. They pleaded with her to repent and to choose to follow the path that the Lord had set out for her and that her mother and father had taught her to follow. She realized as she listened that the only way they could have known what they knew about her life was from God. A mother’s prayer had gone to Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost had been sent to home teachers with an errand.

More than once I have heard priesthood leaders say that they had been inspired to go to someone in need, only to find the visiting teacher or the home teacher had already been there. My wife, who is here with me tonight, is an example. We had a bishop once who said to me, “You know, it bothers me—when I get an inspiration to go to someone, your wife has already been there.”

The first requirement was faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in our Heavenly Father. A second requirement for frequent companionship and direction from the Holy Ghost is to be clean. The Spirit must withdraw from those who are not clean.
The Savior is the one who has been given the right to grant that forgiveness and to give that assurance. I have learned that the Lord gives that assurance at the time He chooses, and He does it in His own way. And I have learned to ask for it in prayer. One way He grants that assurance is through the Holy Ghost. If you have difficulty in feeling the Holy Ghost, you might wisely ponder whether there is anything for which you need to repent and receive forgiveness.

God is offended when we seek the gifts of the Spirit for our own purposes rather than for His. Our selfish motives may not be obvious to us. But few of us would be so blind as the man who sought to purchase the right to the gifts of the Spirit. You remember the sad story of a man named Simon and of Peter’s rebuke:

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. [Acts 8:18–24]

Apparently Simon recognized his own corrupt motives. It may not be so easy for each of us. We almost always have more than one motive at a time. And some may be mixtures of what God wants as well as what we want. It is not easy to pull them apart.

For instance, consider yourself on the eve of a school examination or an interview for a new job. You know that the direction of the Holy Ghost could be of great help. I know from my own experience, for example, that the Holy Ghost knows some of the mathematical equations used to solve problems in thermodynamics, a branch of the sciences. I was a struggling physics student studying in a book that I still own. I keep it for historical and spiritual reasons. Halfway down a page (I could even show you where it is on the page), in the middle of some mathematics, I had a clear confirmation that what I was reading was true. It was exactly the feeling I had had come to me before as I pondered the Lord’s scriptures and that I have had many times since. So I knew that the Holy Ghost understood whatever was true in what I might be asked on an examination in thermodynamics.

He surely will have purposes for your hearing me speak tonight. He knows you. I might have a desire to entertain or impress you. But I have tried to suppress my desire and surrender to His.

I saw a man do that once. It changed my life. A member of the General Authorities came to speak to a conference where I was sitting on the stand. I was in the local priesthood presidency. I knew personally the struggles of the local families and the members. He, the General Authority, had just flown in from a long assignment in Europe. He was obviously tired. He stood to speak in the meeting. It seemed to me that he rambled from one subject to another. At first I felt sorry for him. I thought he was failing to give a polished sermon of the kind I knew he had delivered many times.
After a while I was thrilled to recognize that as he moved from one apparently unrelated topic to another, he was touching the need of every poor struggling member and family we were trying to help. He did not know them and their needs. But God did.
How grateful I am that his motive was not to give a great sermon or to be seen as a powerful prophet. He must have done what I hope you and I will always do. He must have prayed something like this: “Father, I need Thy help. I am tired. Please guide me with the Holy Ghost. Bless these people. I love them. I ask only that I can do Thy will to help them.”
The Holy Ghost came that night. And the Lord’s will was done. The General Authority had spent a lifetime feeding himself and others on the good word of God. He had served the Master faithfully. He was a special witness of Jesus Christ because he had paid the price to be one. All of that came from keeping his motives as closely tied as he could to what the Lord wanted. That made it possible for the Lord to send the whisperings of the Holy Ghost to His servant and so bless the people.

Henry B. Eyring, (September 10, 2006) Gifts of the Spirit for Hard Times

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1622

I thought I’d take a minute and discuss what I consider to be the highlights of this weekend’s semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Saturday Morning

1. President Monson’s announcement of 5 new temples was exciting, especially considering the locations of three of them: Rome, Philadelphia, and the greater Kansas City area. Each of these temple sites connects in a meaningful way with the Restored Gospel. In Rome, the symbol of the Restored Gospel will be built amid the architecture of the Roman Empire; this great city has seen the onset of the Great Apostasy and the creation of the Roman Catholic Church. A temple in Philadelphia (exciting for me because I served my mission there) richly symbolizes the relationship between the birth of the United States and the birth of the Restoration. And a temple in the greater Kansas City area marks an important return to the Independence Missouri area, where persecution and sin kept the early Saints from building on their three dedicated temple sites (Independence, Far West, and Adam-Ondi-Ahman). Not to mention the important events that are to occur in this area prior to the Second Coming.

2. I appreciated Elder Perry’s talk about living a simplified lifestyle, in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau’s retreat from the world to live a simplified life in the woods. Perry’s talk caused me to reflect on how we live such busy and complicated lives that we fail to live in the here and now, connected with all that is around us. We fail to see that there are “tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything” (Shakespeare, As You Like It). After hearing this talk, I reflected on Wendell Berry’s words: “If you want to see where you are, you will have to get out of your spaceship, out of your car, off your horse, and walk over the ground. On foot you will find that the earth is satisfyingly large and full of beguiling nooks and crannies” (“Out of Your Car, Off Your Horse”). (See my post on why more of us should walk to Church.)

3. Elder Oaks’ talk was a conscience-pricker. He counseled members to be at sacrament meeting well before the meeting begins and to avoid conversing with others or transmitting messages. The Brethren have said this time and time again, however, and it seems to fall on deaf ears. Imagine how much better of a people we would be if our hearts were such that we actually followed Elder Oaks’ counsel!

4. Elder Uchtdorf gave a masterful and heart-warming talk about “the infinite power of hope.” I especially liked the way he connected hope with faith and charity. The things we hope for – beyond the horizon of mortality — requires faith. And the things we hope in – which sustain us in our daily walk — requires charity.

Saturday Afternoon

I thought this entire session was wonderful. I’ll focus on just a few talks, but I was moved by all of them.

1. I was intrigued by Elder Gerald Klause’s talk, and not just because of the French accent. We need more talks like this. I don’t think we truly contemplate enough, in regards to our intellectual endeavors, the significance of the things which are kept from the wise and prudent and are revealed unto babes. I also appreciated Klause’s remarks about teaching. Good teaching is not communicating a bunch of facts; the mark of a good lesson is “the conversion of hearts,” and the motivation of students to put into practice what they have learned.

2. Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge’s talk was another message that we need to hear more of. “Life is hard, the gospel is easy.” Isn’t it interesting that so many of us have itching ears towards false scriptures (“I never said it would be easy. I only said it would be worth it”) and away from the peaceable words of life (“My yoke is easy and my burden is light”)?

3. Wow! Elder Christofferson’s talk on building Zion was simply wonderful. Another talk that we need to hear more often. Zion will only come about as we become one in heart and mind, as we live righteously, and as there are no poor among us. I especially liked how Christofferson stressed this in regards to the poor. We won’t suddenly have a time when there is no poor among us; this will require our concerted action. In this regard, Christofferson asked, “Are we doing what we should, or all that we should?” His story of the man who cut his table in half to give to another was particularly touching.

4. Elder Bednar’s talk about meaningful prayer, like his talk in the last conference, is one to review often. Our prayers become more meaningful when our morning and evening prayers are linked together (rather than unrelated, discrete events), when we express heartfelt gratitude (sometimes doing nothing but this), and when we sincerely pray for others (friends and enemies). I had a distinct impression about how wonderful a world we would live in if everyone prayed in this way. As for myself, my most meaningful prayers are often related to the three things Bednar discussed.

Priesthood

OK, so I was pretty much out cold for about half the priesthood session. I don’t know why they have to turn all the lights out! I don’t stand a chance! Fortunately, I was able to hear (but not take notes about) a few good talks.

1. Elder Uchtdorf’s talk about “lifting where you stand” was a great message for me. Rather than striving for “important” callings or shirking from our duties, the Lord wants us to do nothing more or less than “lift where we stand.”

2. Elder Eyring gave a really good talk about our priesthood callings and how they stretch us, but I can’t remember the details right now.

Sunday Morning

1. Elder Eyring’s and Elder Hales’ talks on unity and meekness were both important messages for me. I’ll just say a few words about Hales’ talk. Hales said that when we respond to our accusers like Christ did His, “we become more like Him and invite others to feel His love.” This takes strength and courage (not weakness). True disciples see opportunities in the midst of opposition; “seasons of negative publicity about the Church can be an opportunity for members to present the truth.”

2. I appreciated Elaine S. Dalton’s talk about “a return to virtue.” I thought it was interesting that both she and Elder Hales discussed the story of Lehonti and how he was “poisoned by degrees.” Dalton made an implicit reference to Alexander Pope’s “We first endure, then pity, then embrace” (An Essay on Man). (I do worry sometimes, though, that some members erroneously interpret these kinds of statements as an invitation for uncharitable intolerance and for failing to associate with people who struggle in sin.)

3. President Monson gave another one of his Monson-esque talks on living in the here and now. I rarely grow tired of these talks. I loved how Monson said that “what is most important almost always concerns those around us.” He stressed, as did Elder Scott in Priesthood session, to express and show love to others today. Monson counseled further, “Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved.” I ended this session with a particularly noble feeling of gratitude and humility. As the choir sang Parley P. Pratt’s words, “The dawning of a brighter day majestic rises on the world,” I had a prayer in my heart for a brighter day in regards to my own life and the lives of those around me.

Sunday Afternoon

I was getting weary during this session. A few things that stuck out to me:

1. Sunday School second counselor William D. Oswald gave a wonderful talk on gospel teaching. He pointed to the way that Moroni taught Joseph Smith, and counseled us to follow this pattern in our teaching. First, we should show love to those we teach and call them by name. I’ve tried to make this a practice in my own teaching (gospel and academic), and I think it makes a world of a difference. I think that many (otherwise) good teachers don’t realize how important this is. Second, we should teach from the scriptures. Amen again! How much better our Sunday School lessons would be if teachers prepared students for immersion in the scriptures — not to simply read from them (we can do that on our own at home), but to find connections and discuss the scriptures together. Third, we should encourage the pondering and application of gospel truths. This requires, I assume, doing more than saying “read your scriptures, say your prayers, and go to church,” or providing students with history logs or trivial information. (OK, I’ve now filled my quota of one soapbox per blog post.)

2. Like many others, Elder Cook spoke of enduring through trials. Without question, this was the dominant theme of the conference. I like how Elder Cook said that when we suffer, it is important to realize that others suffer too. Doing this, I think, makes our suffering much more meaningful and connected to the human family and our common plight of living in the lone and dreary world. This, I think, is one important reason for attending the temple often, as Cook counseled. When we attend the temple, we worship with others, many of whom are struggling with something, and we pray over the names of even more who are in particular need.

3. President Monson ended the conference by reminding us that “eternal life in the presence of God is our most precious goal.” He concluded with Christ’s imploring statement, “I stand at the door and knock.” We need to listen for His voice, Monson said, and “live so that He may knock on the door,” and then “let us open the door.”

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Relief Society: Lessons For Our Times

The True and Living Church

by President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Note: My entire lesson can be downloaded here at slideshare and it will probably make more sense with the pictures than just reading this blog entry.

Like many of the talks at the Spring General Conference, President Eyring’s talk, The True and Living Church, opens with the significance of sustaining President Monson as prophet, seer and revelator and President of the Church. And yet, having studied the talk for a few months now, prayed about it and developed today’s Teaching for Our Times lesson, I realize that there is deep significance in the fact that Eyring opens his talk in this manner…and even in the title of his talk, the True and Living Church.

Anyone know where it comes from? The First Doctrine & Covenant verse 30.

And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually-

For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received…

I found out that Section One of the Doctrine & Covenants is the Lord’s preface to the book. It was given in November, 1831 after 65 revelations had been delivered. Here, in verse 30, the Lord is effectively granting authority to Joseph Smith, “the power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of the darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth…

Are those to whom the commandments are given strong or weak? Is weakness forged from strength or the other way around – strength is forged from weakness? So the very foundation of the church is built upon weakness made strong through repentance and humility…and the blessing of knowledge from the Lord.

Repeat: The only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth. We need to be worthy both collectively and individually. The collective is important because it’s not enough for the individual or her family but the whole church needs to act together for the Lord to be satisfied with our efforts.

Repeat: For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Why do you think that is? Why is there such absolute language here?

President Eyring spends a great deal of time around the word ‘True’ that I will get to, but I would like to start with ‘Living’.

WHAT IS A LIVING ENTITY?

Homeostasis: Regulation of the internal environment to maintain a constant state.

Growth: Maintenance of a higher rate of synthesis than catabolism.

Response to stimuli: Interaction and response to its environment.

Reproduction: The ability to produce new organisms like itself.

In the talk, ‘living’ is through sustaining our leaders and via individual and collective development. I think there’s more in what is implied through that concept that I’d like to start with. So what is a living entity? Well, according to science, to be a living entity requires certain specific criteria, characteristics, and inherent abilities. There is some variability in definitions, but generally speaking the short list goes like this <read from list above>

Does the Church exhibit spiritually analogous characteristics that satisfy these physical definitions. I would say yes. The Church exhibits the characteristic of Homeostasis because this is God’s Church. The Church is orderly and, through Temple ordinances as just one example, is also eternal and constant. The Church also exhibits the characteristic of Growth because there is a knowledge of eternal progression. Ours is not a static Church, but rather it is dynamic and yet unchangeable in the sense that the Church has never changed from His perfect course. We need to look no further than lds.org to experience the evidence that the Church is able to respond to stimuli. And all saints know that our Church is able to reproduce through missionary work, when investigators join- they are spiritual offspring who can literally become part of the Church.

According to President Eyring, there are some important characteristics that define the True and Living Church. It’s kinda like when you’re reading a list of ingredients in a package — the ones that are listed first have made the largest contribution. They are the most important. In President Eyring’s talk, this would be the Keys to the Priesthood. This is a critically important point – ours is the only church to have the keys to the priesthood given directly to our prophet from John the Baptist, Peter, John, Moses, Elias and Elijah. The Apostles, after the Ascension of Christ, continue to exercise the keys He left. But eventually, the keys were lost and we entered into the Apostasy.

Restoration of the keys of the priesthood is what makes the Church true. So is the Power to Seal. The sealing power is intricately tied with the ordinances of the Temple. And when you are in the Temple, you are in the House of the Lord. As I prepare for my family’s sealing, I was given a handbook from Bishop Harris written by then Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Boyd K Packer. In the handbook it states: No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work and the family history research that supports it. No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness. The sealing represents the transcendent delegation of spiritual authority from God to man. The keeper of that sealing power is the Lord’s chief representative here upon the earth, the President of the Church.

That is the position of consummate trust and authority. Eyring’s final differentiation that ours is the True and Living Church is that the church is greater than Joseph Smith or anyone chosen to lead. This is how it lives on.

Keys to the Priesthood (show images of keys). Not like these, although the metaphor should not be lost. Because we think about keys unlocking doors to things familiar and valuable to us, like our home, our car, perhaps our workplace. Information is unlocked by keys. As is music.

When we don’t have keys, we are either locked out or we must rely on others to open the door. The savior taught that we need to be baptized by one having His authority. If one wants to receive the ordinances of salvation from someone who is authorized to do so, ours is the true church that can offer these blessings. Back in 1977, President Spencer W Kimball gave the opening devotional address at BYU called, Absolute Truth, which nicely complements President Eyring’s talk.

President Kimball talked about the difference between relative truth, for example, scientific theories that may change from year to year and absolute truth. Jesus Christ overcame death and established the resurrection. This is an absolute truth. President Kimball also connects the dots that Jesus Christ is the only person who could establish resurrection being both mortal (the son of Mary) and the divine (the Son of God).

Before his crucifixion, the Savior recognized the absolute necessity for an organization of persons duly empowered to carry on his work, teach his plan to the world, and persuade people to follow the eternal program. He therefore organized his Church among his faithful followers, with apostles, prophets, and other officials to give his people guidance. He sent those officials into all the world to teach his truths–but to teach them without using force, for the basic law of this world is free agency. Certainly men and women may use their free agency to do as they please, but they cannot ever evade the penalties that might come by reason of any error they make.

The Lord set up his program of organization fully, gave the governing principles and doctrines, and delegated his full authority to his officers to teach and perform ordinances. He ignored all the multitudinous religious organizations then extant and all their manmade doctrines and philosophies and set up his own divine plan. This is true. If all the proponents of the “-isms” on all the continents disbelieve it, it is still true–an absolute truth.

As I continued to research, study and pray on this important topic, I found more inspiration from the Nov 1987 Ensign article, “Keys to the Priesthood”. Elder Nelson references the keys to the priesthood as: precious, powerful, and invisible! Some can lock and unlock in heaven as well as on earth. He goes on to say, “…Preparation, priesthood service, and keys are all related, but different. Service of any type requires preparation. But proper authorization to give that service requires keys.” He then illustrates with an example from his own life, prior to his calling to the Twelve, he was a medical doctor and a surgeon. He had been certified by two specialty boards. That preparation takes many years, yet it carried no legal permission. “Keys were required,” he says. “They were held by authorities of the state government and the hospitals in which I desired to work. Once those holding proper authority exercised those keys by granting me a license and permission, then I could perform operations. In return, I was obligated to obey the law, to be loyal, and to understand and not abuse the power of a surgeon’s knife. The important steps of preparation, permission, and obligation likewise pertain to other occupations.” He then asks: “Why is the power to act in the name of God more important? Because it is of eternal significance. We should understand the source of our authority and something of the keys that control its power. They may benefit every man, woman, and child who now lives, who has lived, and who yet will live upon the earth.”

President Eyring points out that it is important to live worthily so that the keys will continue to be on the earth. How are the keys bestowed? He gives us 4 ways <read from slide>

1. We must examine our lives. President Eyring gives us specific direction: examine your life for the depth of your gratitude as a member of the church. He emphasizes the importance of being grateful for a true and living church. He specifically mentions being grateful for the ordinances of the gospel and for the blessings that the gospel brings to his family. He also promises that the gospel can help to improve your family situation as you embrace its principles.

2. Repent. Remember D&C 1:31:3 For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts.

3. Pledge to keep the Lord’s commandments. President Eyring tells us that we need to know through the power of the holy ghost in what ways we can improve ourselves.

4. We truly sustain our leaders when we heed their counsel and keep the commandments of the church. Another way that we can sustain our leaders is by giving service to others. It is important to follow the words of the prophet, so that we can continue to receive his counsel. Simply put, we ALL must remain faithful and humble to properly build up the kingdom of God on the earth.

And yet, there is a paradox at play here because, as humans, we are attracted to strength and confidence yet, as I shared earlier, every one of us has our weaknesses. And there is great power in humility. The Lord has a purpose behind this as he shares in D&C 1:19, 25-8) And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time.

The Lord’s servants, like all of us, need to rely on and be sustained by Him. We are not sufficient unto ourselves, and we must be humble. The Lord gives us weakness specifically so we may become humble (Ether 12:27.) The Lord’s servants are no exception. The Lord said to Paul: “my strength is made perfect in weakness,” Paul added: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor 12:9.)

In addition to the keys to the priesthood, another critically important point is that our Church has the Power to Seal. Through the church and ordinances which are in it – the blessings of the sealings affect the spirit world as well as the earthly world….it is the sealing power and our knowledge of it which changes and transforms our family life here and our expectations for the joy of family life in the world to come.

Have you ever thought about how your actions here affect those beyond the veil?

Through service + faith. For example: finding the names of your ancestors and offering them vicarious ordinances is one way you sustain this great work. Offering salvation to ALL of Heavenly Father’s children who have lived in this world. From the beginning, our Heavenly Father has used priesthood ordinances and covenants to build relationships with His children in order to prepare them – us – to return to His presence.

And so, the church is being prepared for the Savior’s return. Evidence of the prophesied perfecting of the church. Steady improvement in members’ lives through simple faith and atonement. Have you ever had a prayer answered? Wait – let me ask a more specific question: have you ever prayed to be shown your weaknesses? For those who have not — are you afraid to do so?

One more thought on fear as a barrier to a deeper understanding of oneself and our relationship with the Savior. We learn in 2 Timothy 1:7 that when we experience fear, it is not of God. It reads: “For the Lord hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” In the story of Adam and Eve, even after they had disobeyed Father, they weren’t afraid to face Him. They knew they needed direction and guidance. It wasn’t until the serpent point out their nakedness that they were filled with fear and hid themselves from the Lord.

More perfecting of the church = change our way of thinking. One of the more popular business metaphors for changing for human behavior has to do with boiling a frog. Who is familiar with this approach? Let me quickly explain for those who are not. A frog is a cold-blooded creature. Meaning, if it jumps into a pot of boiling hot water, it jumps out. But if that same frog jumps into a pot of lukewarm or room temperature water, and the pot is put on the stove, the frog just sits in the water, not reacting to the change in temperature. But if you THUMP the pot, it shifts the temperature enough to catapult the frog out of the pot and onto the relative safety of a countertop.

People are not much different. Sometimes we’re the frog — we don’t see the situation around us changing, until it’s too late. It could be something like Hurricane Ike creeping up on Texas or the stock market imploding. On a more personal level, it might be a health issue around anxiety or depression – a ‘social disease’ that is more evident to others than the individual suffering from the symptoms. In my own example, after I had my second daughter, I thought I was a little moody, maybe ‘baby blues’ that would pass. It turned out to be post-partum depression requiring intensive clinical treatment. Had my husband and close friends who knew me best not ‘thumped my pot’, I know I would never have gone to the doctor. I was definitely the frog in the pot and I am forever grateful that my husband thumped it for me. You can thump the pot for someone through prayer and kindness, remind that person that you are there, you care and you can help.

I mentioned earlier that President Eyring also challenges us to measure the depth of our gratitude for a true and living church. Why? Without gratitude, you begin to take things for granted. When you are grateful for something, you will nurture it, care for it, give it an important place in your live and keep it safe. You will also sustain it’s growth and life. In his talk, President Eyring shares that his personal sense of gratitude comes from the blessings to his family. The sealing power and our knowledge of it changes and transforms life, including expectations for joy of family life in the world to come. Eternal families, in short.

He also tells us that we need to know by the power of the Holy Ghost in what ways we can do better in keeping the commandments. And he reminds us why – the scriptures promise that when the Lord comes again to His Church, he will find it spiritually prepared for Him. In other words, He has challenged us to do better and we will. We can and we are doing better every day.

There is evidence of the prophesied perfecting of the church through the steady improvements in members’ lives, often characterized by faith and obedience. One of these improvements is the desired capacity for helping out the poor and those in need.

The Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) as many of you know, was established to help young men and women get a good education and become self-reliant after serving a mission for the Church. The program is funded through contributions of Church members and friends. It is a revolving resource in which money is loaned to an individual to help pay for advanced education or training. President Eyring calls out that the Saints’ giving is independent of economic affluence – he is seeing the Perpetual Education Fund and the Humanitarian Fund being mentioned in obituary notices. I thought it was telling that in the first 5 years (it was established in 2001), it has funded 27,000 students in 39 countries. Perhaps most importantly to the point that this important initiative is changing members’ lives: the average monthly wage of students participating in the program has increased 320% from when they start (average $179/mo) to when they finish college (average $756/mo).

In addition to seeing the increased activity with the Perpetual Education Fund, I must admit, before teaching this lesson today, my grasp of the connection between Fast Sundays and the Church’s Humanitarian Fund was tenuous at best. I learned from lds.org that essentially, it helps people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self- sustained life.

Donations, principally from Church members but also from people around the world, are used to make relief projects possible. Also, one hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services fund are used for relief efforts. There is no other humanitarian organization on the planet that can make this claim. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs. Between 1985 and 2006, the Church donated cash of more than $201 million and goods of more than $705 million in disaster relief to 163 countries.

More perfecting of the church… Every member a missionary was one of President David O MacKay’s well-known sayings. President Kimball had faith in our ability to continue the effort successfully: “Somehow,…I feel that when we have done all in our power that the Lord will find a way to open doors. That is my faith” (Ensign, Oct. 1974, 7).

Since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized in a small log cabin in upstate New York in 1830, missionary work has characterized our Church. From its earliest days, fanning out to Native American lands, to Canada and, in 1837, beyond the North American continent to England for missionaries to lay the foundation for the Lord’s church. It took 117 years – until 1947 – for the Church to grow from the initial six members to one million. And yet the two-million-member mark was reached just 16 years later, in 1963, and the three-million mark in eight years more.

In the Spring 2008 General Conference, membership was approaching 13 million. Now, imagine if half of those members introduced someone into the church next year. How quickly we could get to 20 million. And if it was done again the following year? 30 million.

More perfecting of the church.

We sustain our leaders and the Lord’s Church as we give service as opportunities are extended to us through his servants. But what about callings? I’ve been studying a lot about the church’s organizational structure this past month because it is a wonderful model that more businesses should study. It helped me to understand how callings work once a position is identified.

Finally, I would like to bear my own testimony that this is the true and living church because we are continually led by a living, caring Heavenly Father through our Savior, Jesus Christ. He has the knowledge and authority to make adjustments, expansions, and give further revelation to us, either individually or to the Church as a whole. This is what makes it the Living Church, and I am extremely grateful for such reassurance, especially in turbulent times. It is a wonderful to not have to rely solely on one or two thousand-year-old texts written by long-dead prophets, in languages we no longer understand for cultures that have vanished.

We are so very blessed to have a living prophet in President Monson being directed by our Savior to provide steadfast direction for such an immense body of saints. And his two counselors, Presidents Eyring and Uchdorf who respectively have provided inspirational counsel to all saints through their General Conference talks this past April.

I am thrilled and humbled to be attending the General Conference next week where I look forward to hearing our leaders share their personal testimony that this is the true and living church. And bringing you, my sisters, more Lessons for Our Times as long as my calling lasts.

I leave this lesson with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I chose to read Elder Steuer’s talk again, because I felt the three points he made (1) learn true doctrine, (2) gain pure testimony, and (3) live the gospel courageously were really important for me to think about.

I continue to ponder about how I must do — and that even if I don’t know everything, it can still make a difference.

I have often gotten hung up on words when it came to testimony.  I have been very strict with my choice of words, it takes a lot for me to use the word “I know”, I think I put too much pressure on myself.  But I have come a long way.  When I have a chance to share mine, I am grateful because it always brings up something I needed to remember.

One of President Kimball’s book is “Faith Precedes the Miracle”.  That title to me used to seem so huge.  A miracle was something that happened in Moses’ time or at Jesus’s hand when he was on the earth.  But I have since learned that Faith is just doing something, like we do everyday, taking action based on what the Lord has commanded and taught us.  I have also learned that miracles happen everyday, on all levels.

In American Sign Language, the sign for miracle is a compound sign (two signs put together).  We use the sign for wonderful (also translated as great, awesome, etc) and the sign for happenings.  So a miracle is a made up of wonderful happenings.  In that context, I realize that I have had many miracles in my life, in fact some of them are so common that I have failed to recognize them as miracles.

I have learned the importance of stepping forward into the dark.  I have learned the value of remembering those wonderful happenings — those special moments, for they truly do sustain me.  They remind me not to give up.  They give me confidence to do what I need to do.  They draw me back to my Father in heaven.  They inspire me to keep going.  And they won’t let me let go of what is important.  They are my fuel.  Today, I thank him for that gift.  I thank him for helping me remember.  And I thank you for facilitating that rememberance as I am able to share with you today’s GIFT.  I also thank FlyLady for the the difference she has made.

G.I.F.T = God, Imagination/Inspiration, Focus, Thanksgiving (See Flylady’s morning routine for this reference).

A living testimony around us every day.

“All things are created and made to bear record of me”
“All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of ti, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”

Gaining a testimony:

“Our personal journey through life provides us with many special experiences that become building blocks of faith and testimony.”

“No matter what the experience may be, each gives us a chance for personal growth, greater wisdom, and, in many cases, service to others with more empathy and love.”

He challenges us to “think of the special experiences you have been blessed with in your life that have given you conviction and joy in your heart.”
(Elder Rasband, April 2008 Conference)

How?

(1) desire to believe; (2) search the scriptures (3) do the will of God; keep the commandments [there is that "Do" thing again]; (4) ponder, fast, pray.
Elder Uchtdorf, October 2006 Conference)

“I heard in my mind—not in my own voice—these words: “I’m not giving you these experiences for yourself. Write them down.”

“More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”

“My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies. You may not keep a journal. You may not share whatever record you keep with those you love and serve. But you and they will be blessed as you remember what the Lord has done. You remember that song we sometimes sing: “Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done”
(Elder Eyring, October 2006 Conference)

Why?

Personal testimony is powerful.
“Our firm personal testimony will motivate us to change ourselves and then bless the world.”

“A testimony provides proper perspective, motivation, and a solid foundation on which to build a life of purpose and personal growth.  It is a contant source of confidence, a true and faithful companion during good and bad times.  A testimony provides us with a reason for hope and gladness.  It helps us cultivate a spirit of optimism and happiness and enables us to rejoice in the beauties of nature.  A testimony motivates us to choose teh right at all times and in all circumstances.  It motiates us to draw nearer to God, allowing Him to draw nearer to us.  Our personal testimony is a protective shield, and like an iron rod it is guiding us safely thorugh darkness and confusion.”
Elder Uchtdorf, October 2006 Conference

I also recall a talk, by Elder Eyring (I believe), that encouraged us to Remember, and record.  But I couldn’t find it for today.

So my friends, I wish you a wonderful day.  Go and do.  Go and remember and be refueled.

Ever,

Amy Jo

Links:
Elder Rasband, “Special Experiences“, April 2008 Conference. May 2008 Ensign, pg. 11
Elder Uchtdorf, “The Power of a Personal Testimony“, October 2006 Conference, November 2006 Ensign, pg. 37
Elder Eyring, “O Remember, Remember”, October 2007 Conference, November 2007 Ensign.

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Turning back to that “singular message” of Pres. Monson’s that has been such a rich source of study material for me…

He nailed so many little topics, I’m just going to look at one right now:

Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.

My favorite quote is “we are inclined to view or own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. ” Yeah, that pretty well hit home. I am frequently guilty of wallowing in my own troubles. But something else that Pres. Monson said was amazingly poignant, partly because it came as a very personal message to me. When I heard Pres. Monson give this talk in the Sunday morning session, he said, “He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.” I have just listened to that part again, just to make sure, and sure enough, that is what he said. But that’s not what I heard him say that Sunday morning. What I heard was a very personal message directed specifically at me, and in fact I was a little surprised to hear him say it in such a general way to the entire world. I won’t say here what it was, for it was very personal and only really applied to me anyway. But I testify that the Spirit spoke to me through the Prophet’s words, and that I heard the message I needed for myself personally. And not just once. I downloaded conference talks to my iPod to listen to while driving in the car, and when I listened to this talk again, he said it again. It was only when I read the talk that I saw a discrepancy in what I had heard and what was written. And then I listened to that part alone, and I heard him say this time what was written. I knew then for certain that I had heard a different talk than what was given generally. What a beautiful witness of God’s love for me; that He would give me specific counsel in that way. I have often thought (like many others) that the messages in General Conference were directed specifically at me. And this one truly was.

How, then, can we remove that prism and view things as they really are? Pres. Eyring gave me the answer in the October 2007 General Conference. He had just been called to the First Presidency. I personally was not surprised. He is perhaps the one person on the Earth I would love to meet over any other, excepting perhaps the Prophet himself. I love this man and his inspired counsel. From my perspective, he is well qualified to be there. But he himself felt inadequate. He said, “The … message you will receive as you pray for help in facing a hard assignment came to me very early Friday morning. I had prayed, as you will, about overwhelming inadequacies.” Like I said, obviously he sees inadequacies that I don’t, but I can sympathize with the sentiments. I have received callings that felt overwhelming. I have been in situations where I didn’t know how I would survive. I have felt inadequate, overwhelmed, and unworthy. And the answer Elder Eyring has given: “The answer was very clear and very direct and really a rebuke as I prayed. ‘Forget yourself—start praying about the people you are to serve.’”

This talk helped me to realize what is wrong with my prayers, and why I have often felt they were ineffective. I have prayed many times, wringing my hands and lamenting my lot, demanding to know, “What’s wrong with me? What am I to do about it? How am I supposed to deal with it.” Often, GID has seemed to me to be the most important issue in the entire world. I have obsessed with wanting to understand it and somehow know what to do with it. I despaired. In other words, I was viewing my misfortune through the distorted prism of pessimism. The problem is, I was praying all wrong. I wanted to know what to do, but I wanted to know what to do about myself. What I should have been doing is praying about other things entirely. I should have been praying about how to more effectively serve in my calling. I should have been praying to know how to better serve my family. I should have been focusing on service rather than problems.

Elder Holland, in the great talk “Broken Things to Mend,” which I have mentioned here before, spoke of coming first unto the Savior. I had thought that meant being more devoted in praying, studying scriptures, learning of Him. But there is more to it than that. It is doing His work. It is acting as He did, always in service of others. I have started praying less for myself and more for other people. And when I do that, I find that my problems don’t seem so all-encompassing anymore. I find my burden lightened. Is it any wonder? The Savior says, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” That is not an invitation to cast our cares upon Him and then just sit on our haunches. It is an invitation to cast our old yokes upon Him by taking upon us a new yoke and burden; His yoke and burden; the yoke and burden of service. When we take up the burden of serving others, we find that our own burdens are lightened and our service becomes consecrated to Him. There certainly is no time to wallow, lament, and wring our hands. And that, I guess, is the ultimate point of the message I heard from Pres. Monson: That what I needed to do was serve others more diligently.

In this month’s New Era, President Henry B. Eyring begins his message by saying, “When I was a young man I wondered why the Lord needed to have the Prophet Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon to begin the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The rest of this article, titled “Why the Book of Mormon?” answers this question. President Eyring began finding answers when he started his service as a missionary. He focuses on four main answers: it is a powerful missionary tool, it testifies of Christ, it brings the Spirit, and it teaches and invites. As always, President Eyring offers simple but profound insights.

I believe that many other returned missionaries can tell similar stories of how their understanding of and relationship with the Book of Mormon grew through their missionary service. I know mine did. And, yes, I think that I now understand better why the Lord introduced the Book of Mormon at the beginning of the Restoration. This “marvelous work” is indeed both a strange and a wonderful thing, and it deserves much closer attention than most in the world are willing to give it.

This weekend was the 178th Annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I could remember it like it was only yesterday that it was General Conference in October and it was all new to me.  This time around it felt like old hat.  I actually woke up at 9am to watch the conferences.  I enjoyed all the messages that were given and I have found a new appreciation for our first presidency.  I really didn’t know anything about the first presidency a year ago and I didn’t know Gordon B. Hinckley.

I’m glad I got to know Hinckley during the last conference before he passed.  I’ve come to appreciate all that he’s done for the Church.

It was the first time I’ve seen the calling and sustaining of a Prophet and his First Presidency.  I felt the Spirit as Utchdorf read off the names of our new leaders.  Even though I was at home, watching in my bedroom at 9am in the morning in my t-shirt and shorts, I was engaged enough to stand and sustained each and everyone of them by raising my right hand.  It was a wonder to me knowing that members around the world must be standing as well raising their right hand to sustain as well.

I am so impressed with the new First Presidency!  I never really knew Thomas S. Monson before this general conference.  He had also surprised me with his humor and his stories.  I remember Henry B. Eyring from before and loved hearing what he had to say.  And Dieter F. Uchtdorf is so likable and has such a friendy and welcoming characteristic about himself.

I’ve felt my testimony strengthened watching this conference and seeing the leadership of this Church.  These men are absolutely called of God.  Their words are divinely inspired without a doubt.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is absolutely the church of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  This is his Church.