President Monson
• 87% of the members of the church live within 200 miles of a temple. That's amazing to me.
• 130 temples in operation, 16 announced or under construction
• 5 new temples: Brigham City, Argentina, Brazil, Ft Lauderdale (I'll bet Daniel is cheering), Japan
2 talks about the Spirit, 1 on burdens, 1 on teaching, 2 on love.
Elder Scott - Understanding and Becoming Confident in the Spirit
Of more necessity to be lead by the Spirit more than ever in our lives.
No formula. Learn how by exercising faith in Jesus Christ.
Essential personal growth comes from the struggle to learn how to recognize spiritual promptings. (Can't just have it handed to us.)
Confidence comes from experience. (in this and all things)
Inspiration to know and power to do.
Write down the impressions as accurately as possible. Study the application to you. Pray for confirmation from the Spirit. Ask “yet more to come?” Repeat the process of receiving, writing, study, prayer.
One great barrier to feeling the Spirit
Pornography is one of the most damning influences on earth. It is overpoweringly addicting and severely damaging. It degrades mind, heart and soul. The addiction cannot be overcome without help. Wow, he powerfully and clearly witnesses to the damage that comes.
Elder Scott witnessed that "as you pray with fervor, humility, gratitude, you can learn to be consistently guided by Spirit in all aspects of your life."
Sister Matsumori - Guided by the Spirit
We can help children and others understand the doctrine when we share our testimony of the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives.
"I had hoped to feel different after baptism, but didn’t until I heard a brother bear a testimony of the Spirit."
Places: Testimony meeting, conference, temple. In our homes when pray and read scriptures. At church weekly.
We also need a time of quiet. “Be still and know that I am God”
Elder L. Whitney Clayton - Burdens
People struggle every day under burdens that tax their souls. Some for years.
Burdens come from:
- Natural product of world - illness, hurricanes, earthquakes
- Imposed by misconduct of others - abuse, addictions, sin, repression, crime, incorrect traditions, gossip, unkindness
- Our own weaknesses, mistakes, and sin
We must do everything we can to bear our burdens well for however long they last.
Burdens invite us to yield to the enticings of the Spirit and become as child. Thus they become blessings, though well-disguised. so well put
We can develop a reservoir of experience and compassion.
Keeping baptism covenant helps us bear our burdens as well as others. a double blessing
The Savior said that doing it unto the least is doing it unto me.
Savior offers support and sometimes deliverance in His time.
The Savior offers mercy. He, only one
As we keep commandments, He helps us with our burdens, strengthens, blesses with peace and joy.
Elder Russell Osguthorpe - Teaching Helps Saves Lives
Missionary work and other teaching is to help save lives, spiritual lives.
The truth saves us if we receive it and act upon it.
Effective teaching
1. Key doctrine
2. Invitation to action
3. Receive promised blessing
All parents and teachers are teaching future leaders of the church.
Can you think of time when teachers have "saved your life".
Elder David Bednar - More Diligent and Concerned at Home
1. Express love and show it. Tell of our love every day to spouse, children, parents. Consistently say and show. Thoughts, words and deed.
Do more of what we know is right, and do better.
Feeling the security and constancy of love is a blessing. The desire of every human soul.
2. Bear testimony and live it. To those we love of the things we know are true. With spouse, children, parents. What we know is not always reflected in what we do. It’s only a beginning - know it, bear it, live it. Create opportunities.
Feeling the power and edification is a blessing. Fortifies faith, light in dark, eternal perspective and enduring peace.
Love how each point parallels the others by the exact same language. Clever to reinforce by repetition.
3. Be consistent. Whatever our children remember it's that we were consistent. No specific prayer or lesson. At this point in my life, I agree with this thought. Consistency is more important than big vacations or other memory-making occasions. Wish we had been more consistent.
Be consistent in seemingly small things, proceedeth that which is great.
Publicly declaring love, and testimony and not living it at home is hypocrisy. Wow, such strong, clear language from a prophet.
Reduce the disparity between what we say and what we do.
Be more faithful in learning and living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Be more consistent in the seemingly small things that matter so much.
Elder Uchtdorf - Let Us Be Known For Love
Church is growing and is better known throughout the world. What attributes do we want to be known for?
Our constant compass to help us prioritize, life, thoughts, actions IS love the Lord thy God first, then love our neighbor. Nice to have it pointed out so explicitly.
Love ought to be at the center of our lives.
It heals rifts, unites families, communities, nations. It's the basis for friendship, tolerance, humility and respect. It overcomes hate. It powers lives with hope. Such powerful promised blessings.
Love should be our walk and our talk. Another reference to hypocrisy. Perhaps we should look more closely at our lives.
As His children we have a vast capacity to love.
It defines our discipleship.
“We love him because he first loved us.”
If we draw near to him, he can draw near to us.
God is love. The closer we approach him the more profoundly we feel his love.
Don't get discouraged, if you stumble. The first step is to try...to believe, to study, to learn, to do. Keep on trying.
Love is the guiding light that fills the disciple's path. Nice metaphor
Let us be known as a people who love God with all our heart soul and mind and our neighbor as ourselves.
Wonderful words from our prophets! Some rebuking, some reminding, some reassuring.
(Okay so what's with the make-up? Did it look dark to you? Even the choir members?)
Hope you enjoyed the session as much as I did. Now off to the grocery store.
Ellen
Thanks Ellen! It's fun to read a recap and see what you got that my children were too noisy for me to hear! But what I did hear was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ellen. I had to work at a flu site today and missed the first session. I'm grateful to have a sampling of what was said since I have to wait a few days till the transcripts are up.
ReplyDelete