"One of the Most Inspiring Sessions"

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the October 2013 General Conference.

President Monson said it best (and first), "In my journal tonight, I shall write, 'This has been one of the most inspiring sessions of any general conference I've attended. Everything has been of the greatest and most spiritual nature.'"

I listened to this session on a drive to Minnesota to see our daughter for a weekend. Each talk was wonderful; each talk deeply spiritual and inspiring. President Monson's especially so.

I think the loss of his wife humbled him in a way nothing else could. He sounded more serious, less full of himself. And what he said can resonate with everyone.

Brothers and sisters, it may be safely assumed that no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery.

Amen to that! At my original reading of the talk I wrote in the margin of my Ensign magazine, "We realize this when we visit and get to know each other." At the time I was a Relief Society president visiting each sister getting to know them.

President Monson counsels "We become impatient for a solution to our problems, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required. The difficulties which come to us present us with the real test of our ability to endure."

Recently I wrote in my journal after remembering and pondering something people said to me after our son took his life. 

"People would say, 'No mother should have to go through this.' And I would think, 'Why not?' It was as absurd as saying no one should have to suffer injury or illness. No one should have to be single when they desire marriage, or childlessness when they desire children. This life is a test to see if we will be faithful to God through all our trials.

Like Peter leaving the boat we must keep our focus on Jesus lest we sink and drown in our adversities. No, we must hang on to and focus on the Savior who will walk with us on top of our adversity and calm the storm. 

I know the my Redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives."

When people comment on what a strong woman I am I have to correct them, I am not strong, but I am yoked to someone who is. He pulls the heavier portion of my load. I could not make it without Him.

President Monson reminds us,

Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.

My brothers and sisters, may we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. . . . We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain.

The most important persons in my live are my Heavenly Father and my Savior. Not my family. Because my Heavenly Father and my Savior can give me an eternal family, but my family doesn't have the power to give me salvation and exaltation. This thought has guided me through the times when I felt my family falling apart. Holding on to my Savior feels more secure to me than holding on to my family because His arms are bigger, more encompassing than mine. HE can hold on to my family while I'm holding on to Him. 

The title of President Monson's talk is "I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee". It is my testimony too. 

 

 

 

 

 

You Can Do It Now!

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood session of the October 2013 General Conference.

Please forgive my inconsistency in posting. I didn't think it possible to "burnout" on gospel study. But I did, and took a break to ponder what my goal is and how best to reach it. It is possible to be studying for the wrong reasons. 

This past week President Uchtdorf's talk hit me with force and helped me understand what to do.

Of all the principles taught by prophets over the centuries, one that has been emphasized over and over again is the hopeful and heartwarming message that mankind can repent, change course, and get back on the true path of discipleship.

Old age doesn't only bring wisdom (hopefully), but a tiredness that can lead to laziness. I'm finding it difficult to keep going sometimes. I get so weary of the constant pushing against the temptations of Satan. Temptations to just relax, to not care anymore, to give up because really, does it mean anything anymore? It takes so much effort and I'm tired.

Worldly sorrow pulls us down, extinguishes hope, and persuades us to give in to further temptation. 

Well, yes, it does, Brother Uchtdorf. Thank you for the loving reminder!

When we make mistakes, when we sin and fall, let us think of what it means to truly repent. It means turning our heart and will to God and giving up sin. True heartfelt repentance brings with it the assurance that "we can do it now." 

I have to remind myself that I am yoked, by covenant and choice, to the Savior and that He is strong enough to pull me along when I am weary because He never tires or runs out of strength. I just have to stay yoked and beside Him. My mission president (LeGrand R. Curtis Sr.) taught us that by being where we should be, doing what we should be doing, our spirit would catch up to our body and we would be succesful at staying on the path. I've found that to be true throughout my life. The hard part is being the one to remind and encourage myself.

If we see heathy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see these choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding.

This is described as an identity mindset in the book Atomic Habits, and elsewhere. Believing in my mind and heart that I am something (a covenant follower of Jesus Christ) helps me continue when things are hard, rather than being obedient because someone else wants me to be, as when I was a child.  I'm grateful for President Uchtdorf's urging to remember.

I love his closing encouragement!

My dear brethren, my dear friends, there will be times when you think you cannot continue on. Trust the Savior and His love. With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the power and hope of the restored gospel, you will be able to walk tall and continue on.

 

It was the shot in the arm I needed this past week. 

Holy Places

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the General Young Women session of the April 2013 General Conference.

Last week in our stake adult religion class (a free Institute class) we talked about standing in holy places in the last days in preparation for the Second Coming. Our instructor even quoted Sister Ann M. Dibb from this session of conference.

I think it's important to learn about and practice "standing in holy places" wherever you are because, unlike the Amish, we don't separate ourselves from the world so much. We live in, go to school in, and work in the world. But like Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, we can be holy people in unholy places.

However, a place can be 'a distinct condition, position, or state of mind'. This means holy places can also include moments in time--moments when the Holy Ghost testifies to us, moments when we feel Heavenly Father's love, or moments when we receive an answer to our prayers. Even more, I believe any time you have the courage to stand for what is right, especially in situations where no one else is willing to do so, you are creating a holy place.

As the conditions of the world continue to deteriorate our ability to be holy and feel the Spirit anywhere we are will be increasingly important. Especially for those times when we have to be out in the world amongst those whose beliefs and values are diametrically oppose to ours.

I tend to isolate myself at home where I can feel peace. I try to remember to pray before I leave home so I can feel peaceful and calm driving, interacting with people in stores, and any other time or place that challenges me. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I fail and want to retreat into a pint of ice cream. I'm a work in progress.  Sister Dibb's talk was a good reminder of the ways and means of standing in holy places.

 

Being Accepted of the Lord

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2013 General Conference.

We have lived in our new location for five months now, although it seems like a whole lot longer. My husband was called to the Elders Quorum presidency in January. The President travels for his job most of the time and needed counselors who would be here and available to serve. The new first counselor immediately had to leave for a job assignment in Arizona and my husband promptly had a massive heart attack and was in the hospital for a month and recovering at home for a few more weeks, and still not able to contribute much to his calling. We wondered at the ways of the Lord to call men to service whose circumstances turned out to be not so conducive to serving.

Now for my sour grapes whine. I haven't been called to serve. I don't understand why and my feelings are tender all the time as I wonder why I'm not acceptable to the Lord for use in His service. I have knowledge, experience, and time to offer. But no calling. I drove home from church Sunday in tears because I feel such longing for acceptance and a calling to use my talents (or build new ones!).

Elder Erich W. Kopischke, who will end his time as a general authority on August 1, gave a talk that must have resonated with me at the time he gave it because my copy of the Ensign is all marked up! It speaks to me again this time around. Does that mean I haven't changed? Or what?

I will share a simple pattern which, if applied, can help everyone of us find ultimate acceptance. . . . This pattern consists of three simple steps. 1. Know that our hearts are honest and broken. 2. Know that our spirits are contrite. 3. Be willing to observe our covenants by sacrifice, as commanded by the Lord.

 

As we sincerely and prayerfully ponder the extent to which our hearts are honest and broken, we will be taught by the Holy Ghost. We will receive a sweet confirmation or gentle conviction, inviting us to act.

A contrite spirit is manifest by our willingness and determination to act. We are willing to humble ourselves before God, willing to repent, willing to learn, and willing to change. We are willing to pray, "Not my will, but thine, be done."

Too often we think that the word sacrifice refers to something big or hard for us to do. . . but mostly it refers to living day-to-day as a true disciple of Christ. . . . Sometimes observing our covenants means nothing more than standing firmly and faithfully when the storms of life are raging all around us.

 Elder Kopischke's advice is good. His invitation and promised blessings are what touched my heart the most.

With all my heart I invite you to seek the Lord's acceptance and enjoy His promised blessings. As we follow the simple pattern the lord has laid out, we will come to know that we are accepted of Him, regardless of our position, status, or mortal limitations. His loving acceptance will motivate us, increase our faith, and help us deal with everything we face in life. Despite our challenges, we will be successful, prosper, and feel at peace.

It looks like there is some more refining work to be done in my life.  

 

 

 

General Conference Themes

 Do we hear what we need to hear, or what we're attuned to hear, in General Conference? I don't know, but what I heard were two distinct, yet complementary themes.

First, take upon us the Savior's name, follow Him, become like Him.

Second, minister to others. Family, neighbors, assignments, strangers, enemies; it doesn't matter, we are to minister to others as the Savior would.

Together these things sounded to me like an invitation to build Zion, which requires people of one heart and one mind (the mind and heart of Jesus), and taking care of each other so there are no poor among us. Poor doesn't refer only to financial matters. A person can be poor spiritually, emotionally, mentally, socially, healthwise,  familywise, and in many others ways. There must be a righteous people prepared for the Savior to return to. That's the invitation I heard. 

I enjoyed all the talks, heard answers to my questions and prayers, and loved the music! 

Now, go study and live the word. "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only." "And if ye believe these things see that ye do them."