The Divine Gift of Repentance

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday afternoon session of the October 2011 conference.

Have you ever felt personal stagnation? As if you're not moving forward. I have. My current, and most recent situation has been one of going through the motions, simply doing what I know I should because my mission president (Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Sr.) taught us that if our body is where it should be, doing what it should do, then our spirit will catch up to where our body is. I think he was expanding on what President Brigham Young said about getting on your knees and praying until you felt like praying.

As I listened to and read Elder (now President) D. Todd Christofferson's talk I knew that I need to repent. His talk touched me deeply (I've always liked his talks) and I felt the Spirit prompting me to act on what he was teaching.

His five fundamental aspects of this fundamental gospel principle were, as he hoped, extremely helpful to me.

First, the invitation to repent is an expression of love. This resonated with me from the perspective of a mother. I wanted my children to repent of their deliberate wrong doings because I loved them and wanted our home to be calm, peaceful and filled with love. No doubt Father feels similarly. He is not a tyrannical dictator demanding compliance to abstract laws. He loves us and wants His home and family to be calm, orderly, peaceful and filled with love for each other.

Second, repentance means striving to change. Feeling sorry, even saying I'm sorry is not enough. That's the beginning. I have to act and be different the next time, and continuing into the future. Elder Christofferson's words were so instructive and encouraging: ". . . we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts." And, ". . .We should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome." When I was a teen wondering what the purpose of life was, an answer came as our family read The Book of Mormon, in Alma 42:4, "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God." But I'd never thought about praying for more time and opportunity. Perhaps it's just because I'm getting older (68 in December) that I hope I'm not going to run out of time.

Third, repentance means not only abandoning sin but also committing to obedience. Nature abhors a vacuum so one thing, the sin, must be replaced with another, or we fall right back into the sin. Of course I'd like to ask Father why good habits are so hard to establish and easy to break, while bad habits are so easy to establish and so difficult to break. Is this simply part of our mortal testing? Opposition in all things? A strengthening process, sort of like weight lifting? All of the above? I long for a face to face conversation with my Father in Heaven. This I do know, that sinful habits and behaviors have to be replaced with obedience to the commandments and righteous habits. And it's often just hard work, like lifting weights. But it gets easier and more automatic the longer it's done. Which is why, even when feeling stagnant, I've continued to read the scriptures and General Conference talks daily. It's a habit (thank goodness, finally) and I hoped at some point for my spirit to catch up.

Fourth, repentance requires a seriousness of purpose and a willingness to persevere, even through pain. I'll continue the weight lifting analogy a bit. One of our sons is a serious weight lifter. He's been doing it for about a decade now. He says that he is always sore somewhere, but that is how muscle growth occurs, lifting to failure, and then resting for growth; rotating which area of the body gets worked daily. Repentance and obedience will cause discomfort, even pain as I change from a natural man/woman to a saint through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is comforting, though, to realize that the pain of repentance is minimal compared to the pain of suffering for our own sins. The price has been paid, we have been redeemed, if we willingly repent and accept the gift.

Fifth, whatever the cost of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness. This brings us full circle to the love of God the Father and Jesus Christ. They want us to repent, and readily forgive when we do so because They love us!! When we feel their love in the form of forgiveness we experience a joyful relief and a loving connection restored or deepened. 

I doubt that anyone reading this blog is guilty of any great big malignant sin, but we are all guilty of little faults and failings, shortcomings and transgressions. I realized that by letting mine accumulate, I let the stagnation set in, which is why this talk touched my heart. I've needed a direct call to repentance and reminder of the fact that it isn't punishment, but a divine gift to restore me to and deepen my connection to my Father in Heaven, and my Savior Jesus Christ.

I was pleased when Elder Christofferson was called to the First Presidency. His talks are so wonderful, clear and direct and loving. 

Nuggets and Pearls

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the October 2010 conference.

A few talks stood out to me from this session, so I gleaned some nuggets and pearls from each one.

President Henry B. Eyring - God does not rule in nations, but He is mindful of them. He can and does place people in positions of influence who want what is best for the people and who trusts in the Lord.

I find that comforting as I think back on the elections of the past twenty-five years. The United States has had ups and downs; scary times and even more frightening times. But this is a land of promise, the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are blessed that in spite of the elected officials, regardless of who is in the White House, the Gospel rolls forth, temples are built, Israel is gathered and preparations continue for the Second Coming. Life is so much better when we elect men and women who make it easier to live the gospel, keep the commandments and prosper in the land but God's work cannot be stopped.

He also said, "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks."

King Benjamin said, similarly, ". . . and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." (Mosiah 4:10) And we sing, ". . . teach me all that I must do, to live with him someday."

President Boyd K. Packer - There is something very liberating when an individual determines of his or her own free will to be obedient to our Father and our God and expresses that willingness to Him in prayer.

Isn't it wonderful to have free will and choice? With that, though, comes accountability and consequences. This principle, often called the Law of the Harvest, has been largely forgotten in current society, such that when it is invoked people howl in discontent. We reap what we sow. There is no getting around that; it might be delayed, but the harvest always comes.

President Packer also said, "Nowhere are the generosity and the kindness and mercy of God more manifest than in repentance. . . . Repentance is like unto a detergent. Even ground-in stains of sin will come out."

To me that is comforting, reassuring, and hopeful. No matter how sincere my desire to be obedient is I won't be perfect. I will mess up, choose poorly, make mistakes, and fall short. The gift of repentance is just about the best ever.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks - Those who reject the need for organized religion reject the work of the Master, who established His church and its officers in the meridian of time and who reestablished them in modern times.

It is the purpose of the organization of the church first to enable authorized performance of the ordinances of salvation and exaltation, and then help us stay faithful to the covenants we've made. The fellowship with others on the same path is encouraging and strengthening. We need each other; as the saying goes, there is strength in numbers. 

Elder Oaks also said, "Each member needed to seek the Lord in prayer and receive the direct message of comfort and guidance that comes through the Holy Spirit to those who seek and listen." 

He was speaking of a time of an earthquake in Chile when the physical and spiritual needs of the members was great. The church helped with physical needs, but each member needed to draw on God's help also. I know what it's like to go through a big calamity. The ultimate comfort comes to us from Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. I learned long ago that Father and my Savior are dependable and will never let me down or disappoint. They keep their promises.

 

God's Love and Laws

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday afternoon session of the October 2009 conference.

Some of our children were easier to teach than others. One, especially, questioned everything and wanted to know why. Why did we have to obey the restrictive commandments? I often used analogies to explain things. Just as I am older and more experienced than my children, and can see a bigger picture, God is older, more experienced and wiser too. He sees an eternal perspective. His commandments are like our house and family rules, they are to help us be safe, productive, and happy living together.

Elder Oaks talk, Love and Law, reinforced this concept for me.

The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God's laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love. The same should be true of parental love and rules.

One of the things that is hardest for parents is to allow natural consequences to follow the breaking of rules. Too often we extend mercy before the "weight of sin" is felt and we don't allow children to take some time to "come to themselves" and repent. We want to keep the peace, not interrupt or derail our plans. We don't want to get angry!

God's love is so perfect that He lovingly requires us to obey His commandments because He know that only through obedience to His laws can we become perfect, as He is. For this reason, God's anger and His wrath are not a contradiction of His love, but an evidence of His love.

I'm not trying to justify abuse, but there's nothing wrong with letting our children know how disappointed we are, or how unhappy, or upset we are when they deliberately disobey. (I'm not talking about untrained toddlers here. Sometimes we are impatient with a child who just doesn't know any better. We quickly find out where we need to do some teaching and training.)

God's choicest blessings are clearly contingent upon obedience to God's laws and commandments.

I know this to be true better than I know anything else. While I know I have been forgiven of serious sins as a young adult, I also know I have missed out on blessings, and have suffered the consequences of my sins for decades. Maybe God provides miracles for some in removing consequences, but He hasn't for me. I have apologized to my children who also have had to endure the consequences of my choices. 

God does not intervene to forestall the consequences of some persons' choices in order to protect the well-being of other persons--even when they kill, injure, or oppress one another--for this would destroy His plan for eternal progress. He will bless us to endure the consequences of others' choices, but He will not prevent those choices. 

Despite the somber tone of this talk I find it uplifting and hopeful. God's plan is working. And because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ all things will be made right in the end.

Recently I was pondering about our son James and the poor choices he made and how lost he was. Into my mind came his voice saying, "I'm not lost now, Mom." No, he's not lost anymore. The rescue of the Savior extends to all. James is safe from the power of Satan; he is endowed with priesthood power and able to move forward now. God loves all of His children and has provided a way for repentance and mercy through Jesus Christ.

God's love is evident through His laws. Our love should be evident through our obedience. I'm sure that once I make it through this life I will kneel at His feet and thank Him for His laws, and for His mercy in providing a Savior for when I wasn't strong enough or smart enough to obey those laws. 

 

Choices

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2009 conference.

One quote stood out to me as an answer to a question that I didn't even know I had.

Elder José A. Teixeira said, "Our Father in Heaven respects our freedom to choose and will never force us to do what is right, nor will He impede us from making mediocre choices."

I guess that is the mark of a mature and perfect parent: letting their (adult) children choose and then allowing them to face the consequences of their choices. Fortunately for us He is also merciful and doesn't punish us instantly. Rather, He gives us time and opportunity to repent and be restored. He also has the magnificent ability to make something good out of our foolishness. And for that I'm so grateful.

Today's Talk in Sacrament Meeting

 Christmas Gifts

Christmas time! The most wonderful time of the year, according to one song. Do you have the Christmas spirit? You know, feelings of love and generosity, joy and happiness, laughter and good times with family and friends,? That Christmas spirit? Sometimes I feel more like old Ebenezer Scrooge. Curmudgeony, wanting to be left alone and not bothered with all the work of preparations for a few minutes of a gift opening frenzy, a huge meal consumed in ten minutes, only to be left with all the clean-up. It's not really like that, only sometimes do those negative thoughts and feelings well up. Mostly Christmas is a happy time of good cheer with family and friends.

But speaking of Ebenezer, he is the main character in my favorite Christmas book and movie. His transformation represents the real gifts we are given at Christmas from Our Father in Heaven through His son Jesus Christ, and the gifts that we can give back to Him.

Christmas is the celebration of a birthday. Generally in our culture we give gifts to the person whose birthday we're celebrating. But Jesus isn't physically present today so it's rather difficult to give Him physical gifts. To explain this concept to our children I used to tell them that Jesus taught that, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matt 25:40) And, ". . . when you are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17) For almost thirty years now we have used a manger with a baby Jesus doll to help us remember just whose birthday we're celebrating. The gifts are piled around the manger as if we're giving them to Him. I found that the large, visual reminder helped our children focus more on who and why we were celebrating.

We usually give birthday or other gifts because we love the person and want to please him or her. I like to listen for clues all year long as to what my loved ones need or want so I can give just the perfect thing. One year I heard my sister say in casual conversation that Emily Dickinson was her favorite poet. I surprised her that year with a book of her complete works. It moved my sister to tears; she asked, "How did you know?" I don't tell you this to brag--I've given my share of complete flops over the years. I tell you this because of the principle involved, that listening with ears to hear can lead to more meaningful gifts. 

What clues has Jesus given us about the gifts he would like to receive? 

To the ancient prophet Malachi He said, "Prove me now herewith. . . " and asked us to pay tithing. (Malachi 3:10)  The first recorded words of Jesus after He was baptized are, "Repent ye!" (Matt. 4:17) He called His disciples saying, "Follow me!" And at the last supper with them He said, "If any man serve me, let him follow me;" (John 12:26) After washing their feet, performing that lowly act of service in a loving manner, He instructed them, ". . . I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:15) And "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13:17) Later that evening He told His apostles, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) and "Love one another" (John 15:12) After His resurrection He asked His chief Apostle, Peter, to feed His sheep and lambs. (John 21:15-17) And to the Nephites gathered at the temple in Bountiful He said, ". . . will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted that I may heal you? . . . And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit." (3 Nephi 9:13, 20) These are just some of the many clues He gave us.

Now back to my friend Ebenezer. As a fictional character, he could represent any of us, going about our days without any thought of eternity, just trying to slog our way through this mortal life the best we can, accumulating worldly treasure of one kind or another. God was merciful to old Scrooge though, and sent Spirits to open his eyes to the purpose of life, and the law of the harvest, that what we sow in life we will reap. 

Our current prophet, Russell M. Nelson reminds us to "think celestial"! Make decisions based on where we want to live in eternity and with whom.

 

Each spirit that visited Ebenezer opens his eyes further in understanding until at last he realizes his predicament, begs for mercy, and believing that he will die before the next Christmas pleads: "Spirit! Hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this if I am past all hope? . . . Good Spirit, Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me by an altered life!" He pledges to the Spirit of Christmas Future saying "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach." When he awakes in the morning he realizes that he did not die and he has been given a second chance. "I don't know what to do! . . . I'm as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy. . . . A merry Christmas to Everybody! A happy New Year to all the world!"

Ebenezer's fictional experience is similar to that of Alma the Younger in The Book of Mormon. After being visited by an angel of the Lord and in a coma for a time he was revived and began to speak to his father and the priests gathered around him. Alma bid "them to be of good comfort, for, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; And thus they become new creatures!" (Mosiah 27:24-26)

At another telling of his story, Alma said, 

And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. (Alma 36:18-21)

The amazing thing in both of these stories is that neither of these men were forced to change. They were given the opportunity to choose to change.

Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door. and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20)

Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy said, "The Lord will provide sustenance and support if we are willing to open the door and receive His hand of divine assistance." (Oct 2003)

Charles Dickens wrote of Ebenezer, "Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; . . . He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew. . . . Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; . . . His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him. . . . and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge."

Alma spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and keeping the sacred records. Some of the best sermons in the Book of Mormon were given by Alma. Think of his sermons on Faith, the Atonement, Judgement, Resurrection, and more. It is from Alma that we get the best explanation of why evil deeds are allowed to happen. After his conversion he was a mighty father, prophet and leader.

We are celebrating the birth of the One who would grow up to accomplish the mission of the Great Atoning Sacrifice. Jesus is our Brother, our Spiritual Father, our Exemplar, our Healer, our Lord and Savior. We celebrate his mortal birth in gratitude for his love and mercy in coming to save us from the bonds of death and sin. His gifts to us of repentance and resurrection mean that we can be cleansed from our sin and be spiritually born again, and then instead of mortal death being the end of our existence, we will be reunited body and spirit to live eternally.

I think His gifts to us far outweigh any we can give to Him. But let's not let that discourage us. He asks us to repent!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, "Repenting means giving up all your practices--personal, family, ethnic, and national--that are contrary to the commandments of God." (Oct. 2003)

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "For some, to think of repentance as the pathway to joy might seem contradictory. Repentance, at times, can be painful and difficult. It requires admitting that some of our thoughts and actions—even some of our beliefs—have been wrong. Repentance also requires change, which, at times, can be uncomfortable. But joy and comfort are not the same thing. Sin—including the sin of complacency—limits our joy." (April 2023)

The spirits who visited Ebenezer Scrooge used his own words to help him see the error of his ways. 

Alma taught, "For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence. But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his might, majesty and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgements are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance." (Alma 12:14-15)

Do you think Alma knew what he was talking about? Do you think his experience built his testimony? It sure sounds like it to me.

Jesus asks us to love and serve others. Often the "others" are as close as our own family. The family is the heavenly pattern; we prepare to live in a Zion society, and in the Celestial Kingdom by practicing in our own imperfect earthly families. 

Jesus taught, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12) We are not left to try to figure things out by ourselves. We who have been baptized and confirmed have the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us. We have a prophet and apostles, seventies and other church leaders who regularly give us instructions and guidance. We have scripture, ancient and modern. We have the vast resources of the church and the miracles of technology to access them. We can repent and follow Jesus! We can receive the gifts He has to offer us.

This Christmas season, may we invite the Spirit of the Lord into our homes and lives by repenting, obeying the commandments, loving and serving others, and sharing the Light of the Savior near and far.

I know that God, Our Heavenly Father lives and loves us enough to send His Son, our eldest brother, Jesus, to be Our Savior and Redeemer. I know that Jesus Christ restored His church through the prophet Joseph Smith and gave him the power to translate the Book of Mormon, Another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that Russell M. Nelson is the Lord's authorized prophet on earth today. We have so many gifts from God! May we acknowledge and appreciate them each day.

Threads Woven Together

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2002 conference.

Then Elder Russell M. Nelson: A firm foundation is necessary for any building, institution, or individual to endure. . . .Even firm foundations cannot prevent life's problems. Wayward children cause parents to grieve. Some broken families don't get fixed. Gender disorientation is poorly understood. Married couples, for whatever reason, may not be blessed with children. Even in our day, 'the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money.' Some things just don't seem fair.

Elder John H. Madsen: Simply stated, eternal life is to live forever as families in the presence of God.

Elder Gene R. Cook: Repent. Remove any worldliness from your life, including anger. Receive a continual remission of your sins, and you will bridle all your passions, and be filled with love.

Elder Gerald N. Lund: As Elder Maxwell said yesterday, only when we truly yield our hearts to God can He begin to accelerate the purification and the sanctification and the perfecting process.

Elder M. Russell Ballard: We sometimes fail to understand that the everlasting peace Jesus promises is an inner peace, born in faith, anchored by testimony, nurtured with love, and expressed through continual obedience and repentance. . . . One cannot be at peace if one is living a life out of harmony with revealed truth. 

President Gordon B. Hinckley: I know that it is the work of the Almighty 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man'. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, the great Prophet of this dispensation through whom these truths have come.

It is my testimony that the ills of the world could be cured by living according to the Gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ, and His latter-day prophets.

Just a little reminder that the heat of the summer isn't permanent; and neither is the cold of the winter.

 

"You Can't Pet a Rattlesnake"

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood session of the April 2001 conference.

For the past three weeks my prayers have been intense, and filled with gratitude. One time, into my head, and out of my mouth came, "I'm so thankful for the commandments!" I guess my thoughts were that if only our son had obeyed the Word of Wisdom he would still be with us. The commandments keep us safe and out of Satan's power.

Elder David E. Sorensen of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke of sin (specifically pornography) as a deeply poisonous, deceptive snake that lies coiled up [everywhere]. "Often the world makes these dangers look harmless--even exciting and interesting. But petting such snakes fills the mind with poison--poison that drives away the Holy Spirit." Some sins also can literally poison the body and allow evil in.

Whenever we sin, in whatever way, we drive away the Holy Spirit. And the more we continue in sin the harder it is to get back to worthiness to have the Spirit with us.

Our son was trying to come back, he was working with his bishop and attending AA meetings, sometimes. But the hold alcohol had on him was stronger than he could resist, and each wrong choice led to more wrong choices. He hid so much from us, and then it was too late.

Elder John H. Groberg said, "Remember, the sand castles we build on the beaches of mortality, no matter how elaborate, will eventually be washed away by the tide. Only purity of hand, heart, and mind will allow us to tap into the ultimate power of the priesthood to truly bless others and eventually be able to build eternal mansions more beautiful and lasting than we can presently imagine."

My heart is filled with gratitude for the Savior and His great plan of mercy to allow us to repent and be cleansed from sin, and rescued from death. We each are on a trek from Babylon to the Promised Land with dangers on every side. There are casualties and hardships all along the way, but we must never give up or give in. We must press forward with steadfastness in Christ, relying wholly on Him to guide and succor us along the way.

Three Themes I Heard in General Conference

We just finished the spiritual feast of General Conference, and what a feast it was; the talks, the music, even the prayers!

Listening to, and taking brief notes of each talk I heard three themes repeated over and over.

1. Repent! Sometimes explicitly, often implicitly. 

2. Ministering! For those on both sides of the veil we need to do better, much better.

3. Becoming one in Christ! A Zion people is to be of one heart and one mind, and that heart and mind are Christ's. We are not only to follow Him, but to work constantly to become like Him. A tall order, but necessary for us to be ready to receive Him when He comes again.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson - Celebrate Easter with the same fervor and enthusiasm as Christmas.

Bonnie H. Cordon - Create muscle memory of discipleship.

Elder Carl B. Cook - "Let's do it again sometime!"

Elder Gerrit W. Gong - Our wards (and branches) are a spiritual ecosystem.

Elder Quentin L. Cook - Prepare for gathering to our heavenly home.

Elder Allen D. Haynie - Repent! Begin again to follow the prophet.

Pres. Henry B. Eyring - Seek for the Savior's peace, "I will not leave you comfortless."

Elder Dale G. Renlund - There is power in covenants, and protection from the adversary, when the temple is an important part of our life.

Elder Peter F. Meurs - We have access to the saving, redeeming, healing power of Jesus Christ.

Elder Randall K. Bennett - Patriarchal Blessings!

Elder Craig C. Christensen - We were created to have joy. Repentance is the pathway to joy because it leads us to the Savior.

Elder Evan A. Schmutz - Trust the doctrine of Christ and build your life on the rock!

Elder Benjamin de Hoyos - Temples and Family History!

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Daily bread is best prepared and consumed at home.

Elder Mark A. Bragg - Be a good man in a storm, develop spiritual, mental and physical poise.

Milton daRocha Camargo - The Savior solves problems! The more we focus on Jesus Christ, the more sin loses its appeal.

Elder K. Brett Nattress - Do we remember Father in Heaven and love Him?

Elder Juan A. Uceda - The Good, the Beautiful, the Magnificent Shepherd, Jesus Christ. With the Savior's help we can love and minister to each other. (This was one of my favorites!)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson - The only way to be unified is to become like Christ. Bend our efforts to the common cause.

Camille N. Johnson - Jesus Christ is relief!

Elder Ulisses Soares - Hearts knit together in unity and love; cease from contention; clothe ourselves in the bond of charity.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita - Patriarchal blessings are personal counsel from the Lord to you.

Elder Neil L. Andersen - Catch hold of the thought of Jesus Christ to be saved and healed.

Elder Kevin R. Duncan - In this mortal life we can never escape the war, but we can escape the adversary through worship in the temple.

President Russell M. Nelson - Be peacemakers now and always! Anger never persuades, contention never builds. Disciples of Christ should be examples of how to treat others. Charity is the antidote to contention. As we follow the Prince of Peace we become His peacemakers on earth.

President Dallin H. Oaks - We believe in Christ!

Elder M. Russell Ballard - Following the promptings of the spirit is one of the things that matters most in our relationships. A testimony of the Savior matters most! Testify often of what you know and believe, not just what you're thankful for.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband - Fill your "bucket list" with the oil of hearing and acting on the Doctrine of Christ.

Elder Vern P. Stanfill - Good enough! Perfectionism vs. Perfected in Christ.

Elder W. Mark Bassett - Learn from the story of Lazarus that there are things that we can and must do, then Christ can do for us what only He can do.

Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt - Learn for yourself the answer to the question "Why did Jesus have to die?" through studying the Plan of Salvation.

Elder David A. Bednar - Abide in and walk with the Son of God. Is the Word in us? Is the tree of Christ growing in us?

President Russell M. Nelson - Come unto the Savior and He can heal you! Jesus is the reason we build temples, they are His houses.

For dessert we had carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

Repentance and Hope

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday afternoon session of the October 1999 conference.

I listened to all of the talks this morning while I did the dishes from yesterday. We have a vintage dishwasher, me! All of the talks were great, but I especially felt drawn to Elder Eyring's and Elder Holland's talks because of some challenges a son is facing. I think the two talks dovetail perfectly.

Elder Eyring spoke of not procrastinating our repentance. One of the reasons he gave for promptly repenting is so that we don't miss out on blessings and service. He spoke of a man who began to smoke at age 12 and after a few years left both his small hometown and the church. He worked construction jobs, married, had a family, but ended up divorced and estranged from his family. In fact, he ended up quite alone living in boarding houses and out of a single trunk.

One night as he was lightening his load he found a Book of Mormon in the bottom of his trunk. He never knew how it got there, but he read it through and knew through the Spirit that it was true. He realized that all those years ago he had walked away from the true Church of Jesus Christ. 

This now old man and a young Elder Eyring were district missionary companions. Elder Eyring was teaching a lesson and told the people of the power of the Atonement to give a new heart and wash away sins. Later the older man rebuked Elder Eyring saying: ". . .that while God was able to give him a new heart, He had not been able to give him back his wife and his children and what he might have done for them. But he had not looked back in sorrow and regret for what might have been. He moved forward, lifted by faith, to what yet might be."

That struck me as a parallel to my life for reasons I won't go into here. I have a firm testimony of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ to pay for sins and to heal sorrows, but the one thing it cannot do is to change the consequences of sin. If we delay our repentance, procrastinating, or worse, refuse to repent, we will suffer the full and unalterable consequences of our sins, both in this life and the life to come.

Elder Eyring ends on such a sweet note: "Those in our families who love us, on both sides of the veil, would say as we consider whether to humble our hearts and repent, 'Please, do not delay.' That is the Savior's invitation and His plea."

Elder Holland's talk focused on the promise of the Savior's role as "An High Priest of Good Things to Come."

In the entire history of the world no one has ever loved so purely or served so selflessly--and been treated so diabolically for His effort. Yet nothing could break His faith in His Father's plan or His Father's promises. Even in those darkest hours at Gethsemane and Calvary, He pressed on, continuing to trust in the very God whom He momentarily feared had forsaken Him.

Because Christ's eyes were unfailingly fixed on the future, He could endure all that was required of Him, . . . Because He knows that for the faithful, things will be made right soon enough.

This is the talk in which he told the story of his young family moving to the east to go to graduate school and their dilapidated car breaking down twice in the same place. Such a tender story! Elder Holland ends with his testimony of the Father and the Son saying, ". . .They will sustain us in our hour of need--and always will, even if we cannot recognize that intervention."

Repentance and Hope! One leads to the other. And they are sorely needed in today's world, especially by me. 

Nana Rozy and grandbaby #3

 

"Peaceable Things"

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the October 1996 conference.

This past Sunday I spoke in Sacrament Meeting about prophets and the importance of listening to and following their instructions. In this session of conference Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said:

A general conference of this church is a remarkable occasion indeed--it is an institutional declaration that the heavens are open, that divine guidance is as real today as it was for the ancient house of Israel, that God our Heavenly Father loves us and speaks His will through a living prophet.

He talked about how "peace and good tidings . . . are among the ultimate blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings a troubled world."

Has there ever been a time when the world wasn't troubled? Perhaps brief moments in small isolated places, such as Enoch's city, and the Nephite/Lamanite nation after the visitation of the Savior. But otherwise, mortal life has been troubled.

In relating the blessings of the gospel Elder Holland talked about repentance and said:

Closely related to our own obligation to repent is the generosity of letting others do the same--we are to forgive even as we are forgiven. . . We don't want God to remember our sins, so there is something fundamentally wrong in our relentlessly trying to remember those of others.

He finished with this beautiful thought:

The better angels of our nature. That is what much of what the Church and general conference and the gospel of Jesus Christ are about. The appeal today and tomorrow and forever to be better, to be cleaner, to be kinder, to be holier; to seek peace and always be believing. 

We need the messages of general conference everyday! They help us face the realities of mortal life with greater courage and strength. I know I couldn't make it without the guidance, light and truth of the words of prophets, apostles and other inspired leaders.

Marilyn at Light in Leaves has more General Conference Odyssey.