We celebrated the 183rd General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am proud to be a member of this great Church. Every 6 months we are able to listen to God's mouthpieces on the earth. I like to make note of some of the things that stuck out to me from the sessions that I was able to listen to. There is 10 hours of Conference - I was able to watch Saturday and Sunday Morning sessions - 4 hours of it. Omar also attended the Priesthood session for 6 of the 10 hours. I will have to catch up on the other ones later.
Saturday Morning Session
President Monson (President and Prophet)- 2 new temples announced - Cedar City, Utah and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Since the change with the missionary age over 65,000 missionaries now - and 20,000 who have been called and 6,000 more in interviews with their bishops. 58 new missions created. Encouraged to donate generously to General Missionary Fund of the church.
Boyd K Packer (Apostle)
- He is 88 years old now! He is such a cute old man - that poem sounded like it was a farewell poem
- Discussed how Priesthood
- Faith is a real power and not just an expression of belief - there is few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother. This is interesting because I was just talking about faith earlier today with my friend Allison Schreiber and how it seems like such an overused term a really undefined thing - faith.
- Separate the difference between the sin and the sinner. Tolerance is a virtue - but when is exaggerated it becomes a vice. We need to be careful of tolerance that we don't exaggerate it and become swallowed up in it.
- All of us have the light of Christ when we are born - what we do with that light is our test in mortality.
Dean M Davies (2nd Counselor Presiding Bishopric)
- Temple construction look at any type of calamity or weather catastrophe that might come - they are built on very strong foundations
- Daily prayer, daily studying of scriptures, weekly partaking of the Sacrament and participating in Priesthood ordinances are what should create our foundation - if we don't participate in these we will have a weakened foundation
- Paul in the Bible also refers to our foundation
- These items should come to us as naturally as breathing and eating! If that is the case - I have a lot of work to do for it to be more natural for me
Elaine S Dalton (Young Women General President)
- Nice testimony
Craig A Carden (Quorum of the 70)
- he doesn't excuse us in our sins or condone us to return to our past sins. he is able to forgive sins on earth too not just at the final judgement.
- the Lord verbally told Joseph Smith that he was forgiven multiple times even though he had not completed any grave sins. this is a good example of his willingness to forgive 70x7.
- the Lord wants to forgive
M Russell Ballard (Apostle)
- The power by which the heaven's and earth were created is the Priesthood
- that same Priesthood power is the same power Christ used to perform miracles and other things during his mortal ministry
- The man cannot fully utilize his Priesthood without a woman.
- analogy of the tomato plant - we can become like a wilted tomato plant drifting away being spiritually malnourished. we can come back with light and power of god in our life like the tomato plant comes back with light and water.
- never realized his great grandmother is Mary Fielding Smith
Elder Eyring (Apostle)
- When we serve Him or follow the call to leave our families to serve Him it will cause our families to become closer to Him.
- the scripture he shared in D&C about Hyrum and Joseph's family was one that helped strengthen me on my mission.
Sunday Morning Session
Dieter F Uchtdorf (Apostle)
- Often we feel we are surrounded by darkness - He will illuminate the way and help us out of the darkness
- Turn your heart to the Lord
Neil L Andersen (Apostle)
- Put your missionary tag somewhere that it can be seen
- Pray for missionary opportunities
Rosemary M Wixon (Primary General President)
- To speak to a child's hearts we must know a child's needs
- Choose a time of the day to disconnect from everything and reconnect to each other
L Whitney Clayton (Presidency of 70)
- Watch and Learn how to have a happy and eternal marriage
- Practice patterns of faith (sacrament weekly, FHE weekly, honest tithing, personal and family scripture study, etc.) - they don't pick and choose which ones they should do like a buffet
- Repentance - have honest self-examination to repent and improve
- Respect - don't treat others as 2nd class partners - each have an equal vote - cooperation - not negotiation - forego personal entertainment and electronics to share in home roles - work side by side
- Transparency - no secret - make all decisions about finances together
- Fiercely loyal to each other
L Tom Perry (Apostle)
- "Obedience to law is liberty" - why does this ring true to us? Look back to our Pre-mortal life
- Victory of the war in heaven was a victory for man's agency
- Each choice is a choice between liberty and eternal life or captivity and death
- Coveting has been far too common way of life
- We shouldn't pick and choose which commandments we follow
Thomas S Monson (Prophet)
- Be obedient and do it willingly
