Conference Thoughts

 

The first presidency - Thomas S. Monson - prophet, and his counsellors - Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

Adjusting to a new normal, trying to figure out when to do things with children, well, let's just say I'm a little slow to get organized?  Is three and a half years considered slower than slow?  I can't remember when in my adult life I started watching all of the sessions (except Priesthood) of General Conference (the twice yearly church conference from Salt Lake City), but at some point I did.  I would watch all the sessions and I would take notes.  I like taking notes.

The first General Conference after Kate was the same as always - I watched all the sessions, made my notes and then made my summary sheet afterwards.  And then, Kate got older.  Each session of General Conference is two hours long.  There are five sessions spread over Saturday and Sunday, the first weekend in April and the first weekend in October.  Watching all the sessions as an adult can be a challenge - it's a lot to take in.  As a child, well, it's just too much to ask.  It's a challenge trying to balance my needs with the needs of my children and sometimes I get very frustrated.  The last time I watched all of conference was April 2009.  This past April I was determined that I would watch ALL of conference, that I would make notes and make my summary sheet to hang up in my room to read and remember.

This morning, while Ken and the girls are at church and I'm at home continuing to recover from surgery, I finished watching the last two speakers of the Sunday afternoon session.  And I've just finished reading through my notes and making my summary list for me.  I feel happy.  This list is my personal list, it's the things that stood out to me, the things I need to work on.  I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven that knows me, knows my needs and speaks to me through the Holy Ghost.  I am grateful for the atonement of my Savior Jesus Christ. 

General Conference Thoughts

April 2012

·        President Monson

·         Nothing can stop the truth of God from filling the earth

·         Our Heavenly Father is mindful of each of us and our needs

·         KINDNESS

·         Everyone is in a hurry; do we pause for moments of meditation? 

·         What is most precious?

·         Come Unto Jesus

·         May your homes be filled with love and courtesy

·         Ponder the truths you’ve heard

·         Be better than you were before conference began

o   Family time is sacred

o   Baptism preparation – one on one time the months before a child is baptized (Dad time) teaching for understanding

o   The gospel and the church are not the same thing, but we need both

o   Nurture others throughout your life

o   Sacrifice – home and visiting teaching, temple service, church service, FAMILY

o   Acting even on a “twig” of faith allows God to grow it, it is never too late to build faith in Jesus Christ

o   Be kind, it’s a happy way to live

o   We need to prepare ourselves to receive the sacrament, we need to make room for the Holy Ghost and ponder on our Savior’s sufferings

o   Make a quiet book based on this talk (Robert D. Hales – second session)

o   President George Albert Smith, repeating counsel from his grandfather, once said: “There is a line of demarcation well defined between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s territory. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of that line one inch you are in the tempter’s power and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith [2011], 191).

o   Therefore, our daily question must be, “Do my actions place me in the Lord’s or in the enemy’s territory?”

o   Save things from the friend (stop/go)

o   President Monson – rescue those who have fallen away, those who have not yet tasted gospel fruit, do NOT judge

o   Example speaks so loudly children might not hear what we say

o   We need to read the Book of Mormon as a family

o   Don’t let emotions make decisions – can’t be influenced by the spirit

o   Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you (I need to stop judging my neighbours)

o   How do I help (When appropriate, ACT, don’t ASK)

o   Relief Society is not a trifling thing

o   FAMILY

o   Don’t deprive children of the opportunity to learn

o   Help children establish their own connection to heaven

o   Our missionary experiences have to be current

o   Reflect and record encounters of the spirit

o   Gratitude – confess the Lord in all things

o   Sometimes we might feel vulnerable and feel like we need another witness – Did I not speak peace to your mind? Remember sacred encounters

o   Am I a hypocrite?

o   What thinks Christ of me?