Being able to listen and respond to the Spirit is something that I've tried to fine-tune over the years. To put it simply, I try to eliminate those things from my life that make it harder for me to feel the Spirit and add more of the things that help me more easily feel the Spirit.
General Conference is held twice a year, which means in just a few weeks I will have new talks to devour. Until then, I'm going to listen to every talk from the April Conference and record my thoughts or impressions from each one. This morning I listened to the first three talks while cleaning the kitchen.
Welcome to Conference - President Thomas S. Monson
This was the last Conference before President Monson's sweetheart passed away in May. In his talk he said,
I did not personally attend the cultural celebration in Calgary, inasmuch as it was Sister Monson’s 85th birthday and I felt I should be with her. However, she and I were privileged to watch the celebration in our living room over closed-circuit television.
I love that he has his priorities straight! Although I know his church responsibilities have kept him away from the home for much of the past 60 years, he knew that his most important responsibility was to his eternal companion.
I did not personally attend the cultural celebration in Calgary, inasmuch as it was Sister Monson’s 85th birthday and I felt I should be with her. However, she and I were privileged to watch the celebration in our living room over closed-circuit television.
I love that he has his priorities straight! Although I know his church responsibilities have kept him away from the home for much of the past 60 years, he knew that his most important responsibility was to his eternal companion.
President Monson spoke of the influx of missionaries since the new age requirements were announced last year. As of this Conference, there were 65,634 missionaries serving, and that number surpassed 70,000 in the summer. How exciting to have all those members sharing their love of the Savior around the world!
These Things I Know - President Boyd K. Packer
I love President Packer. As his voice quivered from his wheelchair, he recited a poem he has been writing over the past many decades. I especially love the end of the poem, which says:
I love President Packer. As his voice quivered from his wheelchair, he recited a poem he has been writing over the past many decades. I especially love the end of the poem, which says:
I now can say with all certainty
That I know and love the Lord.
I can testify with them of old
As I preach His holy word.
I know what He felt in Gethsemane
Is too much to comprehend.
I know He did it all for us;
We have no greater Friend.
I know that He will come anew
With power and in glory.
I know I will see Him once again
At the end of my life’s story.
I’ll kneel before His wounded feet;
I’ll feel His Spirit glow.
My whispering, quivering voice will say,
“My Lord, my God, I know."
These two sentences might be my favorite from the whole talk:
I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother.
How true! Mothers everywhere were comforted by President Packers words, but I also loved his words for another reason. All the principles of the gospel can be argued, and I hear the arguments often. I have listened as people explain how Jesus Christ is not a redeemer, how the Bible and Book of Mormon are not true words from prophets, and of course how I am being blinded to the truth because of my belief in the LDS church. I've heard "evidence" so convincing that a court of law couldn't disagree. Yet after all is said, it comes down to a faith that can move mountains. I have faith that Christ is my Savior, that the scriptures are true recordings of those who came before me, and that the covenants I made in the temple will last throughout all eternity. There's no arguing faith, because I'm aware that some issues won't make sense in this life. That doesn't make them any less true. God is all-knowing and has a plan in place for me that is impossible for me to fully comprehend right now.
I loved this sentence because he includes teaching myself:
Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will do no greater eternal work than within the walls of your own home.
*I* live within the walls of my home, so it is vital that *I* know and understand the doctrines of the gospel so I can both teach my children AND experience the joy of the gospel for myself.
And finally, this paragraph stood out to me:
Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Learn to receive and act on inspiration and revelation.
This happened to me just yesterday. When I pray specifically to be guided by the Spirit in all I say and do, my prayer is answered. I was in a tough conversation where I would typically stumble over my words and try to debate some of the things being said. Instead, the words that came out of my mouth during that hour-long conversation were not my own. I was merely the instrument to relay those words to the person I was speaking with. I was surprised at many of my responses both during and after the conversation.
A Sure Foundation - Bishop Dean M. Davies
Balance in the application of these specifications is vital. For example, in the process of making concrete, precise amounts of sand, gravel, cement, and water are used in order to achieve maximum strength. An incorrect amount or exclusion of any portion of these elements would make the concrete weak and not able to perform its important function.
In like manner, if we do not provide for an appropriate balance in our lives of daily personal prayer and feasting from the scriptures, weekly strengthening from partaking of the sacrament, and frequent participation in priesthood ordinances such as temple ordinances, we too are at risk of being weakened in our spiritual structural strength.
In that same hour-long conversation I had yesterday, the person I was speaking with wanted to discuss how repeated visits to the temple, scripture reading and prayer weren't important because they hadn't helped this person progress in the past. They said there are too many guidelines in the LDS church that we think have to be strictly obeyed in order to receive blessings A, B, C and so on. The gospel, therefore, should be more about being a good person so we can all be together in heaven after we die. Some good points were given, so I studied it out and have come to the conclusion that all the "guidelines" I try to follow have brought me to the point where I am. Was it the result of any one thing, such as temple attendance? No. In fact many times while I attend the temple my mind is distracted or I don't particularly want to be there because I have so many other things on my to-do list. But I go anyway. God commanded me, so I do it and he blesses me with more faith for the future. I don't necessarily learn something new or have an outpouring of the Spirit every time I am in the temple. What I gain is often something entirely different because God knows what I need. The combination of all the little things I am commanded to do/not do helps me progress, whether that is temporally or spiritually.
Brothers and sisters, none of us would knowingly construct our homes, places of work, or sacred houses of worship on sand or rubble or without appropriate plans and materials. Let us accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him. Let us build our lives upon a safe and a sure foundation.
These two sentences might be my favorite from the whole talk:
I have come to know that faith is a real power, not just an expression of belief. There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother.
How true! Mothers everywhere were comforted by President Packers words, but I also loved his words for another reason. All the principles of the gospel can be argued, and I hear the arguments often. I have listened as people explain how Jesus Christ is not a redeemer, how the Bible and Book of Mormon are not true words from prophets, and of course how I am being blinded to the truth because of my belief in the LDS church. I've heard "evidence" so convincing that a court of law couldn't disagree. Yet after all is said, it comes down to a faith that can move mountains. I have faith that Christ is my Savior, that the scriptures are true recordings of those who came before me, and that the covenants I made in the temple will last throughout all eternity. There's no arguing faith, because I'm aware that some issues won't make sense in this life. That doesn't make them any less true. God is all-knowing and has a plan in place for me that is impossible for me to fully comprehend right now.
I loved this sentence because he includes teaching myself:
Teach yourself and teach your families about the gift of the Holy Ghost and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. You will do no greater eternal work than within the walls of your own home.
*I* live within the walls of my home, so it is vital that *I* know and understand the doctrines of the gospel so I can both teach my children AND experience the joy of the gospel for myself.
And finally, this paragraph stood out to me:
Each of us must stay in condition to respond to inspiration and the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has a way of pouring pure intelligence into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, and to warn us. Each son or daughter of God can know the things they need to know instantly. Learn to receive and act on inspiration and revelation.
This happened to me just yesterday. When I pray specifically to be guided by the Spirit in all I say and do, my prayer is answered. I was in a tough conversation where I would typically stumble over my words and try to debate some of the things being said. Instead, the words that came out of my mouth during that hour-long conversation were not my own. I was merely the instrument to relay those words to the person I was speaking with. I was surprised at many of my responses both during and after the conversation.
A Sure Foundation - Bishop Dean M. Davies
Balance in the application of these specifications is vital. For example, in the process of making concrete, precise amounts of sand, gravel, cement, and water are used in order to achieve maximum strength. An incorrect amount or exclusion of any portion of these elements would make the concrete weak and not able to perform its important function.
In like manner, if we do not provide for an appropriate balance in our lives of daily personal prayer and feasting from the scriptures, weekly strengthening from partaking of the sacrament, and frequent participation in priesthood ordinances such as temple ordinances, we too are at risk of being weakened in our spiritual structural strength.
In that same hour-long conversation I had yesterday, the person I was speaking with wanted to discuss how repeated visits to the temple, scripture reading and prayer weren't important because they hadn't helped this person progress in the past. They said there are too many guidelines in the LDS church that we think have to be strictly obeyed in order to receive blessings A, B, C and so on. The gospel, therefore, should be more about being a good person so we can all be together in heaven after we die. Some good points were given, so I studied it out and have come to the conclusion that all the "guidelines" I try to follow have brought me to the point where I am. Was it the result of any one thing, such as temple attendance? No. In fact many times while I attend the temple my mind is distracted or I don't particularly want to be there because I have so many other things on my to-do list. But I go anyway. God commanded me, so I do it and he blesses me with more faith for the future. I don't necessarily learn something new or have an outpouring of the Spirit every time I am in the temple. What I gain is often something entirely different because God knows what I need. The combination of all the little things I am commanded to do/not do helps me progress, whether that is temporally or spiritually.
Brothers and sisters, none of us would knowingly construct our homes, places of work, or sacred houses of worship on sand or rubble or without appropriate plans and materials. Let us accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him. Let us build our lives upon a safe and a sure foundation.
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