This talk was primarily about understanding that we are literal daughters of a heavenly being. Every time I bear my testimony, I include my belief that I have a Father in heaven who knows me better than I know myself, loves me unconditionally and cheers me on every day. Becoming a parent helped me better understand my importance to my heavenly parents. Regardless of the mistakes I make or times I chose to ignore Him, my Heavenly Father patiently watches over me.
Young women need mothers and mentors who exemplify virtuous womanhood. Mothers, your relationship with your daughter is of paramount importance, and so is your example. How you love and honor her father, his priesthood, and his divine role will be reflected and perhaps amplified in your daughter’s attitudes and behavior.
Although I make mistakes daily, I try to be an example to my daughters (and sons) of a virtuous woman. Virtue is not a popular trait in today's world, and I want my children to see that real confidence comes from knowing not only who you are, but whose you are.
Again I renew the call for a return to virtue. Virtue is the strength and power of daughters of God. What would the world be like if virtue—a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards, including chastity8—were reinstated in our society as a most highly prized value? If immorality, pornography, and abuse decreased, would there be fewer broken marriages, broken lives, and broken hearts? Would media ennoble and enable rather than objectify and degrade God’s precious daughters? If all humanity really understood the importance of the statement “We are daughters of our Heavenly Father,” how would women be regarded and treated?
This last paragraph seems very timely, since celebraties like Miley Cyrus are constantly making news with their immoral and disgusting choices. It makes me sad and angry that the world thinks women should be crass objects of lust. I wish I had understood my divine purpose at a younger age. As a confused teenager, I thought I wanted more attention from boys, when what I really wanted was respect.
My patriarchal blessing speaks about the relationship I had with my Heavenly Father before I came to earth. I knew Him well, and was taught by him. I look forward to living in His presence again someday.
The Savior Wants to Forgive - Elder Craig A. Cardon
What a great talk! I've listened to this one several times while contemplating some conversations I've had in the past few months. The LDS church is not easy as far as religions go, because much is required. Although it shouldn't, this can sometimes cause us to feel like failures when we don't live up to the standards.
If we exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the enabling power of His Atonement strengthens us in our moment of need, and His redeeming power sanctifies us as we “[put] off the natural man.” This brings hope to all, especially to those who feel that recurring human weakness is beyond the Savior’s willingness to help and to save.
When we repeatedly feel like we have failed, we may think Christ will give up on us. This can be especially true for those struggling with addictions.
Providing an opportunity for the Savior to enlighten our understanding, Peter once inquired how many times he should forgive his brother and then asked, “Till seven times?” Surely that would be more than enough. But the Savior’s response opened wide the door to His merciful heart: “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
. . .the Lord’s “seventy times seven” does not limit forgiveness according to the seriousness of the sin . . . it is only by virtue of His compassion that we may ultimately “overcome the world . . .the Savior wants to forgive.
If we, in our mortal state, are required to forgive at least 77 times, then Christ, in his heavenly state, will mercifully forgive us as many times as we sincerely ask. This talk helped me realize that not only does our Heavenly Father forgive, but Christ has the ability to forgive. He forgave sinners while in His mortal state, but for some reason it never occurred to me that He still forgives. And he WANTS to forgive!
in His mercy, He allows for improvement over time rather than demanding immediate perfection. Even with the multitude of sins occasioned by the weakness of mortality, as often as we repent and seek His forgiveness, He forgives again and again.
. . .after we do all we can do, His compassion and grace are the means whereby “in process of time” we overcome the world through the enabling power of the Atonement. As we humbly seek this precious gift, “weak things become strong unto [us],” and by His strength, we are made able to do that which we could never do alone.
. . .we are counseled to “show confidence in the individual and not be judgmental … [treating] it as a temporary and understandable setback.” Could we do less with our own children or family members who struggle with similar problems, having temporarily strayed from the path of righteousness? Surely they merit our steadiness, patience, and love—and yes, our forgiveness.
In general conference just last October, President Monson counseled:
“We need to bear in mind that people can change. They can put behind them bad habits. They can repent from transgressions . . .we can help them to overcome their shortcomings. We must develop the capacity to see men not as they are at present but as they may become.”
So much to learn from this talk about our attitudes toward those who offend us or fall short of our expectations.
This is my Work and Glory - Elder M. Russell Ballard
In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. And as husband and wife, a man and a woman should strive to follow our Heavenly Father. The Christian virtues of love, humility, and patience should be their focus as they seek the blessings of the priesthood in their lives and for their family.
There are some people who think the LDS church is sexist because only men are allowed to hold the priesthood. I have never felt this way. I am grateful that God's power was given to men. You can't bless yourself with the priesthood; it's a service you give to others when you are striving to live the commandments. My children and I can reap the benefits of Ryan's priesthood power, yet it also requires him to be worthy, so he has to be working on improving himself. It's one of God's awesome win-wins.
Come unto Me - Heny B. Eyring
President Eyring used many examples from the scriptures, specifically from the life of Christ. I love how the scripture stories give a visual example of the purpose of his talk.
I remember reading an article in the Ensign magazine at a difficult time in my life. The woman stated in the story that she "put her burdens at Christ's feet" because they were more than she could handle. The article actually made me angry because that statement made no sense to me! I thought it sounded fabulous to release my burdens to Christ, if only someone could tell me how to do it! I have often pondered how I can gain a closer relationship with my Savior. I believe Him, and I believe IN Him. But for me it seems easier to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father because I SPEAK with Him daily in prayer. It's even easier to have a relationship with the Spirit because I FEEL him with me. In this talk, President Eyring shows us HOW to draw closer to Christ.
Your prayers and the prayers of those who exercise their faith will bring the Lord’s servants to help your family members. They will help them choose the way home to God, even as they are attacked by Satan and his followers, whose purpose it is to destroy families in this life and in eternity.
My promise to you who pray and serve the Lord cannot be that you will have every blessing you may wish for yourself and your family. But I can promise you that the Savior will draw close to you and bless you and your family with what is best. You will have the comfort of His love and feel the answer of His drawing closer as you reach out your arms in giving service to others. As you bind up the wounds of those in need and offer the cleansing of His Atonement to those who sorrow in sin, the Lord’s power will sustain you. His arms are outstretched with yours to succor and bless the children of our Heavenly Father, including those in your family.
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