October 2021 General Conference Saturday Evening thoughts
Wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the Saturday evening session, but it didn’t disappoInt!
M. Russell Ballard posed the VERY important question “Loves thou me more than (insert anything here that distracts us from giving our time to Jesus)”. For us, what are the "these" that we need to set aside as we love Jesus better? “In the end, those (worldly) things matter very little compared to loving the Savior.” Loved the connection to President Nelson’s masterful “Let God Prevail” quote.
Sister Eubank starts with a cookie? She had my attention! A cookie of gratitude, nonetheless! In her day job as the head of LDS Charities, she definitely has some cred to share some awesome stories of the kindness and humanitarian work of the Church. What a great feeling it is to know that you are an answer to someone else’s prayers.
The question that Brent Nielson posed is such a relevant concern for a lot of people. Why do some receive miracles and others don’t? Yes, Christ can heal our bodies. Is it not more important that the Savior can heal our hearts and souls? There is balm in Gilead. His grace is sufficient and there is leftovers.
Some great quotes from Arnulfo Valenzuela - "It seems to me that Nephi was a student dedicated to the scriptures.”, “To feast means more than to taste. To feast means to savor.”, "I invite you to have a permanent plan for studying the scriptures." I do really delight in the scriptures and I hope and pray that I don’t take those gifts for granted.
I told my wife earlier that I wondered if Brad Wilcox would get asked to speak in this conference. Called it! Trying to quote him is quite the endeavor because his entire talks are pretty epic. “God loves us the way we are, but he loves us too much to allow us to stay that way.” Change is what Christ's atonement is all about. "Never give up just because we slip up." Worthiness is not flawlessness. Spend less time hating yourself for what you have done, and more time loving Jesus for what HE has done. His talk will be a gift to all Bishops…and to anyone who sins on a regular basis! He understands grace and I love how he is trying to help so many understand it too!
Elder Alfred Kyungu spoke about four qualities of Christ that he tries to imitate: Humility, Courage, Forgiveness, Sacrifice. “ Let us have the courage to do what is right, even when it is unpopular. The courage to defend our faith." Such a humble flower of Christ!
I loved Elder Marcus B. Nash's opening stories on planes. These conversations aren't just happening by accident. He clearly strives to always talk about the gospel in even the most mundane situations. Sharing the Gospel brings joy upon joy and hope upon hope! It also brings protection, healing, and forgiveness. Share the gospel. Be you. Hold up the light.
Henry B. Eyring - The way to receive revelation from God has not changed since the days of Adam & Eve. Such a cool statement! To be able to courageously and faithfully say “I only want what you want, not what I want.” is easier said than done, but so crucial to really hear the voice of the Lord. One of the best lines - “It is crucial that any personal revelation we receive be consonant with the teachings of the Lord and His prophets.” WOW!
Whew! What a day! See you all tomorrow…after another good Conference breakfast. :)