Saturday morning session of General Conference - 196 years…let’s GO, my friends!
Am I ok loving that Elder Gerrit W. Gong is starting off? I LOVE his talks, but his voice is SO calming and soothing that sometimes when it gets later in the conference, his voice is more calming than I’d like to think it is…🥱
And Elder Gong’s dad jokes always hit. In a world of commotion, contention, and cares, the Lord invites us to a place of spiritual safety, harmony, and holiness - the House of the Lord. I love the idea of measuring temple doctrine along with personal temple culture. Losing yourself in temple work will soften your heart and bring blessings to your life. Big or small - temples are temples and I’m so grateful for them.
Sister Tamara Runia ALWAYS brings it! And she speaks so well with her hands. I once heard that “Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want”. She concurred that “The only way to get experience is to go through it”. "The gospel felt like a big umbrella I could hold over my head to keep the rain from falling on me. But I’ve learned, from experience, that we’re all going to get rained on. And sometimes we’re going to get pelted.”
“A godlike life is carved from the very things that make it hard - the gut-wrenching things that happen and the righteous desires that haven’t.”
“I don’t understand why this happened. I don’t. But let me be clear: Not understanding is not the same as not believing.” 🔥
"There is a sculpting taking place within each of our souls."
Elder Gerald Causse (whose brillliant white hair and dark eyebrows are both powerful!) shared “Bearing witness is a foundational responsibility of discipleship.” Even though Apostles are literally “special witnesses”, all members have that same gift and responsibility to share our own witness. That’s one of the reasons I love to share on my walks and my Conference recaps like this. Using the phrases “I know” and “I believe” adds a powerful credibility to a testimony. It need not be dramatic or perfect, it only needs to be true. Then we let the Holy Ghost do what He does so perfectly. That gives me a TON of comfort as I share imperfectly.
"As you share it freely, your own testimony will grow stronger."
I’ve loved Vai Sikahema ever since his BYU football days back in the 80’s and his passionate Conference talks are so good! Such a tender story of his Tongan grandparents’ experience to eagerly meet with an apostle. “I suspect the Lord knew that even when we would have these devices [cellphones] to easily see and hear His anointed servants, many of us would still take them for granted.” As easy as it is to access prophets and Apostles today, I hope I never take that for granted.
Elder Kevin J. Hathaway - "A scriptural pattern of divine deliverance as follows, opposition brings heart-rending questions and emotions, sincere seeking invites assurances, Christ’s grace enables us to endure and grow, and deliverance comes in the Savior’s time and way.” Be not afraid, only believe! "In His time and way, Jesus Christ will deliver you."
His tie was my favorite one so far…and also maybe my favorite talk so far. To quote my 17-year old son, Ben - “that was straight fire!”
Ulisses Soares (with the sweet windowpane plaid suit!) nailed it with a talk I needed to hear. Fasting is something I struggle with - not because of food (ok, that’s not completely true 🤣), it’s just hard to know WHAT to fast for sometimes and what I really have “control” over - if that makes sense. Quoting Isaiah 58 about prayerfully pondering the beautiful promises of fasting is great prep for the upcoming Come Follow Me reading. I will need to study this talk multiple times as I continue to learn about this valuable principle.
"Even when answers do not come in the way we expect, fasting and prayer helps us develop greater confidence in the Lord, in our covenants with Him and in His plan for our lives, as well as a deeper willingness to accept His will." 🙏
“We love missionaries of all ages!” And there are more out than ever before - 90K, to be exact! Bishop Sean Douglas shared his love of all the missionaries out there. I get an opportunity to see a bunch of them in my weekly institute class and they are the real deal and I love seeing and feeling their spirits. "Make no mistake, you are doing the most important work you could be doing. Yes, the Lord’s expectations are high for you! But, oh — it is worth it."
And getting called as a bishop on his wedding day - that’s discipleship! Merlin ROCKS! Be like Merln!
And the TABCATS singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” - 😭.
Why should I feel discouraged? When Jesus is my portion my constant friend is He. His eye is on the sparrow and I KNOW He watches me.
So beautiful! I’m not crying - you are!
I love President D. Todd Christofferson’s Jacob-like “sense of duty” with the unexpected but needed topic of gambling. Yep, it’s still a thing - especially sports and online gambling is growing huge! Very eye-opening stats. Even people “betting on when the Second Coming” will be. And where DO you go to collect on the bet on the Second Coming… Yikes. 🤣
"What is the opportunity cost of gambling? What do you forgo in terms of money, time, relationships and worthwhile pursuits? Where does it lead?
"Today, I am pleading with all of us to live life on a higher plane. God has granted life and agency to each of us, and each of us is accountable to Him for how we live that life."
Great session - I noticed lots of examples of death and tragedy mentioned in this Conference, and yet tons of hope and faithful ways to react to it. The reality that hard things happen but connecting to the Savior is the way to work through these rough and seemingly opposing times.
Jesus is the Great Deliverer - now and forever!
Conference snacks await - see you in a couple hours!